Case Study South Taranaki District Council (STDC)
Project Highlights
Time and budgetary compliance
Delivery on time and within budget: A complete ‘plug and play’ installation with no physical, operational of software changes required.
Water quality Achieved
The new Scinor SMT600 UF modules rated at 0.03µ, exceeded requirements without compromising flow, energy demands or total plant capacity.
Complete turn-key project provided with CapEx savings
Supply and installation of replacement modules and disposing of the old, resulting in a significant CapEx savings compared to original OEM offering.
More about this project
South Taranaki District Council (STDC) is the local government authority responsible for delivering essential services to communities across the South Taranaki district in New Zealand. A key part of this responsibility is the management of municipal drinking water infrastructure, ensuring the safe, reliable supply of potable water to residential, commercial, and industrial users throughout the region. STDC oversees the treatment and distribution systems required to deliver up to 13 million litres per day (MLD) of compliant drinking water, maintaining strict adherence to national water quality standards while supporting the ongoing needs of the district’s communities and local industries.
Before implementing the replacement Scinor modules, STDC faced a number of key challenges:
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Plant reliability – The original MF WTP modules were at, or beyond, their economic service life, resulting in regular module leaks and unplanned plant downtime.
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Labour costs – The frequent pinning and repair of failed modules diverted operational staff away from other core responsibilities.
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Compliance – The high frequency of membrane failures increased the risk of contamination within the municipal drinking water supply.
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Capacity – With peak summer demand approaching, unreliable membranes threatened the plant’s ability to operate at full treatment capacity.
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Lead time and costs – The delivery timeframe and replacement module costs offered by the OEM were considered excessive, limiting STDC’s ability to implement a timely and cost-effective solution.
BHF provided a complete solution to address the challenges faced by STDC:
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Compliance assurance – Confirmed that the Scinor SMT600 modules met all relevant NSF certification requirements for drinking water applications.
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Fast delivery – Provided a prompt supply timeframe, with a four-week manufacturing lead time and approximately eight weeks for shipping.
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Turnkey project delivery – Managed the full scope of works, including removal of the existing modules, installation of the new modules, disposal of the old units, and recycling of packaging waste.
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Plug-and-play installation – The replacement modules were fully compatible with the existing plant, requiring no modifications to the treatment system.
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Significant capital cost savings – Delivered a substantial CapEx saving compared with the original OEM replacement offering.
Since the installation of two racks of 80 Scinor SMT600 modules each in 2024, and the third rack in early 2025, STDC has observed significant improvements:
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Reliable plant performance – All racks are operating with consistent integrity, eliminating unplanned downtime due to leaks or failures.
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Improved staff efficiency – Operational staff no longer need to spend time pinning or repairing leaking modules, allowing focus on other core responsibilities.
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Ongoing plant optimisation – Recommendations from BHF audits, conducted during and after installation, have supported continuous process improvements and maximised plant performance.
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