February 5th is an important date in New Zealand because the following day is Waitangi Day, when all stores are closed. If you need equipment, you'll have to make do until the next business day.
On that day, Gethin was reviewing his Water to Grow data with his team at the farm where he sharemilks in South Taranaki, beneath the mountain.
Gethin’s farm is one of five in the Taranaki Catchment Group participating in the Water to Grow project, which uses IoT (Internet of Things) technology to provide better insights into water usage on farms.
Gethin has 4 flow meters and 2 tank monitors measuring water storage and usage across the farm. Each morning, Gethin and the team at the shed make it a habit to check for abnormal flows, ensuring that any leaks are detected before they cause serious issues.
On February 5th, the Water to Grow system showed that the main tank was lower than usual (see circle on the diagram above), suggesting a possible leak. By checking the flow data, Gethin saw that FM1 was showing a higher-than-normal flow (see graphic below), confirming the source of the leak was in that line. This was a serious concern, as the cows could run out of stockwater.
With the data pinpointing the issue, Gethin quickly tracked down the cause of the leak, and within an hour, everything was back to normal.
Furthermore, Gethin recently purchased a new farm, also in Taranaki. This new farm has some pretty old water infrastructure and he was warned by someone familiar with the farm that “you will always be chasing water there”.
That warning proved true on February 5th when a leak occurred — but without the Water to Grow system, Gethin had no idea. By the time he realised the issue 24 hours later, the main tank was empty, leaving him without stock water. To make matters worse, February 6th was Waitangi Day, meaning all rural supply stores were closed.
Once Gethin located the leak, he had no choice but to wrestle the pipes into a temporary fix while water sprayed him wildly — much to his kids’ amusement. At the time, he found it far from funny, as the situation was quite serious with his cows short of water on a hot summer day.
Reflecting on the experience, Gethin is planning to add the Water to Grow system to his new farm. After all, as the saying goes: forewarned is forearmed.
