1 Introduction
The Philips UV sterilizing system that is incorporated into this design uses ultraviolet light to remove harmful bacteria from the water supply without the use of chemicals. In effect light rays (as found in natural sunlight) neutralize all harmful organisms as water passes through the UV chamber. In addition to this, 3 pre-filters remove sediments and contaminants to ensure that only the very best water is supplied to your premises.
The Aqua Filter water systems are manufactured incorporating the very best of a combination of American, German, Dutch, Australian and New Zealand expertise to ensure a long life of trouble free operation.
2 Maintenance
Once fitted and operating, the Aqua Filter system is designed to work with minimal maintenance. Each of the 3 filters is fitted with pressure gauges to give an indication when filters need a change. We recommend that you record your working pressure immediately when fitted and check the gauges 3 monthly to check on pressure differentials. The greater the pressure drop, the more often the filters will need changing. The level of contamination in your water supply will determine the regularity of filter replacement.
The UV light requires replacement every 550 days. A digital display indicates the number of days before replacement is due. Closer to replacement date, an audible sound warns you when its time to change your bulb.
All parts are available from our distributors. To ensure a long and trouble free life, only parts supported by us can be used.
In general, changing the filters and the lamp should take no longer than 5-10 minutes.
3 Consider the costs…
A Aqua Filter system allows you to safely drink water from any tap or outlet in your home. Rural bores, streams and rainwater tanks can become contaminated by any number of harmful bacteria’s. You will no longer have to boil water or add solutions or pills to static sources to ensure safe drinking. Your water supply has the potential to be the source of the best and cleanest water available to you.
Tuberculation (contamination build up on the interior of pipes) is reduced due to the filter/sterilisation process. The life of devices such as washing machines, dishwashers is increased due to reduced calcification and water contaminants. Sediment build up in water cylinders and header tanks is markedly reduced.
4 Aqua Filter systems provide outstanding performance.
Only the highest quality Stainless Steel fittings are used. The UV chamber is constructed of 2mm SS304 grade stainless steel and is designed with an air release screw to prevent airlocks.
Filter housings are precision manufactured in USA through a high tech process and designed to work safely up to 875kPa (125PSI) as per NSF Standard 42.
The first of the three pre-filters is a 5 micron pleated filter that can be washed and re-used.
The second is a carbon block to remove toxins, offensive smells, chlorine, pesticides, fertiliser runoff and petrochemical exhaust fumes.
The third and final is a very fine 1-micron polypropylene filter to fine polish your water.
The PHILIPS Ultra Violet Steriliser is of highest performance meeting NZ/AS Standards for bacteriological safe drinking water.
The UV light fits inside a watertight quartz tube.
The electronic ballast is of German design and engineering. This incorporates a preheat system that prevents unwanted outages and also protects the lamp from power surges and failures. The ballast contains 3 lights to show the status of the lamp and in case of lamp failure, incorporates an audible siren.
Your Aqua Filter system incorporates a heavy plastic backing board that is resistant to the elements and is protected by a high quality aluminium cover. Fastenings are stainless steel. It can be safely fitted in an exterior location however a sheltered location is preferable.
5 Types of system
Aqua Filter Max
This is more suited to larger residential houses and Villas with 2-3 bathrooms. The Aqua Filter system is suitable for a flow rate of 75-80 litres per minute and uses a PHILIPS 75W lamp. This gives a sterilisation rate of 40 000nJ/sqcm.
6 Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
Why do I need a Whole House Filtration System instead of just a kitchen filter?
A whole house system ensures that all water entering your premises is both filtered and sterilised. Once connected and operating, your water supplies will be immediately “protected” by passing through a simple and effective purification process. You can shower, bath, drink, brush your teeth (etc.) with confidence knowing that harmful contaminants and bacteria’s have been effective removed from your water.
Many people do not realise that after 6 months, bacterial build-up in under-sink filter units renders water from these filters more dangerous than not having a filter at all.
What is in tank, bore, steam, lake or river water that this system will remove
Tank water may be obtained from a variety of sources, a river, lake or stream bore. However most water tanks are used to store rainwater captured from a roof. Rainwater is exceptionally pure, however the process of rain falling though the atmosphere, falling on your roof and flowing from the spouting into the tank is open to contamination. If you doubt this, just take a look at the silt and foreign matter that collects in your spouting.
Birds often sit on roof ridges, TV aerials and sky dishes as well as on the edge of spouting. Bird droppings contain reasonably high levels of contaminants and bugs such as e-coli and can carry diseases. E-coli is present in the gut of animals and the bacterium is passed in the faeces. In rural areas known carriers of diseases such as TB can be heard scurrying along roofs as can rats and other vermin. Animals are generally not too particular about where they relieve themselves and if it is on a roof, it will be washed into your water tank. It is not uncommon to find a dead bird in a spouting.
If your water comes from a river or lake, one must remember that animals often go to water sources when they are close to death. Many actually die in the water. Sometimes animals drown in water as they lose their footing in deep pools. Cows and livestock are also not too particular about leaving the water should they be caught short. Fish die in water, as do plants, bugs and algae. Flowing streams pick up smaller particles and although water may look clean, a closer inspection will show large amounts of water borne contaminants. Often people swim in water holes and giardia is often passed in the urine of people as well as animals. Trees sometimes fall into water sources, leaves, branches and wind blown pollens, seeds, dust particles, insecticide and herbicide sprays as well as contaminants leached from over fertilised soils all find their way into water courses.
