High-purity water systems often go unnoticed — until they fail. When they do, they disrupt analyser uptime, delay results, and increase stress for lab staff.
To understand how reliability changes over time, we analysedour call logs calls and mapped them against the age of the machines. The year-by-year chart shows a clear pattern.
What the Data Shows
Early Years (0–3) Most calls were not hardware failures but:
Staff mistakes during filter changes or leaving the RO unit off.
Minor install or QC oversights.
External factors such as power outages or low mains pressure in the building.
These can largely be prevented with better install checklists and simple staff guidance.
Middle Years (4–7) Units in this range are generally stable and low-cost provided they receive routine preventive maintenance.
Wear-Out Years (7–10) Calls begin to rise as components age:
Pump heads and seals.
Probe assemblies.
Float switches and O-rings.
Proactive part swaps from year 7 can prevent many emergency visits.
Reliability Spike (10–12) This is the peak for service calls, dominated by age-related failures of pumps, probes, fittings and filter heads.
For high-throughput labs, planned refurbishment or replacement is often more cost-effective than repeated urgent repairs.
Long-Life Tail (15 + Years) Legacy units still running often need multiple interventions per year and carry higher downtime risks.
A retirement or rebuild plan for units over 15 years old is essential.
Root-Cause Patterns
Wear-out failures dominate after year 7.
Staff errors and install issues cluster early in life.
External mains and power issues appear at random across all ages.
Practical Actions
Start enhanced checks and part swaps at year 7.
Keep common wear items in stock to cut downtime.
Provide a simple quick-reference card or short videos to reduce early-life errors.
Use age-band data to plan refurbishment or replacement cycles.
The Take-Home Message
Early-life issues are mostly preventable with good installation and training. True wear-out starts around year 7 and peaks at 10–12 years. By acting early and planning ahead, labs can avoid most urgent failures, lower lifetime costs, and keep analysers running when they’re needed most.
How much does a lab water system cost to maintain?
If you manage a laboratory, you want the full picture: what drives price, how to avoid hidden costs, and how to choose a system that won’t let you down test. This guide lays out the true cost of ownership, fit by application, and the pros/cons of each system type.
The quick overview (what you’re really paying for)
Up-front (CAPEX)
System hardware (Type III RO / Type II polish / Type I ultrapure, or a combined bench-top)
Downtime (the hidden one: delayed assays, staff time, off-site water purchases)
PurificLab Water System Price Range
The below table is a range indicator of what a Purific system might cost to run over a 10-year period. Obviously, consumables cost is not included due to there being two main factors that are outside of our control.
Feed water quality.
Pure water usage.
Note: When estimating your consumable usage analyser companies will always give you maximum usage which in our experience can be anywhere up to 50% more than actual average usage. The best method to verify consumption is to measure actually usage over a 2 week period.
Optional Complete Cover – Zero Call-out Fees (Annual)
$1,150
$1,250
$2,250
Consumables (Cost per Liter)
$0.03
$0.03
$0.03
Capital Outlay
$8,500 – $16,000
$15,000 – $31,500
$25,000 – $41,500
10 Year Maintenance Cost Projection
$11,000 – $30,500
$25,000 – $50,000
$32,500 – $67,000
Total Lifespan Cost Range (10 Years) ex. consumables
$19,500 – $46,500
$40,000 – $77,000
$57,500 – $108,500
Which “type” water do you actually need?
It is important to be aware there are more than 1 standard that can be applied when looking at laboratory grade water. Read https://purific.com/waterstandards/ to understand more about this topic. These include ASTM, ISO 3696:1987, and CLSI (formerly NCCLS).
Generally the following grades would be applicable but is it important to ensure that the quality water your laboratory specifies is fit for purpose.
Type III (RO): Glassware rinse, autoclaves, feed to Type II/I.
Type II (pure): General reagents, buffers, instruments not sensitive to organics.
