Lithium Extraction from Water Companies

Aquatech is a global water and process technology company headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, focused on solving water scarcity and ensuring critical minerals security. With more than 43 years of operation, over 2,000 installations worldwide, and 700 plus water experts globally, the company treats roughly 1.6 billion gallons of water per day. Its core areas include water reuse and zero liquid discharge, desalination, industrial water treatment, wastewater management, and critical minerals recovery such as lithium extraction from brines. Aquatech delivers mobile water solutions, design build own operate and maintain (DBOOM) contracts, operations and maintenance support, aftermarket retrofits, and AI powered digital optimization.

PuriTech, founded in 1996 in Belgium, is a liquid separation specialist built around its patented ION-IX continuous counter-current ion exchange system, which uses a multiport distribution valve to cut operating cost, capital and footprint versus conventional plants. Applications include nitrate removal and arsenic removal from drinking water, softening and demineralization, plus metal recovery and direct lithium extraction. The company offers process engineering, 3D design, pilot testing and mobile treatment units.

Gradiant is an industrial water treatment solutions and technology company headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, United States, founded at MIT in 2013 with over 1,300 employees worldwide. The company provides complete, site-wide solutions that combine proprietary technology, engineering, and customized chemicals to help industries reduce freshwater use, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. Gradiant specializes in minimum and zero liquid discharge, ultrapure water, PFAS and emerging-contaminant removal, and resource recovery for sectors including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and lithium and critical minerals.

Total Automation & Power (TAP) is a formal joint venture between Cougar Automation Ltd and Technical Control Systems Ltd. Formed in 2005, it has delivered hundreds of projects worth tens of millions of pounds. Current water and wastewater frameworks include Severn Trent, Thames, Welsh & Yorkshire Water. Working with TAP is just like working with a single company. Every project has a dedicated project manager who coordinates all the work and gives you a single point of contact. You place a single order for all of your electrical and control system design, supply and installation so you can concentrate on delivering your project without having to worry about placing and managing separate orders for MCCs, a control system and electrical installation. Unlike separate orders, both companies stand behind the whole scope and unlike a contract/sub-contract arrangement we don’t mark up each other’s price. Projects are easy to manage, secure and competitively priced. Supporting clients from initial concept design stage through to on-site commissioning, TAP collaborates with clients at every stage to evaluate designs to optimise TOTEX outcomes. When you choose TAP as your partner you get an unrivalled combination of expertise: Control System, SCADA & PLC expertise from Cougar Automation in six regional offices throughout the UK. MCC, low voltage assembly and panel expertise from Technical Control Systems’ manufacturing facility in Leeds.

Metasphere helps customers prevent leaks and spills for a cleaner, greener world. As a wastewater application specialist business, we provide monitoring solutions to the global utility industry with over 40 000 installations in 25 major utilities. Metasphere liaises with all sectors of the industry, from major utility companies to environmental and regulatory bodies. Utilising the latest technology, we deliver intelligent, innovative all-in-one telemetry solutions that provide full network visibility, performance and forecasting that reduce telemetry ownership cost for customers to manage time-critical remote assets and systems. Our solutions are suited for Water, Wastewater, Environmental and Gas applications.

ERG (Air Pollution Control) Limited is the leading supplier of wastewater odour control units (OCUs) for the UK Water Industry and increasingly supplies odour control systems around the world. In addition, ERG can provide specialist advice and solutions to assist in achieving IED compliance for relevant odour assets. In the past 10 years, we have provided over 200 OCUs and count all the UK water companies and major main contractors among our clients. So, whether you are looking for a large, multi-stage chemical scrubbing system, an environmentally friendly bio-trickling filter or bio-scrubber system, a simple but efficient activated carbon or dry media system, an Odorgard™ from ERG Hygrade, or even an RTO (Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser) system, ERG can develop a tailor-made solution to suit. All ERG Odour Control Systems are: Purpose-designed by our process engineers to eliminate the cocktail of inlet odours to the required standard. Optimised to give the best value capital and running costs. Built and tested to current BS EN and WIMES specifications. Guaranteed to achieve the required discharge odour concentration and supported by our skilled and experienced maintenance team. Minimising non-compliant emissions to atmosphere by regular, planned maintenance protects your reputation and saves you money. Our maintenance department can help keep your air pollution and odour control systems running effectively and at the lowest operating costs. Our specialist engineers are experts in maintaining most types of odour and air pollution control equipment and always work to the highest safety standards. We often save clients many thousands of pounds by repairing and enhancing dilapidated air pollution and odour control equipment. We are a framework supplier for odour control maintenance to Southern Water, Scottish Water and Thames Water, regularly maintaining more than 120 sites.