Bore water is seemingly clean, especially if it is gathered from a deep well. However wells do pick up fine sedimentary particles that will block washing machine filters and such like. These particles also shorten the life of a pump, especially if a positive displacement pump with its close tolerances is used. Rust stain are often found in toilets and generally filters removed from bores have a reddish tinge as rust particles from metals in the substrate are drawn into the supply.
Water taste is often affected by contaminants in the water, as is smell. Tanks are not cleaned or maintained regularly or the water sources that are prone to large amounts of decaying vegetation seriously contaminate the water supply to a home.
Aqua Filter systems installed and maintained in accordance with our instructions, effectively remove all the visible particles of silt and contaminants in water. The smallest filter will remove particles greater than 1 millionth of an inch (1 Micron) The carbon filter will effectively neutralise bad tastes and odours. The UV lamp (which produces between 30 000nJ/sqcm – 60 000nJ/sqcm (nano Joules per square centimetre – which is the measure of UV radiation depending on the system) then destroys all bacteria in the water leaving it safe to drink. Municipal drinking water in NZ is required to meet NZS 4020:2005. “Testing of Products for Use in Contact With Drinking Water.” Water from our systems all comply with this Standard, and in the case of removal of visible contaminants, exceeds the standard. NZS 4020 is an Australasian standard. This means that an Aqua Filter system will treat water bacteria to the standard required in a municipal water system and in terms of filtration will exceed it. (Municipal supplies are mostly treated with chemicals to kill bacteria, Water Guard systems use natural UV light that leaves no residue in the water.
Will this system mean I don’t have to treat my water supply with chemicals?
An Aquafilter system will mean that you do not need to treat tank water at all. It should be placed after the pump before the water enters the house. We recommend that water be treated after it leaves the tank and that tanks are cleaned regularly to remove silt. The cleaner the water supplied to the Water Guard, the longer the life of the system.
How can this system improve my shower water, my clothes washing water, my drinking water?
Waterborne diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms that most commonly are transmitted in contaminated fresh water. Infection commonly results during bathing, washing, drinking, in the preparation of food, or the consumption of food thus infected. Various forms of waterborne diarrheas disease probably are the most prominent examples, and affect mainly children in developing countries; according to the World Health Organization, (WHO) such diseases account for an estimated 4.1% of the total DALT (Disability-Adjusted Life Year) global burden of disease, and cause about 1.8 million human deaths annually. The World Health Organisation estimates that 88% of that burden is attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene.
Fresh drinking water is increasingly becoming a major issue in through-out the world. The sale of under sink filters, reverse osmosis systems, distillation systems as well as carbon filtration is increasing exponentially as more people recognise the health benefits of drinking fresh, clean, treated drinking water. Water Guard systems however do not only filter and sterilize drinking water, but all the water in your home. This means that the water you under which you shower and bathe in, wash your clothes and dishes, provide for plants, and give to your pets is going to be the cleanest and most efficiently provided in Australasia. Mechanical devices that use water including irons, washing machines, dishwashers, electric jugs (etc) will last longer due to the quality of the water passing through them. Clothes do not run the risk of staining due to unfiltered water being used in the wash process and should last longer due to the fact that silt particles are less likely to adhere to the fabric fibres.
What is hard and soft water
Hard water… is water that contains an appreciable quantity of dissolved minerals (like calcium and magnesium).
Soft water… is treated water in which the only ion is sodium.
As rainwater falls, it is naturally soft. However, as water makes its way through the ground and into our waterways, it picks up minerals such as chalk, lime and mostly calcium and magnesium.. Since hard water contains essential minerals, it is sometimes the preferred drinking water. Not only because of the health benefits, but also the flavour. So why, then, do we soften our water?
When it boils down, the major difference between “hard” and “soft” water can best be seen while doing household chores. Hard water is to blame for dingy looking clothes, dishes with spots and residue, and bathtubs with lots of film and soap scum. Even hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. Hard water can take a toll on household appliances as well and use up more energy. The elements of hard water are to blame for all of these negative factors, as soap is less effective due to its reaction to the magnesium and calcium. The lather is not as rich and bubbly.
How is this system better than the current town supply water I have and why would I spend that much on it
It comes down to how important fresh, filtered and sterilised water is to you and your family. Municipal water is not usually filtered rather it goes through a process of settling where water is passed over a series of dams where larger and heavier sediments fall to the bottom of the container due to gravitational forces.
Water in many locations is sterilised chemically, the most common chemical used is chlorine. By the time water reaches your home, it has more than likely traveled down many kilometres of pipes, all in differing states of repair and construction. Any Fire Fighter will tell you that they always flush a fire hydrant (which comes off a municipal water main) before connecting the water to a fire engine due to the contaminants in a water main. This is especially important in dead end mains and in supplies used for a limited number of premises.
Aqua Filter systems (if operated in accordance with the manufacturers instructions) will provide fresh, clean, treated drinking water of a consistently better quality than is being provided in a municipal supply.
7 Guarantee by Manufacturer
We certify that our machines produce the highest quality of safe drinking water to your premises. All our products are designed to exceed both New Zealand and Australian Standard requirements for static tank or surface water supplies.
We welcome any dependent bacteriological test and if your supply should not meet the minimum standards in a properly maintained and operating system. We offer a conditional guarantee either by unit replacement of monetary refund upon return of the product.
8 Limitations
Technical limitations to the transmittance of UV radiation include:
Hardness <150mg/litre
Iron <0.4mg/litre
Turbidity <1NTU
Tannins <0.1mg/litre
Manganese <0.05mg/litre
UVC Transference >80%
