In the heart of Surrey, a 30-foot-long, 8-foot-wide, and 9.5-foot-tall container stood proudly at Amazon Filters’ production centre in Camberley. This wasn’t just any container; it was an R31, a mobile fortress of filtration technology that stands as a testament to the UK’s commitment to water quality and public health. The visit sparked a flurry of activity and curiosity among the team, offering a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a system that millions rely on daily.
The R31 container is no ordinary vessel. It’s a mobile filtration unit, designed to maintain public water supplies during emergencies like floods, droughts, or contamination events. It’s a lifeline, ensuring that when the unexpected strikes, the tap water flowing into homes and businesses remains safe and clean. The container’s design is a marvel of engineering, with a modified manifold pipe layout that bends 90 degrees towards the longer side, maximising space and efficiency. Inside, it houses six 6540 housings, each containing 40 Code A cartridges, totaling 240 cartridges in use at any one time. All these components are made in-house at Amazon Filters, a company with nearly four decades of experience in supplying filtration solutions to the water industry.
Project Engineer Dalvir Ubhi, who coordinated the container’s visit, spoke passionately about the experience. “It was a pleasure and privilege to give colleagues a behind-the-scenes look inside an R31 container,” he said. The interest was palpable, with team members queuing up to explore the container’s intricate workings. This hands-on experience is more than just a team-building exercise; it’s a reminder of the critical role each team member plays in ensuring the safety of the nation’s water supply.
The visit comes at a time when the water sector is grappling with increasing pressures, from climate change to aging infrastructure. The summer 2024 cryptosporidium outbreak in south Devon served as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of water quality failures. Amazon Filters saw a surge in enquiries and orders as water companies scrambled to bolster their resilience. The firm’s quick response, including the immediate preparation of rental skids for emergency use, underscores the sector’s need for agile and reliable solutions.
The R31 container visit also shines a light on the importance of innovation in the water sector. Amazon Filters’ sustainable polypropylene version of SupaSpun II, released in March 2024, has already gained official safety certification for use in the gas and water sectors in Germany. This innovation, along with the company’s ability to filter over 350 billion litres of water in the past year, highlights the potential for technology to drive progress in the sector.
As the water sector continues to evolve, the R31 container visit serves as a call to action. It’s a reminder of the sector’s responsibility to ensure the safety and resilience of the nation’s water supply. It’s a challenge to innovate, to adapt, and to prepare for the unexpected. And it’s an opportunity to spark debate, to question norms, and to push the boundaries of what’s possible in water, sanitation, and drainage. The R31 container may be a mobile unit, but its impact on the sector could be far-reaching and long-lasting.
