Turning Tomatoes into Water: Botanical Water Technologies and Ingomar Packing in Drought-Stricken San Joaquin Valley

In California’s drought-stricken San Joaquin Valley, BWT and Ingomar, as strategic partners, are harvesting a new source of sustainable water for communities

LOS BANOS, CA, UNITED STATES, October 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In the heart of California’s drought-stricken San Joaquin Valley, Botanical Water Technologies (BWT) and Ingomar Packing Company (Ingomar), as strategic partners, are harvesting a new source of sustainable water for community, groundwater sustainability, and environmental impact projects.

This season, they have provided purified water to the Central California Irrigation District (CCID) canal network, with the ability to scale the volume delivered in future years, to support ground water sustainability in the region.

This initiative utilizes BWT’s patented Water Harvest Units (WHUs) to capture, purify, and repurpose the natural water contained in tomatoes during processing at Ingomar’s Los Banos facility. Instead of being lost as steam or wastewater, this water is purified to a high quality and redirected into impact programs, like the CCID’s canal system, where it supports the agricultural sector and local communities.

California’s Water Crisis: Every Drop Counts

The San Joaquin Valley has been at the epicentre of California’s water challenges. In 2022, over 1,000 wells went dry, with Merced County among the hardest hit.

Despite intermittent rainfall, groundwater, a critical fallback during dry years, remains overdrawn and slow to recharge, leaving farms and rural communities in crisis.

Against this backdrop, innovations like this represent vital steps forward. This is a crucial time for new solutions that can supply households or irrigate farmland, while showcasing the scalable potential of food-based water recovery.

Scaling Impact:

A standard WHU can recover over 150,000 gallons per day, the equivalent of one acre-foot every 2 to 3 days during processing season. When scaled across California’s tomato, fruit, and wine processing industries, the potential recovery runs into millions of acre-feet annually, enough to transform the water resilience of the Valley.

“Tomatoes are 95% water, by recovering and returning water that already exists within our food systems, we're demonstrating how technology and partnerships can strengthen both community resilience and environmental health. This is just the beginning of what’s possible when industry collaborates to grow water,” said Terry Paule, Founder & CEO of Botanical Water Technologies.

This approach can be replicated across other processing sites, offering lasting benefits for surrounding communities and supporting environmental restoration through improved groundwater recharge. BWT and Ingomar plan to expand this initiative in future processing seasons, aligning with regional sustainability goals, community impact partners, and local water management programs.

The water is tracked and verified through Philo Exchange (PhiloX), a blockchain-enabled platform able to verify and report every drop returned to the environment. This supports corporate sponsors and partners on their Water Stewardship journeys.
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About Botanical Water Technologies (BWT)

BWT has developed patented Water Harvest Units (WHUs) that turn agricultural and food processing condensate into safe, sustainable plant-sourced drinking water, helping corporates reach water-positive goals and supporting vulnerable communities. Its blockchain-powered Philo Exchange (PhiloX) ensures transparent, verifiable impact reporting. More at www.wegrowwater.com

About Ingomar Packing Company (Ingomar)

Ingomar, based in Los Banos, California, is one of the nation’s largest tomato processors. Each year, it handles more than a million tons of tomatoes, producing paste and diced products for global food brands. Committed to innovation and sustainability, Ingomar partners with organizations like BWT to pioneer solutions that enhance resilience in California’s Central Valley. More at https://ingomarpacking.com/

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AgTech Start-Up is Harvesting Water... From Plants!

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