Newwater's Weblog

Australian water solutions company wins the Best Innovator Award

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:29:08 +0000

Australian water solutions company wins the Best Innovator Award Melbourne-based company New Water, provider of domestic water solutions, has won the Allianz Best Innovator Award at the 2007 SmartCompany.com.au Awards. New Water also ranked third on the SmartCompany50 – a list of 50 of Australia’s fastest growing and innovative companies based on reported annual revenue growth and innovation. The SmartCompany.com.au Awards were launched this year to unearth Australia’s fastest growing and most innovative companies who are changing the business landscape. New Water was founded in July 2004 by CEO Andrew Pearce and inventor Malcolm Gordon to provide innovative solutions to help households reduce their potable water consumption. Pearce said the company achieves this by utilising innovative water solutions not only in the collection of rainwater, but also in the recycling of grey water with its own sophisticated patented technologies. “As global warming and consequential drought becomes a top-of-mind issue, people respond by looking for significant ways to save water. As a result of this general awareness in the community, and our marketing efforts, the demand for our products has increased significantly – New Water has seen a growth of 50 percent in the past six months alone,” Pearce said. Since 2004, the company has grown from seven staff to now employing over 40 people across Australia. To date, New Water has sold over 2,500 Rain Reviva flexible bladder tanks which are installed under the house or deck to capture rain from all areas of the roof. It has also installed about 70 of its award-winning Aqua Reviva grey water treatment systems. All New Water products are Australian designed and made. The company also sells Microslim and Slimline tanks as well as solar hot water systems. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI), which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. For more information on New Water and its products, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).

Australian water solutions company wins the Best Innovator Award

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:29:07 +0000

Water issues creates growing business for Australian water solutions company

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:27:56 +0000

Water issues creates growing business for Australian water solutions company

Water restrictions around Australia have created an outstanding business opportunity for a leading Australian water solutions management company, New Water. New Water was founded in July 2004 by CEO Andrew Pearce and inventor Malcolm Gordon to provide innovative solutions to help Australian households reduce their potable water consumption. New Water achieves this by utilising sophisticated, patented water solutions not only in the collection of rainwater, but also in the recycling of greywater. Since 2004, New Water has grown from seven staff to now employing over 50 people across Australia and New Zealand. The company’s revenue was $1.7 million in 2006 and is expected to reach over $5 million in 2007, representing exceptional growth of around 294 percent. New Water is also projecting revenue for 2008 to be in excess of $12 million. Andrew Pearce, CEO of New Water, explained the cause of this growth is due to the rising concern of households to conserve water and New Water’s ability to develop and install solutions tailored for a particular households’ needs. “As global warming and consequential drought becomes a top-of-mind issue, people respond by looking for significant ways to save water. As a result of this general awareness in the community and our marketing efforts, the demand for our products has increased significantly – New Water has seen a growth of 100 percent in the past six months alone,” Andrew said. According to Andrew, New Water’s technologies would also be welcomed in other water-scarce countries around the world and the company is continually reviewing offshore options. “We launched in New Zealand in September 2006 and in all likelihood, the next place of expansion for New Water would be the United States as they are faced with many similar water shortage challenges that exist in Australia,” Andrew said. Andrew made a move away from the international corporate sector to head up New Water and be part of an industry where he could make a positive social contribution in Australia in 2004. “I had been living overseas for five years, came back for a visit and became aware of the water challenges facing Australia. I was introduced to the technology which we ultimately commercialised and saw that there was an exceptional business opportunity which not only had good commercial prospects, but could also make a difference in the community,” Andrew said. To date, the company, based in Melbourne in the state of Victoria, has sold over 3,000 of its Rain Reviva rainwater solutions. New Water’s Rain Reviva solution is unique as it is flexible enough to fit under a house or deck and can capture water from the entire surface area of the roof, collecting up to 300 percent more water than a standard tank system. The patented system incorporates an inlet that efficiently diverts the rainwater from each downpipe into the bladders and when they are full, ensures the excess water reverts back to the stormwater outlet. A pump system then allows the water to be reticulated to a range of devices such as the garden hose, the pool, sprinkling systems, the washing machine and dishwasher. The Rain Reviva bladder tank is made of a tough, polymer fabric called Aeon and comes in a range of sizes from 2,000 litres to 7,000 litres which can be linked to hold up to 30,000 litres. It is sold by New Water as a full kit, which includes a pump and pressure control mechanism that can be adjusted to any pressure as required to suit individual homeowners and commercial applications such as garden centres or nurseries. New Water strongly believes that treating and recycling grey water is another important way to reduce household water consumption of potable water and as such has developed the Aqua Reviva grey water treatment system. Launched in Australia in September 2006, the Aqua Reviva has been installed in about 60 homes across Australia so far. The Aqua Reviva system treats grey water from the bathroom and laundry to Domestic Class A standard for safe re-use around the home including surface garden irrigation, sprinklers, in the washing machine or to flush toilets. The Aqua Reviva employs a biological treatment process collecting water from the bathroom and laundry and pumping it through a series of ‘cells’. The water is filtered from the collection cell into a treatment cell, where it undergoes biological treatment. It then feeds into a disinfection cell where it is disinfected with bromine and held for 30 minutes. The water is finally transferred to the re-use cell where it is stored until needed. As the system constantly recycles grey water, it can easily provide the home with a steady supply of water for everyday use, even in periods when there is little or no rain. The system is capable of treating up to 700 litres of water per day which equates to twice the average household daily water production. Treated water can be stored for an unlimited period of time, unlike direct diversion systems where the water must be used within 24 hours. The award-winning system requires no intrusive excavation, is small and can be readily installed in most homes. It is designed to be as ecologically aware as possible – the biological treatment processes are environmentally-friendly and the pump runs on 12-volt power, which can be operated using solar power if desired. The Aqua Reviva has been approved by the relevant state health and other government departments in Australia. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute, which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. All New Water products are Australian designed and made. The company also sells the Slimline, In-slab and Microslim rainwater tanks. Information is available at www.newwater.com.au or call +61 1300 NEW WATER

