Birchtech Corp., a clean technology company focused on sustainable air and water treatment, has officially launched its water treatment solutions business with purchase orders totaling $0.9 million from a mid-Atlantic power utility. The company also established a partnership with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. to provide specialized testing services to utility customers nationwide, positioning itself in a market where water utilities face increasing pressure to remove dangerous contaminants.
The company's entry into water treatment comes as utilities require more effective and affordable methods to eliminate contaminants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals." These substances have been linked to serious health concerns including low birth rates, increased cancer risks, and high blood pressure in pregnant women. New Environmental Protection Agency regulations now mandate treatment for these chemicals, with public water systems required to begin monitoring by 2027 and implement Maximum Contaminant Level limits by 2029.
The regulatory landscape creates significant market opportunities, with the federal government allocating $1 billion in federal funding for water monitoring systems and water utilities spending approximately $1.5 billion annually to meet EPA purification standards. Birchtech's initial contract involves providing filtration system media replacement services for contaminant removal from wastewater at two locations for the mid-Atlantic utility. The company emphasizes its media-agnostic approach, which allows selection of optimal products rather than being limited to a single corporate-sponsored product line, helping control costs for utility customers.
"The analysis of multiple options, technologies, and media products allows for the selection of the best water treatment solutions that will yield optimal performance and the lowest cost for our utility customers," said John Pavlish, Birchtech's Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.
Through its partnership with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., Birchtech will provide Rapid Small-Scale Column Testing (RSSCT) for utility customers at 34 offices nationwide. This specialized testing methodology simulates full-scale filter bed conditions in reduced time, enabling utilities to make decisions about granular activated carbon performance and develop compliance strategies more efficiently. Birchtech will conduct these tests at its Analytical Design Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, claiming unmatched speed and cost advantages compared to competing RSSCT laboratories in the United States.
"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," said Richard MacPherson, CEO of Birchtech. "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 Birchtech emphasizing speed and cost-effectiveness, the company aims to establish itself as a significant player in water treatment. The company reports having multiple potential water treatment projects with utilities in development, suggesting expansion opportunities as utilities work to comply with new EPA requirements for contaminant removal from public water systems.
