UV treatment improves water and air quality at Adelaide hydrotherapy pool

Since installing a Hanovia UV water treatment in its hydrotherapy pool, therapists and patients at Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital near Adelaide have noticed a dramatic improvement in water and air quality.

As it is a rehabilitation hospital, the hydrotherapy pool plays a very important part in the therapies offered.

Maintenance Manager Richard Tothill prides himself on the condition and upkeep of all hospital facilities, including the pool. It was this commitment to excellence that led him to realise that the pool required some attention.

Tothill found that the air in the hydrotherapy centre smelled quite strongly of chloramines (also known as combined chlorine), the pungent chemical created when chlorine reacts with organic compounds introduced into the water by swimmers.

The chloramine odour is not only unpleasant for both the patients and therapists who run the sessions, but can also be a health risk if inhaled regularly. Tothill even discovered that the hospital had to hire more hydrotherapy staff so that their shifts in the pool could be rotated more frequently, as many of them felt nauseous after prolonged periods. This inevitably led to higher staffing costs.

He decided to investigate what could be done to address the problem, explaining "we did a fair bit of research.

"We looked at ozone, but our research showed that it may not be as effective at reducing chloramines as UV treatment."

While researching on the internet, Richard came across Hanovia and its Australian distributor, Fluidquip. He discovered that a Hanovia UV system had been installed by Fluidquip at another rehabilitation hospital in Adelaide and decided to contact them.

Tothill adds "going on their recommendation, I decided to go with Fluidquip and Hanovia and we have been happy ever since. From start to finish the process was very professional and the installation now looks absolutely brilliant."

Now, when he steps out on the pool deck Tothill observes "you can notice how fresh the air smells now. Many of the hydrotherapists have commented on the improvement."

UV is now a well-established method of swimming pool water treatment, from hydrotherapy pools like that at the Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital, to full-sized competition pools. This growth in popularity has been largely due to UV's reliability and ease of use. Another major factor is the reduced reliance on traditional chemical treatments it affords, particularly chlorine. UV is also highly effective at destroying chlorine-resistant microorganisms like Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

Based in the United Kingdom, with offices in China and a worldwide distributor network, Hanovia is a world leader in UV disinfection technology for industrial applications. The company has over 85 years' experience in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of UV systems worldwide.

For more information contact Fluidquip Australia Pty Ltd in Australia on 03 8795 7711 or Davey Water Products NZ Ltd in New Zealand on 1300 367 866, E: fluidquip@fluidquip.com.au, www.fluidquip.com.au

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