Outdated government regulations delay installation of domestic grey water treatment systems

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:27:07 +0000

Outdated government regulations delay installation of domestic grey water treatment systems Whilst the drought has generated the opportunity for many innovative solutions in the Australian water industry sector, outdated government regulations often do not provide approvals for the advanced technology, according to recent study by Australian company New Water. New Water, founded in 2004, provides innovative water solutions to help households reduce their potable water consumption. The company is also a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI). Malcolm Gordon, Operations Manager at New Water, revealed the results of his study on domestic grey water treatment systems and regulatory frameworks. “Grey water recycling at household level can make a considerable difference in our water shortage problem as well as being an efficient and cost effective solution that creates virtually no footprint on the environment,” Gordon said. “However, the main hurdles companies like us face are not the performance of the systems but the lack of public awareness of a solution. “Above all, governments’ regulatory frameworks, both at state and local level, haven’t adapted to the technology. Some of them actually make it illegal to install sustainable grey water treatment systems, whilst allowing direct diversion of grey water (from shower and washing machine),” he added. Gordon said prior to installing a domestic grey water treatment system, the state regulator must provide appropriate product certification. Local councils, mainly through their Health Office, are then responsible for issuing the permit to install, which is proving difficult for customers and manufacturers. “We have been consistently delayed during the application process by a lack of local policy and supporting administrative procedures, which often results in the application being rejected as it cannot be processed in time,” Gordon said. “We’ve also encountered council using its power to add additional monitoring requirements overriding the state’s guidance, thus increasing the yearly operational costs by nearly 400 percent. “Some local councils are also uncomfortable with the limitations that they have over the control of the system’s discharge,” he added. According to Gordon, part of the solution is for industry players such as New Water to work with councils to update the government regulations. “We want to work with government departments and local councils to help them introduce and/or update their policy to facilitate the uptake of domestic grey water treatment systems,” he said. “Manufacturers should also adequately identify reference to relevant codes and standards to help assessing officers with the approval process. “Another solution is for manufacturers to form a binding contract with homeowners in which the manufacturer takes responsibility for the performance of the approved products,” Gordon added. Another recent research by New Water’s Technical Expert Roy Olliff demonstrated that the installation of only 156,000 domestic grey water treatment systems in Victoria could delay the need for a future desalination plant to be built as well as save over $1 billion. Olliff also maintained that this Melbourne example could be applied all around Australia. Olliff and Gordon, who is one of New Water’s founders and inventor of the company’s main product innovations, were invited to present the results of their study at the On-site ’07 Innovation and Technology for On-site Systems conference held from 25-27 September at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW. New Water’s patented technologies include the Aqua Reviva grey water treatment system, the Rain Reviva rainwater bladder tank as well as the Microslim, Slimline and In-slab tanks. New Water has also recently added solar hot water systems to its holistic range of domestic water solutions. For more information on New Water, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).

New water solutions for ACT homes

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:26:27 +0000

New water solutions for ACT homes

New Water, an Australian company that provides innovative water solutions to help households reduce their potable water consumption, has recently announced a new franchisee for the ACT.

