Water, Water Everywhere: The Advantages of Boring a Well for Your Farm
Whether you own a small hobby farm or a full-blown commercial farming operation, you're most likely already grimly aware of the innumerable costs and expenses that go into running your farm before you manage to sell a single carrot. Water bills can be some of the most eye-watering, especially if you run a crop or vegetable farm that requires thorough irrigation,
There is, however, an alternative to paying steep prices for mains water — have your own well bored. Drawing water from your own private water bore can have a number of very attractive advantages, so take stock of the following benefits of private well ownership before deciding whether this approach is right for your farm.
'Free' water
The water you take from your own water bore isn't technically free, as your farm will need to purchase and obtain a license to take and use groundwater from your local governmental authority. You also, naturally, have to pay for the well to be bored, which can vary in price depending on the chosen depth and location of your well, as well as how you choose to move water from the well to your farm.
However, once initial expenses are paid out your water bore will essentially provide you with free water for as long as it is viable, without having to pay commercial water companies a cent. As you can imagine, this can take a huge chunk out of your annual water expenses, especially during the summer months when constant watering of your crops and/or livestock is vital to their health. It also leaves your farm protected against any construction or maintenace work done to mains water pipes that may temporarily cut off your supply,
Drought resistance
This ready source of water in your farm's own backyard also has another key advantage, in that it gives your farm a backup source of water in case of drought. This approach is usually most effective if you choose to have a deeper water bore created, as the groundwater that lurks at these depths is largely immune to droughts and brutal summer weather.
These wells are particularly useful during times of prolonged water shortage, as they are exempt from most laws regarding suspension of commercial and residential water usage (such as hosepipe and mains irrigation bans). Local authorities can place holds on your ability to draw groundwater from your well, but this is rarely done and only during the most extreme periods of drought.
Water purity
Water taken from a deep well also lacks any of the additives and sterilising compounds added to conventional tap water to make it potable, such as chlorine, fluoride and trace salts. This makes a dedicated farm well particularly desirable for organic farmers, as it allows them to water their crops and livestock without accidentally introducing traces of non-organic pollutants (such as pesticides and nitrates) into their produce from the mains water supply.