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.