Apsu in water treatment sales push

AN ENVIRONMENTAL regulator is on the verge of endorsing a system for treating waste water that uses technology developed by a small firm in collaboration with Edinburgh University.

Iain Robinson, the founder and managing director of the Midlothian-based Apsu Environmental, said the company is gearing up for a sales boost after receiving initial word that its Advanced Treatment Station (ATS) system is to be accepted by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. A final amendment of Sepa’s regulatory position is expected within days.

Robinson said: “We are starting to market to developers, consulting engineers – anybody who can see the value of the technology. This has the ability to be sold throughout the UK and Europe.”

In development since 2003, ATS removes high levels of waste such as sand, oil and dissolved metals from water before it goes into the man-made ponds traditionally used to filter out debris. The pre-treatment means that these ponds – known as “sustainable urban drainage systems” – can be up to 80 per cent smaller than usual, leaving more land for development.

Edinburgh University is a long-standing partner in the development of ATS and became an investor in the company in December, when Apsu raised £250,000 to complete the project. Other investors included Fife-based Kapital Venture Equity, the Scottish Co-Investment Fund and a number of private shareholders.

Apsu began as two separate firms, Scottish Water Technology and Oil Remediation Technology, both founded by Robinson.