For many farmers, water is a big part of the production process, and a supply shortage could be detrimental to their business. From keeping their livestock hydrated, crop-spraying to washing down plant machinery, water has a whole host of different uses on farms.
We've created this page to give you some useful tips that will help you use water more efficiently, reduce your bills and give you a contingency process, should you suffer a water outage.
Flow monitoring
Firstly, we always recommend any business using a high volume of water installs a water logger on the main meter which enters the site. This will support the building of an accurate picture of daily water consumption. Our portal creates a clear pattern of usage which can be viewed on any computer or mobile device. This cost-effective solution can prevent the waste of water and money by providing early visibility of potential leakage through its alarm functionality.
Leakage is usually easy to spot when the water pipes are above ground, but if you have a leak on your underground water network, it can run unnoticed for a considerable time.
If left to run, leaks can cost a substantial amount, running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Leaks are not always easy to locate, but we have experienced leak detection technicians who use computer aided techniques to help position the leak and we are equipped to handle any scale of repair. Some of your best allies in identifying leaks are your own employees who may notice standing water on the grounds or slight changes in pressure from taps. Educating staff on how to spot leaks, together with data which can be broken down into 15 minute intervals provides effective controls to mitigate the impact of leaks. At Source for Business we are able to provide leaflets and poster templates to help support your efforts to be a water efficient site.
Leak detection
Leakage is usually easy to spot when the water pipes are above ground, but if you have a leak on your underground water network, it can run unnoticed for a considerable time. Farms can quite often have large spans of pipework across fields which supply various troughs and standpipes and as a result, it can challenging to find and fix leaks.
If left to run, leaks can cost a substantial amount, running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Leaks are not always easy to locate, but we have experienced leak detection technicians who use computer aided techniques to help position the leak and we are equipped to handle any scale of repair.
Alternative water sources - boreholes
A borehole is an excellent way to ensure you have continuity of water. Many farms have disused wells and springs which can be regenerated to provide an additional water supply. Up to 20,000 litres can be extracted a day without a licence, and this can contribute to a saving of around £14,000 p.a. with a return on the original investment within a few years.
Hillview Farm is a second generation farm in Allet, Truro which has a herd of 80 cows, 120 acres of cereals and 80 acres of potatoes. The farm’s cattle drink a lot of water and a large amount of water is used for crop-spraying. Mr Williams, the owner, approached us as he wanted to reduce his £16k p.a. water bill.
Alternative water sources - rainwater harvesting
Unlike your average water butt, many different systems can be installed in your business to collect the rainwater that would usually drain away. It can be easily stored, filtered and then redirected into your farm and used in many applications, including toilet flushing, irrigation, vehicle washing, fire sprinkler systems, laundry, and more.
By using a rainwater harvesting system, your farm can reduce mains water usage and save you money. A rainwater harvesting system can reduce your water usage by as much as 40%, providing your farm with significant savings on their traditional mains supplied water services.
“A Source for Business representative came out to the farm. He suggested a borehole to reduce my water bills and to help me with my sustainability targets. He organised for an acid test which needed to be done to bring the levels to a neutral PH for my cattle – then he organised for the borehole and storage tanks to be fitted which were unobtrusive and didn’t impact us in any way. Nearly a year on, and my water bills have reduced to just £65 a quarter for the standing charge as I’m still connected to the mains. I’m delighted with my borehole, the significant cost savings and found Nigel very knowledgeable and helpful with the whole process. I used finance to fund this and the savings I have made will pay for this installation over the next three years." Mr Williams, owner Hillview Farm, Allet, Truro
Emergency water
If you're unable to install either of the alternative water sources listed above, we can create an emergency water contingency plan with our contractors.
They're available 24/7, 365 days a year for all your emergency water supply needs, wherever and whenever you need it. They offer a range of services including same day and out of hours deliveries with water tankers, pallets of bottled water and deployment of bowsers or static tanks. If your site is water critical and can't operate without a water supply, our contingency planning offers peace of mind that we will always be on hand to make water deliveries when you need it.
Submit meter readings online
By submitting regular meter readings, you can be sure that bills accurately reflect actual water volumes and not estimates.
You should only try to access your meter if it is completely safe to do so. If you are in any doubt, do not attempt to access the meter, and contact us.
If it is safe for you to do so, read your meter, ensuring you only record the digits in black. Once this reading has been obtained, please click here to submit a meter reading.
