King Cobra rain-gun's reign
Since its release almost a decade ago, Numedic's King Cobra rain-gun has earned a solid reputation as a productive and widely supported unit.
The accreditation programme provides a new way forward for effluent system design in New Zealand, says Cathryn Reid, a Numedic director. She has been a member of the design standards steering group since the initial development of the concept.
Its goal is to ensure all NZ dairy farmers have effluent systems that can meet dairy industry and wider community expectations for the land application of dairy effluent. This includes keeping all untreated effluent out of surface and groundwater, keeping land-applied effluent nutrients in the root zone to capture their nutrient and economic value, and ensuring all systems are compliant 365 days a year.
Accredited organisations have had their design skills and workplace systems assessed by an independent panel and have met the accreditation standard.
Companies have been assessed for their competency and skills in regulation and legislation, soils and climate, effluent block allocation, pond storage calculations, hydraulic design and quality assurance management systems.
Says Reid, "We had always planned to complete the accreditation, as we see it having benefits for our customers and dealers.
