Veolia Water Technologies’ (VWT) DWA Modula S-XL Reverse Osmosis Unit has been installed in the Bright Renal Dialysis Unit at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The system was specified due to its proven reliability and compact design and was installed after the existing reverse osmosis (RO) system suddenly suffered a catastrophic failure.

A replacement unit was proving very difficult to source and the renal team had no option but to arrange for patients to be moved to other dialysis units to be treated.

With up to 45 patients per day relying on a dialysis station for life-saving treatment, significant pressure was placed on clinical staff, as well as the patients themselves.

After being contacted by the renal team, VWT was able to mobilise immediately, installing and commissioning a temporary MDD-registered RO unit to enable dialysis treatment to resume.

“We reviewed a number of options and suppliers,” said Brett Thompson, lead renal technologist at North Bristol NHS Trust.

“However, we were aware of VWT UK products and their reliability as many of our dialysis satellite units have been using Veolia water systems for a number of years.”

As a permanent solution, the VWT healthcare team presented various options to the trust and subsequently the DWA Modula S-XL Reverse Osmosis Unit was determined to be the best solution.

A compact and modular hygienic design, it includes two independent submersible pumps and membrane arrays to ensure a secure permeate supply with redundancy.

And the operational parameters of the water treatment system are continuously monitored, providing the operator with remote access, via VWT’s Hubgrade digital platform to accurate and detailed performance information, as well allowing the performance of the system to be benchmarked against the other renal water treatment systems in the trust. 

Thompson added: “We are now in talks with VWT UK to install a permanent new renal water treatment plant, as well as to implement Hubgrade remote monitoring across two of the satellite dialysis units. This will provide greater control and insight into the systems for our teams off site.”