Farmers install rain harvesting system

Farmers have installed rain harvesting systems to improve water quality and help sites adapt to extreme weather.

The project by West Cumbria Rivers Trust (WCRT) worked with nine farms in the Waver and Wampool catchment, North Cumbria, to capture rainwater from farm buildings and store it for later use.

The containers collect water from farm roofs which could "help slow peak flows and reduce flood risks downstream in extreme conditions", the trust said.

Waver Wampool Project Officer Tasha Pearson said the initiative would aim to cut farmers' demand on treated mains water, conserve supplies and lower utility bills.

According to the Met Office UK Climate Projections, the UK is expected to experience wetter winters and more intense rainfall events.

Meanwhile summer drought risk is projected to increase, which the WCRT said would "leave farms short of water when it's needed most".

The trust said while similar approaches to rainwater harvesting had been implemented elsewhere on individual farms, the project would "bring together multiple holdings across a single catchment in a coordinated approach".

Results from the project are being shared with the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board for wider research.

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