“Their solution shows that water quality need not be an uncertainty”

Schenkeveld is a large tomato grower. Growing tomatoes requires large volumes of irrigation water daily. Last year, the company bought a new farm there. Water quality had been a concern there for years.

At the acquired site, there were two rainwater silos of 6,500 m³ and 2,500 m. “Algae got free rein here and caused structural nuisance. This manifested itself not only in visibly polluted water, but also in clogged filters, extra maintenance, use of chemicals and man-hours, and uncertainty further down the water chain.” Those costs and associated hassles are very recognisable to many horticulturists, Ultramins points out. The company was able to help Schenkeveld with USAF™ cavitating ultrasonic transmitters.

In the heart of summer 2025, a field test was carried out together with Ultramins in the 6,500 m³ rainwater silo at Schenkeveld. Precisely at this time, when algal pressure and microbiological load are at their maximum, transmitters were deployed to assess the effect under realistic and harsh conditions. “When Ultramins approached us for this test, I indicated that I would like to be able to actually see the bottom of the silo for once,” Richard Schenkeveld explains. “To be honest, in all these years I had never been able to do that.”

After the deployment of Ultramins and the USAF™ transmitters, that picture changed completely. “Within a short time, about three weeks, the difference became clearly visible. Where the water was previously murky and algae-rich, we could now see down to the bottom of the silo (see photo left).

“Their solution shows that water quality need not be an uncertainty”

Confirmation of measurements
Measurements confirmed this marked improvement in water quality. Algae pressure fell sharply, biofilm dissolved and even pathogens disappeared from the water. “Our water analyses were carried out weekly by Normec Groen Agro. For us, the decisive factor here was not so much the absolute number of algae per millilitre, but mainly the fact that the algae no longer had any harmful effects on our plant, water chain and cultivation.”

Perhaps even more important is the confidence this gives in the stability of the system, the grower continues. “By having clean and healthy rainwater at the beginning of the process, the first hit, we avoid problems further down the chain. This translates into fewer blockages, fewer corrective measures, lower costs and, above all, peace of mind in operations. Healthy pouring water also has a major share in preventing failure and contributes to resilient cultivation and stable production.”

“Their solution shows that water quality need not be an uncertainty”

Rollout to multiple sites
Based on the findings from this test, cooperative Growers United, of which Schenkeveld is a member, decided to invest in the deployment of USAF™ transmitters at several Schenkeveld sites from early 2026. Richard Schenkeveld: “The aim is not only to maintain the achieved water quality, but to structurally secure it as part of our water management. The combination of visible results, measurable improvements and the completely chemical-free nature of the technology makes Ultramins a very valuable partner for us. Their solution shows that water quality need not be an uncertainty, but a manageable and reliable foundation under cultivation.”

USAF™ is a trademark of Luijkx Ultrasound B.V.

For more information:
Ultramins B.V.
+31(0) 85 023 10 97
info@ultramins.com
www.ultramins.com

Schenkeveld
info@schenkeveld.co
www.schenkeveld.co

Growers United
info@growersunited.nl
www.growersunited.nl