Grayshott Sportsfield Borehole & Irrigation Project

A project which has been a year in the planning started at the Sportsfield in Grayshott during October. Having secured the requisite funding for the project to proceed the club has led a project to install a borehole feeding an irrigation system to the cricket square, the allotments and in the Spring the football training area.

The project with the agreement of all the relevant users was split into four key stages, three of which are now completed. You can see some photos from the project here.

Stage 1 – Drilling of the  Borehole

Water was struck at a depth of 51 metres, a little less than originally envisaged and a submersible borehole pump with associated pipework has been installed. All that can be left to see at the surface is a small manhole cover adjacent to the pavilion. The water has been tested and the outcome of the water quality is excellent with only a turbidity filter required to remove the smallest fines from the water.

Stage 2- Irrigation work to Cricket Square & Allotments

Two separate circuits were laid for each location using a trenching machine and manual laying of the pipe work.  The cricket square has eight sprinklers which can be scheduled to operate at night allowing for maximum effect with minimum evaporation. The allotment supply works on an ‘on demand’  system with the pump activated once a tap is opened.

Stage 3 – Storage tank and Pump Housing

The Installation of a storage tank that can hold up to 10,000 litres was done together with the building of the pump housing which contains the pump and filter equipment . Typically the tank will refill in seven hours

Stage 4  – Irrigation work to Football Training area

This final stage of the project will provide a circuit of irrigation to the football training area with more sprinklers to ensure upon reseeding, adequate water can be supplied, again during night hours. This stage will take place in the spring towards the end of the football season.

The project has huge benefits for the cricket club and other sportsfield users. In particular for the cricket club, it will;

a) Enhance the quality of the cricket square with sufficient watering during long dry spells.b) Increase the number of games that can be played on the cricket square.c) Eliminates the requirement on the domestic water supply for watering grass areasd) Significantly reduce the amount of volunteer time required to water the cricket square currently undertaken in the most inefficient way, enhancing the club’s sustainability.

The project would not have been able to take place without funding support from the following;

East Hants District Council Community Infrastructure Levy FundGrayshott Parish Council Community Infrastructure Levy FundEngland & Wales Cricket Board County Grants FundCommunity Climate Action FundCouncillor Hanrahan – Community Grants Scheme

The club would also particularly like to thank Grayshott Parish Council for its support with the project and its aims.

The work was undertaken by Borehole Service Utilities Ltd and the project managed on behalf of all users by Graham Sampson.