AQUALINC RESEARCH LIMITED

Making a positive difference

With professional technical and knowledge based services

Backed by Science

At Aqualinc, we help primary industries, water infrastructure managers, regulatory bodies and central and local government make wise, environmentally sustainable decisions about water and land use. We provide resource consultancy services and undertake independent applied scientific research for clients across New Zealand.

Our dedicated experts can advise you on:

  • Irrigation management, design and monitoring

  • Resource consent applications and compliance

  • Groundwater investigations and management

  • Land-use impact assessments

  • Effluent management

Working with Us

When you work with Aqualinc, you can expect a friendly, comprehensive and practical approach to managing your water and land resources.

Our approachable team of experts combine scientific rigour with on-the-ground experience to make even difficult projects feel straightforward. We work collaboratively with you, with a commitment to open communication and sharing honest and unbiased information.

Working with Primary Industries

We are committed to offering practical solutions that deliver better yields and returns with less environmental impact, making it easier and more cost-effective for you to farm within your resource allocations.

Our team has the local knowledge and on-the-ground experience required to understand what works in the real world. We also understand that your needs may change, so our resource management solutions have built-in flexibility to grow and adapt with your business. Plus, there are no unexpected bells and whistles, so you get fit-for-purpose results without additional cost.

Find out more about the services we provide to primary industries, including:

  • Irrigation and soil moisture management

  • Resource consent applications and compliance

  • Effluent management

Beware the long tail!

We’ve previously written in this column about this summer’s El Nino conditions, what it might look like for irrigation water demand and supply, and the likelihood of a drought this summer.
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Will water related consenting get easier?

Farmers recently involved with applying for consents have found there has been an increase in the difficulty and complexity of the process. The National-led coalition government has acknowledged these challenges and aims to bring about changes to assist. 
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Irrigation New Zealand Graduation and Awards 2023

Congratulations to Rose Edkins and Ian McIndoe. Rose received her NZ Certificate in Irrigation Design and Ian was awarded the NZ Certificate in Irrigation Design Recognition. 
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Will we have a drought this summer?

From what’s been in the media since the development of El Niño conditions was announced, you’d think that it’s almost certain. But is it? 
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Is Climate change impacting ground water nitrates?

Climate change is having an impact in New Zealand and there are well-recognised issues including warming temperature and sea level rise, as well as the wider consequences, such as more extreme rainfall events and more prolonged droughts. 
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Time for a back-to-basics approach to water consents

Getting water consents and complying with their conditions is a major headache for most farmers who irrigate. Going back to basics could simplify the process.
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Aqualinc announces sale of neutron probe business to staff

Leading water and land management consultancy Aqualinc is selling its neutron probe business in the North Island and in North Canterbury to two of its Irrigation Management Area Managers.
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Future focused freshwater accounting

Our Director of Research & Development, John Bright, led an expert panel that produced a think piece report “Future Focused Freshwater Accounting” commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment. 
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Scratching the surface of water use efficiency

On the face of it, increasing water use efficiency seems like it must be good thing: less stress on our precious water resources, and more "crop per drop".  A win-win surely? 
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Water Storage Development – It’s Time to Act

The variability of water supply from week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year means that many parts of New Zealand have a mismatch between supply and demand in most summer months.
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We are hiring!

We have an opportunity for a full time Field Technician/Environmental Scientist in Christchurch.
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Keeping up with change

The rate of change for New Zealand’s primary industries in areas such as environmental, regulatory and compliance is unprecedented. Whether associated with freshwater, nutrients, wetlands, greenhouse gasses, what types of farming need consents, water infrastructure, the RMA — this list seems endless!
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Septic tanks – out of sight out of mind?

It’s common for rural landowners to dispose of wastewater via septic tanks or similar wastewater treatment systems, largely due to the distance to reticulated wastewater networks in rural locations. Both blackwater from the toilet and greywater from showers, sinks and laundry are disposed of via these systems.
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Will El Nino impact water supplies this summer?

