UK companies partner to offer water purification technology in India

Hydro Industries has partnered with power technology firm Intelligent Energy to support the commercialisation of its water purification technology in India.

Hydro’s technology will be powered by Intelligent Energy and deployed at various sites in India during the next five years. The move follows Intelligent Energy’s foray into India to offer power management systems for telecom towers through its wholly owned Indian operating business Essential Energy.

Hydro’s technology uses electricity to treat water and reduces the need for bulk liquid chemicals or large volumes of biomass. It has no moving parts and adaptive software, offering straightforward system maintenance as well as better remote supervisory control.

Hydro Industries CEO Wayne Preece said that the relationship would help the company to deliver products to regions in real need of accessible, clean drinking water.

"The positive humanitarian impact is of vast importance to us, and we are delighted that technologies and products developed in Wales will provide a source of clean water for communities across India, improving their quality of life and giving them access to what is an essential requisite for a healthy life: clean water," Preece added.

Intelligent Energy CEO Henri Winand said: "The combination of Hydro’s leadership in water treatment technology, coupled with Intelligent Energy’s expertise in providing efficient power management solutions, will enable the delivery of clean water where it is needed most across India."

Rapid urbanisation in India is expected to increase domestic demand for water by 40% during the next ten years. According to UNICEF, around 720 million of India’s 1.25 billion population don’t have access to clean drinking water. Around 100,000 die of water-related illnesses annually, and waterborne diseases cost the Indian economy $600m in lost production and medical treatment.