Somerset Farm Trial Explores Innovative Water Management Solution for Peat Soils
Biochar conduits protect peat soils
Water in Focus
Why we need to talk about water and the land it runs through
Water is central to sustainable farming, but too often, it’s the part we leave out. At Groundswell 2025, we set out to change that. As a water supplier working across some of the UK’s most environmentally sensitive landscapes, we were proud to join the event to share our work, listen to the farming community, and …
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Water Focus – Affinity Water
Planting the seeds of tomorrow: Agroforestry project  Affinity Water has been working with local farmer, Tom Janaway, to explore how agroforestry can enhance soil health, crop productivity and the water environment. Direct Driller, delves into the project and what this means for the farm’s future. In the UK, catchment areas are predominantly agricultural land, …
Companion cropping in OSR appears to reduce herbicide losses to water
Affinity Water has been working with local farmer, Rob Fox, to investigate the role of companion cropping on improving water quality, soil health and crop protection. Direct Driller, delves into what they’ve found from the ongoing trials. Catchment areas in the UK are largely dominated by agricultural land, which makes collaboration between water companies like …
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Anglian Water’s Grant scheme supports farmers with innovative ideas to improve soil health and water quality
In Autumn 2022, Anglian Water announced a grant scheme inviting farmers from across the catchment area to apply for funding of up to £7,500 towards innovative ideas that would help them to improve water quality, reduce chemical use and support the improvement of soil health. A total of 65 farmers were awarded grants for innovation …
Water Focus – Affinity Water Sponsor Groundswell 2022
Written by Shaun Dowman, Agricultural Advisor at Affinity Water Affinity Water are a public water supply company, serving over 3.5 million people in the south-east of England. For the 5th year running, Affinity Water will be the headline sponsor of Groundswell, something that’s become an important date in our diary. It will be no surprise …
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Water Focus – Affinity Water Feature We’ve Got It Covered
Written by Shaun Dowman, Agricultural Advisor at Affinity Water Cover crops are very popular at the moment and for good reason. As readers of Direct Driller you will be more likely than most to grow cover crops on your farm and may well be convinced to invest the time and money needed to grow them …
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Water Focus – Affinity Water
New technologies for understanding the benefits of regenerative agriculture and cover crops Sophia Burke, AmbioTEK CIC, Mark Mulligan, King’s College London and Shaun Dowman, Affinity Water Affinity Water is a drinking water supply company in the south-east of England. Supplying water in an area designated as being under ‘serious water stress’, it is critical that …
Scrap The Pumps
It is becoming increasingly apparent that our approach to flood management needs a re-think. Expensive structures and barriers, pumps and sluices might look impressive but if all they do is push the water into someone else’s kitchen further down-stream then it’s a rather hollow victory. Likewise, dredging tonnes of lost topsoil from the riverbeds so …
Water Focus – Thames Water
It’s only 4ha, what difference will it make? Written by Matthew Izod of Priory Farm Priory Farm Priory Farm is a 100ha arable family run farm in the Evenlode catchment of the Cotswolds, with 100ha also being rented. The farm is run by my Dad, Nathan, who has been farming here since he was old …