Page 188 - Shaping A Sustainable Future

A pressure pump pumps water to the irrigation system Manual hose watering is used in some nursery areas
to water the plants (see Figure 8). without hose nozzles (see Figure 10). This can result in
water wastage, especially when moving from one section
to another while the tap is running. While the reservoir
helps significantly in terms of water conservation, water
is lost via evaporation.

Figure 8: Pump complex beside the reservoir.

Water sprinkler systems are being used in many areas
in the nursery (see Figure 9). Some water will reach the
plants’ root zone while some miss the pots and enter
the drainage systems linked to the reservoir. In theory, it
is a closed system, but the sprinkler system’s inefficiency Figure 10: Manual watering hose without hose nozzle
results in a fraction of the water being lost through resulting in water being wasted.
evaporation.
Good Environmental Practices

The reservoir in the nursery avoids the use of potable
water for irrigation, and the reservoir is well maintained
and clean. The presence of plants in the reservoir
provides phytoremediation of contaminants to ensure
the water is clean. An aerator also runs 24 hours every
day in the reservoir to ensure that the water is constantly
moving. This prevents mosquito breeding and reduces
algae growth. This algae and mosquito control method
reduces chemicals, which may be harmful to the
Figure 9: Sprinkler systems are installed on specific areas in environment.
the nursery, but manual watering is also sometimes used.

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