gt600 v1.3 owners manual jan 2010 - environment … · 2015-06-29 · owners manual (australian...

NUBIAN GT600 Owners Manual Nubian Water Systems Pty Ltd Version 1.3 – June 2009

NUBIAN GT600 V1.3

Domestic Greywater Treatment System

Owners Manual (Australian Edition)

A service agreement is recommended by Nubian Water Systems and is typically a

requirement of the local approving authority. Nubian Water Systems offers a service

agreement undertaken by authorised service technicians.

SERVICE CONTRACTOR CONTACT DETAILS RECORDED ON INSIDE OF BACK COVER

Contents

1. Safety Notice 1

Regulatory and Standards Requirements 1

2. Introduction 2

2.1 Purpose of the manual 2

2.2 NUBIAN Greywater Treatment System 2

2.3 Guide for Treated Water Reuse 5

2.4 Symbols 6

3. NUBIAN Operational Guide 7

3.1 Dos and Don’ts 7

3.2 NUBIAN System Start Up Procedure 8

3.3 Normal Operation 8

3.4 Treatment Unit Bypass 9

3.5 Alarm Procedure 10

3.6 Away Mode 10

3.7 Decommissioning 12

4. Trouble Shooting 14

4.1 User Checks 15

5. Warranty and Service 17

5.1 Warranty 17

5.2 Service Requirements 17

Appendices

Appendix A: Acceptable Chemicals 19

Appendix B: NUBIAN Installation Record 20

Appendix C: Contact Information 21

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S A F E T Y N O T I C E

1. Safety Notice

Be aware of the following potential risks to health and safety while installing or maintaining the

NUBIAN GT600 system.

Electrocution Electricity is supplied to the NUBIAN controller and a number of

operating components at 240 V AC. The cover to the Processor must

only be removed by an approved service technician or by a qualified

electrician.

Bio-hazard Untreated grey-water, particularly if it is old, presents a potential source

of infection. Always practice good hygiene and hand washing. Use

barrier gloves if there is damage to skin on hands. Wear safety glasses

where there is a risk of splash into eyes.

Regulatory and Standards Requirements

In order to conform to state regulations and validate the NUBIAN GT600 warranty:

• Any electrical wiring must be completed by a qualified electrician to AS/NZS 3000

• All plumbing connections must be completed by a fully licensed plumber to AS 3500

National Plumbing and Drainage Code

• It is the owner’s responsibility to obtain installation / operating approvals from the

relevant local Council, as specified in the NUBIAN GT600 accreditation certificate in

each state.

There are no user serviceable parts in the NUBIAN GT600 Domestic Grey Water

Treatment System (DGTS). Only a Nubian trained technician should open any of the three

modules comprising the NUBIAN GT600 system, unless specifically instructed

authorised in writing by Nubian Water Systems.

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O P E R A T I O N A L G U I D E

2. Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the NUBIAN Greywater Treatment System. The NUBIAN offers the

latest technology in greywater recycling in a compact, low maintenance appliance. The system

can be installed beside your house avoiding disruption to your garden. It treats water from

baths, showers, hand basins and your washing machine to produce recycled water of excellent

quality. Recycled water from the NUBIAN may be used safely for clothes washing, toilet

flushing, washing machines, and for above ground irrigation. The NUBIAN is fully automated

and requires no user intervention. The system can also be remotely monitored (where offered)

which, extends the routine maintenance period (eg. in New South Wales, from 4 to 6 months).

2.1 Purpose of the manual

This user manual will be presented to the householder at the completion of the GT600 unit’s

installation. The installer will go through the manual with the householder identifying relevant

components of the unit and demonstrating the operation of the alarm panel.

The installer will make users aware of their obligations under the service and maintenance

warranty and shall provide service contact details and instructions on what to do in the case of

an alarm fault.

The Installer shall make the owner aware of the Do’s and Don’ts section of the manual in

particular to chemical processing limitations of the unit.

