Opened in 2017, the University of Canberra Hospital is the largest establishment of its type in the region. This purpose-built hospital is a rehabilitation facility for those experiencing mental illness or recovering from surgery, illness or injury.

With health and wellness at the heart of the hospital’s mission, the facility was after a water management solution that would ensure a legionella-free drinking water system for the existing 29 Billi units on site and that would also be effective against microorganisms and other impurities.

The challenge

The assessment of possible solutions took four months because the initial, site-driven suggestions on how to achieve the desired outcome presented a range of challenges.

The first proposal suggested allowing only hot water as an option in the water dispenser. However, disabling the cold water would most definitely increase the hospital’s spending on bottled water and, as a consequence, it would negatively affect the facility’s environmental credentials. There were also hazards associated with exposed wiring under-bench.

The subsequent proposal would see the existing Billi units decommissioned entirely. This avenue, however, would cause the same monetary and environmental barriers associated with disabling cold water. In addition to that, writing off a capital resource was not feasible from a financial point of view.

The solution

Billi has been at the forefront of the water system industry for over 30 years, combining innovation, functionality and sustainability. With their extensive expertise, the brand was perfectly placed to propose a solution that wouldn’t compromise access to cold water nor require removal of the existing units, all while still providing legionella and impurity-free water: the Firewall Tower. Billi presented the solution alongside relevant documentation and the results of tests conducted by ALS Environmental, an independent global leader in testing, certification, inspection and verification for life sciences, commodities and the industrial sector. The tests demonstrated zero counts of any microbiological contamination, providing certainty that the product would achieve the desired outcome.

The innovative product boasts the latest UV water purification technology while ensuring easy access to instant boiling and chilled water. The technology is sourced from the Waterlogic Firewall X system, which uses bespoke UVC bulbs and electronic ballasts to completely inactivate bacteria, virus and pathogens including E.Coli, Salmonella and Hepatitis all the way through to the dispensing nozzle.

This internationally patented technology has been proven to be up to 99.99% effective in over 5,000 independent tests — and it is the only UVC system in the world today that is certified to NSF protocols 55a and P231, classifying it as a “Microbiological Purification Device”.

The product also features BioCote technology which protects surfaces against bacteria, mould and fungi, further elevating the hygienic profile of the drinking water system that is of such importance in healthcare environments.

On top of that, the Firewall Tower is compatible with other Billi ranges, which made it easy to retrofit the solution alongside the existing units. That, in turn, generated considerable cost savings, with further savings projected down the line since the Firewall Tower ongoing maintenance costs are minimal.

Furthermore, Billi’s product meant that the hospital could prioritise their environmental ambitions alongside the non-negotiable desire to offer drinking water free of any microorganisms or impurities within their facility.