Business operators with installed high pressure misting systems have expressed concerns over the release of a recent report from Edith Cowan University researchers highlighting findings of “opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens” in 10 water misting systems examined in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Local supplier of quality high pressure misting systems, CoolMist Systems Australia (CoolMist), has recently fielded queries from their customers about the safety of misting systems that have been installed to keep patrons cool in beer gardens, restaurants, alfresco, and outdoor entertainment areas.
CoolMist has defended the use of water misting systems in commercial operations, especially for the long hot months of Australian summers, as long as the systems are high pressure (to create a fine mist), are fit-for-purpose, and contain quality parts, are installed correctly, and are well maintained.
“While we can’t be sure which systems the researchers tested at which premises, we suspect they mostly looked at low pressure systems commonly bought in kit from hardware suppliers,” CoolMist owner Kim Smith said.
“In our opinion, low pressure systems should not be installed in commercial venues because they are a one size fits all solution which emit larger, coarser, and heavier water droplets, meaning only partial evaporation of the water takes place. These systems do not effectively change the air temperature, plus they leave a lot of water residue making areas unsafe,” Mr Smith said.
“Low pressure misting systems only need tap pressure and are low cost, so owners tend not to maintain them properly and can leave them unattended year on year.”
Mr Smith said all quality high pressure misting systems recommended using safe potable water or town water, available from the local utility.
“Non-drinking water, untreated water, grey water, or bore water should never be used in a misting system,” Mr Smith said.
CoolMist recommends following the maintenance instructions in the systems’ manuals which includes draining high pressure lines during the off-season, cleaning the nozzles, and when re-instating the system, flushing the lines before bringing the system up to high pressure.
Water filters should be changed annually, or more regularly depending on the water quality.
“CoolMist offers a service and maintenance program to all our customers to help keep their system in peak condition, including flushing the lines and removing excess water from the system,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said there is a perception that a DIY kit or cheap import misting system is a way to save money, but when business operators are providing a cooling service for their customers, there really should be no compromise.
“We constantly reiterate to our customers and general enquiries that purchasing a quality system from a supplier like CoolMist Systems Australia is more beneficial in the long run – it will allow you to get a safe and effective cooling outcome that is suited to your environment, plus help you minimise future problems with spare part replacements and the longevity of the system,” Mr Smith said.
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For more information contact:
Helen Smith, CoolMist Systems Australia
1300 266 564