Q: BlueTech Forum 2022, which took place in June, had the theme "radical collaboration for regeneration." How does this align with Aquatech’s approach?  

A: Forums like BlueTech provide an opportunity for organizations to network and have impactful discussions about the challenges and opportunities within the water industry. We can learn different approaches and collaborate with one another — it is then our responsibility to take these lessons back to our customers.

We are working with our customers to bridge the gap between intention and action to achieve customers’ water sustainability goals and sustain them for the future.

Historically, so much of the conversation has been about addressing challenges, but we are reframing our mindset to focus on achieving sustainability targets consistently through collaboration.

We don’t want to just provide reactive solutions in insolation. Instead, we are working holistically and are focused on finding the best sustainable, long-term, solutions fit for the future.

Q: Aquatech took part in the innovation showcase at BlueTech Forum. Which technology was presented?

A: Since we started working to reduce the energy of desalination, biofouling has been a key pain point that we had to combat. This is one of the key aspects of our LoWatt desalination technology, where solving biofouling allows us to reduce up to 25% energy consumption.

During this development, we learned some things which we found we could apply more broadly in other applications. Out of this, we developed our BioFilmPro technology for predictive biofilm control.

Biological fouling is a major challenge in commercial, industrial and municipal treatment plants, equating to increased maintenance, reduced productivity and high total cost of operation. Biofouling leads to increased water and energy consumption and chemical usage.

Our BioFilmPro technology integrates real-time sensing, bacteria deactivation and data-driven analytics to accurately predict and control biofilm, reducing chemical and energy consumption for sustainable plant operations. BioFilmPro empowers operators to better meet energy, carbon and water goals at the plant level.

We have successfully installed this technology at a pharmaceutical manufacturer’s cooling tower, a power plant and a membrane desalination facility, to name a few.

Q: Aquatech has been established for over 40 years. How did it started and what changes has the business seen?

A: I am third generation at Aquatech, which was established in 1981 by my grandfather Prem Sharma. He migrated to the U.S. as a chemical engineer from India, where he had seen first-hand the challenges of water scarcity but understood the potential for change and improvement.

He wanted to do something himself and that is when he started Aquatech as a regional supplier for wastewater and water treatment and solutions in the Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh area. Aquatech soon grew and, in the 1990s, started implementing solutions across continents, now operating in 60 countries.

Aquatech has always been led by its technological innovations to solve water challenges, but over the last 40 years we have shifted away from being a company that only provides technology solutions based on a specific specification, to providing holistic solutions that consider the total lifecycle cost of water and long-term sustainability.