However, "Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Water Quality" is not a course commonly offered in many refrigeration programs. That's why expertise is needed.
Take, for example, some of the offerings of Everpure. The company has been providing commercial water treatment products and services since 1933.
During the recent National Restaurant Association expo in Chicago, the company drew attention to what it calls Total H20 Management.
"The quality of your water has a tremendous impact on your business," said Peter Gorr, director of Marketing. "Total H20 Management provides commercial and noncommercial operators with a single source for the total scope of water treatment technologies and support services, from filtration to softening, and from product installation to on-site water quality monitoring."
Support comes from scientists, engineers, and field professionals, including certified water quality specialists and food service experts, the company said. There is a three-step process:
1. Needs analysis - A field representative determines an operator's specific needs. These could include an analysis of everything that impacts the water in a particular location, such as the condition and chemistry of the water; consumption, overall and by individual equipment; an equipment inventory by make and model; current level of service and maintenance; evaluation of on-site staff's water filtration and treatment knowledge; and confirmation of the operator's business goals and the role water management plays in meeting those goals.
2. Situation assessment - The company then evaluates the information from the needs analysis against the facility's optimal situation. Said Gorr, "To determine if a gap exists, field representatives evaluate results against established water quality standards and provide recommendations. For more complex situations where severe water conditions exist or application challenges are present, Everpure's Application Engineering Department will assist."
3. Water quality improvement - The company oversees the installation of approved equipment. For example, if softening is required, systems are available that can help reduce soap consumption, reduce equipment maintenance, and prevent scale buildup.
"Customer service is built in," said Gorr, "whether the operator requires preventive equipment maintenance, basic training for local managers, or even obtaining maintenance services directly."
Filter Performance
A related service focuses on water filters, Gorr said. Most employees at the site of, for example, an ice machine, "do not proactively monitor their filter's performance. Instead they wait for a filter to clog. That disrupts restaurant operations and may make it impossible to ensure consistently high-quality water to critical applications such as ice, fountain beverages, and coffee."The Auth2ority Network consists of service agents who work with their customers to determine how often the filter cartridge will need to be replaced based on usage and the water quality in the area.
"Using this information," said Gorr, "the representative will develop a proactive cartridge replacement schedule that will ensure that all the benefits of using a filtration system are realized."
For more information, visit www.everpure.com.
Publication date: 07/05/2004
