Agricultural Water Testing

Agricultural Water Testing

Understanding the quality and composition of water on farm is a critical component to modern farm-system management. Hill Labs offers a variety of agricultural water tests so that you can have all of your on-farm needs met by a single supplier.

Livestock Drinking Water Testing

The analytes in the livestock drinking water profile and their associated trigger values have been taken from the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZECC), section 4.3 Livestock drinking water quality. The ANZECC guidelines cover a wide variety of chemicals, however we have only included those analytes likely to be of concern. 

Global GAP Water Testing

To assist growers and farmers in meeting Global GAP requirements, Hill Labs offers a convenient Global GAP Test Kit. The test kit includes analysis for the presence of E. coli and Faecal Coliforms in water and includes all of the necessary sample items, as well as a discounted courier ticket. The Global GAP Test is IANZ Accredited and results are provided on a 3 day turnaround time. 

Irrigation Water Testing

Irrigation water is becoming increasingly important in parts of New Zealand, particularly on the east coast of the South Island where rainfall can be scarce. Because irrigation water often has significant levels of dissolved salts, it can have a detrimental effect not only on the irrigated soil, but also on the pumping equipment used. It is therefore important to test the water in order that any issues may be anticipated and the productivity of irrigated land and associated water resources maintained. Guidelines for Irrigation water quality can be found in the ANZECC guidelines. These guidelines cover a wide variety of analytes, therefore we have selected the most appropriate for the irrigation water testing. 

Testing covered by our Irrigation Water profile:

  • Total Anions
  • Total Cations
  • pH
  • Total Alkalinity
  • Hydroxide Alkalinity
  • Carbonate
  • Bicarbonate
  • Free Carbon dioxide
  • Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)
  • Electrical Conductivity (EC)
  • Approx Total dissolved Salts
  • Total Boron
  • Total Calcium
  • Total Copper
  • Total Iron
  • Total Magnesium
  • Total Manganese
  • Total Phosphorus
  • Total Potassium
  • Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
  • Total Sodium
  • Total Zinc
  • Chloride
  • Nitrate-N
  • Nitrate
  • Sulphate

Irrigation Water Kits can be requested here. A kit contains 2 sample containers which are all required for one test, i.e. they should all be filled from the same sampling point. If you require microbe testing please consult us.

Effluent Testing

Use of dairy effluent as a source of nutrients for pasture growth has become commonplace, however frequently farmers have little insight on the nutrient composition of effluent being applied, which will change regularly depending on animal feed inputs. This can result in sub-optimal use of effluent as a resource or over application of other nutrient sources, such as fertiliser. As such, Hill Labs has developed a specific test, the Dairy Effluent Test, for testing effluent composition.

TEST TYPICAL CONCENTRATION
Total Nitrogen 0.44 kg/m3
Total Phosphorus 0.08
Total Potassium 0.3
Total Calcium -
Total Magnesium    -
Total Sodium -

 

Latest Stories

Anzac Day Hours

A reminder that our Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Blenheim, and Christchurch labs will be closed on Friday 25th April. Our Bay of Plenty lab will remain open. If you plan to send any time or temperature-sensitive samples, please ensure you schedule these to arrive before or after this date, to avoid delays.
  09 Apr 2025

Easter Hours

A friendly reminder that our Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Blenheim, and Christchurch labs will be closed on Friday, 18th April, and Monday, 21st April. Our Bay of Plenty lab will remain open. If you plan to send any time or temperature-sensitive samples, please ensure you schedule these to arrive before or after this date, to avoid delays.
  09 Apr 2025

Announcement: Hill Labs Broadens Food and Water Services with Acquisitions

We are pleased to announce that at the end of this month, a series of acquisitions will take place on the same day. Firstly, a new company jointly owned by Hill Labs and Sam Brooks will acquire the Canterbury-based sister companies ‘Food and Health Standards’ (FHS) and ‘Auditing Solutions’ (AS) from Ian and Gail Shaw. FHS and AS provide Environmental Health Officer services, food safety auditing services, and municipal water sample collection services to a range of customers within and beyond Canterbury. Secondly, the water operations within FHS, led by Lisa Shaw, will be carved out and moved into Hill Labs, while maintaining a close relationship with FHS.
  17 Feb 2025

What our customers have to say

"We've always found them to be responsive in getting results back and giving advice on problems we might be facing."

Andrew Hutchinson, Technical Manager, Turners & Growers

"We strongly recommend Hill Labs as a sound testing service provider to the honey industry."

Nick Walker, Technical Manager, Egmont Honey

"Their sample registration system has made things simple and seamless - collect, scan and send!"

Mathew Bannister, Compliance Manager, First Fresh New Zealand

Accreditations

As a New Zealand accredited laboratory by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), Hill Labs' commitment to quality is tantamount to our overall operating philosophy. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work.