1
Farming and drinking
water
Rob Holland
ESW Catchment Advisor
Essex & Suffolk Water
Farm Business Update
28th February 2014
2
Farming and drinking
water
• Water quality update
• Role for catchment approaches
• Current initiatives
• What does it mean for you?
3
Water company water supply areas
Anglian Water –
• 4.3m customers
Essex & Suffolk Water –
• 1.8m customers
Affinity Water –
• 3.3m customers
Cambridge Water –
• 315,000 customers
4
Water company obligations
• To supply ‘wholesome’ water
• Meet stringent drinking water
quality standards
• Find a balance of solutions for
each affected treatment works, at
a cost acceptable to customers
and economic regulator
5
Where are we now?
Key water quality issues
• Pesticides – metaldehyde,
clopyralid, propyzamide,
carbetamide
• Nutrients – nitrate, phosphorus
• Sediment
6
Where are we now?
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The role for catchment approaches?
• Will need to use all available options
• Treatment –
• Ion exchange (nitrate removal)
• Ozonation & Granular Activated Carbon
• Abstraction management –
• Limited scope
• Blending –
• Nitrates, pesticides
• Catchment management……….
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Abstraction management
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Current initiatives / projects
• Safeguard Zones
• Possible mitigation measures
• Risk mapping
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Safeguard Zones
• Areas where land use is
known to reduce water
quality in rivers used for
drinking water supply
• Actions targeted to
improve water quality
• www.wiyby.co.uk
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Possible mitigation measures
Cultural controls Responsible use
Reduce usage
Reduced a i formulations Non-metaldehyde products
Bunded sprayer filling areas, inc. biobeds/biofilters
Rural SuDS Buffer strips Instream treatment
WRc report – Oct 2013
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Slug trapping
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Risk mapping
• Field scale risk –
• Soil type
• Slope
• Distance from water
• Modification of advice
and metaldehyde use in
high risk areas
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What does this mean for you?
• Check if you farm in a drinking water catchment
– www.wiyby.co.uk
• Follow Tried & Tested, MSG & VI best practice advice
– www.nutrientmanagement.org www.getpelletwise.org.uk
– www.voluntaryinitiative.org.uk
• Consider field by field risk on your farm –
• Test slug pressure by trapping
• High run-off risk = cracking clay soils, under-drains, sloping
fields, bordered by ditches & watercourses
• Consider additional measures in highest risk fields
• Don’t forget the farmyard
• CSF / Water Company Advisor help available
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Any questions?
Contacts:
Essex & Suffolk Water – Rob Holland – [email protected]
Anglian Water – Simon Eyre – [email protected]
Affinity Water – Alister Leggatt - [email protected]