MIEX system in Palm Springs wins Fla. engineering award

DENVER, March 9, 2006 -- The Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers (FICE) recently announced the winning projects in its 2006 Engineering Excellence Award Competition, which included two water treatment plants (WTP) employing Orica Watercare Inc.'s MIEX^® resins in Palm Springs, FL.

Eckler Engineering Inc. earned a Grand Award, the highest level award presented in the Engineering Excellence program with its submittal, "Innovative Magnetic Ion Exchange System Solves Water Quality Problems." This recognition will enable Eckler Engineering to participate in the National Engineering Excellence Award competition sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).

Eckler Engineering Inc., as the village of Palm Springs' consultant, recommended and implemented Magnetic Ion Exchange (MIEX) Systems at the village's Main (6 mgd) and R.L. Pratt (4 mgd) WTPs to address the inability of these plants to achieve the Federal Regulations on disinfection by-products (DBPs). The MIEX installation at the village was the first water treatment process of its type in the U.S. and represents a giant step toward the advancement of water treatment for the reduction of disinfection by-products (DBPs).

The MIEX System economically removes dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the raw water, which forms trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids when combined with chlorine. This system will have a significant impact on the water treatment industry by providing another economical option for the removal of DBP precursors.

The project, led by Eckler Engineering, was completed on schedule and within the village's prescribed budget. Now in operation for just over 12 months, the plants are allowing the village to comfortably meet the EPA regulations.

With manufacturing facilities in Australia, Orica Watercare Inc. (www.miexresin.com) has its corporate headquarters in Denver, CO, with offices also in Melbourne, Australia, Oxford, NC, Atlanta, and Lancashire, England.

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