A NEW water purifier could eliminate the use of antibiotics in livestock, according to global specialist Xylem, which has partnered with technology company H2Ozone, to launch a new water treatment system.

Xylem’s HydroInfinity Agricultural Series received a certificate of merit for the best product/innovation in livestock equipment, during its launch event at the leading farm machinery and services show, LAMMA 2018.

This complete water treatment and booster system uses H2Ozone patented technologies to deliver UV treatment, ozonation and filtration to treat water from a variety of sources, including rain, municipal and ground. It delivers pure, ozonated water which could eradicate antibiotics, probiotics and vaccines from the food chain and help prevent antimicrobial resistance.

The fully-integrated solution collects, purifies, stores and distributes water for bovine, poultry and piggery environments to drinking water standards by filtering out harmful pathogens and bacteria such as: E.coli, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella and Legionella.

When this ozonated water is given to animals, the result is a drastic reduction in diseases, which, in turn, leads to a decrease in the use of medication. The use of antibiotics in livestock is currently prevalent in the industry as a means to lower mortality rates and illness. However, it is also thought to be a significant cause of the growing antimicrobial resistance crisis, which could kill an estimated 10m people a year by 2050 if no action is taken.

The system collects water through a washable stainless inlet pre-filter at the top. It then flows to a second inlet filter, which traps any particles larger than five microns. Next, the water passes through the ‘Helical’ UV chamber, where all pathogens are deactivated. Thanks to the unique design, the speed of the water can be controlled to ensure it is fully treated and sterilised before being moved to the ozonation stage.

The ozone is generated and passed through a diffuser, where it comes into contact with the stored water in the tank. It is then pressurised in the piping network, where it is maintained up to 4.5 bar. The treated water is then stored in the tank until needed. During this time, the ozone will keep the water clean and fresh, and the Oxidation Reduction Potential probe will monitor levels. In addition, the tank is fitted with a water level sensor, which will alert the machine when levels fall below 160 litres, and automatically refill to its capacity of 220 litres.

The H2Ozone patented technology in Hydroinfinity, which takes less than two hours to install, also has a Wi-Fi and 3G option, which allows 24/7 remote access monitoring and provides full visibility to the pump and tank’s operation, as well as offering predictive analysis.

Peter Wright, EMEA segment director at Xylem commented: “Antimicrobial resistance may be the most catastrophic global health disaster of our time which, if not prevented, could cost the lives of millions. We all have a responsibility to limit our use of antibiotics, but HydroInfinity Agricultural Series marks one of the first major developments in reducing, if not eliminating, the need for antibiotics in the production of livestock.

“Not only does HydroInfinity clean water to an exceptionally high standard, it increases the health and yield of the livestock. It also offers environmental benefits by converting compromised water that would otherwise have been wasted, and has a payback period of less than a year. The transformation it can bring to an agricultural application is astounding,” concluded Mr Wright.l