clean water
Ref: W07h

‘Clean water’ is water that is naturally pure or has been purified. Other than rainfall or water from a well or borehole, it is supplied by the Water Companies. Some farms might use water from a borehole (G1) for washing, flushing toilets or drinking water for animals (not people). Some of the suggestions on how to prevent clean water being wasted on a farm are similar to those for the home and school.

Cleaning farm machinery with pressure washer

On a farm, clean water is used for a range of purposes, such as feeding livestock, irrigation (watering crops), washing livestock and crops.

Wasting clean water also wastes money, as the Water Company does not supply clean water free of charge. Wasting clean water is also not very good for the environment. This is because water is unnecessarily abstracted (removed) from rivers, the ground and reservoirs. Refresh your memory by looking at Death of a River (E06).

There are things that can be done on a farm to stop clean water being wasted.

Sometimes using clean water is not necessary and sometimes it is, as in the final cleaning of a vegetable crop. Are there times when clean water is used but recycled water could be used instead? (see Dirty Water W07e) By doing this farmers would be refusing to use clean water at times when it is unnecessary (W11).

Is it possible to reduce the amount of clean water used? A simple way of doing this is by making sure that water meters work so that leaks can be identified and dealt with.

Has the amount of water needed to water crops been calculated correctly? Watering crops at night can also help reduce the amount of clean water needed on a farm because in during the day water will be lost through evaporation before it reaches the roots of the plants.

Sometimes crops are irrigated (watered) using sprinklers, which spray water over the plants from above. If water is directed to the root of a crop it can help reduce the amount of water needed as the plants have a better chance of getting all that is provided.

Instant hot water heaters could be installed to prevent water being wasted waiting for the tap to run hot. Hose pipes and pressure washers should only be used when they are really necessary, and water tanks could be covered to stop evaporation.

Cow operating pasture pump
Some ways of providing water for livestock to drink and reduce the amount of clean water wasted, is by only supplying on demand. A pasture pump does this. See the information in the Agriculture and Land Management Section about pasture pumps and stock drinking (L06g1)
	Pasture pump

An opportunity for saving rainwater

Rainwater being saved in water butts

Collected rainwater or water that has been used elsewhere on the farm could be used again. Reusing water can prevent clean water being wasted (W11).

Some water could be recycled (W11). Water could be used again for the same farm activity, for example growing vegetables. The water used for washing vegetables could be recycled for irrigating a crop.

Remember by reducing the amount of water being abstracted from the water cycle by farms, other industries, schools as well as at home, wildlife can really benefit.