How to save water in the nursery industry |
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- Work out the special features of your nursery, then consult an accredited irrigation designer. This will ensure the irrigation system will be efficient, practical and suitable.
- Fix water efficient nozzles to any overhead sprinkler, and apply the water evenly. See the Best Practice Guidelines for more detailed information.
- Try to use pot space efficiently, to cut down on water that is lost between plants.
- If suitable, install subirrigation or drip irrigation systems. These can produce water savings of up to 75%, compared to overhead sprinklers.
- Set up wind breaks around the lot, to cut down on water lost to wind and transpiration. These will also protect you plants and irrigation equipment.
- Ensure your irrigation system meets the standard recommended by the Nursery Industry Association of Australia. This includes:
• a Coefficient of Uniformity of greater than 85%
• a Mean Application Rate of less than 15mm/hour
• a Scheduling coefficient of less than 1.5 - Manage your irrigation system correctly. Choose a system which allows automatic shutdown, moisture sensors, and can apply water at different rates to different parts of the nursery.
- Contact the industry association for more detailed advice and information on courses available.
- Filter and remove solids before recycling.
- There are various treatment and disinfestation techniques. Determine what your requirements are before deciding what treatment mechanism is necessary.
- Recycled water from production areas must be treated (filtering and disinfection) before being applied again. This is to ensure pathogens, pesticides, nutrients and sediment are not transmitted to other plant stocks.
- Construct wetlands to trap and biologically treat runoff from the site. This water can then be reused for irrigation.
- Throughout the year, monitor quantity and quality of collected water.
- Rooftops and runoff from most non-production areas are a good source of irrigation water, with little need for treatment. Consider this option and see the section on rainwater harvesting for more information.
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Managing runoff and retention |
- Establish an erosion, sediment and litter control plan, for the development and running of the nursery.
- Try to use natural features to control runoff, and use erosion control devices where necessary. This will enable you to collect good quality water for reuse.
- Talk to your local municipal council for more information on local requirements.
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