Rural Payments and Services

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The aim of this item is protect water quality and biodiversity by providing an alternative source of drinking water for livestock that currently have direct access to watercourses or by providing a drinking water supply for livestock that are being used to achieve conservation benefits.

You can apply for this option on any land where:

• the area to benefit is to be managed under a management option or
• the land is within a diffuse pollution priority area where livestock currently have direct access to a watercourse or standing water for drinking water purposes

This option is available throughout Scotland.

• alternative watering facilities must not be installed within five metres of the water environment (as measured from the top of the bank)
• water troughs must be a purpose-made unit constructed of galvanised steel, concrete,
  spray-moulded glass reinforced cement or polyethylene
• where the water trough is connected to the mains water supply, the facility must comply with local Scottish Water byelaws
• water transfer pipework must be buried in a trench

Alternative watering options which rely on abstracting water from a watercourse often involve the creation of an abstraction point at the watercourse, a means of abstracting or pumping the water including associated pipework and a drinking trough. This option will offer a contribution towards the costs of each of these items.

Standard cost items

• abstraction point – creation of a watercourse abstraction point as per accompanying guidance – £476
• solar powered pump system – options include:
  - low voltage (12 or 24v) submersible pump to supply single trough including solar panel, battery and regulated charging system – £2,000
  - speed-controlled submersible centrifugal pump capable of supplying multiple troughs (includes solar panel and regulated pump motor controller) – £2,300
  - speed controlled scroll and stator pump for supplying multiple troughs (includes solar panels and regulated pump motor controller) – £3,100
  - additional mast and base for panel mounting – £150
• water-powered pump system – £1,350 (includes installed supply tank, water-powered pump and ancillary items, pump chamber and pump discharge)
• water transfer (pipework), fittings and trough connection – £7.77 per metre
• water meter for mains supply – £150
• stock-powered pump with integral drinking bowl and mounting plinth – £450

Actual cost items

To ensure value for money you must provide competitive quotes and a quotations table for the following capital items, which are based on actual cost.

• electrical-powered pump system – a speed controlled submersible pump
• water trough
  

Detailed guidance is available in the Quotes section of the main scheme guidance.

Quotes guidance

Failure to provide these may result in your whole application being rejected.

The inspectors will check:

• location and number of any abstraction points
• location and number of any solar-powered pump system
• location and number of any water-powered pump system
• length in metres of water transfer pipework and trough connection
• length in metres of water transfer pipework
• location and number of water meters
• the location and number of any stock-powered pump with integral drinking bowl and mounting plinth
• the location of alternative watering facilities and that they are not installed within five metres of the water environment (as measured from the top of the bank)
• that any water trough is a purpose-made unit constructed of galvanised steel, concrete, spray-moulded glass reinforced cement or polyethylene

Supporting guidance is available for this item.

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