2.2 NUBIAN Greywater Treatment System

The NUBIAN GT600 Domestic Greywater Treatment System (DGTS) is typically contained in

three lightweight, slimline units;

• The Greywater Tank – captures the household greywater for processing;

• The Processor– contains the treatment system;

• The Recycled Water Storage Tank – stores the recycled water for use in applications as

listed below.

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Figure 1: NUBIAN GT600, showing left to right; Greywater Tank, Processor, Recycled Water

Storage Tank

Water purification is achieved in three steps (refer to Figure 2: GT600 internal layout showing

the three process steps):

1. Pre-screening to remove lint and other coarse materials to prevent blockages and

fouling of the system. The greywater tank has an aeration system installed to help prevent

the greywater from going septic;

2. Greywater is then pumped to the treatment column, within the Processor, where it flows

down through a bed of proprietary media. Contaminant removal is achieved through filtration,

adsorption and biological treatment followed by disinfection;

3. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, which completes the treatment process before water is stored

for reuse in the recycled water storage tank.

The process is fully automated and is self cleaning, thus requiring no user intervention.

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Figure 2: GT600 internal layout showing the three process steps

The NUBIAN GT600 is fully accredited in NSW, Victoria and Queensland and may be installed

in the ACT. Local council approval is required prior to installing any on-site wastewater

treatment systems in Australia

2.3 Guide for Treated Water Reuse

The NUBIAN Greywater Treatment System has been rigorously tested and evaluated by NSW

Health. Based on the evaluation, the GT600 is accredited to the highest level of re-use

available from the local regulatory authority. The following table details what the treated water

may be used for (as at June 2009). Contact your Local Council to confirm reuse applications

permitted in your area.

1

2

3

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Table 1: Treated greywater re-use options

Re-use

options

NUBIAN Accredited States

NSW QLD ACT VIC WA SA

Surface

irrigation

Yes1

Yes

Yes3 Yes

Yes

Yes

4

Toilet

flushing

Yes Yes Yes Yes No No

Clothes

washing

Yes2 Yes

2 Yes

2 Yes

2 No No

Vehicle

washing

No Yes Yes No No No

Path/wall

hose

down

No Yes No No No No

For

further

informatio

n refer to

NSW

Department of

Health

Tel: (02) 9816

0373

Department of

Local

Government,

Planning, Sport

and Recreation

Tel: (07) 3237

0368

ACT Planning and

Land Authority

Tel: (02) 6207

1923

Environmental

Protection

Authority

Tel: (03) 9695

2722

Department of

Health

Tel: (08) 9388

4999

Department of

Health

Tel: (08) 8226

7100

1irrigation of a type approved by the local Council

2cold water supply to washing machine

3covered surface drip irrigation and surface spray irrigation

4surface irrigation of a dedicated area in accordance with the Standard for the Construction,

Installation and Operation of Septic Tank Systems in South Australia-Supplement B

The use of treated water for any purpose other than those above may breach local government

regulations. If you are unsure about the use of treated water for a specific purpose, please

contact Nubian Water Systems before use.

Greywater diversion systems currently on the market take hand basin, bath and shower water in

an untreated form for reuse. This water can contain faecal coliforms or stomach microbes such

as Campylobactor and Giardia. These micro-organisms can survive a long time and can be

passed onto others through contact. As such these units are only suitable for sub-surface

irrigation.

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Investigations into the potential re-growth of micro-organisms (Escherichia coli) in treated

greywater storage facilities are described in a paper titled ‘Assessing Re-Growth of

Microorganisms in Stored Greywater Effluent’ which utilises results from a study undertaken on

a greywater treatment unit similar to the NUBIAN system. Results, over the 5 month testing

period, indicated that no re-growth occurred in the treated water storage tank.

2.4 Symbols

The following symbols are used throughout the manual to draw the reader’s attention to

information regarding risks to personal safety or damage to equipment. Other important

information is also highlighted.

Safety Notice: This symbol indicates a danger or risk to health or safety.

Warning: This symbol indicates a danger or risk of damage to equipment or

incorrect operation of the unit.

