Water in pipeline for garden

NUTRIENT – rich water could be pumped around a previously neglected community garden farmed from tanks of fish. 

Shelthorpe community garden on Howe Road is investigating how the use of aquaponics can be applied to irrigate the underused growing space lacking access to water. 

Project coordinator Barbara Attridge plans to pump reclaimed water collected in butts and donated from local farmers into fish tanks. The resulting water containing waste products harvested from the fish acts as fertiliser and is channeled to beds where plants grow. The water is then cleansed by the plants to be filtered through the cycle for use once again.  

“We asked how we can reuse the space at Howe Road to the benefit of the community. The central area is to be covered to house vegetables farmed sustainably. Aquaponics uses less water and produces more growth than farming from traditional methods,” said Barbara. 

A prototype to test the system is being designed by Mark Horsfield at Glebe House having received a £2.5k initial grant from the Royal Horticultural Society towards the project. Barbara predicts it could need around £35K in total and she awaits receipt of a license.  

Mr Horsfield is project managing the modelling at a workspace at Great Central Trading. 

“The system is designed to all be under one roof with a shelving system for plants above the channels of piped water,” he said.