Wastewater Delivery System for Irrigation and Soil Enrichment on Guam

Report for FW05-003

Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2005: $4,570.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2007
Region: Western
State: Guam
Principal Investigator:
John Benaventa
Triple B Farms
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Project Information

Summary:

Many small-scale farms found on Pacific islands struggle with disposing waste from their animal operations, often flushing the effluent into holding tanks, only to have the it leach into the ground. The practice poses hazards to the environment, sometimes contaminating local drinking water. John Benavente of Pacifica Triple B Farms near Hagatna, Guam, will use his Western SARE Farmer/Rancher grant to show how farmers can use the waste water to irrigate pastures and fruit trees, reducing water bills and enhancing soil fertility. Benavente, who raises hogs and citrus on his 35-acre leased farm, will divert waste water in his septic tank through irrigation pipes to his pastures and fruit trees. He compares his waste-management process to that of 1,000-sow Iowa hog farm, only on a much smaller scale.

Cooperators

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  • Manuel Duguies

Research

Participation Summary

Research Outcomes

No research outcomes
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.