Type I (ultrapure): HPLC/LC-MS, molecular biology, cell culture, trace analysis; often with TOC monitoring, optional UF (endotoxin, RNase/DNase control), and final 0.22 µm.
Many labs run a stack (Type III → II → I) or a compact benchtop that takes RO/tap and outputs Type I on demand.
Factors to consider when trying to estimate what your lab water system will cost.
What really drives the price (and reliability)?
Daily volume & peak draw (L/day, L/min) and whether you need a reservoir.
Service & Support Is 24/7 Technical support a requirement i.e. does your laboratory support a hospital emergency department? What happens if you system breaks down during the night?
Feed water quality (hardness, silica, chlorine/chloramine, organics/TOC) → pretreatment spec.
Consumables cadence (change intervals at your usage).
Pros & cons by system approach
Ultrapure bench-top (Type II & I)
Pros: Small footprint, point-of-use purity, quick-change consumables, ideal for sensitive assays.
Cons: Needs suitable feed (RO), reservoir planning matters for peak flows if feed supply has limited capacity.
Wall Mounted (Type II/SRW)
Pros: No lost bench space, small footprint, point-of-use purity, ideal for mid size laboratories needing larger volumes of water but not type 1 grade, standard tap water is suitable feed quality in most cases, ideal for clinical analyser supply.
Cons: Cannot provide ASTM Type 1 grade water, must have sufficient wall space available in laboratory.
Modular RO + Type II + Type I stack
Pros: Scalable; robust for higher daily volumes, clear staging of consumables,
Cons: More space, more plumbing, plan maintenance windows across modules.
Central system feeding multiple taps
Pros: Best for many users/rooms, uniform quality, fewer individual units to service
Cons: Higher CAPEX, harder to maintain high quality due to the number of instances for contamination. i.e every tap, loop join provides opportunity for contamination, distribution loop design/validations, Point of use polishers still required for quality assurance.
The maintenance picture (how to avoid “death by downtime”)
User-Serviceable Can your system be maintained by the staff to ensure your laboratory is not beholden to the water system supplier i.e. minor issues can be self-diagnosed and repaired by staff or via the help of a phone call.
Design for service: quick-change cartridges, clean handling, and service level provided by vendor.
Plan intervals: establish change triggers by throughput or quality thresholds (resistivity, TOC)
This table outlines the contaminants that must be removed to achieve Type 1 ultrapure water quality (HPLC, LC-MS, ICP-MS, molecular biology, cell culture), including the target parameter, filtration or purification media, method, and the logic for removal.
We had an incredible time at Aquatech Amsterdam, connecting with industry leaders, exploring cutting-edge water tech, and staying ahead of the curve of innovation in water purification! 💧✨
From breakthrough solutions to powerful partnerships, the event reinforced why sustainable, smart water management is the future. Thanks to everyone we connected with—let’s keep pushing the boundaries of pure water! 💙
In the world of laboratories and high-precision industries, ultrapure water (UPW) is a cornerstone for achieving reliable and reproducible results. Whether it’s in molecular biology, semiconductor manufacturing, or pharmaceuticals, the quality of ultrapure water must be uncompromised. This is where absolute filters come into play, acting as critical components in the water purification process.
What Are Absolute Filters?
Absolute filters are precision-engineered filtration media designed to remove particles, microorganisms, and impurities down to a specific, guaranteed pore size. Unlike nominal filters, which may allow small percentages of particles to pass, absolute filters guarantee retention of contaminants at or above their rated pore size, typically ranging from 0.2 microns to as small as 0.01 microns.
This performance is essential in ultrapure water systems, where even the smallest impurities can compromise results.
Key Purposes of Absolute Filters in Ultrapure Water Systems
Removal of Fine Particles and Microorganisms Absolute filters are typically used as a final barrier in the water purification process. They efficiently remove fine particulates, bacteria, and even endotoxins, ensuring water meets the stringent purity requirements for laboratory and industrial applications.
