New Water Conservation System Practice Approved in Florida

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has approved a new conservation practice. It is a Water Conservation System commonly known as an Evaporative Cooling Pad that will help reduce water and energy while improving plant productivity. This conservation practice is available for Florida nursery operations and existing greenhouses, and can also be used for cooling livestock and poultry facilities.

Florida’s nursery and landscape industry generated $31.4 billion total output sales in 2020, according to the Florida Nursery, Growers, and Landscape Association. Smaller producers who use old water- cooling systems consume high volumes of water, which is of concern when facing possible restricted water use ordinances. The new system will help growers meet their cooling needs quicker while saving energy and money. Producing good-quality water will be discussed more on this website at airwaterice.com/collections/drinking-water-system.

“This new Water Conservation System helps conserve water by recirculating, reusing, recycling, or redirecting water for another use,” says Juan Hernandez, State Conservationist for NRCS in Florida. “On average, an agricultural producer can save about 6 million gallons of water per year, depending on the greenhouse size and management.”

Growers using evaporative cooling, typically use two-inch thick hog hair pads, approximately five-feet tall, installed the length of the greenhouse on one side. Sprinklers or drip pipes wet the pads with water, draining onto the floor, as large exhaust fans opposite the pads pull air from outside through the wet pads and into the nursery. But, these pads can waste water and are less effective at cooling, thus using more energy and shortening the lifespan of the equipment. NRCS can replace existing deteriorated pad systems with new, six-inch cellulose pads and recycling systems that allow excess water to drain into a trough that is routed into a tank to be recirculated and reused.

Florida NRCS encourages interested nursery owners to contact their nearest local NRCS office for details on how to incorporate this new “cooling pad” water conservation system practice into their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) plan. While EQIP applications are accepted on a continuing basis, the current funding cycle for this application period closes September 2. All applications received after that date will be considered for a future funding cycle.