LV6: Ram pumps and associated pipework

This item is part of Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Capital Grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£1,861 per pump.

How this item benefits the environment

Providing livestock with an alternative to drinking from watercourses, reduces bank erosion, sediment pollution and the faecal contamination of watercourses.

Where you can use this item

You can use this item either:

• in areas targeted for the reduction of water pollution caused by farming, where livestock are excluded from stream or surface waters
• to encourage grazing which supports the management and restoration of habitats (in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier with the agreement of your Natural England adviser)

You cannot use this item to replace existing equipment in the same location.

What you must do to use this item

You must:

• set the ram pump on a firm base – this must be a 150 millimetres (mm) thick slab of concrete or a 150mm layer of consolidated hardcore
• install a water collection facility suitable for the site, a drive pipe (supplying pump), a pump chamber, a pump and a delivery pipe and sediment tank (if necessary)

Evidence you must keep

You must keep and provide with your claim:

• photographs of the site during the different stages of construction or contracts, invoices or other documents confirming the technical specification for the completed works
• photographs of the completed works in place and installed

You must also keep and provide on request:

• any consents or permissions connected with the work
• receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• photographs of site before works start

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

Other items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

LV7: Livestock troughs

LV8: Pipework associated with livestock troughs

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.

Using a ram pump

Use a ram pump to pump fresh water from a stream to a head tank or reservoir. The pump uses the natural flow of water to pump a smaller quantity of water at higher pressure without using any fuel.

You should install the ram pump where there is consistent water supply and hydraulic head throughout the year. You’ll need a buffer tank at the top of the system to pump water over long distances.

The water should have low sediment content to avoid wear and tear from abrasion. You can use a sediment tank to remove the sediment.

British Standards

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards.