Smart Water Solutions for Dairy Farmers
A new five-year research project is working to help dairy farmers reuse wastewater through natural treatment systems. Led by Dr. Audrey Murray, a scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the initiative is backed by Alberta Innovates and Results Driven Agriculture Research. It brings together experts from the University of Alberta and the University of Waterloo.
The project focuses on improving water use on Alberta dairy farms where drought has caused water shortages. Typically, farms use water from shared irrigation systems and store it in ponds for cattle, household, and crop needs. In dry seasons, irrigation becomes a challenge.
Dairy farms also have holding lagoons for wastewater, including milk rinse water, manure, and used bedding. This mix is usually applied as fertilizer in spring. But Dr. Murray’s research explores extracting the middle layer of lagoon water—which is cleaner—for irrigation.
The water will be treated using constructed wetlands. These systems naturally filter water using plants and soil. Wetlands are already known to improve water quality, support wildlife, and reduce greenhouse gases.
The plan is to build wetlands downhill from lagoons so gravity helps water flow through a pipe into the wetland. After that, a mixing pond further purifies the water before it’s used for crops.
At her research farm in Prince Edward Island, Dr. Murray is testing this idea with mesocosms—miniature wetland systems—to identify the best materials, design, and costs before expanding it to full farms.
This innovative approach has not been tested in Canada’s dairy sector before. Once proven, it could help dairy farms treat wastewater naturally and access an extra irrigation source. Dr. Murray is also looking for a volunteer farm in Alberta to test the full-scale model.
Photo Credit: Audrey-Murray