Farm Business Update 2014 presentation of Essex and Suffolk Water taken from the Essex YFC Event.

1. 1
Farming and drinking
water
Teresa Meadows
Chelmer and Blackwater Catchment Advisor
Essex & Suffolk Water
Farm Business Update
4th February 2014

2. 2
Farming and drinking
water
• Water quality update
• Role for catchment approaches
• Current initiatives
• What does it mean for you?

3. 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. 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. 5
Where are we now?
Key water quality issues
• Pesticides – metaldehyde,
clopyralid, propyzamide,
carbetamide
• Nutrients – nitrate, phosphorus
• Sediment

6. 6
Where are we now?

7. 7
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20
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80
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01-Jan-04 01-Jan-05 01-Jan-06 01-Jan-07 01-Jan-08 01-Jan-09 01-Jan-10 01-Jan-11 01-Jan-12 01-Jan-13 01-Jan-14
Nitrate(mg/l)
Nitrate - River Blackwater at Langford
Where are we now?

8. 8
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……….

9. 9
Abstraction management

10. 10
Current initiatives / projects
• Safeguard Zones
• Possible mitigation measures
• Risk mapping

11. 11
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

12. 12
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

13. 13
Slug trapping

14. 14
Risk mapping
• Field scale risk –
• Soil type
• Slope
• Distance from water
• Modification of advice and
metaldehyde use in high risk
areas

15. 15
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

16. 16
Any questions?
Contacts:
Chelmer and Blackwater Catchment – Teresa Meadows – 07792 169545
Anglian Water – Simon Eyre – seyre@anglianwater.co.uk
Affinity Water – Alister Leggatt - alister.leggatt@affinitywater.co.uk