Innovative Pond cleans up at Environment Awards

Innovative Effluent Pond cleans up at Environment Awards

An innovative dairy effluent storage system has been hailed as the way of the future at the Environment Southland Enviro Awards.

The Hynds Hypond system featured in both the Rural Award won by David Hughes of Ballyhooley Dairies and the Environmental Innovator of the Year title won by John White of Hynds Rural.

The award judges were full of praise for the dairy effluent management system which they say minimises the risk of failure, error and accident. “If every dairy farmer adopted the approach that David Hughes has taken to managing farm dairy effluent, the community would not be fretting about the impact of dairying on our waterways and most of Environment Southland’s compliance staff would be out of a job” read the award citation.

The system is made up of Hyponds or large storage tanks made from Hynds precast concrete panels, one pump and a Gator Buddy travelling irrigator monitor.

David Hughes who farms at Drummond on the Oreti Plains says the system works brilliantly. The Hyponds provide 100,000 litres of storage capacity to cope with any problems with the spray irrigator or periods when spraying isn’t allowed. That means I’ve got three days of storage when I don’t have to worry about effluent overflow and can get on with other stuff around the farm or even get away,” says David.

The Hypond system also deals to the foul job of stirring and cleaning effluent ponds. “While most farmers have to bring in heavy machinery to clean the sludge build up from their ponds I can do it with a pair of Red Bands and a high pressure hose.”

David says not only is the Hypond effluent system environmentally friendly it’s also a breeze for staff to use and maintain which is increasingly a factor in retaining good staff.

John White of Hynds Rural says he’s stoked the Hypond has received such recognition. “It really does provide farmers with a future-proofed system that solves compliance headaches”. He says Ballyhooley Dairy is already working on extending its system with a 3 million litre Hypond being installed along with a new Gillies Hypress Effluent Separator which will further enhance the environmental standards of the farm.

ENDS

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