Important Note: Important notes or information that may be overlooked is

highlighted in grey.

Important

Note

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3. NUBIAN Operational Guide

The NUBIAN GT600 system is a fully automated greywater processing unit. During operation

and maintenance the user is not required to open any of the modules. Intervention by the user

is only required if the residence will be uninhabited for more than 14 days. Under these

circumstances, the user should place the unit into ‘Away Mode’.

The following information details how the treated water may be used, how to care for the

system, and what to do if the premises are vacated for more than 14 days.

3.1 Dos and Don’ts

Dos Don’ts

• Only use cleaning products in the bathroom and

laundry that are listed (or similar to) in Appendix A of

this manual

• Reuse the treated water until the start-

up process has been completed

• Put the unit into away mode if no regular greywater

is expected to flow through the treatment system for

longer than 14 days

• Use harsh cleaning chemicals unless

it is unavoidable and the bypass

procedure has been followed

• Contact Nubian Water Systems agent immediately

if an alarm sounds on the treatment unit

• Open the Processor module. Only an

authorized service technician should

service the NUBIAN system

• Dispose of fat, grease and oil down

the laundry drain or clean kitchen items

in the laundry basin

• Dispose of hazardous chemicals such

as paints, varnishes, thinners, waste

oils, photographic solutions, pesticides

at any time in any volume to the

greywater treatment system.

Table 2: Dos and Don’ts for NUBIAN GT600 System.

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3.2 NUBIAN System Start Up Procedure

NUBIAN greywater systems are installed and commissioned by trained service technicians.

Although the technician will set the system into its operational mode, a start-up period of 7 days

is required to activate the biological component of the treatment process. During this time, the

water must not be reused and will drain from the recycled water storage tank into the sewer.

The installation technician will initiate this process and no action is required by the user at this

stage.

After the 7 day start-up period, the drain valve below the recycled water storage tank should be

closed by the user, in consultation with the installation technician, in order to start collecting

treated water. The service technician installing your system will specify the day that collection

may start. If the valve is closed prior to this time, quality of treated greywater will be

compromised and the Warranty voided.

The start-up process is now complete and the NUBIAN System will now begin to store treated

water ready for reuse.

3.3 Normal Operation

The NUBIAN system is fully automated and is designed to operate normally with no intervention

by the user. An electronic control system performs all of the periodic maintenance operations

(e.g. backwashing of the filter media). However, some cleaning products and chemicals can

harm the biological component of the treatment system and therefore should not be used in any

location of the home which discharges to the NUBIAN system.

Use moderate amounts of cleaning products (including bleach) and do not pour/dispose

solvents or other chemicals down the drain. Refer to Appendix A for a guide on products that

are not applicable for discharge to the NUBIAN treatment system.

In the event that the use of non-suitable or large volumes of cleaning agents cannot be avoided,

the treatment system bypass procedure described in section 3.4 below should be followed

before undertaking the cleaning/disposal process. This will divert greywater from the treatment

system to the sewer.

The NUBIAN GT600 is a biological treatment system. It relies on the establishment of

large healthy colonies of micro-organisms to properly treat the incoming greywater

and deliver high quality treated water. Once the biological system has matured, it is

quite robust and can cope with significant variations in incoming greywater flows and

chemical loading. However, during the start up phase, which can take several weeks,

it is important to avoid using products that may compromise the establishment of the

system. We recommend the complete avoidance of products containing antibacterial

components during the first 8 weeks of operation, and the minimal use of such

products on an ongoing base. If used they should be introduced slowly, and the

performance of the NUBIAN system, as measured by recycled water quality,

monitored carefully.

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There are occasions when homes are subjected to heavy chemical cleaning. This

occurs frequently in new and/or renovated homes, prior to final handover by builders.

If these cleaning materials are disposed of by emptying them into bathroom or

laundry fixtures, which are connected to the NUBIAN system, or if the fixtures are

directly cleaned with these materials, it is crucial that the bypass procedure

described above is followed.

