Plumbing Connection Summer 2017

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change. That’s why innovative projects like the Aquarevo
development are key to putting people first by making our
communities more liveable and sustainable for the future,”
said Victorian Minister for Water Lisa Neville in a 2016 press
release.
Rainwater is collected on the roof of each home within the
Aquarevo development and screened through a gutter guard
to remove debris that might be on the roof or in the gutters.
The water then passes into the downpipe where it is screened
a second time through a leaf diverter. A third screening is done
via the initial flow of 17L of rainwater being diverted away
from the rainwater tank by a first flush device.
The screened water flowing into the tank is filtered through
a five micron filter and exposed to UV light before being
heated to 60°C to remove bugs or pathogens to be safe for
non-drinking purposes.
An air source heat pump fitted on the tank uses a
refrigerant fluid to absorb warmth from the outside air and
transfer it to the water stored inside, using up to 60% less
electricity than a conventional electric storage hot water
system.
Drinking water will be automatically supplied to the hot
water system as a back-up if no rain water is available or if the
system detects any variations in quality.
“South East Water will monitor individual systems
throughout the estate to ensure all components are
maintained and in good working order. We will also supply,
install and maintain all components of the system installed
on individual homes for 10 years at no cost to the property
owner,” says Terry.
South East Water has a patent pending on this technology,
which has undergone extensive testing and monitoring.
“Several test sites have been established with full
monitoring and South East Water has established a formal
test environment at Holmesglen Institute to create scenarios
and drive the system beyond expected real-life situations. The
facility is also being used in the curriculum for the education
of future plumbers,” says Terry.
As part of this collaboration between South East Water and
Holmesglen Institute, a test rig has been constructed within
the Chadstone campus workshop with an assembly of water
tanks, pumps, filtration systems and fixtures attached to a
two-storey simulated domestic home. This simulated home
can be monitored remotely from a South East Water facility to
test the performance and viability of the heating of rainwater.
Terry says independent testing is also being undertaken by
Monash University to further push the system’s performance.
BACKED BY TECHNOLOGY
Each property will have South East Water’s OneBox
technology installed to intelligently manage water use and
monitor energy consumption within the home.
OneBox is a small, wall-mounted, remote controlled
telemetry system that can control and monitor the hot water
system at a property, as well as the temperature of hot
water leaving the hot water unit. It allows South East Water
to remotely monitor and control the Aquarevo estate’s
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