water

NURTURING NATURE

WATER

Water may be used for irrigation and is also used in factories. The volume used and the use of sustainable sources need to be considered, together with preventing potential pollution from factory effluent or discharge from factory washdowns.

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Good Practice

Irrigation Where practical, use drip irrigation rather than sprinkler, for economy of water use. Monitor the quality of irrigation water. Water that is harvested from agricultural or industrial areas may have effects on soil nutrient retention and release equilibria. There may also be toxic effects from pollutants. Apply irrigation where it is most cost-efficient to do so. It may be better to apply more water to a smaller area to achieve maximum return on capitaland labour. Factory Process Water Minimise factory process water use (e.g. recycling steam condensate, dry cleaning of factory lines). Do not discharge untreated factory effluent into watercourses. Water Harvesting and the Sustainability of Water Supply Ensure that any water harvesting is not at the expense of other users downstream. Maintain in-field dams and water catchments. Buildings with appropriate roofing can feed water tanks to collect rain water for domestic use. Larger buildings, such as factories, should also enhance harvesting of rainwater for sanitation use. Ensure that refuelling and lubrication operations for pumping equipment do not pollute watercourses. Potential Areas For Improvement Investigate differences in process water use between factories, and implement best practice on process water utility and handling of factory effluents.

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