Scientists at Sam Houston University developed the water purification system, which lead scientist Sabin Holland describes as “bio-reactors”. The systems use little energy, are transportable, scalable, simple to set-up and operate, come on-line quickly and can be monitored remotely.

Holland, who has managed the research and development of the systems and works for the Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies at Sam Houston State, said: “The bacteria, the ‘bugs,’ we are working with are naturally occurring. We have isolated a small subset of them, each bacterium has a specific function, and we have engineered a biofilm that is self-regulating and highly efficient at cleaning wastewater.”

Holland and his colleagues have tested and demonstrated the systems’ capabilities and effectiveness at several municipal and military sites by cleaning influent wastewater within 24 hours after set-up to discharge levels which exceed the standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency for municipal wastewater.

The US Department of Defense has funded the research for the past three years. Sam Houston State selected business partner PCD Inc, of Palestine Texas, to form a limited liability corporation company named Active Water Sciences (AWS), to market, manufacture, sell and further develop the systems. The university owns an interest in the corporation and has licensed the technology to AWS.