Caynton House Farm, Shropshire

Drought Mitigation

SDS intelligent rainwater control delivers water self-sufficiency for Shropshire agriculture

Overview

Caynton Farm is a mixed-use agricultural holding in rural Shropshire, supporting livestock and general farm operations. The farm needed a reliable, year-round water supply while reducing uncontrolled runoff into the Strine catchment during heavy rainfall.

As part of the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) project, SDS was appointed to deliver a smart rainwater harvesting system to improve water self-sufficiency, support irrigation and operational needs, and enhance resilience against seasonal climate variability.

What We Did

SDS installed two Intellistorm® systems, comprising a 3,000-litre primary tank with two 1,000-litre auxiliary tanks, plus a separate 10,000-litre unit. Positioned discreetly alongside key farm buildings, the tanks communicate through the SDS SYMBiotIC™ wireless platform, operating as a single smart asset.

The systems automatically monitors tank levels, irrigation demand, and local weather forecasts. During dry periods, stored rainwater supplies livestock, equipment washing, and general farm use. Ahead of predicted storms, water is released in a controlled way to reduce runoff, protecting surrounding land and downstream catchments. The low-maintenance, wireless design ensures dependable operation without ongoing manual input.

Results

The intelligent rainwater recovery and reuse systems now provide 15,000 litres of reliable on-site water storage, reducing reliance on mains supplies and supporting consistent farm operations throughout the year. Automated control optimises storage for irrigation, mitigates localised flooding during storms, and manages discharge to the Strine catchment.

The project demonstrates how intelligent, data-driven water management can enhance agricultural efficiency, sustainability, and climate resilience, providing a future-proof solution tailored to rural operations.

The installation of the Intellistorm® smart rainwater management system has enabled us to reduce the water we abstract from our borehole by capturing and storing rainfall and using that first. The system seamlessly integrates into our existing header tanks which preferentially call for rainwater, then fill from the borehole if that supply is exhausted. At the same time, the system helps us manage heavy rainfall more responsibly, which was a key part of the wider River Severn Partnership project. The fact that it operates automatically, without constant input from us, makes it particularly well suited to a working farm environment.”

– Neil Furniss, Director, M. E. Furniss & Sons (Farms)