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is predicting a 90% likelihood of at least moderate El Nino conditions next summer, stating that “early warnings and anticipatory action of extreme weather events associated with this major climate phenomenon are vital to save lives and livelihoods.”
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Are you a small water supplier?

As many people are increasingly aware, if you own or operate a water supply that is being used as drinking water by people outside your home (e.g., a farm property with multiple dwellings supplied by a single source), you are a drinking water supplier and will have responsibilities to meet the new rules under the Water Services Act 2021. 
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Optimising Irrigation with Soil Moisture Sensors

When it comes to soil moisture sensors it is definitely not a case of one size fits all.
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Shallow groundwater monitoring

The Christchurch City Council has a shallow groundwater monitoring network, with nearly 250 monitoring points across the city. You may have noticed our team out and about collecting the data, and many have been approached and asked what they are doing.
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Groundwater wells – the unsung heroes of irrigation in Canterbury

Groundwater wells are often the most reliable and cost-effective way to obtain water for irrigation, stockwater, dairy sheds and house supplies in rural Canterbury. The aquifer, well and pump form a crucial component of your irrigation system, providing a reliable source of water day in, day out…until they don’t.
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Leaky effluent ponds? Prove it!

Most dairy effluent storage pond owners believe that their ponds are not leaking, particularly those that have been synthetically lined. However, even with synthetic lining, it is not possible to be sure that the pond is not leaking without carrying out a test. Therefore, it is important for dairy farmers to have their effluent storage ponds tested to ensure that they are not leaking.
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Is Subsurface Drip Irrigation an option for you?

Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) consists of buried lines of polyethylene driplines with built-in emitters. Water is supplied to the driplines via submains and mainlines. SDI systems normally include a flushing submain at the end of the driplines.
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Groundwater levels — what can we expect?

Whether you use groundwater for domestic supply, stockwater or irrigation, it’s often useful to have a heads-up of where water levels are likely to head over the coming months.
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Disentangling the water reforms

There have been several new words, names and phrases added to water related vocabulary recently. Things such as Freshwater Reforms, Taumata Arowai, Te Mana o te Wai – to name a few!
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Small Drinking Water Suppliers – things just got a bit easier!

Drinking water suppliers have a duty to ensure the drinking water they provide is safe, no matter the population size supplied. If you own or operate a water supply that is being used as drinking water by people outside of your own home (e.g., a farm property with multiple dwellings supplied by a single source), you are a drinking water supplier and will have responsibilities to meet the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules. 
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Where is that perfect irrigator?

Many years ago, Alan Brown from MAF Ashburton commented to me that no one had invented the perfect irrigation system. Decades later, there is still no perfect irrigation system, but we have made considerable progress. Improvements have been and will continue to be made with physical components and with electronics.
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Water Regulation Changes — What’s Next?

Over the last couple of years, water-related regulations have been changing at lightning speed. So, what’s next, and are there other changes coming? Yes!
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Don’t Drop the Ball with Your Effluent Pond Drop Test

Does your effluent pond leak?
How do you know?
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MyIrrigation (powered by SCADAfarm)

MyIrrigation (powered by SCADAfarm) is the result of a collaboration between Aqualinc and the SCADAfarm water management platform, and will provide you with improved water management, analysis and compliance using a cloud-based system that can be monitored, via your device (phone, tablet or PC), from anywhere in the world. This will allow you to manage your water use and consent compliance with ease.

How are your consents?

Resource consents play a crucial role in the operation of many farming businesses. They are the cornerstone of our operations and enable us to carry out activities to make the most of our land.

However, it is common for consent holders to overlook the importance of regularly reviewing their consents. By neglecting to review consents from time to time, we risk non-compliance and also risk an opportunity to ensure the consents are appropriate for what we want to be doing.

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Want to learn more?

Contact us for more information on the services and support we offer our clients.
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Christchurch: +64 3 964 6521
Ashburton: +64 3 307 6680
Hastings: +64 6 873 404
Cromwell: +64 27 457 0415

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