A scientific approach that yields results
If the thought of swimming around in other people’s excrement fills you with horror, you’ll be reassured to learn about the innovation and high-level expertise that aquatics technical specialist, Tom Boyd and his team bring to SAS’s Aquatics Department.
A qualified marine biologist, microbiologist and researcher, Tom’s informed and highly scientific perspective is valued by clients and colleagues alike, not to mention users of countless Australian aquatic facilities, each of which can be enjoyed safely thanks to their efforts.
The science behind managing water treatment is complex. Not only that, but it’s an area which, for good reason, is subject to intense regulation and rigorous testing.
For SAS’s clients, including local councils, health and medical facilities and private companies, the task of operating within regulatory guidelines while delivering first class health and commercial water outcomes can be a challenge. Working with a sophisticated water treatment partner is vital.
It’s a positive for Australians that we have advanced protocols in place around managing public bodies of water: Think public pools, water features, ornamental ponds, fountains, hydrotherapy pools and even the increasingly popular ‘splash parks’ that have sprung up in municipalities everywhere from Sydney to Perth.
Yet while many give little thought to the water treatment that goes on behind-the-scenes at such venues, it’s exactly this that underpins their viability and our safe enjoyment of water.
The science behind the results
Tom and his team of experienced technicians have made a name for themselves by using the latest scientific insights to efficiently and effectively manage a wide range of aquatic facilities on behalf of SAS clients.
We bring a real depth of expertise to chemical dosing in particular because we understand the science behind it. From the impact of disinfectant by-products (DBPs) to knowing how to reduce the chlorine dosage while actually improving the health of the water, to understanding the way water composition is impacted by bather load, we look to science and the latest advances in chemical treatments to deliver the best outcomes.
It’s not just about dosing the maximum volume of chlorine and away you go. The more you add, the more DBPs are produced. There’s huge scope to carefully modify dosage in Commercial Centres to improve water health. That’s the space we play in.
The future: remote monitoring
SAS is evolving its capabilities so that clients can access more of the benefits of remote water health monitoring. From head office, we can already see what’s happening with our clients’ water chemistry and update set points, chemical dosages and pumping schedules accordingly. Most of our clients only need to do one water test per day, and we handle the rest. Our approach is to make slight, regular adjustments proactively instead of large adjustments reactively.
As a result, the pools, ponds, water features and other facilities that SAS manage, operate at the highest levels of safety and efficiency.
“I’d be happy for my two-year-old to swim in them,” says Tom. You can’t get much more of an endorsement than that!
Investing in research and development
One of the great things about SAS is its commitment to R&D. Our team includes highly qualified water treatment technicians, chemical and electrical engineers. We are committed to staying abreast of developments in water treatment and we implement the latest evidence-based findings.
One example is the hydrotherapy pool at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital. This pool has a very high bather load, and there’s the added element of making sure the water is completely safe for immune-compromised patients. Our R&D team work behind-the-scenes to help us make the pool safer and more efficient, using fewer chemicals to achieve a better outcome for users, as well as for the hospital.
The right team
All SAS’s Aquatics team are tertiary qualified. Investing in people with knowledge and expertise gives us an edge and enables us to come up with very tailored approaches. We can, very rapidly, combine our scientific knowledge to come up with fantastic solutions for our clients that deliver outstanding results but don’t cost the earth.
Not only that, but Tom and his team also bring high-level data analysis skills to their day-to-day roles. Understanding the data that’s available on a particular aquatic facility, and using that information to make the best decisions delivers results for our clients, making their lives easier and saving them money at the same time.
A practical approach
A lot of aquatic facility equipment is out-of-date, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work with it to achieve impressive results. Our design team are skilled at working with existing equipment and/or applying judicious retrofits that enable the implementation of the latest dosing technology to older systems.
We also pride ourselves on our top-tier communication, and on maintaining constant contact with our clients. We are a highly responsive team.
