Background:

The farm we used for our trial is South Africa's largest single producer of onions for the local market and a significant exporter. The company packs more than 2.4 million onions per day during the onion season! It is also a major potato producer, responsible for 5% of South Africa's total potato production.

But for this farmer, quantity is not all what the company is about. Quality is their top priority. The owner, an agricultural engineer started the quest for continuous quality by carefully planting in the rich fertile soil of his farm on the banks of the Vaal River, near Barkly West in South Africa's North Cape Province. This is indeed the site of the strongest onion seedlings, nurtured from the best seed available internationally. They also produce the best potatoes, grown using South Africa's leading suppliers of potato seeds.

The onion-potato partnership is truly a perfect combination. The different seasons for each crop allow the farm’s most important resources - its people, warehouses and land - to be utilized all year round, either for onion or potato production.

Problem

Hellberg Farm is a dairy farm in Kwazulu Natal.  The use borehole and water from a rain collect dam.  Both the borehole and dam water is pumped into a cement dam.  From this dam the water is pumped to wherever its required for use, either as wash water in the dairy parlor or drinking water for the cows.  The problem is that the water is infected with E-coli, Coli and Total Bacteria.