Peter Morrell, who lives in Curtain, had previously owned a professional photographic laboratory in Fyshwick before becoming the ACT franchisee for New Water last month. “Whilst looking for a grey water treatment system for my own home, I came across New Water’s Aqua Reviva system which I was very impressed with. It was then that I also discovered the company had a great business opportunity available,” Peter said. “The Aqua Reviva can give householders continuous access to water for their garden, washing machine or to flush the toilet, even during low rainfall periods and strict water restrictions. I thought it was a product ACT homes definitely needed,” he added. In his role, Peter is responsible for selling New Water’s range of rainwater tanks including the Rain Reviva bladder tank, Slimline, Microslim and In-slab tanks as well as the award-winning grey water treatment system, Aqua Reviva. Peter explained that the ACT is in great need of innovative domestic water solutions to assist residents with the drought situation. “Homeowners need to think seriously about how rainwater tanks can make a real difference and we believe the Rain Reviva bladder tank is the best way to harness and store rainwater as well as save space around the house,” Peter said. “It is flexible enough to fit under a house or deck and can capture water from the entire surface area of the roof up to 300 percent faster than a standard tank system,” he added. The ACT Government offers a rebate of up to $800 for the installation of an approved rainwater tank with an internal plumbing connection on properties connected to ACTEW Corporation’s water supply network. New Water’s Aqua Reviva system uses a biological filtration system that can treat up to 700 litres of grey water (from washing machine and shower) daily to Class A standards. The treated grey water is discharged at neutral level pH 7.0, which doesn’t affect soil fertility. The system can be operated using solar power. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI), which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. All New Water products are Australian designed and made. For a free consultation, call 1300 552 695 (1300 NEW WATER) or to find further information visit www.newwater.com.au

Innovative water solutions for your home

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:25:47 +0000

Innovative water solutions for your home New Water is an Australian company that provides innovative domestic water solutions not only in the collection of rainwater, but also in the recycling and treatment of grey water. Local resident Peter Morrell has recently been appointed as the ACT franchisee for New Water and he will be servicing the areas surrounding Canberra and Queanbeyan. New Water’s Aqua Reviva system treats grey water from the shower and laundry to Class A standard for safe re-use around the home including surface garden irrigation and sprinklers, or in the home to flush toilets or use in the washing machine. Andrew Pearce, CEO of New Water, outlined the benefits of Aqua Reviva. “Treated water from the Aqua Reviva can be stored for an unlimited period of time, unlike alternative diversion systems where the water must be used within 24 hours,” Andrew said. “As the system constantly recycles grey water it can easily provide the home with a steady supply of water for everyday use, even in periods when there is minimal rain to replenish rainwater tanks,” he added. The award-winning system has been approved by the relevant State Health and other Government Departments and is available in all states, except Tasmania. As well as Aqua Reviva, New Water manufactures and markets Rain Reviva, a flexible rainwater tank that can be installed under the house or deck. Rain Reviva bladder tank captures rain from all areas of the roof and can collect up to 300 per cent more water than traditional rainwater tanks. All New Water products are Australian designed and made. The company also sells Microslim and Slimline tanks. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI), which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. For more information on New Water and its products, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).

New water solutions to assist South Australians’ water woes

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:24:59 +0000

New water solutions to assist South Australians’ water woes New Water, an Australian company that provides innovative water solutions to help households reduce their potable water consumption, has appointed a new Sales Agent for South Australia. Chris Norton, who lives near One Tree Hill, had been involved with supplying goods and services to the building industry for over 20 years before becoming New Water’s SA Water Management Consultant last month. “Water is a very scarce commodity and so when I came across New Water’s grey water treatment system at a home show in Sydney, I was very impressed with the concept and technology,” Chris said. “It can give householders continuous access to water for their garden, washing machine or to flush the toilet, even during low rainfall periods and strict water restrictions. I thought it was a product South Australian homes definitely needed,” he added. In his role, Chris is responsible for selling New Water’s award-winning grey water treatment system called Aqua Reviva as well as its range of rainwater tanks including the Rain Reviva rainwater bladder tank, Slimline, Microslim and In-slab tanks. Chris explained that South Australia, the country’s driest state, is in great need of innovative domestic water solutions to assist residents with the drought situation. “South Australians are very dependant on the Murray River for their water supply and as the level goes down, people’s water use will be restricted further. The time will come when people will pay not only for the excess water, but for all the water they consume,” Chris said. “The opportunity to use water twice by treating it through the Aqua Reviva grey water treatment system not only helps conserve potable water resources, it will eventually equate to savings on households’ water bills. “Homeowners need to think seriously about how they can make a real difference and we believe capturing rainwater and treating grey water are ideal solutions to reduce the negative impact on our water ways,” he added. New Water’s Aqua Reviva system uses a biological filtration system that can treat up to 700 litres of grey water (from washing machine and shower) daily to Class A standards. The treated grey water is discharged at neutral level pH 7.0, which doesn’t affect soil fertility. The system can be operated using solar power. New Water also designed and manufactures the Rain Reviva, a bladder tank flexible enough to fit under a house or deck which can capture water from the entire surface area of the roof, up to 300 percent faster than a standard tank system. The South Australian government offers up to $800 on installation of a rainwater tank and the plumbing of a new or existing rainwater tank into an existing home. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI), which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. All New Water products are Australian designed and made and have been tested to Australian standards. For a free consultation, call 1300 552 695 (1300 NEW WATER) or to find further information visit www.newwater.com.au.