Failure to do so WILL compromise the performance of the NUBIAN system, and may

cause the system to fail completely, resulting in untreated water coming from the

system, and requiring recommissioning at the owner’s cost.

3.4 Treatment Unit Bypass

To avoid any degradation to the media it is advised that any solvents or chemicals (allowable

under local body discharge to sewer regulations) be sent to sewer down stream of the unit. For

greywater recycling systems that include a discharge from the laundry tub, it is recommended

that suitable labelling be placed reminding the user that this is a grey water collection point and

should not be used for chemical or solvent disposal.

In case of an accidental discharge/use of chemicals to fixtures feeding into the NUBIAN GT600

system, it is suggested that he following procedure be followed to reduce or mitigate the effects

to the unit.

1. If the contaminated water has not yet been discharged into the NUBIAN GT600 system,

open the NUBIAN GT600 system bypass valve located upstream of the greywater tank

before the harmful chemical is discharged. This valve is located external to the system and is

labelled clearly.

2. Leave the valve open until all traces of the chemical have been flushed from the dwelling’s

pipework to sewer.

3. Close the system bypass valve thus redirecting the greywater back to the GT600.

This valve can also be used if the system is to be decommissioned. For the full

decommissioning process see section 3.7.

4. If the chemical has already entered the greywater tank then open the valve below the tank to

release the contents to the sewer. Once empty, close valve and resume use.

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3.5 Alarm Procedure

3.5.1 On-site Alarm

A separate alarm panel monitors the system to detect any electrical, pump, blower or

disinfection system faults. The alarm system consists of an audible and visible alarm with an

audible alarm muting button which resets to audible after 24 hours.

The alarm panel should be located such that it is visible from inside the dwelling. The alarm

system deactivates the treatment unit if any faults are detected and will overflow greywater to

sewer until a service technician has rectified the fault and reset the control unit. This protects

the quality of water stored in the recycled water storage tank and ensures that it is always safe

for re-use.

If the alarm sounds, the owner should contact Nubian Water Systems immediately.

3.5.2 Remote Monitoring

An optional remote monitoring system will soon be available with the NUBIAN GT600 system. If

one is installed on your system, the user is not required to act in response to a system

malfunction. Nubian Water Systems will detect the alarm and contact the user to arrange a visit

in order to rectify the problem. The benefits of remote monitoring are such that fault can be

diagnosed promptly and in NSW the installation of a remote monitoring system will increase the

interval between service calls, required under state regulations, from four (4) months to six (6)

months.

3.6 Away Mode

If the system will not be receiving greywater from the household for approximately 14 days or

more, the greywater and recycled water storage tanks must be placed into away mode by

emptying their contents, thereby avoiding any potential odour or growth of unwanted biological

material. This must be done by following these steps.

1. Open the greywater tank drainage valve located underneath the greywater tank.

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Figure 3: Greywater Tank Drainage Valve

Open the valve(s) located underneath the recycled water storage tank (refer to Figure 4: Recycled Water Tank Valve Assembly).

Figure 4: Recycled Water Tank Valve Assembly

Power to the NUBIAN GT600 should never be switched off. If it is necessary to

switch the power off for extended periods, you must contact your service provider,

as the system will need to be temporarily decommissioned (refer to section 3.7).

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In order to redirect the Greywater to the treatment unit, steps outlined below should be followed.

1. Close the valve, located below the Greywater tank (refer to Figure 3: Greywater Tank

Drainage Valve).

2. Close valve(s) located below the recycled water storage tank (refer to Figure 4: Recycled

Water Storage Tank Valve Assembly).

The system will automatically start processing greywater when the water level in the greywater

tank reaches a pre-determined set point. If the system remained idle for longer than 14 days, it

is recommended that the start-up procedure be carried out again to ensure that the treated

water is of the highest quality.

3.7 Decommissioning

This procedure should be followed if decommissioning of the NUBIAN Greywater treatment

system is required.

1. Advise Nubian Water Systems that your system is being decommissioned so that

cancellation of future maintenance and monitoring can be organised. (Nubian contact details

are given in Appendix C)

2. Advise your Local Authority that the greywater treatment system will no longer be operating

on your site.

