The Ultimate Guide to Low-Maintenance Commercial Water Purification Solutions

Most conventional water purification systems require frequent cleaning, replacement of membranes and the addition of replacement parts which will fail without warning. For over 10 years, Aquatal has worked to meet the growing need for higher-quality, cleaner water through comprehensive water treatment systems that minimize maintenance while maximizing performance.

Protecting Your Investment: How Smart Pre-Filtration Prevents Sediment and Scaling

The reverse osmosis membrane is the core of any RO system and insufficient pretreatment causes the most pre-mature failure of the membrane. Suspended sediments scratch and foul the surface, irreversibly decreasing rejection rates. Dissolved mineral content causes scaling and blockage, which may require chemical cleaning. Biological contamination results in biofilm forming on the membranes, which degrades polymers within the membrane. Without sufficient pre-treatment, RO membrane failure will occur long before its theoretical life-span. Membrane replacement is not just costly but will also require additional downtime for your operations.

Smart pre-filtration uses a graduated multi stage approach that significantly decreases maintenance needs. The first stage captures large sediments down to a specified micron rating. Further stages capture more minute impurities which will normally pass straight through single stage filters. Depending on water source and application it may be appropriate to add an additional stage for chlorine removal or scale prevention. The membranes therefore will receive water which is increasingly purified, dramatically decreasing scale formation.

Smart pre-filtration is a low-maintenance approach because it provides a visual means of checking water clarity. The filters are constructed using transparent materials and so the internal structure is visible at all times, allowing the operators to check the sediment levels of the individual filters at a glance. This eliminates the need for manual testing or arbitrary schedule, which can lead to replacing filters too early (wasting money) or too late(compromising water quality due to contaminant breakthrough). A simple visual check when circulating the water ensures that individual stages can be changed out as needed.

Ensuring Consistent Safety with Real-Time UV Lamp Service Alerts

Even though particles can be eliminated through pre-treatment, bacteria still need to be neutralizing. The addition of ultraviolet disinfection provides an ideal chemical-free method for neutralizing bacteria, viruses, and protozoans in critical applications. The disadvantage of most UV systems is the maintenance they require, including removing and cleaning the quartz sleeve, which collects calcium buildup and biofilm, thereby decreasing UV light output. It also requires the shutting down the system to replace lamps. Basic UV units typically provide no way to tell if a UV lamp is working efficiently. They will usually still glow, even if they no longer produce effective UV intensity.

Real time UV lamp service alerts eliminate these problems by continually monitoring UV lamp output to ensure that the water is being treated effectively. If it determines that the UV lamp output has decreased to a critical level where it is no longer effective, then a warning signal will be given to operators (auditory or visual on screen). This is a dynamic method of monitoring compared to simply replacing UV lamps at timed intervals. By responding to precise alerts, the lamp will be replaced only when necessary, thereby providing cost savings on lamp replacement. It can also integrate with building management systems for remote alerting.

Meeting Stringent Hygiene Standards with Seamless, Crevice-Free Dispenser Designs

Even if it has passed through the RO and UV treatments, the water is vulnerable to contamination through the point of dispense, such as an old fashioned water dispenser which harbors bacteria within its joints and surface textures. These dispensers consist of many sections screwed and joined together. Over time, without rigorous cleaning, mold and bacteria form biofilms in these joints, areas that conventional cleaning cannot fully reach — leading to re contamination of the water at the point of dispense.

A seamless dispenser uses the principles of seamless design to avoid the potential for bacteria colonization within joints and contours. A unit fabricated with minimal joins, where any existing joints or contours are self-draining, does not provide an environment for bacteria growth. Made from smooth surfaces with no crevices, these units are exceptionally easy to clean, usually with just a single wipe of an antibacterial solution. These dispensers meet and exceed the NSF / ANSI 61 certification standard, a very tough requirement when you realize it tests for hygiene in drinking water appliances.

Partnering with Aquatal will provide you with advanced technology, quality, customization, efficiency, support, a global reach and a sustainable water solution. Clean water should always be purified to the highest standards and low maintenance systems are key to achieving this goal efficiently in your commercial environment.