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EPA awards small business $99,993 to remove arsenic from drinking water

Release Date: 12/6/2002
Contact Information:
202 564-7819,

Release Date: 12/6/2002
Contact Information:
303 312-7814

Denver -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded ADA Technologies (ADA) of Littleton, CO a $99,993 contract to develop cost-effective methods for removing arsenic from drinking water to meet the Agency's new arsenic standard of 10 parts per billion. ADA is one of eight small business nationwide that received a total of $800,000 for the technology development.

The methods developed will particularly benefit smaller systems serving less than 10,000 people that have limited funds for contaminant removal. More than 4,000 systems need to install new technologies by January 2006 to comply with the revised standard. ADA will combine an arsenic adsorbent with an arsenic monitoring sensor and alarm for in-home use. ADA's goal is to provide an affordable unit with an operation that is as understandable as a home smoke alarm -- a device that alerts residents when danger exists and provides peace of mind when all is well.

Arsenic contamination in drinking water poses a significant health risk to populations around the world, including the United States. EPA's revised standard is expected to impact 10 percent of U.S. community drinking water systems. The operators of small water systems and individual well water users will face the greatest challenge in meeting this standard.

The contracts were awarded through EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for commercial ventures that protect the environment, increase productivity and economic growth, and improve the international competitiveness of the U.S. technology industry.