our most precious commodity
A recent survey within our industry revealed the following statistics when asked the question “Where do you get your irrigation water from?”
3.8% water courses/lakes/ponds 5.06% rain harvesting from tank/s 6.33% bore holes 12.66% no irrigation supply 72.15% mains supply
A staggering figure of just over 72% of the water we use to keep our grass and plants alive comes from the mains supply, which has been through various treatments to make it safe to drink. Is it, therefore, such a surprise when the public have a real go at us in drought situations when they are inconvenienced with hosepipe bans and, in
enjoying themselves on velvet green swards, apparently oblivious to the inconvenience to others.
If we want to win over hearts and minds, as well as save a considerable amount of money, we have to rethink and pre-empt the next dry period - don’t think it won’t come - the British weather (yes ‘weather’ - we don’t have a ‘climate’) is very fickle - we cannot predict what we will get no matter how hard we try. Even looking forward seven days is a problem in the British Isles. We can make educated guesses at
future weather trends, the current one being that we will see more extremes of weather, i.e. droughts and floods. If that prediction comes true it makes even more sense to
who have excavated irrigation lakes or sunk bore holes) have we not done something serious about this? It just makes sense to at least look at the possibilities, no matter what our circumstances.
During all my years managing golf courses I had never even looked at the possibility of harvesting rain water. Maybe I could excuse myself in the early years because water was cheap, but certainly not in the latter years when water costs became a sizeable part of the golf course maintenance budget. I now find myself in a position to change things - or at least make people aware of what can be achieved. There are three very good reasons why we must seriously look into what we can do:
1. It will save a considerable amount of money (immediately, and in the medium to long term)
2. It makes good sense environmentally
3. It will improve immeasurably the public’s perception of our industry
Saving money
Dependent on which area of the country you live and work in water costs vary
considerably but, even in high rainfall areas, water is still regarded as
very expensive and all indications point to it becoming even more so in the
future. collect
extreme cases, forced to use stand pipes?
The public then see (whilst filling up their buckets at the end of the street) our lush green playing surfaces looking like oases in the desert with players merrily
24 it when it falls and use it when it doesn’t. Does it make any sense to pay for
expensive mains water when you can get it free from the skies? Why, oh why, (except for the few within the statistics
Rain harvesting installation, including maintenance, can be financed over the long term, and monthly payments may even be less than water costs - even if they are not, at present, they soon will be as water costs rise even more.
In my conversations with potential customers regarding the possibilities of
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140