Drinking water is an essential component to human health so it is important to ensure the safety and reliability of systems used to deliver water for human consumption. Sub-standard drinking water systems not only put occupants and the community at risk, but they can also be expensive to repair or replace in the event of a product failure. Furthermore, companies who are involved in the project risk damage to their reputation by delivering low quality solutions that fail to meet the needs of end-users.

Choosing the right drinking water system is not always easy. The regulatory landscape for drinking water is complex – from mandatory schemes and standards that determine the minimum performance of products, to sustainable or industry-led certification programmes that take a broader view of a product’s health and environmental impact. There are also ongoing efforts to design ‘greener’, more sustainable buildings, requiring products to meet increasingly stringent standards for efficiency and performance.

Designers and specifiers need a detailed understanding of how compliance and certification works in the drinking water industry to identify solutions that meet project objectives for performance, accessibility and sustainability. Given the mix of mandatory and voluntary standards for the performance of drinking water systems, an easy way to evaluate products is by using a “good, better, best” approach:

• Good represents products that meet the basic standards for drinking water systems in Australia;
• Better is the category for products that exceed the basic standards in terms of functionality, performance, sustainability or accessibility; and
• Best are industry-leading products that go above and beyond to achieve higher certification under recognised sustainability or environmental certification programmes, backed by the manufacturer’s broader commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

While most products claim to be compliant, being certified should be seen as a step above, because certification is provided by a third-party entity.
Certification provides assurance that an accredited third-party certification body has evaluated the product against the appropriate standards and codes, providing greater peace of mind for all involved.

Setting a higher standard with Billi

Billi is at the forefront of innovation and continues to expand their diverse catalogue of stylish, high performance and sustainable filtration products. All Billi operations are grounded in a strong, future-oriented sustainability focus. Billi has been GreenTag certified since 2014, and has since continued to hone its progressive, innovative approach to green design.

Billi has recently joined the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) as a cornerstone member. IWBI nurtures collaboration with organisations who are leading the global movement to advance human health in buildings and communities. Billi can tap into IWBI’s expansive resources and work alongside other WELLfocused organisations that are similarly committed to transforming the built environment and enhancing health and wellness.

Every Billi drinking water appliance is manufactured under a certified quality control system. All Billi commercial range models have been tested and comply with all required standards and more, including:

• Watermark
• WELS
• ISO 9001
• HACCP
• AS/NZS 4020
• AS 1428
• Gold Level Global
• GreenTag
• International WELL Building Institute Membership

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Tap water can contain many impurities, both natural and artificial. Some are harmless, only affecting the way water looks, tastes or smells. However, other contaminants can spread infection, or slowly damage the health of end users over time.

The filter type you need will depend on what types of contaminants you are trying to remove from the water.

What does the filter remove?

Most filters have micron rating, which refers to the distance between pieces of filter media. The lower the micron rating, the finer the filtration.

• A 5 micron water filter removes particles visible to the naked eye.
• A 1 micron water filter removes particles that are not visible, but less likely to reduce lead and heavy metals, or parasitic cysts.
• A 0.2 micron water filter removes particles, chlorine and organic chemicals, parasitic cysts Giardia and Cryptosporidium, lead and heavy metals.

Evaluating and Selecting Water Filtration Systems

What type of filter do I need?

• Determine what types of contaminants you are trying to remove through filtration and choose the appropriate filter medium.
• Practical considerations include budget, space, access to electricity and water, customer support, and maintenance costs.

Is it accredited and certified?

• Independently tested and certified by IAPMO to international standards and Australian Watermark. Performance testing conducted in accordance with international standards NSF, WRAS, and Watermark.

How long will it last?

• How long a filter will last before it needs to be replaced is dependent on the quality of the filter, how often it is used and other environmental factors.
• Some high quality filtration systems have indicators that will provide a warning that a filter needs to be replaced.

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