BERNALILLO, NM, April 22, 2008 -- On Friday, April 4, 2008, Bernalillo, NM, cut the ribbon launching the world's first arsenic removal plant utilizing the ARS advanced technology.
The ARS arsenic treatment system for two well sites in Bernalillo make them the first community in the world to take advantage of this highly efficient and safe arsenic removal technology.
The Bernalillo system will treat 680 gallons of water per minute per well site. This purification is achieved with virtually no water loss in the process. It is highly energy efficient and environmentally safe because the process is chemical free. What's more, the resulting waste is stable and can be disposed of in an ordinary landfill rather than in a toxic waste facility. The second installation is planned for completion in the month of April and both installations will supply 100% of the town's potable water.
"We are very proud to be the first in the nation to use this new technology that will give our users not only a better water product but will save taxpayers money over the life of the system," said Town Manager Steven Jerge.
This patented technology brings Bernalillo into compliance with the new, more stringent Federal arsenic standard. The ARS system is NSF-61 certified and US EPA/NSF Environmental Technology Verified (ETV). ARS is only the eighth technology to receive Environmental Technology Verification for arsenic removal in the last five years and the only one in 2006, according to NSF.
ARS is proud to have just been recognized by the EPA for inclusion in its 2008 EPA Science Forum on Innovative Technologies. The forum will be held on May 20th through May 22nd, 2008 at the Ronald Regan building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
ARS will offer their technology to many other U.S. cities with water treatment systems in need of improvement to meet the higher arsenic standard mandated. The company plans to expand first in New Mexico, its home state; however talks are presently taking place with other areas of the nation. Many other western states face the same circumstances which make the ARS system a desirable technology.
ARS USA, L.L.C., a privately held company based in Bernalillo, NM, has been carrying out research and development since 2001.
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