Whether we have another summer drought or not, the way we use water on dairy farms or on orchards, can no longer be a matter we take for granted.

Many of us probably still think New Zealand is a lightly populated country with regular and copious rainfall and endless free water is a right.

Well, compared to some countries, we're still relatively well off in our ability to turn on taps and find water coming out. But there are insidious changes happening that we have been turning a blind eye to.

First there are more of us and more of us live in cities. Secondly, our farming activities have not only intensified, but there are expectations that we shall continue to move along that track, including irrigating pastures and crops when it either doesn't rain when expected or we are in a dry part of the country. Thirdly, there is climate change, which is already producing unexpected weather events all round the world, including in New Zealand.

Until recently, there has been a ‘first come, first served' approach to water allocation around the country, whether requiring resource consents or not. Recent stock takes have discovered that, with everyone taking a bit more than they used to, some areas are now over allocated, our visible streams and invisible aquifers are taking a hit and when we get a summer ‘dry', there's no effective way to share water equably.

Larger herds

Dairy farmers milk cows all summer and with herds getting larger, cleaning down plant and shed takes more water to achieve. But how much water is getting used at each shed and is what's available being used most efficiently?

Many farmers would only have a very vague idea, particularly those with bores or handy streams and no water meters. Those with council reticulated supply may be more aware because they probably have to pay for it. But the others are also paying, in electricity to pump the stuff up and then big effluent ponds to put the dirty water in, before more pumping to get rid of it – and we haven't mentioned what leaks cost yet.

Swapping ideas

DairyNZ began introducing Smart Water Use on Farms about a year ago, beginning around the Waikato and then more recently in the Hauraki area, where 60 farmers turned up for their local session to hear and swap ideas. DairyNZ also compiled one of their very useful free self-assessment kits to get people analysing their existing systems.

Now Gord Stewart, Smart Water Use manager, is taking the concept to the Bay of Plenty in February, with five sessions in Reporoa, Te Puke, Katikati, Edgecumbe and Galatea. They are now known as Smart Water Use Ideas Exchanges.

With many Bay of Plenty farmers using reticulated water, at each session there will be water officers from the relevant councils who will talk about their local situation, where they get water from, how they store and circulate it and whether their systems are holding up or, as in some cases, needing hugely expensive expansion.

Then Wayne Berry, a consulting officer for DairyNZ who is also a dairy farmer, will explain how examining his own farm system and making some relatively inexpensive changes has already saved him amazing amounts of money. He will also expound on how the ideas can be retrofitted into different shed systems and get farmers to share their own ideas.

Reserve a spot

You'll need to reserve a spot at a session near you. First visit www.boprc.govt.nz for details on when and where and then either phone 07 349 6825 or email [email protected]
It could be a financially rewarding experience.