EA calls upon farmers to check and maintain slurry systems
Environmental update 17/08/2011
Farmers across the country are being urged to check their slurry
systems by the Environment Agency (EA).
The pre-season checks on the slurry systems and dirty water and
effluent collection processes are a crucial part of ensuing that
the risk of pollution is as low as possible.
The instances of effluent and slurry pollution – which can often
come about as a result of faulty warning devices and alarms – rose
last winter, affecting many local watercourses.
Of particular note were incidents on farms in the Tamar Valley
on the Devon and Cornwall border, where faulty irrigation systems
caused the pollution of local rivers.
The Environment Agency’s John Cossens said, “Farmers need to
make sure their systems are working correctly before this
autumn.
"We have experienced much colder weather in recent winters, so
it is important to have adequate frost protection. Frozen
irrigation systems can be expensive to repair and cause a lot of
problems when they fail," he added.
The EA made several suggestions as to improvements that farmers
could make to their systems, which included ensuring that roof
guttering was clear of all blockages such as leaves and weeds.
Irrigators should also be maintained and moved on a regular
basis to ensure that they are not becoming pollution sources. The
over-application of irrigation in one position can lead to run-off
and pollution.
Slurry stores should be inspected regularly to ensure that it is
still up to the job. Earth-banked lagoons that have been poorly
maintained over the years can collapse, causing untold damage and
pollution if not checked.
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