Producers can ensure their livestock have access to clean and non-contaminated drinking water using a system that will soften hard water sources for decades. This can help to optimise stock weight gains and provide protection from illness and disease, ensuring higher overall productivity. To improve the quality and ensure the integrity of farm water, South Australian-based agricultural water engineering specialist Hydrosmart has developed an innovative physical water conditioning system. It has been tried and proven across all agricultural regions of Australia and is exported to several overseas countries that have recognised its potential. Hydrosmart chief executive officer Paul Pearce said the system was designed to help farmers improve the quality and performance of highly-mineralised, hard, salty, iron or calcium/ gypsum-affected water from bores, rivers, town mains and saline areas. He said it was based on particle physics research, which has established that scale layers and corrosion problems are related to how well minerals in water are dissolved. "Because our Hydrosmart system dissolves a broad range of minerals that build-up in water-carrying pipes, the water flows easier," he said. "And, when dissolved, the minerals are held in suspension - without building-up to form new scale. "These minerals then run out - with the water - through the pipes, pipeline drippers, sprayer units or other equipment that is in full-time contact with treated water. "After water treatment, the minerals become a valuable asset because they are better able to be metabolised by plants and animals." Mr Pearce said that meant healthier livesock and crops for all types of farmers, and for all property sizes. He said the system was a long-term effective solution to tackle Australia's diverse - and often harsh - water challenges to boost agricultural business returns. Hydrosmart's team at Parkside has been working with local family farming businesses for about 25 years to help them improve on-farm water quality and systems. Mr Pearce has had the longest-running water-specific outlet in Adelaide. "After working in water for so many years, I believed it was definitely something everyone needed - good, clean water," he said. "I started some good partnerships with scientists and we have a biologist and electrical engineer in the team. "We found we could add value to water by using frequencies and a little bit of electricity, without any filters or consumables, and no waste streams. "We had seen the waste output and power being used with reverse osmosis (desalination), and thought there must be a better way. "The company evolved from that." Mr Pearce said farmers across the nation were commonly using the Hydrosmart system to address a wide range of water issues for stock, crops and horticulture.
