Akron-Israeli Pilot Project to Use High Tech to Clean Wastewater

Israeli companies that specialize in high-tech wastewater treatment will start an exclusive pilot project in the near future in Akron

The city will spend $500,000 a year over three years as part of a $5 million "Advanced Waste Water Treatment Demonstration Project."

A signed agreement that will have five Israeli companies locate in Akron is weeks, perhaps months, away, but will happen, Mayor Don Plusquellic said.

"This is really a significant announcement to be identified as the single place in North America for these high-tech companies," he said.

It should place Akron at the forefront of water innovation and technology, he said.

The Israeli technology can take high volumes of water contaminated with human, animal and industrial waste and clean it to nearly drinking water quality level, said Oren Blonder, vice president of sales and marketing for MemTech, one of the Israeli companies. MemTech developed and uses what it calls "flux membranes" to clean water.

"In a nutshell, what we are trying to do is to harness together in one location the different activities [of the Israeli partners]," Blonder said. "The idea here is to create a platform."

The cleaned-up wastewater can be used for such things as crops and free up freshwater for drinking and other purposes, Blonder said.

Plusquellic said the project will put Akron at the forefront of water technology innovation. Akron City Council passed a resolution Monday supporting the project.

The city's responsibilities will be to provide "in-kind" services and facilities for the Israeli companies.

"Some of those, by the way, may be at our wastewater plant where we have existing buildings that they may be able to move directly into and be able to implement some of their new technology and test their new technology and be able to sell that new technology," Plusquellic said.

The technology eventually could help Akron deal with its ongoing combined sewage overflow issues with the federal government as well as help with the high-tech needs of wastewater facilities, Plusquellic said.

The technology also should find uses around the nation, he said.

"This is not a whole lot different from what we've done with polymer companies," he said.

Initial job creation will be small but is expected to grow, the mayor said. "Every company starts out small. It always starts out small," he said.

Besides MemTech, Israeli partners in the project are WaTech-Mekorot, part of Israel's national water company; Technion-Israel Institute of Technology; and the Israel Export Institute. Four other Israeli companies will be selected by the project partners.

Blonder said the companies have mature products, technology and sales.

"We treat the wastewater of the city of Jerusalem," he said.

Plusquellic said the water project came about because of the city's efforts over the years to market itself in Israel through trade missions and establish relationships with government and other businesses there.

Source: Ohio

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