Microvi Expands Reach to Areas Hit Hardest with Nitrate Pollution in Central Valley of California

Microvi, in partnership with the City of Modesto and global nonprofit climate-tech accelerator Elemental Excelerator, will install a Microvi MNE nitrate treatment system in Modesto, California. Scheduled for operation in late fall, the project will demonstrate Microvi’s innovative biological system’s ability to treat nitrate contamination in a cost-effective manner producing no additional waste and with minimal operator intervention. 

“We are pleased to partner with the City of Modesto and Elemental Excelerator driving innovation in water treatment and continuing our mission of making cost effective treatment methods accessible to all,” said Ali Dorri, VP of Business Development at Microvi. 

To treat their drinking water currently the City of Modesto uses an Ion Exchange system requiring that waste be removed and safely disposed of. This brine cannot be recycled or reused and is extremely high in total dissolved solids (TDS) and chlorides. The Microvi MNE nitrate treatment system, equipped with the latest IoT technology allowing for remote monitoring, diagnostics, and predictive analytics, is a cost-effective alternative to the expensive removal and disposal process. 

“As all water agencies, including Modesto, continue to face water supply and quality challenges, the City is excited about exploring alternative water treatment technologies that are cost effective for our customers.  The project with Microvi represents an exciting collaboration that could be a game-changer for our region,” said Will Wong, Utilities Director at the City of Modesto. 

Although Microvi has a number of large-scale drinking water installations in operation, this project will demonstrate the Microvi MNE systems autonomous capabilities for smaller water utilities in need of an effective nitrate treatment system. By utilizing Microvi’s technology, these utilities gain better access to efficient and cost-effective water treatment critical to keeping nitrate levels to a minimum. This is especially applicable for the Central Valley of California, which has been challenged by decades of agricultural use of nitrogen-rich fertilizers and is home to many smaller water utilities.

“As infrastructure continues to age, water utilities are beginning to embrace innovative solutions to improve their treatment systems, particularly in areas where water resources are becoming increasingly strained or polluted,” said Kim Baker, Director of Water Innovation at Elemental Excelerator. “We are proud to partner with innovative leaders like Microvi who are leading the way in creating technologies that significantly improve the quality of life of frontline communities in Central California that have historically struggled with access to clean water.”

By using novel biocatalytic composites (MNE biocatalysts) to intensify and extend the life of biological processes, the Microvi MNE technology maintains a controlled population of microorganisms at a much higher density than existing technologies. The design and operation of the systems are simple with no complex process controls and do not produce additional solids, reducing energy and carbon requirements. 

About Microvi
Microvi is a transformative biology company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that delivers next-generation biotechnologies for the water, wastewater, bio-based chemicals, biofuels and biopharma industries. Microvi offers commercial technologies around the world to reduce waste, increase productivity and provide disruptive economics across the value chain. Learn more at www.microvi.com.  

About Elemental Excelerator
Elemental Excelerator advances solutions to climate change and deploys them in the communities that need them the most. Each year, it finds 15-20 companies that best fit its mission and funds each company up to $1 million to improve systems that impact people's lives: energy, mobility, water, agriculture, and beyond. To date, it has awarded over $36 million to 99 companies. For more information, please visit elementalexcelerator.com.

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