Stop your money going down the drain

Tuesday 02 February 2010

CHECK your pipes now or risk losing money down the drain, urges DairyCo extension officer, Chris Coxon.

Exposed water pipes can suffer during periods of low temperatures and as Britain is experiencing the coldest winter in decades there is currently a much higher risk of damage.

Hairline cracks may have developed as the water expanded during the freezing process. When the temperature rises water under pressure can escape through these cracks, as a drip or worse. This not only wastes water but adds to disposal costs due to increased volume of slurry and dirty water. Cracks in trough stanchions can lead to water logging around troughs and problems throughout the season.

“Sketch a map of your water supply so that you know where your pipes are and can check them consistently, and keep a careful note of metre readings,” advises Mr Coxon. “Also, check your metre at times of low or no use to ensure that there are no hidden leaks.”

DairyCo has produced a DIY Water Audit to help farmers assess their water use on-farm and consider potential savings in supply, use and disposal, and more information can be found in DairyCo’s booklet, Effective use of water on dairy farms (click the link to download or order a printed copy by calling 024 7647 8695).