Grin And Bore It: The Many Ways Using Bore Water Can Lower Your Farm's Water Bills
Posted on: 30 January 2018
Of the many concerns a farmer has to deal with as they go about the day-to-day business of running their farms, one of the most important is the amount of water their business consumes. All varieties of farm, from crop-growing operations to livestock ranches, use prodigious amounts of water for various tasks, and if all of that water is drawn from centralised, government-owned sources, the costs of using it can add up very quickly.
Consequently, many farmers seek to supplement their water supplies with their own sources, and having one or more water bores drilled in your land is one of the most effective and economical ways to access extra water supplies without handing over a fat cheque to the government. While the water from these bores is generally not safe for drinking without extensive treatment, it can be put to a wide variety of other uses:
Crop irrigation
Farmers of crops, vegetables and fruits have particularly high water needs, and supplementing (or even replacing) their main water supplies with water taken from on-site bores can substantially reduce your annual crop water costs. However, water taken subterranean aquifers cannot simply be sprayed over your crops with reckless abandon; natural contaminants and chemical byproducts of human activity can both contaminate your bore water to the point where it can damage or even destroy watered crops.
The best way to avoid this eventuality is by shunning the use of shallow water bores, which are more vulnerable to contamination from surface-level sources. Instead, you hire a company specialising in deep boring operations to drill a deep bore on your land, which can access water from confined aquifers that are much less vulnerable to contamination. Having your bore water tested for contaminants by a water testing company is also necessary -- many water boring companies offer both services in a bundled package for extra peace of mind.
Cleaning
Mild contamination is far less of an issue if you plan to use bore water primarily for cleaning purposes, and the substantial amounts of water provided by a well-sited bore can be put to a wide variety of cleaning tasks. It is especially useful for cleaning livestock pens used for breeding, feeding and milking, and is also handy for cleaning your fleet of agricultural vehicles. Fitting your bore with a powerful pump will give you a useful source of pressurised water that can be used for hosing away entrenched deposits of dirt, manure and compacted vegetation.
Household tasks
A supply of bore water doesn't just benefit your crops and livestock, however; it can also be used to reduce the consumption of mains water in your own household. When your bore water supply is linked to your home water supplies, it can be used for almost any task that does not require potable water, such as washing windows, flushing toilets and cleaning our personal vehicle(s).
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