At Nieuwkoop Europe, water naturally plays a crucial role in our daily operations. We are proud to say that all the water used in our nursery is fully recycled, and we are happy to share more about our practices.
Rainwater: the best water source
For us, rainwater is the most ideal water source. It is naturally of high quality and, moreover, it is free. Over the course of a year, there is usually enough rainfall to water the plants in our nursery. However, during the spring and summer, there may be periods when there is not enough rainwater available. On the other hand, in wet periods, there is often a surplus of water. We manage these fluctuations with a closed water storage system, which allows us to use collected rainwater throughout the year.
Basins and underground storage
Behind Nieuwkoop Europe's nursery, there are two large water basins. These basins can store a total of 11,000 cubic metres of rainwater. When excessive rainfall leads to a surplus of water, this excess water is channelled through a pipe to an underground storage system, 40 metres deep, where it settles between the sand grains. During dry periods, this water can be pumped back up to replenish the water supply in the basins. This ensures that there is always enough water available, even during extended periods of drought.
Closed system and nutrient reuse
From the basins, the rainwater is pumped up to be used in the nursery. Within our nursery, we operate a closed water system, meaning that we continuously recycle the water. This approach has the added benefit of allowing us to use nutrients efficiently. Not all the nutrients given to the plants are absorbed immediately. The excess nutrients end up in the irrigation water, which is then returned to our system. Here, we measure the nutrient levels in the water, which are then supplemented with additional nutrients or fresh water until the desired nutrient level (EC) is reached. In this way, we minimise the wastage of both water and nutrients.