Move over Robo-Cop. It's time to make way for the Robo-Vac, a new underwater, remotely operated vacuum cleaner for cleaning water tanks.
Water tanks have a myriad of uses these days - potable town
water supplies, fire fighting, stormwater management and rainwater
harvesting, and are becoming increasingly popular with today's
focus on sustainability and environment.
However, cleaning water tanks is a key component to their
responsible management.
Tanks need to be periodically cleaned internally, to avoid the
accumulation and settlement of very fine sediment. In particular,
rainwater drinking tanks need to be monitored and cleaned to ensure
living organisms cannot exist in the tank.
Currently, cleaning a tank is a costly and time-consuming
process. Tanks need to be put out of action and emptied before they
are swept clean with brooms. An alternative is to retain the water
in the tank and send in divers who then need to wear sanitised dry
suits. Again, this process can be costly and even dangerous to the
divers involved, and introduces the risk of bodily contamination of
the water. Both options mean the tank must be taken out of use.
The Robo-Vac, an innovative new machine developed by Auckland
firm Timbertanks, eliminates these risks and disadvantages.
Essentially, the Robo-Vac is an underwater, remotely operated
vacuum cleaner.
Advantages to using the Robo-Vac are numerous, says Timbertanks'
managing director, Justin Jordan. "The tank does not have to be put
out of service, and the clean is quick and thorough. The Robo-Vac
can complete cleaning small domestic tanks in a day, while larger
tanks may require several days."
The service is carried out by teams of two or three trained
staff, and includes thorough preparation, sterilisation, and safety
inductions. There is no risk to personnel, and no risk of
contamination.
The Robo-Vac is available for cleaning on all types of water
tanks - not just the wooden tanks of its parent company,
Timbertanks. It's safe, efficient, and an extremely cost-effective
way of maintaining water tanks.