URBNSURF Melbourne

URBNSURF, Australia’s first surf park installs CHEMTROL® controller

Client: URBNSURF Melbourne 

Facility: Surf park

Equipment: CHEMTROL® PC110wp Programmable Controller

We are ticking off a lot of ‘firsts’ here at Chemtrol, including an installation of our PC110wp Programmable Controller at URBNSURF, Australia’s first surf park.

Situated in Melbourne’s Tullamarine, the multi-billion dollar facility produces ocean-like waves for surfers of all levels on a two hectare site that is around the same size as the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The site has two surf zones to accommodate different wave types and levels, and can accommodate up to 86 people in the lagoon at a time. There is also a Surf Academy for lessons as well as other amenities like a restaurant and kids’ playground.

We caught up with Pat Marasco, Facility Technician, to share his experience of the controller and how it handles the conditions, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. 

Tell us all about UrbnSurf Melbourne in terms of the scale of the facility? 

The facility features a two-hectare surfing lagoon that is 160m long by 160m wide, which holds 22 million litres. The site was excavated using bulk earthmoving equipment and the lagoon is lined using waterproofing soil treatments and special membranes.

The water is sourced from the local council and we then chlorinate it, with a secondary ozone treatment for decontamination. The water in the lagoon is constantly filtered and treated, and we also recycle the backwash to help make the whole operation sustainable. This means we actually use a lot less water overall considering the size of the facility.

What function does the controller perform?

The controller helps us perform a variety of functions at our site, most importantly keeping the water quality clean for our customers.

There are 4 water quality technicians on site and we do 4 hourly water quality tests using the data the controller produces, which we then calibrate if required. The unit helps us stay on top chlorine levels, pH and to ensure that our facility meets the relevant public health regulations for public aquatic facilities.

These include the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019, which requires us to manage the risks to human health arising from pathogenic micro-organisms in the water.

Why did you choose Chemtrol controllers?

We went with Chemtrol based on their international reputation as well as the features of this controller which is specifically designed for large aquatic facilities.

Does the controller help you overcome a specific problem?

Keeping tabs on 22 million litres of water is a pretty big job, which this controller and the probe analyser seems to handle no problem. The water quality can vary quite a bit depending on bather load, and we also get quite a bit of wax in the water off the boards. Another pollutant is dust that collects in the shallow water from the dust storms that we get.

” Keeping tabs on 22 million litres of water is a pretty big job, which this controller and the probe analyser seems to handle no problem “

Pat Marasco, Facility Technician

What feature/s do you most appreciate about the controller?

There are a number of features that really help us stay on top of the water quality in the lagoon.

The remote control feature is great, and allows us to keep check pH and chlorine levels on the go. We also appreciate the alerts which come through as texts on our phones or via email when a reading reaches a high or low limit. It also alerts us if there is no water flow through the sample line so we can monitor flow and make sure the pumps are doing their job.

” The remote control feature is great, and allows us to keep check pH and chlorine levels on the go “

Pat Marasco, Facility Technician

What is your overall experience of Chemtrol and the installation process?

I have been in the water treatment business for over a decade, mainly around pools and I have really appreciated the service from Kobby and his team. On top of that the experience has been great regarding the integration of the controller with our systems.

CHEMTROL® PC110wp Programmable Controller

The CHEMTROL® PC110wp Programmable Controller is specifically designed for water park and large aquatic facilities. It offers: 

• Remote monitoring with CHEMTROL® mobile app
• Flawless, automatic control of water chemistry
• Advanced microprocessor-based technology
• Control of pH and chlorine or bromine (ppm) sensors with direct reading in ppm or mg/l, plus water saturation, water balance, as well as display of the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)
• User-friendly main screen display enables the operator to supervise all the process functions at a glance and to quickly respond to any changing conditions.

Get in touch for advice on the best programmable controller for your aquatic facility, that way we can provide a competitive pricing solution based on the functionality you need.