Specialist Technology and Support for the Healthcare Sector

The healthcare sector has some of the most stringent water purity requirements and it’s a sector we have a vast amount of experience in. Here, our very own expert, Peter Bridge, takes a closer look at how we can help to ensure a consistent and reliable supply of pure water. 

The healthcare sector requires pure water for many critical services including dental, clinical pathology, sterile services, decontamination for endoscopy and renal dialysis. Pure water is needed for many departments to function, and we are proud to have been producing pure water for the healthcare market for over 80 years. Today, we have a range of RO systems that have been specifically designed for certain types of healthcare applications: 

Renal

Our Renal RO range has been developed for renal dialysis, designed for both single-patient use and larger centralised systems in hospitals. Designed for modern haemodialysis requirements, the products within the range can provide treated water to exacting specifications, delivering flow rates of up to 3,500 l/hr from a single unit. These can also be linked for higher flow rates or series operation.

OSIRIS

OSIRIS is a fully integrated range of packaged RO water treatment systems that produce biopure water for sterile services and endoscopy. With low conductivity, bacteria and endotoxins, the range ensures optimal cleanliness for surgical instruments. OSIRIS systems have been specifically designed and validated to meet requirements for washer disinfectors and steam sterilisers used in sterile service facilities.   

THERMAPURE™ 

THERMAPURE™ is a range of compact RO systems that will ensure water meets the latest decontamination guidelines when budgets are tight. Standardised and skid-mounted, THERMAPURE™ systems are easy to install and commission.  Systems feature the latest water purification technologies and a programmable logic controller for continuous monitoring of water quality parameters. A touch screen displays real-time graphical data, allowing for secure access levels and simple maintenance. In addition, an automated heat disinfection program for the storage tank and distributoin ring main eliminates the need for chemical sanitisation. 

SIRION™

SIRION™ is a range of trusted, compact RO systems used in other sectors that can also bring a wealth of benefits to healthcare facilities. Designed to produce pure water from 10 l/hr to 120 m³/hr with a low footprint and reduced management time. They are fully automatic and offer high salt rejection by using low energy membranes. SIRION™ RO units can produce treated water from a brackish feed by removing up to 98% of dissolved inorganics and over 99% of large dissolved organics, colloids and particles. 

Adding value with Aquaservice™

Customers can also opt for AquaService™, which incorporates a variety of service options depending on your needs. Selecting Aquaservice™ provides added value and assurance that our team is on hand to help keep your water treatment system operating at maximum efficiency and to ensure the water continuously meets specification requirements. Should there ever be a breakdown, a Veolia engineer will get to site quickly and with the right part, minimising system downtime.

VWT UK is always mindful of health and safety standards as well as environmental impact and we will work with operatives on site to find ways a system and its daily operations can improve performance in these areas. More AquaService™ benefits that are available include:

• Refurbishment – refurbishing your existing water treatment plant is an effective way to improve plant performance and extend the life of your system without large capital expenditure.
• Hubgrade™ - compatible with the majority of VWT UK products, Hubgrade™ is a digital monitoring system that allows water to be evaluated and optimised using real-time digital data, which is accessed through a phone or tablet. As such, any issues can be diagnosed and fixed quickly. 
  
  

Halton Hospital Case Study 

Since it was installed in 2019, the VWT water treatment system in the Endoscopy Department at Halton Hospital has provided reliable and efficient performance. VWT UK’s Thermapure™ 300 Duplex Unit and Hubgrade had supplied water to washers in the facility, upholding water quality levels in the process. 

Following a sudden change to the hospital’s water supply, microbial levels in the water dropped below what the system had been initially programmed to recognise. Unusually, the water had become too pure and was no longer triggering a response from the existing RO system. Via remote access to the hospital’s portal dashboard, VWT UK identified the issue and solution to the on-site technicians. As such, the system was back up and running within 30 minutes. 

Paul Jones, Halton Estates Team Leader at Halton General Hospital commented: “Thanks to the Hubgrade digital monitoring service we were able to resolve a small technical issue before it snowballed into a disruptive episode. The speed with which VWT UK was able to identify and then rectify the issue was impressive. Ultimately, without Hubgrade in place, we would have had to call a VWT UK engineer out to site and could have potentially lost crucial access to our washer systems for 24 hours.”

Our products incorporate the latest technology to provide solutions that are reliable and consistent. What’s more, with the help of our service team, customers can optimise the effectiveness and lifespan of their water systems. For more information on VWT UK’s Healthcare technologies, please visit here.