Smart Water seedlings

Victorian forestry seedling ERA Nurseries has been recognised as an industry leader in water recycling. The Nurseries’ system for collecting and reusing rainwater and irrigation run-off was completed with the assistance of a Smart Water Fund grant.

When ERA Nurseries directors, Ted Allender and Peter Sandow planned their new nursery site in rainy 2003, they couldn’t have predicted the droughts severity or the impact of water shortages in their area, but they say they did think there would be a long-term likelihood of drought.

Ted and Peter’s foresight paid off. ERA Nurseries has witnessed the crippling effect of water shortages on many of its nursery industry counterparts but unlike similar sites forced to retro-fit water saving and recycling technologies, the design for ERA’s Hamilton site was ‘water wise’ from the outset.

The site has a comprehensive network of interception drains that divert rainfall and irrigation run-off to a primary holding dam. In a year with average rainfall, it is estimated the system will supply at least half the nurseries’ water needs.

“We estimate annual water saving costs at $34,000, but our decision wasn’t driven by dollars, as water costs are only a small part of operating expenses,” Ted says.

ERA also estimates the recognition and credibility its partnership with Smart Water Fund provides has far exceeded the dollar value of the company’s grant.

ERA will present the Fund with final water quality reports, water savings and a cost benefit analysis in late 2008.

Ted says he hopes other nurseries will learn from ERA's experience and undertake their own water conservation projects.

ERA Nurseries uses a liquid anti-evaporation film on their six megalitre storage dam (foreground). If evaporation is reduced by 50 per cent, 1.8 megalitres could be saved in seven months.