QUEBEC CITY, March 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: HEO) – H₂O Innovation Inc. (“H₂O Innovation” or the “Corporation”) is proud to announce that it has successfully performed a cleaning-in-place for cartridge filters at a water treatment facility using its Genesys-PWT membrane cleaners. This new cleaning method could prevent water treatment facilities from disposing of millions of cartridge filters each year, thereby helping them reduce their plastic waste and achieve their sustainability objectives.

Over time, the sediment collected on cartridge filters creates physical and chemical fouling, which causes their performance to drop. As a result, reverse osmosis (RO) plant operators need to conduct periodical cartridge filter replacement to maintain optimal membrane performance and are constrained to sending the old filters to landfill. In some plants, cartridge filter replacement occurs several times a year or even monthly, resulting in not only cartridge costs but also in substantial losses due to the downtime required for filter replacement. Some plants may have up to 20,000 cartridge filter units, making replacement time very significant.

Here are some benefits of cartridge filter cleaning:

• The reduction of plastic pollution caused by cartridge filters in the water treatment industry, which is 20 to 100 times higher in volume than that caused by RO membrane elements.
• The reduction of operational expenses (OPEX) of a RO plant by up to 10 times. Cartridge filter replacement currently accounts for at least 20% of OPEX in some reuse plants due to the frequency of replacement.
• Increased plant production capacity due to reduced downtime for cartridge filter replacement.
• Savings in terms of CO₂ emissions, as keeping cartridge filters clean (no delta pressure) leads to reduced energy consumption.

“A world thirsty for water, desalination and water reuse solutions must be accompanied by continuous improvements, and pre-treatment solutions that have been neglected for many years. Our laboratory in Madrid, Spain, which is specialized in membrane performance and filtration, has performed over 1,700 membrane autopsies. This expertise has led H₂O Innovation to apply the same chemical cleaning solution to cartridge filters, allowing a greener and more sustainable process. This process could benefit countless membrane filtration plants, as almost all of them currently use cartridge filters. Conducting cartridge filter cleanings with the Genesys-PWT specialty cleaners should not only optimize the overall plant performance but also result in financial savings and environmental benefits. This innovation, just like our major investments in our line of powdered cleaners, which we produce at our Cheshire (UK) facility, aligns with our commitment to offer more sustainable solutions,” stated Frédéric Dugré, President and Chief Executive Officer of H₂O Innovation.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information and statements contained in this press release and in other oral and written public communications issued by the Corporation regarding its business and activities and/or describing management’s objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include the use of words such as “could”, “may”, “should”, and other similar expressions, as well as those usually used in the future and the conditional, although not all forward-looking statements include such words. H₂O Innovation would like to point out that forward-looking statements involve a number of uncertainties, known and unknown risks, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation, or of its industry, to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between the Corporation’s actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any reliability issue related to new innovations and technologies and to the performance of the services, and such other risks as described in the Corporation’s Annual Information Form dated September 27, 2022, which is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on information available as of the date of the release and is subject to change after this date. Unless otherwise required by the applicable securities laws, H₂O Innovation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About H₂O Innovation 
Innovation is in our name, and it is what drives the organization. H₂O Innovation is a complete water solutions company focused on providing best-in-class technologies and services to its customers. The Corporation’s activities rely on three pillars: i) Water Technologies & Services (WTS) applies membrane technologies and engineering expertise to deliver equipment and services to municipal and industrial water, wastewater, and water reuse customers, ii) Specialty Products (SP) is a set of businesses that manufacture and supply a complete line of specialty chemicals, consumables and engineered products for the global water treatment industry, and iii) Operation & Maintenance (O&M) provides contract operations and associated services for water and wastewater treatment systems. Through innovation, we strive to simplify water. For more information, visit www.h2oinnovation.com.

Source:
H₂O Innovation Inc.
www.h2oinnovation.com

Contact:
Marc Blanchet
+1 418-688-0170
marc.blanchet@h2oinnovation.com