Water trough system finance
Funding for farm water supply, covering troughs, pipework, pumps and solar systems, and an honest view of when asset finance actually fits.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a water trough system?
Rarely on its own, and it is fairer to say so than to pretend otherwise. A water system is mostly buried pipework and troughs set into the ground, which become part of the land, so there is nothing for a funder to recover and the values involved are small. What can be funded is the identifiable equipment: pumps, solar pumping units, storage tanks and control gear, particularly when bought as part of a larger grazing infrastructure project. If the water system is one element of a bigger scheme, the sensible route is to fund it inside that, or through general farm borrowing.
Used kit: No, second-hand troughs and pipework are not a fundable asset class
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a water trough system cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
This is the clearest case on the list where asset finance is the wrong tool. Alkathene mains ploughed into the ground and troughs bedded on concrete are fixtures of the land in the most literal sense, and the total spend is usually modest, so the arrangement cost outweighs the benefit. Funders will happily look at pumps, solar pumping units and storage tanks, which are removable and identifiable, especially where several are bought at once. For the rest, the honest options are the farm overdraft, a facility from your bank, or including the water system in a larger project such as fencing or a grazing infrastructure grant. Tenants should also check who is responsible for water supply under the tenancy before spending anything.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| IAE galvanised troughs | Field and yard drinking troughs |
| Ritchie water troughs | Galvanised troughs with ballcock protection |
| JFC plastic water troughs | Moulded troughs for field grazing |
| Jobe float valves | High-flow trough valves for fast refill |
| Grundfos SQFlex | Solar and wind powered borehole pump |
| Lorentz PS2 solar pumps | Off-grid pumping for remote troughs |
| Grundfos booster sets | Pressurised supply for yard and troughs |
| Balmoral water storage tanks | Header and bulk water storage |
| Enduramaxx water tanks | Polyethylene storage tanks for farms |
| Wavin MDPE pipe | Blue mains pipe for trough runs |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Livestock farms setting up rotational or paddock grazing where every block needs water, farms taking on land with no supply beyond a stream, and businesses responding to rules and advice discouraging stock access to watercourses. The trigger is usually a grazing system change, a dry summer spent carting water, or a requirement to fence stock out of a beck.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in agriculture.
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Water trough system finance questions
Why will asset finance not cover a water system?
Because most of it disappears into the ground. Buried mains and bedded troughs become part of the land and cannot be recovered, and the amounts involved are usually too small to justify an agreement. It is better to hear that now than after three funders have declined.
What parts can actually be funded?
Pumps, solar pumping units, storage tanks and control equipment are identifiable and removable, so they can be. Buying several at once, or including them in a larger fencing or grazing project, gives enough value to make an agreement worthwhile rather than a nuisance.
Is there a better way to pay for it?
Usually the farm overdraft or a facility from your bank, or funding it inside a larger project where the water system is one line among several. Grant schemes aimed at grazing infrastructure and watercourse protection also cover this kind of work in some cases.
Can solar pumps be financed?
They are the most fundable element, because a solar pumping unit is a self-contained piece of equipment that can be lifted out and used elsewhere. Where a farm is fitting several across a grazing platform, the combined value can make a perfectly sensible agreement.
Who is responsible for water supply on a tenanted farm?
It depends entirely on your tenancy agreement, and it is worth checking before you spend. On many holdings fixed water infrastructure is the landlord responsibility, which means the sensible first conversation is with them rather than with a finance company.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.
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