Deal signed to expand the use of ATEC technology to treat Chromium-6 from California water

US companies Cadiz, ATEC Systems Associates and CH2M have signed a strategic alliance to expand the use of ATEC technology to treat Chromium-6 (CR-6) from drinking water in California.

The now-implemented ATEC technology will enable cost-effective treatment of water from the Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery & Storage Project for naturally occurring CR-6 before the water passes into the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA).

The aqueduct is intended to be the primary water transportation conduit to the project’s participating water providers.

The technology, which has been approved by the California Division of Drinking Water, is designed around the Reduction-Coagulation-Filtration (RCF) process for CR-6.

Fenner Valley Water Authority is responsible for the design and implementation of the project.

Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD), managing member of the water authority, is currently coordinating with the Metropolitan Water District for arranging the technical requirements for the water transportation through CRA including evaluation of its quality standards.

California had imposed limits for CR-6 levels in drinking water in 2014. While the state has set a permissible amount of ten parts per billion ("ppb") of CR-6, the federal standard for total Chromium in drinking water is 100 ppb.

Naturally occurring CR-6 levels in groundwater sources in the state, including the Cadiz Water Project basin, is slightly more than the state specified limits.

Cadiz CEO Scott Slater said: "The prevailing view within the water community is that treatment of CR-6 is both intensive and expensive.

"We decided to make an investment in more innovative technology and feel fortunate to have been connected with ATEC.

"Their technology will provide dramatic benefits at the Cadiz Water Project area and can help many other water retail agencies that are attempting to cope with still relatively new CR-6 treatment standards."

Besides the Cadiz Water Project, this technology solution will also be applicable for other groundwater basins in California and elsewhere.

CH2M Hill water treatment global technology lead Lee O’Dell said: "The ATEC treatment technology is really a break through improvement in the effort to cost-effectively treat CR-6. We think it has tremendous potential for retail agencies across California."