As an industry leader since 1994, Active Tunnelling Ltd (ATL) is the UK’s most experienced independent, micro-tunnelling, auger boring, shaft sinking and pipe jacking company offering a comprehensive range of services to the water and civil engineering industries across the UK & Ireland. More than just a tunnelling company ATL delivers all encompassing projects solutions: whether it is a segmental shaft or complete project management from ‘tunnel’ to final landscaping, ATL delivers flexible, and tailor made solutions to suit any brief. ATL prides itself on its long list of clients that includes amongst others the UK’s leading construction companies and is proud to claim total satisfaction on every job. A dedicated and highly skilled/experienced sixty strong team are at the core of ATL’s success, this weight of experience backed by the UK’s largest independent specialist plant enables ATL to deliver on time every time. Services Our comprehensive range of services allows us to satisfy even the most demanding brief, even with short lead times you can place your trust in us leaving you to focus on other aspects of the project. Tunnelling and pipejacking: 1,000mm – 2,400mm diameter. Micro-tunnelling: 150mm – 900mm diameter. Auger boring: 150mm – 725mm diameter. Grouting. Shaft sinking. Cover slab construction. Timber headings. ATL offer Professional management team with over 30 years experience. Quick mobilisation to site. Technical support/design where required. Achilles UVDB Verify approved company. Quality Assured ISO 9001:2008 Registered Firm Cert. No. A11969. Fast response to enquiries. Fast and efficient service maintaining a high standard of safety. Specialist trenchless plant. A completed project to a high quality at a reasonable price. A willingness to work as one team with all parties to ensure satisfaction.

RammSanderson is one of the fastest growing multi-disciplinary consultancies in the UK. Already partnered with some of the largest water infrastructure companies in England, RammSanderson specialises in: Ecology Flood risk management Arboriculture Habitat management Providing a pragmatic and cost-effective approach to projects on either a site-specific or framework basis, RammSanderson is founded on the principles of customer service, technical excellence, and pragmatic solution-based consulting. The company was founded in 2014 by Oliver Ramm, Nick Sanderson and Anthony Mellor, since when it has grown from strength to strength, with a diversified client portfolio spanning across infrastructure, utilities, commercial and residential sectors. Initially focusing primarily on ecology, the company has grown to encompass a wide variety of environment-based disciplines. This approach has yielded a multitude of benefits, allowing each individual discipline to effortlessly draw knowledge from a wider set of specialists while also allowing seamless delivery and straightforward accountability on more complex multidisciplinary projects.

JN Bentley Ltd (JNB) is a leading, privately owned construction services provider in the UK. We now have an annual turnover in the region of £100 million, generated from projects in both the building and civil engineering markets. JN Bentley JN Bentley delivers civil engineering contracting services, together with mechanical and electrical expertise. Founded in 1972, the company has grown largely from repeat work, maintaining a focus on providing construction services with an open and honest approach. The JN Bentley team numbers over 2,000 colleagues. We pride ourselves on our large, directly employed construction workforce, a team that gives us and our clients added assurances for safety and quality. We look to find innovative solutions to traditional construction challenges, applying the latest technologies to drive efficiency and reach sustainable outcomes. Across JN Bentley and our design and build companies MMB and JBA Bentley, annual revenue now exceeds £500 million. Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) MMB provides fully integrated civil engineering feasibility, design, construction and commissioning services to the UK water sector. Established in 1999, it harnesses the contracting strength of JN Bentley and the design specialisms of Mott MacDonald to form a 3,000-strong team – with further expertise brought in from across the Mott MacDonald Group when required. MMB was formed specifically to deliver long-term, high-volume capital programmes collaboratively with water companies. With a focus on innovation, affordability, and flexibility, since securing its first contracts with Yorkshire Water in AMP3, MMB has grown to deliver work for eight of the largest water companies in the UK.

