Xylem’s merger with Evoqua has created new opportunities for the world’s largest pure-play water technology company. One such opportunity is on-site electro-chlorination facilities.
The combined capabilities of the two companies have formed the world’s most advanced platform to address critical water challenges.
In Australia and New Zealand alone, Xylem and Evoqua operate in 13 locations and employ around 350 staff, serving various markets such as local councils, mine sites, industries, farms, and communities.
Patrick Decker, the outgoing former President and CEO of Xylem, stated, “Global awareness of water as a systemic risk to society has never been greater. Investment in water solutions continues to accelerate as communities and businesses worldwide address intensifying challenges like water scarcity, quality, and resilience to climate change – and how to address these issues affordably.
Our combination with Evoqua creates a transformative global platform to solve these critical water challenges at an even greater scale. Together, we are uniquely positioned to help meet customers’ mission-critical needs with an unmatched portfolio of products and services across the water cycle.”
Ron Keating, the former CEO of Evoqua, stated that Evoqua is the leading water technology player in North America, serving critical industrial water needs and selling its technologies globally. To expand internationally, the company needed a stronger presence in Asia and Europe to offer its full solutions and services.
“Xylem is an outstanding company with an exceptionally talented and purpose-driven team, said new Xylem CEO Matthew Pine. “I am humbled and excited to have the opportunity to build on the strong foundation, momentum and long-term trajectory created under Patrick’s leadership.
As we integrate two great companies – Xylem and Evoqua – the whole team is committed to helping our customers address intensifying global water challenges by applying the power of technology and innovation, driving the digital transformation of water, and delivering solutions at scale.”
Customized Disinfection Solutions
The Xylem + Evoqua merger combines two complementary solutions providers, offering customers a diverse range of disinfection options. The combined product portfolio enables access to comprehensive disinfection solutions, including Ultraviolet (UV), Ozone, Gas chlorination, Chlorine dioxide, and On-Site Electro-Chlorination (OSEC) with associated disinfection analytics.
Volun Pirom, the Principal Applications Engineer (Disinfection) at Evoqua Water Technologies, said, “When considering the Australian water landscape and the many challenges water authorities face in providing disinfected water to their communities, Xylem can assist customers in selecting the most appropriate disinfection technology to suit their specific needs.”
Enhanced Safety
OSEC systems safely generate sodium hypochlorite on-demand, using only salt, water, and power. With over 40 years of experience installing OSHG systems worldwide, Xylem and Evoqua’s branded OSEC system is suited to various applications across municipal, aquatics, and industrial markets.
Pirom noted that with increasing compliance costs and safety concerns for operators, on-site chlorine generation is becoming a more attractive disinfection option. It also allows water utilities to better manage the risks associated with the availability of disinfection chemicals, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evoqua/Xylem has assisted water authorities in calculating the return on investment (ROI) for their disinfection projects by comparing capital and operating costs for different disinfection technologies. The OSEC system is particularly cost-effective in remote locations, typically with a 1-2 year ROI for small re-chlorination sites.
The OSEC system eliminates concerns about chlorine spills or gas leaks, creating a safer environment for staff and the wider community. It also eliminates the need for hazardous materials storage, providing peace of mind and better security.
Furthermore, the OSEC system is more cost-effective, as it only produces the necessary amount of hypochlorite on demand, reducing chemical and storage expenses. It can also be optimized to take advantage of cheaper electricity prices.
“Safety and easy maintenance access is always a key priority for the industrial design engineers in Germany, with all components ergonomically situated,” said Pirom.
“With interchangeable electrolyser cartridges for the OSEC L model, this means operators can easily swap out the cartridge without calling for specialist attention. For peace of mind, if specialist servicing is required, local support for the equipment is available via our extensive network.”
Where has it been used?
The Fraser Coast Regional Council (FCRC) in Queensland operates a number of water supply schemes across the region. While service reservoirs within the networks provide potable water security, these reservoirs are often in more remote areas.
Additionally, the service reservoirs experience varying seasonal demands, impacting the chlorine residual levels required to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. While chlorine gas has been successfully used, some sites experience periods of low chlorine demand due to lower flows and/or lower chlorine decay.
What was the council looking for?
The OSEC (On-Site Electro-Chlorination) disinfection technology was to be used at different water reservoirs and trunk mains across the network.
It had to meet several important parameters, including minimal operator intervention, low residual safety risks, removal of chlorine gas leak risks, and the ability to meet water quality requirements at the lowest total operating costs while ensuring reliability, operator safety, public safety, ease of operation, and environmental risk.
How did the project work?
FCRC has a wide range of applications for the OSEC disinfection technology, which is a critical reason for the strong installation base across remote sites nationally.
Xylem and Evoqua’s ability to produce disinfectant using only salt, water, and electricity eliminates concerns associated with transporting and storing liquefied chlorine gas or commercial sodium hypochlorite solutions.
The Wallace & Tiernan Analyser for reservoir water quality monitoring and control provided FCRC with a safe, simple, and reliable system for their remote application.
The OSEC L system packages were pre-tested in transportable buildings, minimizing on-site installation time and allowing the council’s team to become familiar with the system before installation.
Source: Evoqua
