FENC Launches Purified Water and Coffee Dispensing Machines
Professor Nilza Aples, (1st right) Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computing (FENC) cuts the ribbon marking the official launch of the installation of a Pure Aquifer Purified Water Station and Nestle coffee machine located on the grounds of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Papine Campus. Sharing in the happy occasion held on Thursday, May 10, 2018, from left are Mrs. Margaret Christian, Manager - Training and Special Projects, FENC, Mr. Aldain Reid, CEO, Pure Aquifer and Associate Professor, FENC, Dr. Felix Akinladejo.
The UTech, Jamaica community now has access to up to 3,000 gallons of purified drinking water per day, thanks to an enterprising initiative launched by the Faculty of Engineering and Computing (FENC) to provide dispensed bottled water from the newly installed Pure Aquifer Purified Water Station located on the grounds of the Faculty at the Papine Campus. The Faculty launched the initiative along with its Nescafe Coffee machine dispensary service at a special ceremony held today, Thursday, May 10, 2018.
Mrs. Margaret Christian, Training Manager, School of Engineering in her welcome, explained that a discussion began in January 2018 for the Faculty to supply the university community with water through its Wastewater Management Centre located on the campus. The process was accelerated when she initiated discussions with electrical engineer and entrepreneur, Mr. Aldain Reid, a graduate of UTech, Jamaica’s School of Engineering, who had recently launched his own Pure Aquifer Water machine supply company.
Mrs. Christian noted that Mr. Reid supplied UTech, Jamaica with the water machine at cost, foregoing his mark-up. She explained that the University paid for the various parts of the operating system which includes a 1,000 gallon water tank connected to the NWC system on the campus and an additional 200 gallon water tank which collects and stores the purified water. Mrs. Christian disclosed that FENC will further partner with Reid to train diploma students to be technicians for the machine. He will also provide maintenance service for the machine.
The Pure Aquifer Purified Water station which is electronically driven, carries out a 9-step purification process including Filtration, Reverse Osmosis, UV treatment and Ozone sterilization of the container prior to dispensary of the filtered water. The water station is located on the basement floor of the School of Engineering and dispenses bottled water in quantities of 5 gallons, 5 Litres and 1.5 Litres costing $250 ($300 with a bottle cap), $100 and $50 respectively. Mrs. Christian advises that operations will take place internally within FENC for the first month to smooth out the process and then be offered campus wide and externally thereafter.
Professor Nilza Aples, Dean, FENC thanked the team led by Mrs. Christian for bringing the project to fruition, noting that she is particularly thankful that the stress of constantly procuring drinking water from external suppliers for students and staff, has now been eliminated. Professor Aples noted that the students of the Wastewater Management Centre will be involved in testing the quality of the water produced by the machine. Revenue from the purified drinking water machine will support the Faculty’s student welfare programme.
Reid who has the contract to supply the entire chain of Hi-Lo supermarkets in Jamaica with the Pure Aquifer in his remarks said that he was pleased to be partnering with UTech, Jamaica. “I am very pleased to be here…I was in this same area in this same building in the 90s,” he noted with pride, adding that “I have a very good history at UTech where I lived on Farquharson Hall while studying electronics and telecommunications. Being here many years later in this capacity is a pleasure for me,” he said. He pointed out that the installation of the purified water machine provides an opportunity for the University to save money on water and as a revenue earner.
The project is part of the achievements marked by the Faculty of Engineering and Computing as it marks its 60th anniversary which is also being celebrated by UTech, Jamaica as in institution.
Coffee Buzz: Mrs. Sheron Dixon-Brown, Senior Director, Business and Assets, Finance and Business Services Division tries out the newly installed Nescafé Coffee machine located on the basement floor of the School of Engineering. Looking on is Miss Sharon Leslie, Student Affairs Assistant, School of Engineering.
Purified Water and Coffee at your convenience: The newly installed Pure Aquifer Purified Water Station (left) and Nescafé Coffee machines located on the basement floor of the School of Engineering, Papine Campus.
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Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: 970-5299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm