International swimming pool and water treatment specialist Waterco advises all public pool owners in NSW to make the switch to an automated or continuous metered disinfectant dosing system. This is in line with new NSW Health regulations making the use of these systems compulsory for all public pools.
Automated dosing systems ensure the pool water is kept clean and healthy by constantly monitoring and controlling the pH and the Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP).
Waterco’s Water Treatment Product Manager Victor Quijada explains the pH level is important because the efficiency of the sanitiser is related to the pH level – if chlorine is used as a sanitiser and the pH goes over 7.8, the chlorine will lose about 80% of its efficiency.
ORP is measured in mV, and is a measurement of the capacity of a sanitiser to oxidise and destroy organic matter. For chlorine the recommended value is 720 mV. A higher bather load for instance, will increase chlorine demand, resulting in a drop in the ORP value, which indicates more sanitiser is required.
Under the NSW health regulations, pools that are required to use an automated system include pools in hotels, motels and other accommodation, clubs, workplaces, schools, holiday units and hospitals. Non-compliance with the new regulations can result in penalties of up to $17,000 for an individual or $85,000 for a corporation.
Waterco’s DIGICHEM Plus+ provides a reliable automated dosing solution for commercial applications such as public pools.
Used in the water treatment industry for more than 10 years with a proven track record, DIGICHEM Plus+ will keep the pH/ORP levels within the set point value, and fix it when the parameters fall outside these settings. If it cannot fix the parameter, a notification is sent via SMS and/or e-mail so that the water balance can be restored.
The DIGICHEM Plus+ constantly monitors and doses the pool with the appropriate chemicals to maintain the water within healthy parameters.
Feature highlights of the DIGICHEM Plus+ automated dosing system include ability to monitor, control and log Conductivity/ TDS/ Temperature (optional), pH and ORP parameters; continuous readout of variables set point on backlit LCD; Internet based connectivity allowing logged data to be viewed and settings changed remotely; alarm messages sent to up to eight nominated people by SMS/ email; remote monitoring and controlling on dedicated website; pH/ORP pumps controlled proportionally by automatically varying the ON/OFF duty cycle of the pump depending on how far the measured pH/ORP is from set point; 28-day timers for disabling pH/ORP outputs if 24/7 control is not desired; disinfection feature to allow ORP control to a temporary high set point; notification of Low Chemical Level (optional); weatherproof design; and password protected access.
Monarco Estate in Westmead, Sydney has been experiencing the benefits of the DIGICHEM Plus+ first hand since the system was installed around 18 months ago. Previously, the impressive 300,000-litre outdoor swimming pool, about half the size of an Olympic pool was experiencing cloudy water during periods of high usage.
According to Steve Emett, technician at Swimart Carlingford that services the facility, since the installation, he hasn’t had to dose the pool even once thanks to the DIGICHEM Plus+ system, which constantly monitors the water balance and adjusts its dosage to cater to the changing conditions.
