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Automated Watering Systems
The Edstrom® Automated Watering Systems (AWS) delivers fresh drinking water to research animals via stainless steel distribution systems and specialized drinking valves. Avidity Science® 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. 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.
The Only Global Company to Offer Custom Designed Systems to Meet End User Requirements
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– Uses Less Water than Flushing – Uses More Energy Due to Continuous Pump Operation. |
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– Uses More Water than Recirculation Due to Flushing – Uses Less Energy – Electric Utility Failure – System Can Still Operate with City Water Supply Pressure
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– Combination of Flushing and Recirculation – Header Line Recirculation with Room Distribution Piping Flushing
– Both Room Distribution System Recirculation and Through-Rack Recirculation |
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The Edstrom® Automated Watering System was first introduced in 1967, when Bill Edstrom designed the unique pivoting stem drinking valve. Its unique, simple design and its rugged quality manufacture make the Edstrom Drinking Valve very reliable, providing years of trouble free performance. Because of this, Edstrom drinking valves have been used in thousands of animal and bird facilities around the world.
Success of an Automated Watering System depends on two basic features:
- The system must be easy to install.
- The drinking valve must reliably provide water to the animals on demand without leaking.
There are several manufacturers of watering systems that claim to offer these benefits, but only an Edstrom Watering System meets this challenge!
An Edstrom Watering System consists of three basic groups of hardware. Within each group you have several options available from which to choose. You should review the features of each and select components that will best adapt to your facility and your animal husbandry methods, and be easy for you to install.
The Three Groups Are:
Drinking Valves
The drinking valve is the heart of the Automated Watering System and its performance will determine the success or failure of the installation. Edstrom offers several models of patented drinking valves. Each has features that are advantageous to specific types of animals and their housing.
Distribution Piping
The distribution piping is the plumbing components used to carry the water from the water supply to the drinking valves. Two basic methods are offered: a Flex-Tube System and rigid PVC piping.
Water Supply Components
The water supply to your automated watering system must be clean and at a reduced pressure. A selection of water filtration and pressure reduction plumbing components are available.
Automated watering systems can provide water with less variability. When good purification methods are used, watering systems can deliver the highest quality water. A central animal watering system controller can be used to automate the flushing of rack manifolds and room distribution piping to avoid stagnation and to combat bacteria growth. The controller is specified to simultaneously monitor the watering system. If problems occur, the controller can be programmed to send an alarm to notify facility staff.
Time studies conducted by Edstrom indicate that, on average, one full time equivalency (FTE) is required for every 3,000 bottles processed per week. Automated watering systems usually have a 2-5 year payback period. 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.