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Technology Innovation: Water Cleaned with Electricity, Not Chemicals
Green Technology Featured Articles
September 17, 2012

Technology Innovation: Water Cleaned with Electricity, Not Chemicals


Our World: Clean Water Shortage

Access to clean water is essential to our global health and economy. Now more than ever, we are faced with continued risks to the clean water supply on our planet. 

Global natural disasters continue to impact our water supply including the Tsunami in Japan, the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and the extreme U.S. drought conditions this year. We are simply in need of more water more often than our natural resources can provide.


For some perspective, the average North American uses 400 liters of water every day.  We need to use innovative technologies to help us clean water supplies and keep up with increased water demand.

Environmental Impact from Fracking: New York on Tap

Closer to home, the focus in New York is on the environmental impact of hydraulic fracking on the drinking water resources in the upstate region. To regulate the process, the governing agencies have required natural gas and water treatment companies to develop treatment systems to keep the water safe; a crucial component for the communities where drilling is set to take place.

Electricity, Not Chemicals Pre-Treats Water to Clean

Water and waste treatment utilizing electrocoagulation technology has been increasingly used over the last decade. Electrocoagulation consists of introducing electrical current into a waste stream to destabilize contaminants which are suspended, emulsified, or dissolved in the waste stream. Electrocoagulation decreases the levels of constituents such as calcium, magnesium and silica which can be either naturally occurring or additives from industries, including hydraulic fracturing process. Algae and bacteria which can be in various concentrations depending on the water source can also be removed. 

During the introduction of electricity, the contaminants precipitate out or can separate into phases, so that other forms of treatment can take place. No chemicals are used in the process, making it one of the cleanest and ecologically sound forms of water/waste treatment available. Electrocoagulation technology has been used for numerous applications including municipal water treatment, animal and dairy processes, laundries and wash pads. 

Hydraulic Fracking Application

One industry that could benefit the most from the use of this EC technology is the treatment of hydraulic frack fluid. In Texas, there has been success with treating frack water from the Eagle Ford Shale for reuse. There were samples taken from the raw frack fluid before the electrocoagulation process and after the treatment. The results that were obtained from the treated water were, on average, 99.7 percent cleaner than the original sample for the compounds for sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron. All treatment of this water was completed without the use of any chemical additives, decreasing the chance of contaminating the surrounding environment or the local water supply.

The Future of Water: Recycle & Reuse

While fracking is one application where this technology can be used, there is a need for a broader thought process to accept the types of water that can be treated. In some areas where there is severe drought, municipalities are looking to design systems that can take waste water from homes and treat it for non-potable reuse in buildings plumbing systems, sprinkler systems and reuse in households.  

To ensure ample water supplies for today and our future use, we must think “outside the box” about the types of water we look to recycle and reuse. A growing world population and natural disasters will continually put stress on our good quality water resources.

Innovative technology can help us extend our water supplies. Otherwise we will continue on a path of water shortages and unfortunately, taking our crucial water resources for granted.


Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.



Patty Els is president of Advanced Waste & Water Technology, Inc. (AWWT), a water treatment and waste management company. The New York-based firm specializes in the removal of chemical and liquid waste, water and waste treatment options and disposal services. AWWT uses innovative technologies such as electrocoagulation to clean polluted water without the use of chemicals. To learn more, visit www.awwtinc.com.




Edited by Brooke Neuman


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