The IDEXX Tecta® system is a complete, self-contained water testing system, providing rapid evidence of bacterial contamination, outside of a traditional laboratory setting.
The system features the option to run up to 4 or 16 analyses, providing fully automated incubation and test interpretation. Results are automatically sent by email, eliminating the need for testing to be restricted by working around shift patterns.
Water samples are added to the appropriate Tectalert cartridge and then placed into the Tecta instrument for incubation. Tectalert cartridges are available for the detection of E. coli and total coliforms; E. coli only; faecal coliforms; and Enterococcus.
Cartridges are monitored continuously, and an email alert is sent automatically when a positive result is detected. Positive results can be available in as little as 2 hours, subject to the level of contamination, with negative results confirmed in 18 or 24 hours, depending on test type.
The instrument has a very wide detection range from <1 to 108 colony forming units (CFUs) per 100 ml. Samples can be run undiluted and can originate from a variety of water matrices. The automated detection eliminates human interpretation of results and is unaffected by the colour and turbidity of the sample.
Flexibility: A Lab in a Box
The Tecta system allows sampling and testing to be carried out in a wide range of scenarios where traditional testing methods would prove challenging. These include:
Remote locations: the system can be installed in remote communities and locations where routine sampling and testing is impractical;
Special events and recreation sites: testing for water parks, sporting events or special projects can be carried out on-site to ensure the safety of all participants;
Satellite laboratory setup: the system is ideal for locations where transporting samples is time critical and it is not possible to rely on a central laboratory;
Evening or holiday testing: reducing the need to find a laboratory that can accept samples outside of normal working hours;
Operational testing environments: to confirm the efficacy of treatment methods. Tecta instruments allow operators to test and optimise parameters such as chemical and ultraviolet dosing;
In an emergency such as a mains water break: remedial and emergency repairs can be carried out and tested at all hours of the day;
Rush samples: in the case of line commissioning or responding to customer complaints, samples can be expedited without delay;
Beach and river water monitoring: the Tecta system delivers fast notification of results, allowing public health to be protected more quickly if contamination is detected. Systems can be set up on-site to further reduce testing times.
Testing Anytime, Anywhere, by Anyone
The simplicity and flexibility of Tecta enables the “lab” to be taken to samples, rather than transporting samples for up to several hours in the case of remote areas. Its novel, fully-automated method eliminates the need for staff to be present within the read window for results, allowing samples to be tested at any time of day, and monitoring to be fully dynamic to respond to circumstances.
Tecta is compatible with a range of matrices including drinking/potable water, process water, recycled water for re-use, bathing/recreational water, wastewater and bio-solids. Its wide detection range means samples that would usually require dilution, such as those with complex particulate loading or colour, can be run without any processing, accelerating the time to results.
Case Study Application: Faster, Efficient Pipe Maintenance
The Minneapolis Water Treatment and Distribution Services (WTDS) maintains a network of over a thousand miles of pipes, which delivers drinking water to 430,000 people in the greater Minneapolis, Minnesota area. These pipes are cast iron and require annual cleaning and lining to ensure that the whole water distribution system is functioning efficiently and safely.
Before the pipes can be cleaned and lined, temporary water lines – that can be in place for 2-3 months while the project progresses – must be installed for every household connected to the main, and tested for standard water quality parameters.
Undertaking this testing in a laboratory requires results to be read after 18 or 24 hours, meaning that if a sample was collected and run on a Friday, staff would need to be paid overtime to work on a Saturday to analyse the results.
Installing an IDEXX Tecta B16 system gave WTDS an automated solution to test the temporary water system, and gave results that provided the same analytical quality as its previous testing methods. In practical terms, Tecta saves WTDS multiple days on projects, and prevents the working crews from having to wait extended periods for results, which it has equated to tens of thousands of dollars. This saving is aside from the additional staffing costs of having people working over the weekend in its laboratory.
Minneapolis WTDS now uses the IDEXX Tecta System to assist in its cleaning and lining programmes – as well as pipe repair and maintenance – testing up to 16 samples per day, 5 days a week.
To learn more about Tecta, visit:
IDEXX Water UK
Units 1B and 1C, Newmarket Business Park
Studlands Park Avenue, Newmarket,
Suffolk CB8 7ER, United Kingdom
All ®/TM marks are owned by IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries.
