Mike Pearce: Innovating Phosphorous Out of Water Supplies at SePRO

Mike Pearce: Innovating Phosphorous Out of Water Supplies at SePRO

A EutroSORB filter deployed at a discharge point.

Phosphorous, which is naturally occurring, can create toxic algae blooms in canals and reservoirs that degrade water quality and impair natural ecosystems. Fortunately, SePRO Corporation has developed a novel filter system that easily removes phosphorous from moving water. In this interview, SePRO’s Mike Pearce tells Municipal Water Leader about the problems phosphorous creates in water, how the company’s product helps remove it, and how the filter is helping to improve the outcomes of municipal and irrigation water infrastructure.

Municipal Water Leader: Tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.

Mike Pearce: I grew up in the state of Washington and graduated from Washington State University. I have worked with water my entire career, initially working for an irrigation district in southeastern Washington for more than 11 years. In 2011, I joined SePRO as a technical specialist in the Pacific Northwest. In 2017, I was appointed to the position of portfolio leader for algae and water quality solutions, which required me to move to SePRO’s headquarters in Carmel, Indiana. My family and I have really enjoyed the Midwest and Hoosier hospitality.

Municipal Water Leader: Please give us a quick introduction to SePRO.

Mike Pearce: SePRO is a research-based life sciences company. It was founded in 1994 by Bill Culpepper. As I mentioned, SePRO is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. We have a manufacturing and distribution facility and a 410‐acre research and technology campus in North Carolina. SePRO focuses on developing and bringing value-added products to support various markets such as aquatics, ornamentals, specialty ag, and turf and landscape.

Municipal Water Leader: Please tell us about the problem of phosphorus pollution and its effects.

Mike Pearce: Phosphorus pollution is widespread in U.S. water resources. From small ponds to the largest of lakes, it affects water quality throughout the country. Each month, tens of thousands of metric tons of phosphorus flow into the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River watershed. Currently, over 48,000 lakes are impaired by phosphorus pollution. Phosphorus is a key contributing factor to eutrophication, which is the overloading of water by nutrients. Excessive levels of phosphorus can put entire aquatic ecosystems at risk. Eutrophication can lead to harmful algal blooms, which can develop dangerous toxins that can put humans, wildlife, and local economies at risk.

Municipal Water Leader: How does EutroSORB differ from other phosphorus control technologies?

Mike Pearce: EutroSORB phosphorus filtration technology is a novel solution for filtering phosphorus from moving water. EutroSORB filters phosphorus, helps stop eutrophication, and protects water quality immediately. There are not many commercially available phosphorus mitigation technologies in the surface water market today. What makes EutroSORB distinctive is that it does not remain permanently in place or become part of the environment, as the filters are removed once the filter media has been exhausted. Another difference is that it only binds phosphorus, not heavy metals or toxins, so it can be safely discarded after use.

Municipal Water Leader: Would the filter be placed in a certain section of a pipeline or open channel?

Mike Pearce: EutroSORB filters can easily be placed in locations such as culverts, streams, creeks, canals, or elsewhere in moving water. They can also be placed in front of culverts and discharge locations and above the inlets and outlets of ponds and lakes. EutroSORB filters can also be placed around storm water drains to mitigate phosphorus that is flowing from system to system. EutroSORB filters should be placed and positioned to optimize the filter’s exposure to moving water. A general goal is to get as much water as possible to pass through the filter without backing the water up to a point of risk.

Municipal Water Leader: Are the customers for this product primarily in the municipal or irrigation markets?

Mike Pearce: Our consumers come from a variety of markets. Anybody that is involved with water resource management and has an interest in removing phosphorus from moving water should consider EutroSORB. We are helping municipalities, water resource managers, irrigation districts, and golf course superintendents protect and restore their water quality. Many local, state, and federal governments and agencies have phosphorus discharge limits they need to meet. EutroSORB can help them comply with those by lowering the phosphorus levels in the water as it comes and goes. At SePRO, we like to say, “Better water in, better water out.”

Municipal Water Leader: Please tell us about the installation process, the product’s maintenance needs, and how often the filters need to be switched out.

Mike Pearce: Each EutroSORB bag includes two 25‐pound filters. We can also make custom-size filters. To immediately begin removing phosphorus, you simply place a filter in flowing water—it is that simple. Depending on the site and the amount of water that you are applying the filters to, you may want to secure them so they stay in place and do not move downstream. That is about as complicated as the application process gets.

There are a lot of variables that come into play on the frequency of filter changes. As general guidance, leave the filters in place for up to 8 weeks or for the entire season. The filters can be rotated or changed out periodically to optimize binding capacity and phosphorus removal.

EutroSORB filters remove phosphorus from water, preventing eutrophication.

Municipal Water Leader: What do you do with the filters after they are used?

Mike Pearce: We are frequently asked that question by consumers. The exhausted filter media can be applied to turf or landscape bedding as a soil amendment—essentially recycling the phosphorus from the water to the soil. Because the filters do not bind toxins or heavy metals, they can easily be disposed of in a landfill as well.

Municipal Water Leader: Is this product already in use, and what results have your clients seen from it?

Mike Pearce: EutroSORB was made available to consumers in April. We are happy with the results and feedback received from the various water resource managers using EutroSORB. They have really enjoyed the simplicity of the technology. Collected data confirm that EutroSORB is an effective and efficient solution for removing phosphorus from moving water. One pound of phosphorus in water can support up to 500 pounds of algae, so removing excess phosphorus is critical to protecting water quality from the negative effects of eutrophication. We look forward to learning more from EutroSORB consumers as we move forward.

Mike Pearce is the portfolio leader for algae and water quality solutions at SePRO Corporation. He can be reached at mpearce@sepro.com.