Knowledge, regulatory compliance, customer service, and reliability, combined with a personal understanding of customer relationships and challenges.
Ability to become a drinking water quality manager.
Project Objectives
At most locations, the site manager is responsible for water quality on a daily basis and is specifically tasked with monitoring water quality. In the past, this meant that water samples were routinely sent to laboratories on land, which naturally had to be coordinated with helicopter flights.
At many locations, sampling is therefore limited to two specific days per week. If emergency tests need to be conducted outside these periods, expensive helicopter transport must be arranged, or the samples will be delivered too late. With this approach, the quality of the results depends entirely on the thoroughness and accuracy of the sampling process and is subject to variable handling and logistics from sample collection to the testing facility.
Challenges for the Industry
Normec OWM discovered that there is an inherent weakness in this approach due to the restrictions on when sampling can take place and the low confidence in the final results. Any corrective actions based on the results are taken after the fact and take much longer than can be considered effective. The effectiveness of corrective actions tested using the same approach is also less than ideal and cannot in any way be considered proactive management.
The Challenge for Our Client
At a site supported by Normec OWM, the healthcare professional (through on-site testing) identified an increase in total bacterial contamination in their hot water system. With greater confidence in the results, the healthcare professional supported by Normec OWM was motivated to launch an investigation to understand the impact and source of the contamination and, if necessary, implement the best corrective measures.
With the ability to effectively verify the contamination in the field using the Normec OWM test, the physician determined the following.
- The contamination was limited to non-pathogenic bacteria.
- An outdated mixing valve was identified as the source of the contamination.
- Immediate corrective actions were effective.
- The same problem was identified in other similar mixing valves in the facility.
- A technical action was documented to remove or replace all problematic valves.
Normec’s OWM value
From conducting the initial on-site analysis, to identifying the potential problem and implementing corrective actions, to confirming the effectiveness of the corrective actions, the process was completed within 72 hours. In contrast, another site using an onshore sampling method was still unaware that it had a problem.
Normec’s OWM Solution
What was particularly encouraging in this specific case was that the user felt empowered to be proactive. This was only possible thanks to the on-site approach of Normec’s OWM, which gave the healthcare professional the confidence, knowledge, and power to act quickly enough to fully contain the problem.
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