Challenge
A leading Southeastern University relies on high-purity water for use in medical research buildings and classrooms. Students and professors need laboratory reagent-grade water for research purposes and general use such as rinsing glassware. Water at the institution is also used in other applications such as autoclaves, aquatics, washers, as well as feed water for boilers and laboratory water polishers. Depending on the location, 10.0 Meg - 18.2 Meg water quality is typically required.
For more than 20 years, Evoqua Water Technologies has been the trusted partner for treating their water. Over this time, Evoqua has supplied several water treatment technologies, including:
- Service Deionization (SDI) exchange tanks
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems
- RO/CDI (continuous deionization)
- ELGA polishers
- System maintenance
- Equipment calibration
During the first five years as a customer, the university used chemical disinfectants and an existing ultraviolet (UV) system to treat its water, but there were safety concerns and issues that negatively affected pipe degradation. As a result, they reached out to Evoqua for advice.
Solution
Evoqua recommended ozone disinfection based on its capability to effectively disinfect the water treatment system while eliminating the risk of residual chemicals and wear and tear on equipment. Ozone sanitization is also a faster sanitization method and due to its solubility in water, can effectively reach all parts of the water system.
Maintaining water quality can be difficult and costly to sanitize. With distribution loops ranging from 500 to 3,000 feet, Evoqua was able to transition this complex over from chemical to ozone sanitization for critical water systems throughout the campus and did so without having to make any changes to piping, seals or gaskets.
Evoqua’s advanced ozone disinfection system and services provide a convenient and cost-effective alternative to heat or chemical-based sanitization methods. In addition to the ozone system itself, Evoqua performs preventative maintenance services and project management for the SDI (Service deionization) and ELGA water systems.
Results
The University has experienced many benefits since switching to ozone for its water disinfection needs. Ozone has been capable of reaching every part of the water system for a highly effective sanitization. Safety and reduced maintenance times (along with the associated costs) are some of the largest advantages.
The University has drastically reduced its sanitization time from 3 ½ days to 6-8 hours. This impressive reduction in maintenance has helped lowed the University’s costs by eliminating 8-10 hours of manual labor for each Medical Research Building / central water system.
Compared to chemical sanitization, Evoqua’s ozone system is a much more environmentally-friendly solution—and it’s safer for workers and students too. There’s no chemical handling and since ozone naturally decomposes (and quickly converts to oxygen with UV), the system eliminates the risk of residual chemicals in the water.
Evoqua’s ozone system is proactively maintained yearly and work is always completed, even during holidays or on the weekend. There is minimal downtime and no interruption to class schedules, further improving educational excellence and maintaining the high-quality water needed.