First Australian home installs In-slab rainwater tanks

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:24:07 +0000

First Australian home installs In-slab rainwater tanks As a response to the need to conserve our precious water resources, a new Hope Island home in Queensland is the first to have a pioneering technology installed by Australian company New Water, which includes In-slab rainwater tanks built into the slab under the house. The Rain Reviva In-slab tank is a rigid tank which can be incorporated into the concrete slab of new houses without affecting the integrity of the slab. The In-slab tanks work by storing the captured rainwater in a number of interconnected pods or ‘cells’. Trent Burger from Burger Development Group has recently installed In-slab tanks in a property being built on Hope Island, Queensland, and plans on installing more in the future. “It’s great to be able to utilise space around the house for gardens or other features that would normally have been sacrificed for unsightly water tanks,” Trent said. “Besides the obvious benefit of being able to store rainwater, the In-slab tanks also add value to the property as it will give future homeowners a permanent means to store rainwater for use in the shower, toilet and garden or to wash the car. This is especially good during water restrictions,” he added. Andrew Pearce, CEO of New Water, believes the In-slab tanks work far more effectively than traditional tanks. “Homeowners need to think seriously about how rainwater tanks can make a real difference, and we believe this is the best and most innovative way to harness and store rainwater. The fact that the tanks stay out of sight is an obvious bonus,” Mr Pearce said. “The In-slab tanks have a 660 litre capacity per unit, although number of units that can be incorporated into the slab is limited only by the size and type of slab,” Pearce said. The Hope Island home has eight cells which equates to a total storage capacity of 5,280 litres of rainwater. The patented In-slab solution has been designed by engineers incorporating all the relevant requirements relating to strength, thermal and other issues. Homeowners may be eligible for a rebate from their state or local government. Other products by New Water include the grey water treatment system Aqua Reviva, which employs a biological treatment process capable of treating up to 700 litres of water per day. It is designed to be as ecologically aware as possible and the pump, which runs on 12-volt power, can also be operated using solar power. As well as Aqua Reviva, New Water manufactures and markets Rain Reviva, a flexible rainwater tanks that can be installed under the house or deck. Rain Reviva bladder tank captures rain from all areas of the roof and can collect water up to 300 per cent faster than traditional rainwater tanks. All New Water products are Australian designed and made. The company also sells Microslim and Slimline tanks and has recently added solar hot water systems to their product mix. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI), which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. For more information on New Water and its products, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).

Domestic grey water treatment systems could delay construction of future desalination plants