Example: A 0.2-micron absolute filter can effectively eliminate bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common contaminant in water systems.
Safeguarding Downstream Processes In ultrapure water systems, components like deionization resins and reverse osmosis membranes require protection from fouling and clogging caused by particulates. Absolute filters act as guardians, prolonging the life of these critical components and ensuring consistent performance.
Critical for Sterile Applications Absolute filters are indispensable in applications requiring sterility, such as pharmaceutical water systems or lab environments for cell culture. Their reliability ensures that no microorganisms are introduced into sensitive experiments or manufacturing processes.
Achieving Consistent Water Quality The removal of sub-micron particles ensures that ultrapure water meets the strict standards set by organizations like ASTM International, CLSI, and ISO. This consistency is vital for industries where deviations in water quality can lead to product defects or failed experiments.
Supporting Environmental Responsibility By enabling the removal of contaminants at such fine levels, absolute filters help reduce the reliance on chemicals for water purification, supporting more sustainable practices in laboratories and industries.
Advancements in Absolute Filter Technology
Modern absolute filters are designed with high-flow, low-pressure-drop characteristics, allowing for efficient water movement without compromising on filtration quality. Some are even integrated with anti-biofouling coatings to reduce microbial growth and maintain filter longevity.
For ultrapure water systems, these advancements translate into cost savings, higher reliability, and reduced maintenance.
The Bigger Picture: A Clean and Reliable Future
Absolute filters are more than just a filtration medium; they are a crucial enabler for technological and scientific advancements. By providing a reliable barrier against contaminants, they empower laboratories and industries to push boundaries with confidence.
Whether you’re running sensitive chemical analyses, producing pharmaceuticals, or manufacturing semiconductors, absolute filters are at the heart of ultrapure water systems, ensuring the purity and reliability your operations demand.
If you’re considering upgrading or implementing ultrapure water systems, understanding how absolute filters fit into your process can make all the difference. Ready to explore solutions tailored to your needs? Let’s connect!
Ultrapure water is considered corrosive due to its extreme purity and lack of dissolved ions. Here’s why:
1. Ion Deficiency and Aggressiveness:
Deionization: Ultrapure water has been stripped of nearly all its dissolved ions and impurities, making it highly ion-deficient. This creates a strong chemical potential to absorb ions from any material it comes into contact with.
Aggressiveness: Because it lacks ions, ultrapure water is “hungry” for them. It will readily dissolve and absorb ions from surfaces, such as metals, plastics, and even glass, in an attempt to reach a more stable chemical state.
2. High Resistivity:
Electrical Properties: Ultrapure water has very high electrical resistivity (around 18.2 megohm-cm at 25°C). This means it does not conduct electricity well due to the absence of free ions. Materials that would normally resist corrosion in regular water can become vulnerable when exposed to ultrapure water because the water can more easily pull ions from the material.
3. Surface Reactions:
Surface Leaching: When ultrapure water comes into contact with a material, it can leach ions and molecules from the surface, leading to corrosion or degradation. For example, in metals, this can lead to pitting or general corrosion, and in plastics, it can lead to the leaching of additives or plasticizers.
4. Impact on Protective Layers:
Oxide Layers: Some metals, like stainless steel, rely on a thin oxide layer for corrosion resistance. Ultrapure water can dissolve or disrupt this protective layer, making the underlying metal more susceptible to corrosion.
5. Non-Buffering Nature:
Lack of Buffering Capacity: Ultrapure water has no buffering capacity, meaning it can easily become acidic or basic if exposed to contaminants or air. This shift in pH can further enhance its corrosive properties.
Conclusion:
Ultrapure water’s corrosive nature is not due to any chemical aggressiveness like that of acids or bases, but rather its extreme purity and strong tendency to equilibrate by absorbing ions and impurities from the materials it contacts. This makes it particularly challenging to handle and store without contamination or material degradation.
