Increasing ​Dairy Effluent ​and Water Efficiency

Lincoln University has teamed up with fertiliser co-operative, Ravensdown, to unveil a breakthrough technology that could dramatically improve the dairy sector’s water efficiency and reduce the risks associated with dairy effluent.

The new system, known as ClearTech, was developed from research by Lincoln University Soil Science Professors Keith Cameron and Hong Di, and represents a $1.5m investment by Ravensdown.

The technology aims to save billions of litres of freshwater a year by making existing effluent storage go further, with farmers able to separate effluent from dairy shed runoff and reuse the water. The leftover waste can then be turned into nutrient fertiliser for paddocks.

Professor Keith Cameron told One News that the ClearTech pilot project was producing 10 thousand litres of recyclable water per milking.

“That’s 20 thousand litres a day of water saved, which means we don’t have to use freshwater, and it’s 20 thousand less litres of effluent that get produced,” he said.

The pilot project is installed at the Lincoln University Demonstration Farm (LUDF) and undergoing rigorous testing in a real-world environment to give farmers a preview of the technology.

It was unveiled at a LUDF Farm Focus Day on 3 May by Agriculture Minister Damian O’Connor and representatives from Lincoln University and Ravensdown. A group of 350 dairy farmers attended the event.

The system is installed between the dairy shed and effluent pond and works by binding effluent particles together to settle them out from the water.

The effluent circulating in the ClearTech system is automatically monitored and treated and the separation process kills up to 99% of micro-organisms, such as E. coli, while reducing odour.

Professor Hong Di said similar technology was being used for treating drinking water.

“We’ve taken the same principle and applied it to dairy farm effluent.”

The technology will be commercially available later this year, once testing has been completed.

Ravensdown Effluent Technology Manager Jaime Thompson said the project showed exciting potential to transform “green water” so it could be confidently reused as yard wash.

“About a quarter of a dairy shed’s fresh water use is on yard washing, so the potential benefits to New Zealand are enormous.

"ClearTech will look to save 42 billion litres of freshwater a year – the equivalent of 17,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.”

She said 70 per cent of dairy farmers’ environmental spending was dedicated to effluent management, so ClearTech would help them to save money and meet their compliance obligations.

Source: Lincoln University

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Taxonomy

• Effluent
• Freshwater
• Dairy Cattle Farming
• Dairy Development
• Dairy