Answers to Common Questions

Do you have a question about one of Avidity’s products or service that needs answering?  Check out our frequently asked questions, answers, and general information quickly about any of Avidity’s products or services. If you have a question that is not listed below, please contact us and we would be happy to provide additional information.

What is an Avidity Automated Animal Watering System and why do I need it for my facility?

Avidity’s Automated Watering Systems (AWS) deliver fresh drinking water to research animals via stainless steel distribution systems and specialized drinking valves. We specifically engineer our automated watering products for vivariums located within pharmaceutical, government, and academic institutions as well as agriculture environments. AWS makes the vivarium more habitable, safer, and more consistently able to provide a constant source of clean water.

Where are your products manufactured?

Avidity products are designed and manufactured in our ISO 9001 Certified, 110,000 square foot facility in Waterford Wisconsin where we maintain the capability to do our own machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, electropolishing, injection molding, circuit board manufacture, testing, assembly, and packaging.

We remain committed to keeping the manufacture of our products in-house and we have integrated all mission critical functions into our operation. The outstanding quality of our products, recognized worldwide, is directly attributable to a staff dedicated to continuous improvement and focused on our goal of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Do you offer a recirculation automated watering system to save water?

Avidity offers both flushing and recirculation systems – as well as a hybrid system - for automated animal watering applications.  Each has benefits in reducing the amount of water and/or energy consumed by the facility.  Automated watering of either configuration reduces ergonomic injuries, saves time and resources when compared to using animal water bottles. It is, however, wise to consider the entire environmental impact of the system.  Avidity engineers will work with you to design a system that meets your environmental, water quality, and animal welfare requirements.

Have you installed many of your systems?

Avidity has installed hundreds of these systems. Each of the top twenty pharmaceutical companies and over 90% of the major research institutes trust Avidity products and services to protect the health and welfare of their laboratory animals and the integrity of their research data.

We would be more than happy to provide a list of references. Please contact your regional sales consultant for more information.

Our facility needs a building monitoring system, what products do you offer for environmental monitoring?

The Avidity WATCHDOG® Vivarium Management System is dedicated to monitoring fluctuations in temperature, humidity, airflow, air pressure, and water supply which can compromise animal welfare. Any facilities having specialized needs for lighting, environmental monitoring, automatic watering systems, and access/authentication control to rooms can benefit from WATCHDOG. The built-in alarm notification feature notifies staff when potential problems begin to occur, not after it is too late.

I am conducting a study that requires night lighting. Does Avidity offer night lighting?

Yes, Avidity's new Advanced Light Module provides complete light control, including night lighting. The system gives authorized personnel the ability to create the lighting schedule on a room-by-room basis. The ALM supports flexible lighting schedules and can control the lights using four different light states: low level, high level, night light, and no light. The system also has a light blink safety feature that gives advance notice prior to the lights turning off, providing personnel time to conclude activities or override the lighting schedule.

Is automated watering cost effective?

Our customers have calculated that, on average, an Avidity automated watering system pays for itself within 2-5 years depending on the efficiency of the water bottle process it replaces. Maintenance costs for Avidity watering systems are also relatively low, particularly compared to individual water bottles. The prevalence of ventilated cage rack use has made the use of automated watering systems more common.

Is automated watering able to provide higher quality water for the animals?

An automated watering system with water purification/treatment/flushing, can provide excellent, consistent water quality throughout all points of the system. The consistency of automated water is significantly better than autoclaved water bottles.

An autoclaved water bottle may or may not contain sterile water.  Autoclave cycles need to be long enough to heat the entire mass of water to temperature and for a long enough duration to ensure sterile water. Autoclaves can have "dead spots" where the water is not even getting close to hot enough. When the bottles are removed they sometimes sit around for periods of time in staging areas where they can become contaminated.

Once the bottle is placed on the cage, the animals will introduce bacteria to the bottle where it will quickly grow and multiply. If you've felt a slippery stopper removed from a bottle you've felt the biofilm they've built.

Do you make products that are suitable for smaller laboratory facilities?

Avidity builds products and systems that are integrated and scalable. Our automated watering systems, water purification equipment, and condition monitoring systems can be designed and constructed to facilitate a lab of specific size, or one with a specific species of lab animal. Our design also has the flexibility to accommodate a variety of species and can be expanded as your facility grows. Our engineers work closely with you to understand each application and to design a system that meets both the current and anticipated requirements of the vivarium.