One of the Nation`s First ARRA Funded Project Breaks New Ground in WWTP Sustainability

* Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:04pm EDT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(Business Wire)--
In a special ground breaking ceremony held on October 2, 2009, federal, state,
and local government agencies joined together to announce more than $16 million
in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to improve the
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Berlin, Maryland. 

The improvements to the city of Berlin`s WWTP are designed to dramatically
increase biological nutrient removal, which is of particular importance to the
area`s public waters, and to improve the overall sustainability of the facility.


As part of the facility upgrade, Parkson will install two of its THERMO-SYSTEM
Active Solar Sludge Drying Chambers. The THERMO-SYSTEM chambers will allow the
facility to dry the biosolids that are a natural part of the plant`s treatment
process and have the capability to cost-effectively turn them into a beneficial
Class A product for use as a fuel source or soil amendment. Most importantly,
the THERMO-SYSTEM chambers are capable of reducing the weight and volume of the
biosolids by up to 75% using solar energy to provide over 90% of the energy
needed in the drying process. 

According to Mark Prouty, Senior Project Manager for URS Corporation,
Wilmington, Delaware office (the consulting engineer for the Berlin WWTP
project), "We looked at many biosolids drying solutions, but our goal was to put
Berlin in the position of having numerous options for the use or disposal of the
biosolids from their plant.With Parkson`s system, all of the options are open,
including soil amendment applications and as a fuel source for equipment such as
lime kilns.One of the attractions of the THERMO-SYSTEM is its solar-based
approach to drying the biosolids and its ability to use a free renewable energy
source - the sun.Even if the facility chooses to transport the dried biosolids
to a landfill site, the THERMO-SYSTEM will significantly reduce the volumes that
have to be transported.It is the solar-based drying approach in particular that
aligns directly with the sustainable objectives at the Berlin facility."

"We are proud to participate in the improvements being made at the Berlin
facility because we are able to bring a technology to the project that truly
helps the Berlin facility become more sustainable and allows the facility to
mitigate biosolids handling problems and costs for decades into the future.It is
reassuring to know that by harnessing the power of the sun we are playing an
important role in converting a waste by-product into a valuable fuel or soil
amendment," commented Zain Mahmood, President and CEO of Parkson Corporation.
"We see this technology as a genuine contribution to a sustainable future for us
all, which is one of the most important results that we can deliver to the world
today and to future generations."

About Parkson Corporation:

With 25,000 global installations and a collective 1,600 years of employee
engineering experience, Parkson Corporation is a leading provider of advanced
solutions in water recycling and treatment and is committed to providing clean
water for the world. In 50 years of existence, Parkson has treated over 7
trillion gallons of water. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, with offices in
Chicago, Montreal, Dubai and partners in Latin America, India and China, Parkson
is an Axel Johnson Inc. company. To learn more, visit www.parkson.com.

For Parkson Corporation
Global Marketing Leader
Stephanie Martins, 954-935-6237
smartins@parkson.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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