Supplier selected for large-scale MBR project

FULTON COUNT, Ga., May 28, 2004 � Fulton County will be the site of the largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) in the world. Zenon Inc. has been selected to supply its MBR system that will treat 15 mgd of wastewater and provide high quality effluent for reuse applications. New reuse facilities using the company's technology are also being planned in Florida, Arizona, Washington, California and New Mexico.

Zenon's technology was recently selected for the new John's Creek Environmental Campus near Atlanta, which will house not only a water reuse plant, but will be a major educational center for water reclamation in the state. The company expects to receive the purchase order later this summer with construction on the plant scheduled to begin in the fall. The entire complex is expected to be complete in 2007.

The new campus will be built in an existing residential area which, according to Tim Equels, Assistant Director of the Public Works Department for Fulton County, presents several challenges.

"In addition to finding a proven and reliable technology, there are a number of other issues that we addressed, such as space, integration of the site into the community, noise and odor control. With Zenon's experience in membrane bioreactors, we were able to satisfy all these concerns. We are also fortunate to have Georgia's first Zenon MBR plant, the Cauley Creek Reclamation Facility, running successfully in our own backyard."

Operators at the Bonita Springs East Water Reclamation Facility in Florida were also looking for a reliable wastewater treatment process to produce a consistent quality effluent for reuse. After an analysis of the different technologies available, they chose the Zenon MBR, according to Pat Jennings, Director of Engineering for the Utility.

The company has received a letter of intent for this project and expects to receive the purchase order shortly; completion of the project is scheduled for the end of 2006.

Demand for reuse quality water is also gaining momentum in water-short Arizona. The thriving community of Tempe, near Phoenix, is experiencing increasing commercial/industrial growth. In order to meet the growing wastewater needs of the area, the city decided to retrofit the existing conventional Kyrene Reclamation Facility, while increasing the capacity to 9 mgd using the an MBR system.

Retrofitting of the existing facility will allow use of a considerable portion of the existing basin infrastructure. MBRs require a fraction of the space of a conventional wastewater treatment plant while treating at least a third more capacity. Once complete in the first quarter of 2006, this will become one of the largest operating MBR plants in the world.

"Zenon began by specializing in wastewater treatment over 20 years ago," said Andrew Benedek, Chairman and CEO. "Our ongoing commitment to innovation and cost reduction has made Zenon the leader in ultrafiltration membranes for wastewater treatment and reuse.

"In addition to the orders above, we have also been selected and received letters of intent for our MBR system for projects in Washington State, California and New Mexico," Benedek said. "This is clearly a signal that the technology has come more into the mainstream, particularly for water reuse applications."

The total treatment capacity represented by all of these projects is in excess of 40 mgd with a combined value of approximately $50 million.