Solar water pump lands deal

There are up to 30 inquiries about the ePump a day.

Hawke's Bay innovators Shane Heaton and Gavin Streeter ambitions of using solar power to get water to remote farmland, as well as international disaster relief missions, has taken a major step forward.

They launched their ePump solar water pump last December and strong demand nationally and internationally has led to a major distribution partnership with dairy systems and technology designer and manufacturer Waikato Milking Systems.

Mr Streeter said "sales well exceeded expectations" for the solar water pumps over the El Nino affected summer as farmers attempted to keep stock water troughs full. There has also been interest from Aid Project organisers in the Pacific Islands and South Africa.

"We've struggled to keep up with demand with up to 30 ePump inquiries a day, as well as manufacturing the units. The best solution to keep up with demand and production was to partner with a reputable global firm that offers strong distribution channels.

"Waikato Milking Systems has distributors through the US, South America, South Africa, Russia, Europe, UK, Ireland and Asia. They have relationships in these regions, we don't, so it makes sense to partner with them.

"Since launching we have fielded calls from individuals and organisations involved in disaster relief from extreme weather conditions and the ePump will enable access to water supplies," Mr Streeter said.

Another market the pair is keen to open up to is remote recreational land such as Department of Conservation huts as well as holiday homes in remote areas.

Mr Streeter and Mr Heaton gained Callaghan Innovation funding which helped developed the controller or the "brain", which is a circuit board that optimises the use of solar power and monitors water pressure, run times and faults logs.

The system is fully automatic and operates like a standard pumping system. It has some smart features to maximise the pumping time and protect the motor.

The ePump can pump up to 120 metres of head and up to 20 litres per minute in daylight hours and can withstand the harshest environments. It can fill stock troughs on hillsides up to 120 metres on hill country and unlike other options it can draw both clean and dirty water.

Top dog

Waikoau sheep dog trialist Dave Wallace got the island and national championships' series off to a good start for Hawke's Bay when he won the North Island short head and yard title with Toi last week at Mangamingi, near Eltham.

While Hawke's Bay centre trialists are regularly among the honours at the New Zealand, North Island and South Island championships, Wallace's win with Toi was the first North Island championships victory for the Hawke's Bay centre since the 2012 event at Ohaeawai, near Kaikohe.

In addition to the wins by Te Aute's Bob Bruce and Te Pohue's Stu McNeill in those championships in the Far North, Wallace and Blue made the runoff in both heading trials, Toi also made a North Island runoff at Taumarunui in 2014, and Wallace and Slug reached the South Island short head and yard runoff at Greenvale, in Southland, last year.

With Toi, and Hawke's Bay Centre 2016 champion heading dog, Wallace has an in-form kennel going into the South Island and New Zealand Championships at Omarama, North Otago, starting on May 30. Hawke's Bay's last New Zealand Championships title was Mark Loye's straight hunt triumph with Troop at Orakei Korakau, near Taupo, in 2013.

Fruitfly backstop

New Zealand's $700 million pipfruit industry says it will have greater confidence in the country's biosecurity system now that it will play an influencing role in helping to manage and govern biosecurity and risk.

Pipfruit New Zealand's chief executive Alan Pollard said growers have welcomed the Government Industry Agreement for Readiness and Response (GIA) and supported the partnership with Government.

Mr Pollard, who signed the Fruit Fly Operational Agreement under GIA on behalf of apple and pear growers, said industry and Government now had a successful template to follow for other biosecurity risks.