Hydro International, a CRH company,  provides advanced products, services and expertise to help municipal, industrial and construction customers to improve their water management processes, increase operational performance and reduce environmental impact. Hydro International can help water companies meet their AMP and environmental obligations, including the reduction of sewer overflows and the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). Hydro International provides total solutions for Inlet Works, Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), Stormwater Management, Flood Warning and Prevention, and Water Resource management, from design to supply and installation through to ongoing preventative maintenance, servicing and emergency repair.  These solutions include: Hydrometric data collection, monitoring analysis and reporting for river level, reservoir, network and weather. Continuous water quality monitoring for compliance with Section 82 of the Environment Act. Water resource analysis and consultancy. Stormwater management solutions, including options for Sustainable Drainage Systems. (SuDS) and Smart Maintenance. CSO event duration monitoring. CSO and storm tank treatment and screening. Passive flow controls for flood prevention schemes, SuDS, CSOs and WwTWs. Inlet works screening and grit removal solutions. Sludge screening. Dropping sewage or water safely from height. Hire, repair and maintenance of inlet works screens and screenings handling equipment

Steve Vick International (SVI) is dedicated to delivering cost-saving solutions for damaged, redundant or outdated underground pipework. Since its foundation in 1981, SVI has been at the forefront in developing products and techniques for the repair, renovation and decommissioning of pipes. Predominantly our work has been in the gas industry but increasingly we are undertaking projects in the water and nuclear sectors. We are the UK’s leading producer of Pipe Coil Trailers and offer a range of Pipe Handling equipment such as Handlers, Crackers and Cutters. Some of our latest innovations include the PE Pipe Cutter, the Pipe Feeder for Pre-Insulated coiled pipe, PE Live Head for Live Mains Insertion, the Perpetual Pipe Pusher, FBOS (Foambag Operation on Stubs) and SMARTester. WATER: For over 20 years water utilities and their contractors in the UK and overseas have used our pipe handling equipment to improve their efficiency and safety. Today our products include Pipe Handlers, Pipe Coil Trailers and Pipe Cutters as well as our patented DRAINBLOCK™ and RATBLOCK™ sealing systems. GAS: In the UK we are major suppliers to all the gas distribution networks. Many of the techniques we have pioneered have become the preferred methods of working in the industry and our resin foam sealant products and associated equipment are key to many of the cost-saving renovation processes used. NUCLEAR: SVI offer solutions to the problems associated with decommissioning and sealing disused pipework, ducts, sleeves and ventilation shafts. Our technology can also be designed for the mass filling of large and complex voids and is a lightweight alternative to cement grout. We have worked at Hinkley, Sellafield, Harwell, Chapelcross and Hunterston. CONTRACT SERVICES: A rapidly expanding part of our business is our Contract Service department who are well known for their work in the field of renewing and repairing underground gas pipes, for the UK Gas Distribution Networks. However, they are becoming increasingly involved in projects being undertaken by water utilities, electricity providers, rail networks, civil engineers, construction companies and local councils. This reflects the range of skills and expertise available to solve on-site problems associated with pipe repair, renovation, and diversion. Located strategically around the UK the highly skilled team can provide a fast response, emergency repairs and a rapid call out service which is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. HIRE: We offer specialist plant and equipment for the Utilities Industries. Products available for hire include our Pipe Handlers, Perpetual Pipe Pusher, Pipe Coil Trailers, Rapid Rotary Cutters, Rapid Window Cutters, MACAW Pipe Crackers, CRACKERJACK and Mini Purge. All our hire equipment comes with onsite support from our highly experienced engineers and our products are fully maintained and serviced at our depots. All equipment is also available to purchase. SMARTester: SMARTester is the wireless pressure test system, that ensures absolute traceability and best practice. The system combines: SMARTester pressure sensor, an intuitive App and a Dashboard database of test evidence. Together the 3 components work to give you confidence that your tests are highly accurate, fully compliant and that evidence is traceable.

