Water is an essential component of farming — but it’s often taken for granted. With water resources already scarce in many parts of England and Wales, the Environment Agency warns that water will become even scarcer in the years ahead due to climate change. So how can farmers save water, meet environmental goals, and reduce costs?
Recover 40% of Your Farm’s Water Usage
Many farmers are now using their barn and shed roofs to cut costs through rainwater harvesting. Our customers have recovered as much as 40% of their farm’s water usage with our systems.
The amount of water used by a farm can be significant — with water bills running into the thousands. Typical mains water costs around £1–£2 per cubic metre, and these costs are expected to rise. Farms use water for a wide range of purposes, including:
- Crop spraying
- Irrigation
- Livestock drinking
- Slurry management
- Machinery and yard washing
- Humidification
- Staff facilities (toilets, kitchens, etc.)
Meet Environmental Initiatives
Making use of rain that falls on your farm buildings not only saves money but can also help reduce slurry storage needs and prevent contaminated runoff from reaching rivers and streams.
Some of the UK’s largest supermarkets are already auditing suppliers on their carbon footprint — encouraging farms to adopt sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting to demonstrate environmental commitment.
Rainwater Harvesting in Livestock Feeding
It’s a common myth that harvested rainwater can’t be used for livestock drinking. With the correct filtration systems, rainwater can be made safe — offering major cost savings.
Studies show dairy farms pay between £31 and £100 per cow each year in water costs. Based on an average herd size of 131 cattle, that’s between £4,061 and £13,100 per year just on drinking water.
No Planning Permission or Licence Normally Required
In most cases, planning permission is not required for rainwater harvesting systems. Local authorities generally support applications that include these systems — and in some cases, they’re even a planning condition on new buildings.
There are also no licensing requirements for collecting and reusing rainwater.
A Range of Innovative Rainwater Harvesting Solutions
We supply a variety of high-quality rainwater harvesting systems designed for agricultural applications, including:
- Overground and underground water storage tanks
- Pumped storage and booster systems to enhance flow and pressure
- Systems suitable for livestock, irrigation, and machinery cleaning
All our systems come with the UK’s longest guarantees and can be supplied and installed by our expert team. Call us today for professional advice on 0121 351 3230.
Alternatively, fill out our enquiry form:
References
** Farmers Weekly – Sainsbury’s Extends Low Carbon Model to Poultry
*** ADAS 2008, Resource and Energy Audits Pilot Scheme – Report for Farming Connect Cumbria.