Maintaining Ultrapure Water Quality: Strategies for Storage & Distribution
In the pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences industries, high-purity water—such as Water for Injection (WFI), Purified Water (PW), and ASTM reagent-grade water—is essential for research, production, and compliance. But generating high-purity water is only part of the equation—maintaining its quality during storage and distribution is just as critical. Improper handling at any stage can compromise water integrity, affect product quality, and increase microbial risk.
At MECO, we engineer end-to-end systems that safeguard ultrapure water—from point of generation to point of use. Whether you’re working with WFI, PW, or lab-grade water for reagent applications, each type demands precise handling to ensure compliance and operational success.
Here’s how to protect your process with proven storage and distribution strategies:
Storage: Don’t Let Purity Break Down
Ultrapure water is highly reactive. Without proper controls, it can absorb carbon dioxide, leach contaminants, and support microbial growth. These best practices help mitigate those risks:
- Use Validated, Inert Materials – MECO systems typically utilize 316L stainless steel or infrared-welded PVDF piping. On Water Works systems, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tanks are standard for PW and lab-grade applications. For rare E-grade requirements, linear polyethylene (LPE) tanks may be used. All materials are selected for long-term purity, chemical resistance, and ease of sanitization.
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Avoid Stagnation with Active Recirculation – To minimize stagnation and biofilm formation, MECO and Water Works systems are designed with constant recirculation, no dead legs, proper slope to drain, and spray balls for wetting or CIP as required. Dynamic flow is essential to preserving water quality.
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Control the Environment (WFI, PW) – MECO’s WFI and PW systems feature hydrophobic vent filters, loop velocity control, and routine or continuous sanitization to guard against airborne particulates, organics, and microbial growth. These strategies help maintain high resistivity, low TOC, and microbial compliance.
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Control the Environment (Lab-Grade PW) – Water Works lab systems include continuous recirculation through UV treatment and a 0.2-micron filter located after the distribution pump. This setup sterilizes and removes planktonic bacteria. For sessile bacteria and biofilm risk, annual chemical sanitization is performed. Heat and ozone are typically not used in these systems.
Distribution: Precision Engineering for Purity
A well-engineered distribution loop is vital to maintaining water quality and minimizing microbial risk.
Key considerations include:
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Loop Design That Supports Sanitization – MECO distribution loops are built for full drainability, consistent minimum velocity, and zero dead legs. Sanitization options include hot water, chemical, or ozonation methods to maintain microbial control with minimal downtime.
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Continuous Monitoring – MECO integrates real-time monitoring of resistivity, TOC, and temperature. PLC-based controls and SCADA interfaces provide full visibility and empower proactive maintenance by operations teams.
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Point-of-Use Protection – While MECO does not provide standard point-of-use filtration, Water Works systems offer UV polishing and 0.2-micron final filtration for PW lab applications—ensuring water quality right up to the point of use.
A Smarter Approach to Ultrapure Water
MECO designs membrane-based ultrapure water systems that integrate reverse osmosis (RO), electrodeionization (EDI), and ultrafiltration (UF) technologies with high-performance storage and distribution designs. Whether you’re supporting R&D or full-scale GMP manufacturing, MECO helps you meet ASTM, USP, and cGMP standards with confidence.
Our solutions support a range of applications—from reagent-grade lab systems to ambient WFI production environments. Across every installation, we prioritize:
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Water quality and consistency
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Sustainable design and operation
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Reliable, validated performance
We Bring the Ultrapure Water. You Bring the Breakthroughs.
Don’t let storage or distribution become the weak link in your water system. Partner with MECO and Water Works for fully integrated solutions that power precision, purity, and performance.
Contact our team today to explore ultrapure water systems engineered to protect your process and support your next breakthrough.