At Industrial Pipework Services, we provide bespoke engineering services. With over 25 years’ experience IPS can offer complete mechanical engineering solutions including design, manufacture & installation services. Our experienced workforce are trained to the highest standards. IPS is situated within easy access to the M4 corridor approximately 30 minutes North of Cardiff. The company embraces innovative thinking while utilising the latest technology. IPS operating base comprises of 30,000 square foot of workshops, offices and assembly areas.  The Workshops are fully segregated for the manufacture of both carbon steel and stainless-steel products and are serviced by dedicated overhead gantry cranes. With over two decades of engineering experience the company strives to combine first class engineering and design to deliver the high quality that is required.  The Company maintains a proactive approach, working closely with our Clients to achieve our collective aims for each scheme. This ambition is underpinned by an uncompromising commitment to attain the highest standards of health, safety and environmental care. IPS provides continued excellence in design, manufacturing and installation gained from many years experience within the industry. Our In-House design capability allows the company to provide a full engineering design service using the latest Auto CAD software packages. IPS offers a design service for both pipework and steelwork systems from proposal drawings to the production of as built drawings. IPS Design Office provides all relevant AutoCAD drawings for steelwork and pipework, Isometric drawings for fabrication, general layout drawings for plant and equipment and As Built drawings. Structural steelwork calculations and flow characteristics are also provided as required. IPS offer a full 3D surveying services and production of cloud point data for project modelling. IPS operates primarily within the Water Industry and provides services for both clean water and sewage. IPS is a Tier One Mechanical Engineering Specialists Provider to Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and the Strategic Alliance. IPS operate nationally and have delivered projects throughout the UK for many Water Utility companies including Anglian Water, Thames Water and Bristol Water. Continual improvement into our infrastructure and the development of new IT systems has brought us to a level consistent with the requirements of our clients. IPS offers a complete project management service, including operation of Principal Contractor role as well as delivering turnkey projects. Experience gained in the water industry has enabled us to manage the competing demands of cost, quality and safety for all our projects.

ELIQUO HYDROK works with all major UK and Ireland water companies, providing practical water engineering solutions. As a specialist engineering firm with head office in Indian Queens, ELIQUO HYDROK operates at the forefront of innovative and sustainable water treatment technologies. We support the entire UK water sector, supplying every water company. Part of ELIQUO WATER GROUP, the extensive portfolio includes solutions for wastewater management, wastewater treatment, clean water treatment and surface water management; Mecana PCMF, aeration technologies, CSO screens, flow controls, storm tank flushing and Raw Water Intake Screens. Plus, a sludge treatment portfolio that helps reduce costs, improve efficiency, and meet environmental compliance requirements – through systems like ELOVAC® for vacuum degassing, and other integrated technologies in biogas, digestion, dewatering and drying. With established teams in Cornwall, Wolverhampton and Wombwell, ELIQUO HYDROK are well-equipped to support operations – from start to finish; with design, manufacture, management and install capabilities – across the UK and Ireland. This wealth of in-house expertise is backed by a forward-thinking mindset to help customers achieve their long-term goals sustainably; to deliver results in AMP 8 and beyond.

