As weather pundits predict a hot summer and the Environment Agency’s ‘Water Resources Strategy‘ kicks in, golf courses are being urged to get their water recycling procedures in order.
“Because the past two summers have been relatively wet, many clubs have stopped thinking about irrigation and turned their attentions to drainage instead,” says Richard Bowler from Waterproofing Services Limited. “This is madness, especially as clubs now have a legal obligation to become self-sufficient in terms of water supply.
“Because clubs won‘t be allowed to create bore holes to irrigate their courses, they need to start using the water that naturally collects around the club throughout the year.”
Waterproofing Services designs and installs a system that diverts rain from guttering and downpipes at golf courses to lakes that store the water until it is needed for irrigation.
“The lakes become an attractive and intrinsic part of the course, while also acting as a practical water store. The system pays for itself very quickly and we‘re confident that it will be a feature of most golf courses in the future,” adds Bowler.
Ken Bray from Cambridge-based DRC Polymers, which manufactures the high-tech material used in the lakes, believes the system will save golf clubs a lot of money: “With club houses and out buildings most golf courses have a massive surface area of roofs. Rain that falls on these roofs is normally just wasted. By diverting and storing this rain, courses can make huge savings. Lakes can be any size a club wants, from a few square metres up.”
Waterproofing Services designs and installs lakes at golf clubs across the UK. Recent projects have included London & Hatfield Country Club, London Golf Club and Hanbury Manor. Waterproofing Services on 07984 551374.
martinbowler@aol.com
Saving water to save money
