Access to safe drinking water is a global crisis, which is why developing new, innovative ways to convert river water, wastewater and agricultural waste into clean water is critical to the lives of many. Recently, co-inventors from CORNCOB Inc., a participant of The Water Council’s BREW Accelerator, demonstrated groundbreaking technology that could address this worldwide problem. Company officials showcased its cutting-edge membrane filtration system during a technology demonstration at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), creating safe drinking water out of samples from the Menomonee River and other nearby wastewater sources as part of Milwaukee Water Week.
CORNCOB’s technology requires a fraction of the energy and cost of conventional water treatment methods, and can be used in a variety of applications, including municipal, industrial, residential and commercial. During the technology showcase, CORNCOB’s machine “Alfie” successfully turned samples from the Menomonee River into clean, safe drinking water. The company recently toured the country with Alfie to clean water from numerous sources including fracking water and agricultural wastewater.
“We wanted to demonstrate the power of our technology and the large-scale implications it has for the future of water,” said Douglas Hwang, president and co-inventor of CORNCOB. “By partnering with The Water Council during Milwaukee Water Week we highlighted the other investments the city and other companies are making to solve the world’s most pressing water crises.”
“CORNCOB’s technology can revolutionize global drinking water creation, which could have an enormous impact on areas struggling to find sufficient clean water sources,” said Karen Frost, vice president of business development at The Water Council. “The company’s ongoing progress, both through the BREW and on its own, demonstrates its potential to expand beyond Milwaukee and deliver solutions to a world in need.”
The company’s revolutionary technology has been garnering attention from investors worldwide, including E.L. Industries International and its Chinese distributor. Representatives from the two groups traveled to Milwaukee to attend the showcase and are hoping to take CORNCOB’s technology to its global customers for use in a wide variety of applications.
“We became interested in CORNCOB’s technology because of the one-step process that would save our customers energy and money,” said Daniel Bodendorfer, managing director of E.L. Industries International. “We are confident there is great potential for this technology to be successful in China and other markets as the world seeks new and better ways of making drinking water.”
About CORNCOB Inc.
CORNCOB Inc., is a division of Waukesha-based PRO-Equipment, Inc., an established global manufacturer of process equipment for the pollution control industry, focusing on the water/wastewater market. CORNCOB is dedicated to bringing clean water to markets worldwide with its flagship technology that makes clean drinking water from wastewater sources in one simple process. For more information, visit www.CORNCOBinc.com.
About The Water Council
The Water Council was established in 2009 by Milwaukee-area businesses, education, and government leaders. The nonprofit organization, consisting of more than 180 members, links together global water technology companies, innovative water entrepreneurs, acclaimed academic research programs and, most importantly, some of the nation’s brightest and most energetic water professionals. The Water Council is capturing the attention of the world and transformed the Milwaukee region into a World Water Hub for freshwater research, economic development, and education.