Carlow Concrete is a market leader in water retaining precast concrete structures in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. Production at our state of the art plant in the South East of Ireland is carried out using the most modern and innovative methods and equipment, for the quality production of our products ensuring the highest standards of quality and specification compliance are achieved every time. As part of the Burren Precast Concrete Group, the company has the resources and infrastructure to meet the high demands of our customers in relation to quality of service and product. Our organisation benefits from a team with combined expertise of over 100 years in the precast industry. The company has the technical expertise, the flexibility in production methods and the resources to Interpret, Design, Manufacture and Assemble to the highest standards to meet the requirements of its customers, bringing modern methods of construction through the benefits of off-site construction, building information modelling (BIM) and highly experienced installation teams. Our expansive range of products are devised specifically for both water and wastewater projects and are unrivaled in terms of design, quality and ease of installation. Our solutions offer international, national and customer specification compliances and meet all water companies’ asset standards throughout the UK & Ireland. Site installations typically achieve 25% to 50% reduction in programme with fewer people and plant requirements, meaning substantial savings to both preliminary and direct costs. Stormwater attenuation. Flood alleviation. Service reservoirs. Precast filter bed wall and tile system. Activated sludge plant. Final/primary settlement tanks. Retaining walls.

Trant provide high quality engineering and project delivery services to the municipal & industrial process & water treatment markets in the UK and Internationally. We have 60 years’ experience in the successful delivery of complex water, wastewater and process treatment solutions for the main UK process & water companies. We develop innovative, cutting edge process and water solutions using advanced technology. Working closely with our technology partner SFC Umwelttechnik, we are able to utilise proven advanced technology resulting in optimal solutions for our water and process industry clients in the UK and internationally. Our in-house design teams understand the stringent regulatory challenges faced by our clients and ensure that efficiency, resilience and sustainability are factored into all design solutions. Our design studio use the latest software including BIM, augmented and virtual reality to develop and detail high tech treatment process outputs. Our control & automation and offsite manufacturing & assembly facilities enable us to provide full in-house capability from project conception through to commissioning.

A specialist engineering company with a global customer base. Greenbank provides a wide range of products and services to companies operating across a number of industries and is now establishing itself in the clean and wastewater sector. For many years the company has utilised the unique properties of volcanic basalt for lining products used in heavy industries such as power generation and minerals extraction. In partnership with Czech firm Eutit, the company has also been pioneering the use of basalt in the renovation and restoration of sewer systems in central European following a series of successful projects in Prague. As a result of devastating floods, the city’s sewer system was extensively rebuilt and upgraded with basalt being used in a number of key locations to provide a new level of security to the system. More than a decade on, the new system continues to perform well and has set a standard that’s now been followed in other European cities. Well suited for the most demanding of applications, thanks to the partnership between Greenbank and Eutit, a wide range of basalt solutions are now available in the UK market. These include products and systems that bring a wide range of benefits to the industry, including: Basalt tiles that can also be used to line existing brickwork, a more cost-effective solution than full replacement, and their reduced drag co-efficient means improved flow – in effect a smaller-diameter pipe or tunnel lined with basalt can carry a higher volume of water than a larger one with traditional brick surfaces. The effective life expectancy of basalt-lined sewer systems is between 100 and 200 years, thanks to their excellent resistance to abrasion and chemical damage – as well as the rigours of high-pressure water jetting that’s often used to clear unwanted blockages. For larger round or ovoid systems, basalt can be used in the lower sections to deal with the wear and tear with concrete upper sections to provide optimum life performance. Alternatively, steel pipes lined with basalt can be produced up to 3000mm diameter producing a lighter therefore lower cost installation option to thick wall concrete. Ease of installation and reduced maintenance costs make basalt ideal for bottom gutters, branch pipes and tubes and slip-resistant elements for walkways, and Greenbank can also supply bespoke-shaped tiles to meet the unique requirements of individual clients. With manufacturing facilities in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, supported by the additional capacity and expertise provided by the latest addition to the group, Franklyn Yates Engineering, Greenbank is well placed to react quickly and efficiently to the needs of new and existing clients.