Containerized Treatment

A containerised treatment unit is a complete water or wastewater treatment system installed within a standard ISO shipping container. The container provides a weatherproof, structurally robust and globally transportable enclosure for the treatment equipment, making the unit suitable for outdoor installation without any additional buildings or civil structures. Containerised units arrive on site factory-assembled and tested, requiring only connection to water inlet, outlet and power supply to begin operation. The ISO container format is compatible with standard road, rail and sea freight logistics, enabling rapid mobilisation to any location in the world.

Both containerised units and packaged skid systems are factory-assembled and tested before delivery. The key difference is the enclosure format. Packaged skid systems are mounted on open or enclosed structural steel frames sized to the process equipment, and are typically installed within a building or plant room. Containerised units are installed within standard ISO shipping containers, which provide a globally standardised, certifiably robust structure for road, sea and rail transport, crane lifting, outdoor weatherproof installation and stacking of multiple units on site. The container format is preferred when the deployment location is remote, exposed, temporary or requires international sea freight.

IWTE supplies containerised units for reverse osmosis desalination for both seawater and brackish water, ultrafiltration for water purification and pre-treatment, water softening and demineralisation using ion exchange, biological wastewater treatment using MBR or MBBR processes, chemical dosing systems, UV and chlorination disinfection and multi-stage treatment trains combining several technologies within one or more linked containers. The treatment technology is selected based on the source water quality, required product water quality and the application, with the container size chosen to accommodate the process equipment at the required capacity.

Yes. IWTE designs containerised units for solar PV power supply, either as the primary power source in off-grid deployments or as a hybrid solar and generator system. Solar-compatible units incorporate variable-frequency drives on pumps and blowers to accommodate the variable output of solar generation, battery storage for operation during low irradiation periods, and intelligent power management within the PLC control system to optimise energy use and maximise solar utilisation. Solar-powered containerised RO and UF units are increasingly deployed for remote community water supply, eliminating ongoing fuel costs and logistics.

Containerised units can typically be mobilised to site within 24 to 72 hours of arrival if the site civil preparation is complete. Site preparation requirements are minimal, consisting of a level hardstanding area capable of supporting the container weight, connection to a water source and outlet, and power supply connection. IWTE provides detailed pre-deployment site preparation checklists to ensure the site is ready before the unit arrives. As the system is factory-tested before despatch, on-site commissioning is typically completed within one to two days, with the unit producing water and performing to specification rapidly after connection.

IWTE designs containerised units with pre-engineered inter-connection provisions, including flanged inlet and outlet connections, electrical tie-in terminals and communications cabling provisions for linking multiple units into a coordinated treatment station. Units operating in parallel are controlled by a common master PLC or by individual unit PLCs with a supervisory control layer, distributing flow evenly across all active units and managing duty and standby rotation. Additional units can be added to the site and tied in without modifying the existing installation, allowing capacity to be scaled in increments as demand grows.

IWTE designs containerised units for operation across a wide range of ambient conditions. For hot climates, forced ventilation and heat management provisions prevent equipment overheating within the container. For cold and sub-zero climates, thermal insulation of the container walls, roof and floor, trace heating of pipework and equipment, and container heating systems maintain internal temperatures above the minimum operating limits of the treatment equipment and prevent water from freezing. Units intended for extreme temperature deployment are specified and tested for the specific site ambient temperature range during the design phase.

Yes. IWTE provides remote technical support via the PLC telemetry system for containerised units deployed in remote locations, allowing IWTE engineers to monitor performance data, diagnose faults and adjust operating parameters without travelling to the site. For scheduled maintenance, IWTE provides detailed maintenance procedures and recommended spare parts kits sized for the service interval, designed to be carried out by a competent operator without specialist tools. For sites requiring on-site visits, IWTE coordinates service visits by regional service partners or deploys IWTE engineers to the site as required.