3. Divert flow from the treatment unit by positioning the bypass valve to direct flow to sewer

4. Empty the greywater and recycled water storage tanks by opening valves as indicated in

Figure 3 and Figure 4 respectively.

5. Empty the treatment column by opening the discharge valve at the base of the treatment

column (refer to Figure 5). To access this valve the cover of the column cabinet must be

removed

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Figure 5: Treatment Column Drainage Valve.

If the treatment column drainage Valve is opened during normal operation of the NUBIAN System, the treatment process will cease to function.

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T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G

4. Trouble Shooting

All maintenance of the NUBIAN Grey-water System must be carried out by an authorized

Nubian Water Systems service technician. It is recommended that the user enter into a Service

agreement with Nubian Water Systems at the time of installation.

The following is a brief trouble shooting procedure that will enable the service technician to

identify a potential problem and to reduce unnecessary service calls. Some obvious signs of

system malfunctioning are;

1. Smell- indicates that the greywater inside the Greywater tank or in the treatment column may

not be getting sufficient aeration and could have gone septic.

2. Noise- Either through the audible alarm on the unit indicating a system/equipment failure or

the continuous overflow of water from the greywater tank.

3. Sight- Water accumulation around the units due to system leakage.

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T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G

4.1 User Checks

The checks specified in Table 3 should be done as a preliminary assessment by the

householder to avoid any unnecessary service calls.

Table 3: Specific Operational Issues

Area/Symptom Possible Causes Actions to Take/Remedies

Greywater Tank

Continuously overflows

Pre-screen Blocked Contact your service provider

Processor unit not working Check Power supply to unit, check if the audible alarm has activated.

Excess greywater supply NUBIAN GT600 system is undersized. Contact your service provider

Processor feed line blocked Contact your service provider

Greywater tank not retaining water.

Drainage valve open Close Greywater tank drainage valve

Greywater bypass valve open

Close Greywater bypass valve.

Leak in Greywater tank or drainage pipe work

Check for water around the Greywater tank. Contact your service provider

Greywater Tank smells

Water Aeration system not working

Check power supply and Contact your service provider

Processor

Unit leaking Pipe/component fracture Contact your service provider

Recycled Water Storage Tank

Recycled water storage tank not retaining water

Leak in tank Check for water around tank base and Contact your service provider

Drain valve is open Close drain valve at the bottom of the recycled water storage tank. Valve handle to be at 90 deg to the valve body

Reduced recycled water volume

Pre-screen partially blocked Contact your service provider

By-pass valve not in correct position

Check and correct if necessary

Processor feed line blocked Contact your service provider

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W A R R A N T Y A N D S E R V I C E

5. Warranty and Service

5.1 Warranty

The NUBIAN GT600 has a manufacturer’s warranty period of:

• 3 years from the date of delivery for all components other than mechanical and electrical parts; and

• 1 year from the date of delivery for all mechanical and electrical parts (including pumps and motors).

Providing that the NUBIAN GT600 has been installed and serviced by Nubian authorised representatives in accordance with the Installation and Servicing Manuals, and is used in accordance with the Owner’s Manual (supplied upon delivery), then all labour and materials will be supplied free of charge by the manufacturer during the warranty period for the purposes of fixing any equipment or component failures. Installation and servicing by other than Nubian authorised representatives will cause the manufacturer’s warranty to become void. In addition to the manufacturer’s warranty, you may be entitled to certain statutory warranties in relation to this product. Service Life All components of the NUBIAN GT600, other than mechanical and electrical parts, are designed for a service life of at least 15 years. All mechanical and electrical parts (including pumps and motors), installed within the NUBIAN GT600 have an expected life of 5 years. Servicing Servicing of the NUBIAN GT600 is the responsibility of the owner; it is not provided free of charge by the manufacturer. Your NUBIAN GT600 must be serviced in accordance with the requirements of the accrediting authority in your state, details of which are contained in the Owner’s Manual and/or are available from your local council. It is a requirement of the accrediting authority in your state and/or local council, that each owner of an NUBIAN GT600 enter into an annual servicing agreement with the manufacturer or a service contractor acceptable to your local council. To arrange servicing by your manufacturer please contact us on (02) 647 2633 or email [email protected]

