The primary objective of rural farm water planning is to ensure that you have the water needed for your farm activities. Reliable water supply is one of the most essential inputs for any farm regardless of whether the farm is used to grow vegetables, rear livestock or both.
Bores are one source of water for rural farms. If you have found a bore that can supply water to your farm use at a decent rate, you will need to ensure that it is safe to use for irrigation, animal consumption and other farm purposes.
Here are a couple of things you should do to make sure your bore water is of good quality as essentially required for running a successful rural farm business.
Eliminating soluble metals
A lot of metal elements and metal compounds are present in underground water sources as such bores. Most of these metals are exist in such low levels that they are virtually unnoticeable to the naked eye. When bore water containing dissolved iron, for instance, finds its way into water sprinklers, they may cause blockages, which can render the equipment defective. If water that has a high concentration of soluble iron is sprayed on farm crops, it can hinder proper transpiration and photosynthesis, thus leading to poor crop growth.
Pasture with heavy iron deposits is a health risk to your livestock. If consumed by dairy cattle, the iron deposits may reduce milk production. What is more, the unsightly appearance of vegetables and fruit stained with iron deposits can make them hard to sell.
Iron dissolves in water that contains little or no oxygen. Oxidise the iron with water softeners so that it can form solid particles, which can then be filtered out.
Balancing water pH
The pH level of water is used to measure how alkaline or acidic it is. Bore water with excessive alkalinity or acidity is not good for farm use, as it can affect crop growth, damage irrigation equipment, reduce efficiency of fertilisers and pesticides, and reduce suitability of potable water.
If you have any concerns regarding the pH balance of your bore water, you have to get it tested before, and at times during, use by an accredited laboratory technician. An acceptable water pH can be achieved by adding an alkaline or acidic substance to the water source, depending on whether it is the alkalinity or acidity of the water that is to be reduced. A suitable water-balancing substance can be injected into the pipeline connected to the aquifers (underground water reservoirs).