Agricultural

Agricultural Rainwater Harvesting

Water is essential for farming but often is taken for granted. Yet in many parts of England and Wales water resources are already scarce and are likely to become even scarcer as a result of climate change. Rainwater harvesting has economic and environmental benefits.

• Charges for mains water are expected to rise. Using collected rainwater could reduce this expenditure. Reducing mains water use will also ensure that additional savings can be made on sewage discharge.
• Harvesting and using rainwater can reduce the quantity of water entering slurry stores, running across fouled yards, or entering dirty water tanks. This can mean a reduction in slurry store size and reduced amounts of dirty water to dispose of, resulting in cost savings.
• Because rainwater does not contain treatment additives such as chlorine, it is considered to be better for irrigation. It is also better than mains water for spraying some crop protection products.
• Rainwater harvesting can reduce dependence on rivers and groundwater sources - now under threat from an increasing population. It can also reduce the risk of localised flooding where water from large roof areas is not managed correctly.
• Some farm assurance schemes actively encourage the use of rainwater harvesting.