Birchtech Corp., a clean technology company specializing in sustainable air and water treatment, has officially commenced operations for its water treatment solutions business. The company has secured purchase orders totaling $0.9 million from a mid-Atlantic power utility and established a testing partnership with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., signaling its entry into a market driven by tightening environmental regulations.
The company's launch coincides with increasing regulatory pressure on water utilities to remove harmful contaminants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals." These substances have been linked to serious health risks including low birth rates, increased cancer risks, and high blood pressure in pregnant women. New Environmental Protection Agency regulations require public water systems to begin monitoring for these chemicals by 2027 and implement Maximum Contaminant Level limits by 2029.
This regulatory environment has created a substantial market opportunity. The federal government has allocated $1 billion in federal funding for water monitoring systems, while water utilities spend approximately $1.5 billion annually to meet EPA purification standards. Birchtech aims to capture a portion of this market with its specialized approach to contaminant removal.
For its initial utility customer, Birchtech is providing filtration system media replacement services at two locations, employing what the company describes as a "media-agnostic" approach. This methodology allows the company to select from multiple technologies and media products rather than being limited to a single product line, potentially reducing costs for utility customers. "The analysis of multiple options, technologies, and media products allows for the selection of the best water treatment solutions that will yield optimal performance and the lowest cost for our utility customers," said John Pavlish, Birchtech's Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.
The partnership with Civil & Environmental Consultants represents another strategic move, with Birchtech providing Rapid Small-Scale Column Testing (RSSCT) for CEC's water utility clients across 34 offices nationwide. RSSCT simulates full-scale filter bed conditions in significantly less time, enabling utilities to evaluate 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 U.S. RSSCT laboratories.
"This collaboration is also a critical step for our 'Clean Water' business, providing a specialized test to CEC's water utility customers, both large and small," said Richard MacPherson, CEO of Birchtech. "We currently have numerous potential water treatment solutions projects with utilities in our pipeline and many of these utilities currently work with CEC."
With regulatory deadlines approaching and utilities seeking cost-effective compliance solutions, Birchtech's combination of flexible technology, testing partnerships, and claimed cost advantages positions the company to potentially become a significant player in the water treatment industry. The company reports having multiple additional projects in its pipeline as it works to expand its water treatment technologies across the utility sector.
