Press Release

Release Date: October 13, 2009

WATERTOWN, South Dakota -- Watertown Municipal Utilities, Watertown, South Dakota, announced on September 14th that it had awarded a $13.3M contract to Swanberg Construction to upgrade its 6.8 MGD water treatment plant. The water treatment plant expansion includes the installation of a magnetic ion exchange (MIEX^®) system to remove total organic carbon (TOC) from the city's groundwater source. The MIEX^® Process will be installed as pretreatment to the utility's current lime softening process. The additional TOC removal afforded by the MIEX^® Process will enable Watertown Municipal Utilities to meet tightening disinfection by-product standards required by the Stage 2 D/DBP Rule.

"After pilot studies conducted in 2008 by our engineer, AE2S, the MIEX^® Process was selected over nanofiltration. This was primarily due to the lower waste volumes produced by the MIEX^® Process, which allow for significantly higher utilization of our limited groundwater supply," said Jeff DeVille, Water Superintendent for the utility. "We are very happy that we have selected the most sustainable option to meet the new drinking water quality standards," said DeVille. The water treatment plant expansion is expected to be online by mid-2011.

About Orica Watercare Inc. 

Orica Watercare Inc. is the manufacturer of MIEX^® Systems and MIEX^® Ion Exchange Resins for the reduction of Disinfection By-Products, Dissolved Organic Carbon, Color, Nitrate and Arsenic from water & wastewater streams. Orica Watercare Inc., headquartered in Denver, CO. is a subsidiary of the Orica group of companies. The Orica group is the largest supplier of water treatment and industrial chemicals in Australia and New Zealand and is the world's largest supplier of commercial explosives.