Minter Magic farm’s water recycling plant was a winner in this year’s Victorian Rural Water Awards.
Minter Magic picked up the Surface Water award, for saving 65ML a year, which equated to more than $13,000 in temporary water.
The awards seek to recognise and reward Victorian rural water users who have developed or adapted clever ideas, which have led to better water use outcomes, deliver water savings or greater productivity.
Mr Minter said the recycling system was coupled with a MAIT irrigation system, covering 40 hectares. He said he used 3500ML of water a year, owning rights to 1057ML.
“We have nine probes, which measure moisture level, temperature and salinity,” he said.
The system is run on telemetry, the automated communication of measurements and data to the pump shed. “It delivers the right amount of water, at the right time, with less wastage,” he said.
The recycling system was based on perched water, groundwater which sits just above the water table. The perched and river water was mixed, and used as a “shandy”.
Tiled drains delivered the perched water to a two megalitre dam.
“I gain .8 to one megalitre of water and there are lot of nutrients, like boron, in it.”
This additional water meant the Minters could still comply with Annual Use Limit requirements, while having additional water available for use.
But Mr Minter said he still had an issue with the spillable account, water which he was not able to use.
“While it is spilling, and while the water is moving from the Hume Dam to here, it is still in the system,” Mr Minter said.
It took six weeks for the water to move from the Hume, to Mildura.
“I spend $130,000 on water and that money is out of our pockets.
“I’ve paid for that block of water that’s moving past me, it’s in the spillable account, and I should have been able to use it.”
