Case Study - Ministry of Education NZ
Puretec was engaged to design and deliver an upgrade of the school’s drinking water system, converting the primary water supply from bore water to roofwater.
Ministry of Education, Manawatū-Whanganui Region, New Zealand
THE WATER CHALLENGE
At a small school in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, the existing private bore water supply changed and was no longer suitable for drinking. With the health and safety of students at stake, the Ministry of Education needed a swift and reliable solution. In the meantime, drinking water had to be trucked in and stored on-site in tanks, proving to be a temporary and unsustainable measure.
THE CUSTOMER
The Ministry of Education assists with infrastructure and compliance for hundreds of schools across New Zealand. In this case, they were supporting a rural school that urgently required a compliant, permanent source of safe drinking water. With limited local resources, and under time pressures, the Ministry sought a national provider capable of delivering a comprehensive drinking water solution.
THE SOLUTION
Puretec was engaged to design and deliver an upgrade of the school’s drinking water system, converting the primary water supply from bore water to roofwater.
Our proven “Discover, Design, Deploy, Deliver” methodology was initiated immediately.
After an initial site visit and consultation with key stakeholders, we developed a tailored solution and formalised the design and quote. Once approved, the project moved quickly with resources assigned, off-site fabrication commenced, and onsite groundworks underway.
The scope included assessment of roof catchments and storage requirements, construction of a new treatment building, installation of new pumps and tanks and extensive new downpipes and stormwater routing. Reconfiguration of the bore for non-potable use was necessary, along with installation of remote monitoring and metering, and development of a Drinking Water Safety Plan for compliance. Where possible, appropriately qualified local subcontractors were engaged, supported by Puretec’s inhouse project and engineering teams.
EM2-140 Rainwater Filter System
The heavy-duty filtration system was used as the primary treatment unit, featuring robust housings and high-capacity cartridges for reliable sediment reduction.
Stage 1: Coarse Sediment Filtration.
A PL Series 20 micron washable pleated cartridge to maximise sediment and dirt-holding capacity.
Additional Sediment Filtration.
A PX Series 1 micron graded polyspun cartridge to reduce fine particulate and larger pathogens.
RI-EPAS Endpoint Acceptable Solutions | Ultraviolet Steriliser
The RI-EPAS-2K was also used as an ultraviolet wall mounted endpoint solution. The system is designed to help meet obligations under New Zealand’s Water Services Act (2021), and includes a UV steriliser, automatic shutoff, rugged mounting system, automatic air release valve and integrated isolation valves for simplified installation. Designed for compliance and reliability, this unit ensures safe water at the point of use.
ONGOING MAINTENANCE
From the roof to the tap, the system was designed for low maintenance and long-term efficiency. Some of the devices included were leaf diverters on each downpipe, self-flushing tank screens and first flush devices to keep debris out. A specialised downpipe system was designed to enable high-flow periodical flushing, and tank plumbing methodology that ensures the cleanest water is drawn off. Puretec’s premium cartridges are housed in the EM2-140, with the heavy pleats in stage 1 and precise winding in stage 2, which extends their life and performance.
With the inclusion of the RI-EPAS-2K smart controller on the UV system, this allows dimming of the lamp during periods of low/no flow (very frequent at schools). This saves the school significant power costs compared with basic UV systems that run at 100% capacity even when no water is used. In addition, because it doesn’t overheat the water, it saves potentially thousands of litres of valuable drinking water from being flushed to drain every year.
An additional bonus of up to 2 years of UV lamp life helps ensure very low operating costs for the school.
THE RESULT
Despite heavy rainfall during the installation schedule, the site works were largely completed within a month. Accredited water test results and documentation followed shortly after. All works met Ministry of Education requirements for safe drinking water in schools. Stakeholders were highly satisfied with the speed and quality of the project delivery, and staff and students alike at the school are now enjoying safe, great tasting drinking water straight from the tap.
At Puretec, we provide Australian and New Zealand businesses with the highest quality water filters in the nation, so your valued clients & customers can enjoy clean drinking water from every tap in your facility. Contact us today for more information on how a Puretec water filter can improve your facility's water quality.