Theresa Wilson DairyNZ Project Manager

If an effluent storage pond is built well it can have a great return on investment – but what does ‘good' look like?

DairyNZ and the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) have answered this question by pulling together information to create the IPENZ Practice Note 21: Farm Dairy Effluent Pond Design and Construction.

This includes detailed information on the regulations and legislation related to ponds, site investigations, design, construction and certification and contracting. It's a technical document that sets out standards and a process to follow so engineers and contractors building ponds meet their clients' expectations.

To simplify this information, DairyNZ has produced ‘A Farmer's Guide to Building a New Effluent Storage Pond'. This guide aims to help farmers through the process and outlines factors to consider when building a new effluent pond including: planning, working with consultants and contractors and design options.

We all hear stories of ponds that have not been built to meet any standards other than to hold more effluent than the old sump. As a result, it is understandable that people have held off putting in a new pond until there is more certainty that what is paid for will do the job.

Installing an effluent pond is an expensive exercise, costing anywhere from $30,000 to more than $100,000. It pays to do the homework before any big decisions are made. That's where the new pond Practice Note and the farmer guide will help you by giving you and your contractors and engineers some certainty around what a good design looks like and how it should be constructed.

Getting pond standards established and understood by engineers, pond companies and contractors should help you take on this critical project with confidence that you'll ‘do it once and do it right'. It is also an important part of how the current level of significant non-compliance with effluent regulations can be lowered even further.

DairyNZ is running a series of workshops on effluent storage to give you an opportunity to ask any burning questions. The nationwide events will be hosted by regional effluent systems specialists during November and December.

For more information go to dairynz.co.nz/events or email Trevor Foley at trevor.foley@dairynz.co.nz

FDE storage and pond construction field days in Waikato and Bay of Plenty:
17 November – Paeroa, 22 November – Gordonton, 23 November – Franklin, 24 November –Morrinsville , 29 November – Putaruru, 30 November – Te Awamutu, 9 December – Te Puke, 12 December – Rotorua, 13 December – Whakatane, 14 December - Taupo

* Look out for our Effluent and Irrigation feature in next month's Coast & Country.