Singleton farmer Ray Burgmann is concerned about the quality of the irrigation water he pumps daily from the Hunter River.
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And he knows a thing or two about the river having lived on his Whittingham district Hunter River irrigation farm since the mid-1960s.
“Back in those days the river was clean, not like it is today, no matter what the experts tell us,” said Mr Burgmann.
What is really concerning Mr Burgmann is the fact his foot valves, the piece of equipment that stays in the river and through which the water is sucked up and has cage around it to ensure only water is taken up through the pipe, is being eaten away every couple of years.
“Years ago the galvanised foot valves would last for years probably a couple of decades. Now I have been replacing them every two to three years as they are just being eaten away,” he said.
“The cages fall off because the locking system rots away and without the cages you suck up everything up and that’s damaging. Recently a turtle got caught because the cage had dropped off.”
With two irrigation pumps on the river checking the foot valves and buying replacing units is taking a toll on the octogenarian farmer.
Trying to overcome the problem he spent over $2000 on a new PVC and stainless steel foot valve.
“Its similar to what the mines use so I think if I can’t beat them I better join them, he said.
“But its very expensive for farmers to pay that when the old foot valves are around quarter of the cost.”
Previously he has repaired the foot valves but he says its a waste of money as they simply break again.
Mr Burgmann has 80 hectares under irrigation on his lucerne and beef property.
“When we bought the farm the former owner Pat Rowan had tin irrigation pipes that were nearly 20 years old – they wouldn’t last that long now given the water quality,” he said.
“We should all be concerned about whats happened to the river,” he said.
“And I know we are told there is nothing wrong with the water quality but my experience with the foot valves suggests otherwise,” he said.