Birchtech Launches Water Treatment Business Amid Growing Regulatory Demands for Clean Water

Birchtech Corp., a clean tech company focused on sustainable air and water treatment, has officially launched its water treatment solutions business after three years of development. The company secured purchase orders totaling $0.9 million from a mid-Atlantic power utility and entered into a partnership with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. to provide specialized testing services. This commercialization effort comes as water utilities face increasing pressure to remove harmful contaminants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' which are linked to serious health risks including cancer and pregnancy complications.

The timing of Birchtech's market entry aligns with new Environmental Protection Agency regulations requiring public water systems to begin monitoring for these chemicals by 2027 and implement Maximum Contaminant Level limits by 2029. The Federal government has allocated $1 billion in federal funding for water monitoring systems, creating significant market opportunities. Birchtech estimates that water utilities currently spend approximately $1.5 billion annually to meet EPA water purification standards, representing a substantial addressable market for the company's solutions.

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 it to select the most effective products for each specific application rather than being limited to a single product line. This flexibility enables cost reduction for utility customers. John Pavlish, Birchtech's Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, stated that analyzing multiple options and technologies allows selection of solutions yielding optimal performance at the lowest cost.

The partnership with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., a national engineering and environmental consulting firm, represents another strategic move for Birchtech. Under this agreement, Birchtech will provide Rapid Small-Scale Column Testing for CEC's water utility customers at its 34 offices nationwide. This specialized testing methodology simulates full-scale filter bed conditions in significantly 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 to offer unmatched speed and cost advantages compared to other RSSCT laboratories in the United States.

Richard MacPherson, CEO of Birchtech, described the collaboration as a critical step for the company's 'Clean Water' business, providing specialized testing to utilities of all sizes. He noted that Birchtech currently has numerous potential water treatment solutions projects with utilities in its pipeline, many of which already work with CEC. The company anticipates expanding its water treatment technologies across the industry in coming months as regulatory deadlines approach. With its focus on speed, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory compliance, Birchtech aims to establish itself as a significant player in addressing the nation's water treatment challenges while generating sustainable value for shareholders.