Case Study: Illinois City reduces waste and meets radium regulations with Kurita America’s HMO water treatment system

Illinois city cuts backwash water use by 50% with Kurita America

A city in Illinois needed to replace its aging reverse osmosis water treatment system, which was used to remove the primary contaminant radium. The city faced challenges with waste volume, operational burden, and life cycle costs. They partnered with Kurita America, operating through its Tonka Water brand, to design a new high-efficiency groundwater treatment system.

Kurita America implemented an integrated system using hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) technology for radium removal, a packed aerator, a horizontal pressure filter, and a smaller reverse osmosis system. This solution significantly reduced the volume of waste produced and decreased the amount of treatment chemicals required. The new system designed by Kurita America met all regulatory requirements for safe drinking water while reducing capital and operational costs for the city.