Analyst Alerts that jumped out to me this week are:
Aquatech takes in an investment from Cerberus Capital Management
Why I find this interesting:
Aquatech is increasingly taking a creative role in the visioning and co-creation of projects and embracing business model innovation, including Technology-As-a-Service, and also, partnering to deliver some pretty complex end-to-end industry leading projects, including the Green Steel project with Stegra in Sweden. The access to capital from Cerberus Capital Management allows them to pursue this strategy more aggressively. They have a very wide portfolio of technologies (check out Qua Group), they have the experience of delivering large complex projects – going back to their roots in Power ZLD. Aquatech has always had an entrepreneurial and risk taking gene. The tolerance for risk, balanced against their experience in executing complex capital projects. The range of projects tackled is wide, and includes oil field water management for Aramco, seawater desalination for a large copper mine in Latin America, lithium carbonate projects and the partnership with AECOM on PFAS.
This is all part of an increasing trend among solutions providers to become more imaginative and creative especially in industrial projects.
Utah Bans Fluoride in Drinking Water
Why I find this interesting?
I find it interesting, that people find this controversial and objectionable. The primary mechanism of action of fluoride is as a topical application, in direct contact with teeth, where it leads to the formation of fluorapetite which is more resistant to acid decay. Its systemic function, by enteric uptake in the gut once swallowed, is a minor supporing role. This means, it primarily works while water is swilling around in our mouths around our teeth when we drink tap water. For the vast majority of water uses, it is of absolutely no benefit whatsoever and its ridciulous to have fluoride present. It’s burning the house to roast the pig.
Add to this the fact that almost all toothpastes contain fluoride and that less and less people drink tap water without filtering it and it really starts to look absurd.
I just finished the book The Taste of Water, about the industialisation of ‘manufactured water’ that purifies, but also eliminates any taste linked to where the water comes from and makes it a very generic commodity. Maybe adding fluoride was an orignal ‘designer water’ but it seems outdated now.
Add to this the issue of Tri halo methanes:
A recent Environmental Working Group report reveals that over 122 million Americans were exposed to unsafe levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water between 2019 and 2023.
These are formed from the reaction of chlorine and organic matter, and are carcinogens. (AMS have an online THM analyzer designed to control THM formation).
The weighing scales are getting closer to a tipping point on tap water quality.
