Susan WATKINS
Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture Fayetteville, AR, U.S.A.
Successful water sanitation begins with a thorough water line cleaning program. The variability and dynamics of water systems can create cleaning challenges, but these can be overcome with water quality information, a little effort and the right tools.
- Step one: have water analyzed. If water contains more than 60-ppm calcium and magnesium (scale causing minerals); more than 0.3 ppm iron and 0.05 ppm manganese then the cleaning procedure will need to include a descaler or acid to dissolve the mineral deposits. Your local cooperative extension service can assist with water analysis information.
- Choose a good sanitizing cleaner that can effectively dissolve any bio-film or slime in the system. The best products are concentrated hydrogen peroxides. Prior to using any strong cleaners, make sure standpipes are working properly so build-up in the lines will be released. Consult with equipment suppliers before using products to prevent unnecessary damage.
- Use the product at the strongest concentration recommended on the label for best results. Since injecting straight product with a medicator only gives a 0.78% solution it may be necessary to use a 55-gallon barrel or 100 gallon stock tank and small sump pump to inject stronger concentrations. To prepare a 3 % solution, mix 97 gallons of water with 3 gallons of product. To mix 50 gallons, cut the water and product amount in half.
- It takes approximately 8-10 gallons of water to clean 100 feet of 3/4th inch water line. If lines do not drain outside of house, it is an excellent idea to add a faucet and water hose to the end of each line. Open water lines so that they drain. Connect sump pump to water line where the medicator connects and begin pumping. Watch the water as it leaves the drain line for signs of the product such as foaming or suds. Shut off water lines and leave product in lines for as long as the manufacturer recommends. If disease challenges have been an issue on a farm, it is recommended that the water lines from the well to the barns also be cleaned. However it is best not to flush outside water lines through the barn lines. Hook a water hose up to the medicator faucet and drain the outside lines through this. Before flushing product from lines, make sure there is a bird drinking level of water sanitizer in water that will be used to flush the cleaner from the lines. If no daily water sanitation program is in place then use 4 ounces bleach/gallon of stock solution and then add to water at a rate of 1 ounce/ gallon of water.
- After lines are cleaned, the descaler or acid products can be used to remove the mineral build-up. Use product according to the manufacturers’ recommendation. As with the sanitizer flush, make sure the water used to the acid from the lines has a drinking water level of sanitizer to assure that any remaining bacteria or bio-film is destroyed.
- Once the system is clean, it is important to keep it clean. Develop a good daily sanitation program for the birds. If only one medicator or injector is available, then inject bleach at a rate of 4 to 6 ounces/gallon stock solution then 1 ounce of stock solution per gallon of drinking water. The ideal water sanitation program should include injecting both a sanitizer and an acid. This requires two injectors since acids and bleach can never be mixed in the same stock solution. Do not use acids alone as the sole water treatment since acids can cause bacterial or fungal growth in drinker systems.
Summary
Providing a clean water source every day, is one big part of insuring your flocks health and bottom line. Water lines are not transparent and are often forgotten, so make notes to clean system after every flock.
Quick guide to cleaning water lines
2. Prepare a 3% cleaning solution.
- For barns with water holding tanks, mix three gallons of one of the following hydrogen peroxide product (ProxyClean, ProClean or 35% hydrogen peroxide) into 97 gallons of water.
- Alternative cleaning solution is 2% CID 2000 (but leave only 4 hours in lines)
- Pump into the lines. (May need to increase amount prepared if barns are longer than 500 feet).
- If no holding tanks, prepare stock solution in a 100 gallon stock tank or barrel. Use submersible 1/4th hp pump with water hose long enough to reach medicator connector.
- Connect sump pump to water line at medicator and pump the cleaning mixture into the lines.
- Once line is filled with cleaning solution, activate nipple drinkers with a broom.
- Let stand in lines for 24 hours or longer if time permits (4 hours for CID 2000).
- Flush product from lines with clean water.
- Fill lines with a solution of citric acid and let stand in lines for 24 hours.
- Acid preparation: Mix 4-6 packs of citric acid per gallon of water to make a stock solution. (Add more acid to stock solution if scale is a serious problem).
4. Final flush for removing the citric acid
- Prepare a bleach stock solution of 8-12 ounces bleach in a gallon of water.
- Make sure medicator is pumping in bleach stock solution as the acid is flushed from the lines.
- Leave in lines for 4 hours.
- Flush lines until chlorine smell is gone.
5. Start birds on water with 3-5 PPM free chlorine residual at end of line drinker. (Start with a stock solution of 4 oz/gallon bleach then add more to achieve the 3-5 ppm).
Do not mix chlorine and acids in same stock solution.
From Proceedings of the “Midwest Poultry Federation Convention”, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A.
