Many labs or their parent organizations maintain dedicated plants to transform municipal water into a product labs can trust for routine jobs. To take water to the next level requires a separate, additional process. Successful water system designs begin with clear, precise definitions of user needs.
Top 4 Questions You Should Ask When Buying a Lab Water Purification System
- What do you need the water for? What is your application & what type of water is needed? What is the source of your current water? How much water is required per batch/day? Are there special requirements for delivery?
- What is your budget? (This will determine the technology). What is the cost of ownership over five years?
- Where do you need the system in the lab(s)? Consider: top of counter, under counter or wall mounting the unit. What is the overall footprint/real estate of the system(s) and components?
- What kind of warranty and service is provided? Is the system manufactured to quality standards and which ones? Is this a pharmaceutical application that needs to be validated?
The ASTM Standards Lab Water purity level required by survey respondents:
| ASTM Type I |
51% |
| ASTM Type II |
29% |
| ASTM Type III |
12% |
| Other |
8% |
The ASTM Standards Lab Water purity level required by survey respondents:
| Dissolved inorganics (solids and gases) |
59% |
| Particulates |
50% |
| Dissolved organics |
45% |
| Microorganisms |
37% |
| Pyrogens |
11% |
| Other |
7% |
Respondents are using the following purification techniques to remove relevant contaminants:
| Deionization |
27% |
| Reverse osmosis |
21% |
| Ultrafiltration |
17% |
| Activated carbon filtration |
8% |
| Distillation |
7% |
| Microporous filtration |
5% |
| Ultraviolet oxidation |
4% |
| Other |
10% |
Top ten features/factors survey respondents look for when buying a water purification system:
| Low maintenance / easy to clean |
97% |
| Ease of use |
95% |
| Availability of supplies and accessories |
94% |
| Durability of product |
94% |
| Performance of product |
94% |
| Value for price paid |
89% |
| Low operating costs |
88% |
| Warranties |
85% |
| Total cost of ownership |
82% |
| Service and support |
80% |
Survey respondents are using the following water purification system components:
| Storage tank |
55% |
| Dispensing points |
53% |
| Water quality monitor |
46% |
| UV sterilizer |
43% |
| Polisher |
36% |
| Distiller |
22% |
| Water softener |
14% |
| Other |
4% |
Labs track & record the purity of output from their water purification system in the following ways:
| Manual record keeping |
40% |
| Visual check of display |
28% |
| No tracking or recording |
24% |
| Software within the water purification system |
7% |
Completed Surveys: 204
For more information on water purification systems, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/water-purification
See the latest survey results here
Like this article? Click here to subscribe to free newsletters from Lab Manager
Lab Manager
