How good is your farm water?

Have you ever wondered just how good the water is from your dam, watercourse, soak or well?

The quality of water, particularly water salinity, can vary greatly from property to property, paddock to paddock and even year to year and Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula offers free salinity water testing for land managers on Eyre Peninsula.

If you rely on water from dams or groundwater sources, it is recommended that you check the quality of your water. Water Assessment Officer, Lana Roediger said on Eyre Peninsula salinity is the greatest contributor to a decline in water quality.

“Some land managers opt to test their water on a quarterly basis, as this enables them to keep track of water quality on their property and helps in farm management. While others choose to check the salinity levels during the summer months, when evaporation and an increase in salinity levels are more likely. “she said.

The salinity of water can affect productivity in several ways including via stock drinking water.

It is well documented that stock vary considerably in their ability to tolerate salinity in drinking water, and this has flow on impacts affecting growth, fertility and lactation.

Water salinity can also decrease its suitability for irrigation and crop spraying purposes and reduce its domestic use.

If you would like your water salinity tested, please place a sample into a clean container (minimum of 500ml required).

Rinse the container three times with the water to be sampled before filling the container to take the final sample.

Place your name, date, location, sample ID and phone number on the bottle.

If the water sample is taken from a well or bore that has not been pumped recently, it will need to be purged before taking the sample.

This means pumping to remove at least three well volumes of water to get a non-contaminated water sample.

If you require water testing for other factors such as bacteria levels, algae or levels of other minerals or nutrients, the sample will need to be sent to a professional laboratory.

If you would like your water tested please deliver your sample to your nearest Natural Resources Centre or local office, or contact Lana Roediger on 8688 3111 to make alternative arrangements.

For more information, including a factsheet on water testing, please visit: www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ep