In September 2015, the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) published the Manual For The Application Of Health Based Targets for Drinking Water Safety. The intent of the manual was to provide clarity on Health Based Targets (HBT’S) based on the source water quality and capability of a particular treatment process train to meet HBTs.
The manual outlines the process of identifying;
- the type of catchment the drinking water source is being collected from,
- which will then dictate the minimum pathogen log reduction required,
- and the minimum treatment process requirements.
The Manual defines 4 categories of Water Catchments. From category 1 Protected catchments that are actively guarded from public intrusion, through to category 4 Unprotected catchments where treated sewage and stormwater runoff may be allowed up to certain levels and fishing and boating may be allowed. Depending on the catchment category, regardless of water analysis results, that catchment may not be allowed for certain kinds of water use or may require extra water treatment steps for certain uses such as potable water or irrigation.
The many water treatment and disinfection processes used to remove and deactivate pathogens including but not limited to Multimedia Filtration, Ultra-Filtration, Chlorination and UV Disinfection are outlined in the manual with recommended Log Reduction Value (LRV) credits that can be claimed for different types of treatment.
The critically important selection and combination of treatment processes becomes increasingly complex in the context of a skid mounted or containerised package water treatment plant, as footprint and equipment accessibility & maintainability, especially in remote installations needs to be taken into account. Variations in feed water quality and target treated water quality must also be taken into account and engineered for in the treatment train.
Understanding the efficacy of each water treatment process or technology for the various pathogens as well as that treatment’s strengths & weaknesses and operational requirements, are critical in the design and construction of cost efficient water treatment plants. In some cases a pathogen treatment process may not be suitable due to the feed water quality and will require pre-treatment prior to entering a particular treatment stage, or an easy-to-operate lower cost treatment train may offer similar LRV credits to more expensive and complex treatment solutions. This is where an expert’s understanding becomes invaluable.
How can MAK Water help?
MAK Water has over 25 years’ experience in the design, manufacture and maintenance of water treatment plants and can supply a system tailored to your needs.
MAK Water works collaboratively with each client to review site specific requirements and define the best treatment process to ensure compliance with regulations.
MAK Water offers a comprehensive range of technologies for water treatment and disinfection applications, and designs and manufactures such packaged & containerised plants including:
- Multimedia Filtration,
- Ultra-Filtration,
- Chlorine gas disinfection
- Sodium Hypochlorite
- UV Disinfection for both industrial and municipal applications
- A range of Reverse Osmosis solutions
These processes can be designed and combined to treat water for potable use and any other specific use. View our project experience here.
Understanding the nature of your raw water is imperative in order to develop a fit for purpose solution. MAK Water has an array of different treatment technologies to suit your needs. For Smart Water Solutions, please see the below contacts to discuss the most appropriate water treatment solution for your business.
MAK Water Technical Sales and Queensland Branch Manager
Queensland, Matthew Stevens (07) 5455 1412 Matthew.Stevens@makwater.com.au or Jon Keenan-Smith (07) 5455 1416 jon.keenansmith@makwater.com.au
Victoria / Tasmania, Keo Phetsaya (02) 9584 3687 Keo.Phetsaya@makwater.com.au or Jon Keenan-Smith (above) or Derek DeWaal (03) 9314 9181 Derek.DeWaal@makwater.com.au
New South Wales, Keo Phetsaya (02) 9584 3687 Keo.Phetsaya@makwater.com.au or Matthew Stevens (07) 5455 1412 Matthew.Stevens@makwater.com.au
Western Australia, Ludo Fol (08) 9247 6644 ludo.fol@makwater.com.au or Jon Keenan-Smith (07) 5455 1416 jon.keenansmith@makwater.com.au
South Australia, Keo Phetsaya (above)
Northern Territory, Ludo Fol (above)
ACT, Keo Phetsaya (02) 9584 3687Keo.Phetsaya@makwater.com.au