Case Study
Safe Healthy Water at Loch Walton
"Yellow and manky water to crystal clear"
"It gets rid of all the bugs and means we’re not using as many plastic bottles."
Annette Minard
Lived off grid since 1990
Annette and her husband David have lived at the beautiful Loch Walton in Scotland for 30 years
Recently they started to notice potential health challenges, that showed all the signs of microbial contamination in their water. As a result, they have been reliant on bottled water deliveries for over three years.
In this case study, we explore the problem of Loch water purification, and show the results of the IF WaterOne purifier.
The problem
The Loch water quality changes throughout the year
"We didn't notice any problems until we had a long dry spell, and then we started getting ill from the water."
At Loch Walton, heavy rainfall routinely introduced pollutants and sediments into the lake, while warmer summer conditions triggered harmful algal blooms, increasing microbial contamination.
With any Private Water Supply, seasonal temperature fluctuations lead to changes in nutrient cycling, altering water purity.
Traditional purifiers clog and fail over time
"Our existing system required a lot of cleaning, and we weren't always sure if the water was really safe."
Loch Walton had a robust and impressive water purification setup, but consumable filters and membranes like Reverse Osmosis (RO) always face challenges from seasonal variations and increased biology.
Fluctuations in temperature, sediment levels, and the presence of contaminants, can strain RO membranes, increasing energy demands.
Piping water large distances isn't an option
"Initial feasibility quotes from Scottish Water came back at over £50,000-60,000 for 3 miles."
The club conducted a feasibility study to find out the cost of laying mains piped water to the club. This would have needed to come from the closest source which was 3km away.
Laying pipes over large distances through rocky areas can be expensive.
The impact
Filters become bacteria breeding grounds
"The water from our tap was coming out green, and nobody wants to drink green water."
The Club's team found that maintaining the system throughout the year was an ongoing challenge. Filters needed to be changed more frequently at different times of the year, and there was no way of knowing that the water was safe to drink.
They also started to see bacteria growth in the cartridge that should have been clean, and due to the force required for the water to go through the pump, the water pressure in the property became very low.
Remote communities rely on plastic bottles
"We had clean water, but it was far from ideal and still furred up the kettle."
To ensure the drinking water quality for its members, Loch Walton moved to a bottled water dispenser for the club and keepers house.
Limited availability, higher costs, delivery delays due to remote access and weather conditions, as well as environmental concerns.
Logistical challenges, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the need for storage space further complicated the situation.
What we did
We installed a WaterOne non-consumable purifier
In October 2023, IF visited the property and installed a WaterOne unit to see if we could provide a solution.
We met the keepers and members of the club, learning more about the challenges of seasonality and water access.
The installation process taught us numerous lessons in how to develop the technology and design for the future.
We tested purified and unpurified samples with UKAS labs
Taking multiple samples of the water before and after the device is crucial to see the effectiveness of the system.
We took 10L of samples for a full test suite at UKAS accredited Scottish Water labs.
We were testing for all contaminants and water challenges identified in the 2017 Private Water Supplies Directive. This includes, E.Coli, Parasites, Bacteria's, Heavy Metals, the pH level etc
Loch Walton used the WaterOne for a number of weeks
"It was great, we had more water than we needed, and you could tell the water was totally pure."
Annette, David and their Alsatian began to use the water for drinking and cooking. They ended up using 5 times the amount of water they did with the water dispenser.
The results
The WaterOne removed a lot of contaminants
"It is a brilliant concept - yellow and manky water to crystal clear. It gets rid of all the bugs and means we’re not using as many plastic bottles."
Raw water is hard to purify, especially consistently throughout the year.
The WaterOne removed all contaminants in a single process without consumable parts.
Loch Walton has safe drinking water again
The Scottish Water test results show the water successfully exceeds all the required Drinking Water Inspectorate standards for commercial properties.
Loch Walton now has drinking water on tap, that exceeds all the legal standards mandated for commercial properties in both the UK and Europe, and they have no need to run out.
Why the WaterOne system works
The vapour distillation process used by IF involves converting water into vapour, then condensing it to produce purified water.
This method has the ability to consistently produce high-purity water, regardless of the variable water quality often found in lakes. It effectively removes a wide range of contaminants, including sediments, biological agents, and dissolved minerals, addressing the challenges of seasonal changes in temperature, algal blooms, and nutrient fluctuations.
Distillation's robust and reliable process ensures a consistent supply of safe drinking water while minimising environmental concerns associated with waste byproducts. Its scalability, low maintenance, and longevity further make it a strong choice for communities and facilities seeking a dependable solution for lake water treatment.
Key numbers
2
Adults
1
Grandchild
6
Harmful contaminants removed
14
Litres of drinking / cooking water a day
52
large dispenser plastic bottles saved per year
3
Miles of pipe avoided
5
Times more drinking water used due to greater access
10,220
Litres of water waste avoided over using Reverse Osmosis *
549kg
of CO2e saved in one year **
£452
saved over bottled water per year
*Assuming 1/3 water wastage experienced through Reverse Osmosis
**based on 14L a day through plastic bottles
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