ITT's Place in the Cycle of Water - Water Solutions

The Cycle of Water: Clean WaterAGRICULTUREAgriculture is the biggest user of water by far –approximately 70% worldwide. In Asia and the MiddleEast, irrigation uses up to 85% of available watersupplies. Notable water-rich crops are cotton andrice. Agricultural use of water can involve a farmerdrilling his own well and pumping water using avertical turbine or borehole pump to a pivot or otherspray distribution system. More sophisticated systemschannel surface water to farms via elaborate irrigationchannels.Once “in the pipe,” water has many uses on thefarm. Irrigation for crops is the most common. Manytypes of irrigation systems are used dependingon the topography and the crops being irrigated.Common systems include automated mechanizedcenter pivot systems where a portable header systempivots about the well head located in the center pointproviding effective and even distribution of water tomaximize crop yields and to minimize water wasteand soil erosion. In some cases today, these irrigationsystems are being fed by treated water as a means ofconservation. Reusing wastewater through agriculturalirrigation not only helps “take the waste out of water,”which can lower cost for municipalities, but it alsohelps preserve the world’s freshwater supply throughthe beneficial reuse of an increasingly scarce naturalresource – water.Water has other uses in agriculture; such as drinkingwater for livestock and for environmental coolingcontrols, which help to maintain healthier herds andproduce higher yields and quality. Manure handlingand treatment are also important applications inagriculture.The use of water in agriculture does not stop atthe farm on land. Fish farming and hydroponics(aquaculture) are being used throughout the world tohelp develop food supplies in places never suited todo so before. Also, once the food staple is harvested,water continues to play an integral role in the “foodchain” in food processing and beverage bottlingplants.CASE STORY:Hydrovar-Equipped PumpsHelp Produce PremiumStrawberries in AustraliaOn a new strawberry farm in Queensland,Australia, the grower was faced with multipleand varied demands on water requirementsfor crop irrigation and other tasks on thefarm. Helping to cope with a wide varietyof water needs is a set of all stainless steelITT Lowara brand pumps equipped with theHydrovar variable speed control system.27