Manufacturer expects new drinking water disinfection rules to increase ultraviolet use

VANCOUVER, BC, July 26, 2001 — Service Systems International, Ltd., a supplier of state-of-the-art ultraviolet (UV) water and wastewater disinfection systems, expects that new regulations being applied to the disinfection of drinking water will lead to an increase in the adoption of UV as a water treatment solution.

UV treatment is currently applied to approximately 1% of the 40 billion gallons of drinking water provided daily by public water utilities in the United States.

Ultraviolet light safely disinfects water by altering the reproduction of viruses, bacteria and pathogens. Harmful micro- organisms including E. coli, Cryptosporidium and Giardia are made benign without creating toxic disinfection by-products associated with traditional treatment methods such as chlorination.

New regulations concerning drinking water are being driven by governments and agencies who are concerned about contamination. Lethal doses of microorganisms and bacteria such as Cryptosporidium and E. coli in the water supply have been blamed for multiple deaths and associated illnesses at North Battleford, Saskatchewan and Walkerton, Ontario, in the last year. These alarming incidents have spurred authorities to take action to ensure safe drinking water.

The Province of Quebec, Canada, is a leader in the efforts announcing June 4, 2001 that it will require all municipalities who draw their drinking water from a surface water source to filter and disinfect drinking water supplies prior to distribution.

Similar regulations are under review in nearly all regions of North America. This effort will include governments at the local, regional and national levels.

"What we're seeing is a massive shift in the thinking about water of all kinds, particularly drinking water from ground sources," states Ken Fielding, President of Service Systems International. "People used to assume that their water system was safe, not anymore. Now they want to know that the proper measures are in place to avoid a catastrophe and guarantee safe drinking water."

Recently released research data suggests that an increasing number of sources seeking disinfection of drinking water will look to UV as a safe, clean, environmentally sound solution.

Service Systems International is recognized for its subsidiaries' advanced Ultra Guard(r) line of wastewater UV disinfection systems. The company added a line of ultraviolet drinking water treatment products to answer the growing demand for alternatives to potentially harmful chemical treatment. Additional liquid applications include process water, syrups, brines, seawater aquaculture, hydroponics and swimming pools. Service Systems International is now the exclusive marketer in the United States and Canada of the UV drinking water disinfection system sold under the brand name UViFLO. The system was developed by Australian Ultra-Violet Products Manufacturing Pty. Limited (www.australianultraviolet.com.au) and engineered for the North American market through Service Systems International.

Ultra Guard(r) technology provides significant savings in installation, operation and maintenance costs over its competitors. Ultra Guard(r) is actively marketed through an exclusive agent agreement with US Filter, one of the world's providers of wastewater treatment technology.