Birchtech Corp. (OTC: BCHT), a clean technology company focused on sustainable air and water treatment, has announced the commercialization of its water treatment solutions business. The company has secured purchase orders totaling $0.9 million from a mid-Atlantic power utility for filtration system media replacement services at two locations. Additionally, Birchtech has partnered with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. (CEC) to provide specialized testing to CEC's utility customers, and reports a robust pipeline of potential water treatment projects.
This move comes at a critical time when water utilities face increasing pressure to remove harmful contaminants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as 'forever chemicals.' These substances have been linked to adverse health effects, including increased cancer risks and developmental issues. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated that public water systems begin monitoring for PFAS by 2027 and comply with Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) limits by 2029. The federal government has allocated $1 billion in federal funding for water monitoring systems, underscoring the urgency and scale of the issue.
Birchtech's entry into the water treatment market addresses what the company estimates to be a $1.5 billion annual expenditure by water utilities to meet EPA purification standards. The company's media-agnostic approach allows it to select the most effective and cost-efficient products for each application, rather than being limited to a single product line. According to John Pavlish, Birchtech's Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, this strategy enables the company to offer optimal performance at the lowest cost for utility customers.
Under the partnership with CEC, Birchtech will provide Rapid Small-Scale Column Testing (RSSCT) at its Analytical Design Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. RSSCT simulates full-scale filter bed conditions in a fraction of the time, allowing utilities to quickly assess the performance of granular activated carbon and develop compliance strategies. Birchtech claims its lab offers unmatched speed and cost compared to other RSSCT labs in the United States.
Richard MacPherson, CEO of Birchtech, emphasized the significance of these developments. "This collaboration is also a critical step for our 'Clean Water' business, providing a specialized test to CEC's water utility customers, both large and small," he stated. "We currently have numerous potential water treatment solutions projects with utilities in our pipeline and many of these utilities currently work with CEC."
With regulatory deadlines approaching and growing demand for effective water treatment solutions, Birchtech is positioning itself as a key player in the industry. The company's focus on speed, cost efficiency, and technology could enable it to capture a significant share of the market as utilities race to comply with new standards.