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:23:18 +0000

Domestic grey water treatment systems could delay construction of future desalination plants The installation of only 156,000 domestic grey water treatment systems could delay the need for a future desalination plant to be built as well as save over $1 billion, according to recent research by Australian company New Water. New Water, founded in 2004, provides innovative water solutions to help households reduce their potable water consumption. The company is also a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI). Roy Olliff, Technical Expert at New Water, revealed the results of his comparison of the financial, environmental and social benefits of installing domestic grey water treatment systems (DGTS) over building bigger infrastructures such as desalination plants. “I had a look at the example of Melbourne and potential costs associated with deferring the construction of the desalination plant for 10 years,” Olliff said. “Installing 156,000 domestic grey water treatment systems, which would provide the equivalent water savings of a 110 ML/d desalination plant as planned in Victoria, would potentially save the government and tax payers $1.05 billion and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,764 x 10³ tonnes over 10 years. “The operation of a desalination plant will cost $55,188,000 and generate 945,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. In this case, it would be equivalent to adding 210,000[1] cars on the road every year, something that could be avoided with the installation of DGTS. “This Melbourne example could be applied all around Australia. The adoption of a DGTS policy by state governments is environmentally sound and financially justified. In addition, these figures could increase substantially as the energy prices rise and the costs of grey water treatment systems are likely to reduce over the period,” he added. As part of his research, Olliff analysed costs associated with energy for transport and treatment of the full water and sewerage cycle of a 110 ML/d desalination project for 10 years. Olliff’s data was obtained from Melbourne Water and Yarra Valley Water Authority amongst others. He then compared these figures with costs associated with the State Government providing a 50 per cent grant of approximately $468 million towards the installation of 156,000 domestic grey water treatment systems. Olliff has been invited to present the results of his research at the On-site ’07 Innovation and Technology for On-site Systems conference held from 25-27 September at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW. Olliff has been part of New Water’s team for 10 years and has assisted with the creation and design of some of the company’s main innovations. He is a member of the Institution of Engineers, the Water and Wastewater Association, Deputy Chairman of Alfred Research and Ethics Committee, Sessional Panel Member with Department of Sustainability and Environment and occasional Lecturer at Burnet Institute, Centre for International Health. He holds a B. Science (London) and M. Science degree (Manchester). Andrew Pearce, CEO of New Water, agrees with the concept that in-home water management solutions outweigh all of the more expensive and energy intensive centralised solutions such as desalination. “Grey water recycling at household level can make a considerable difference in our water shortage problem as well as being an efficient and cost effective solution that creates virtually no footprint on the environment,” Pearce said. “For example, our Aqua Reviva grey water treatment system can recycle as much as 60 per cent of the household waste grey water (water from shower and washing machine) using a biological filtration system and a 12-volt power pump, which can be operated using solar power. “As the system constantly recycles grey water, it can easily provide the home with a steady supply of water for everyday use, even in periods when there is minimal rain to replenish rainwater tanks,” he added. Class A treated water from the Aqua Reviva can be used for surface garden irrigation and sprinklers, to flush toilets or use in the washing machine. In addition to the Aqua Reviva, New Water’s patented technologies include innovative solutions for the collection of rainwater with the Rain Reviva bladder tank as well as the Microslim, Slimline and In-slab tanks. New Water has also recently added solar hot water systems to its holistic range of domestic water solutions. For more information on New Water, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).

[1] According to Australian National University, the average car emits 4.5 T of CO2 per year.

Water your garden in spite of water restrictions this Spring

newwater — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:22:32 +0000

Water your garden in spite of water restrictions this Spring As a result of serious water shortages and restrictions, many Australians are looking for alternative ways to keep their garden thriving this spring. A grey water treatment system is a practical solution. The Aqua Reviva treatment system from New Water can recycle as much as 60 percent of the household waste grey water that can then be used for a number of purposes around the home. Andrew Pearce, CEO of New Water, outlined the benefits of Aqua Reviva. “Treated water from the Aqua Reviva can be stored for an unlimited period of time, unlike alternative diversion systems where the water must be used within 24 hours,” Andrew said. “As the system constantly recycles grey water, it can easily provide the home with a steady supply of water for everyday use especially in the garden, even in periods when there is minimal rain to replenish rainwater tanks,” he added. The award-winning Aqua Reviva has been approved by the relevant state health and other government departments and is available in all states, except Tasmania. It is small and unobtrusive and can be readily installed in most homes. A family from Pymble, NSW, has recently installed an Aqua Reviva after becoming more conscious about the water it consumes. “We thought it was such a waste to see the water we used for showers and in the washing machine going straight down the drain so we decided to do something about it,” Susan said. “By using treated recycled water for the garden and the washing machine, and to flush the toilets, we are maximising the use of our precious water whilst ensuring that our environment remains green and healthy,” she said. The Aqua Reviva employs a biological treatment process capable of treating up to 700 litres of water per day. It is designed to be as ecologically sound as possible – as well as using environmentally-friendly biological treatment processes, the pump runs on 12-volt power which can be operated using solar power. As well as Aqua Reviva, New Water manufactures and markets Rain Reviva, the market leader in flexible rainwater tanks in Australia and has carved a niche in this market with its unique design that allows the tank to be installed under the house or deck. Rain Reviva bladder tanks capture rain from all areas of the roof and can collect up to 300 percent more water than traditional rainwater tanks. All New Water products are Australian designed and made. The company also sells Microslim, Slimline and In-slab tanks. New Water is a founding member of the Australian Grey Water Institute (AGWI), which endeavours to educate governments and households about the benefits of grey water treatment. For more information on New Water and its products, visit www.newwater.com.au or call 1300 552 695 (1 300 NEW WATER).