5.2 Service Requirements

Remote monitoring will soon be available for the Nubian NUBIAN GT600 where the unit is

connected to a central base by telephone line and regularly monitored to ensure that optimum

operation of the system is maintained at all times. In NSW, the inclusion of a remote monitoring

system extends the period between scheduled service visits from four (4) to six (6) months.

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W A R R A N T Y A N D S E R V I C E

The Nubian NUBIAN GT600 shall be serviced at intervals defined in the individual State

accreditation certificates, currently, these are:

• NSW – 4 monthly

• Queensland – 4 monthly

• Victoria – 6 monthly

• South Australia – 6 monthly

• Western Australia – 6 monthly if drip irrigation used or 3 monthly if spray irrigation used.

• ACT – 4 monthly as, while the ACT may not require accreditation certificates, the ACT

Greywater Use - Guidelines for residential properties in Canberra available from

http://www.health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sendfile&ft=p&fid=1193295029&sid= requires

that the owner:

o maintains the system for the life of the system such as regular maintenance, cleaning, etc; and

o ensure that the system is maintained and does not compromise public health.

A service technician will contact the owner prior to the service to arrange access to the unit.

Each service shall include a check on all mechanical, electrical and functioning parts of the

system including:

• Operation of the pre-screen, treatment module and disinfection unit

• Integrity of plumbing fittings

• Operation and safety of electrical systems

• The alarm system

5.2.1 Contact Details

Refer to Appendix C for contact details.

Servicing of the DGTS is the responsibility of the owner, it is not provided free by the

manufacturer and the owner shall contact Nubian Water Systems in regard to service.

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A P P E N D I X A

Appendix A

Acceptable Chemicals

While Nubian Water Systems does not mandate the use of specific soaps,

detergents or other personal care products, we do encourage the use of

products that have reduced impact on soils, plants and the environment

generally. For further information on this subject, please visit

http://www.lanfaxlabs.com.au/index.html

The following materials should not be introduced into the NUBIAN GT600

system.

• Cooking oils, fats

• Food waste

• Household cleaners, antibacterials/disinfectants, other than moderate

amounts of chlorine or ozone based products

• Pesticides, insecticides including pet flea washes

• Paint or paint thinners

• Kerosene or other petroleum products

• Waste from babies’ nappies

If in doubt about a particular material, DO NOT allow it to be introduced to the

NUBIAN GT600 system, without checking with Nubian Water Systems Pty Ltd.

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A P P E N D I X B

Appendix B

NUBIAN Installation Record

You must have approval from the local council before your system is installed. Note that if

approval is not obtained, your warranty will be void.

Name of Owner……………………………………………………………………………………………

Contact details:……………………………………………………………………………………………

Installation address:………………………………………………………………………………………

Installer details:..………………………………………………………………………..…………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Date installed: ….……………………… Serial Number: ………………………………

Deviations from standard system: ..……………………………………………………………………...

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Council approval obtained □

Warranty card completed and returned □

Service agreement signed □

Systems operation explained at start up □

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C O N T A C T N U B I A N

Appendix C

Contact Information

In the case of a system malfunction or for regular maintenance please contact your service

provider.

Head Office: Nubian Water Systems

Unit 3

Gateway Business Park

63-79 Parramatta Road

Silverwater NSW 2128

AUSTRALIA

Mailing address: Nubian Water Systems

P.O. Box 7039

Silverwater BC NSW 2128

AUSTRALIA

Phone: +61 2 9647 2633

Fax: +61 2 9647 2977

Web Site: http://www.nubian.com.au

Email: [email protected]

gt600 v1.3 owners manual jan 2010 - environment … · 2015-06-29 · owners manual (australian...

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