Company Website:
http://www.xyleminc.com
RYE BROOK, N.Y. -- (Business Wire)
Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company
dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues,
congratulates Hayley Todesco of Canada, the winner of the 2014 Stockholm
Junior Water Prize (SJWP), the most prestigious international student
competition for water-related research.
The award was presented to Ms. Todesco at the annual World Water Week
celebration in Stockholm for her work focused on the effectiveness of
the non-traditional use of slow sand filers on contaminated water in oil
sands tailing ponds. Xylem has been a global sponsor of the award for 16
years, which draws entries from students in more than 30 countries.
The winning project identified how slow sand filters newly applied as
biofilm bioreactors to biodegrade toxic napthenic acids were found to
prevent more pollution of ground/surface water resources in the oil
sands region. Todesco’s method proved to treat wastewater more
efficiently, cost-effectively and sustainably than typical planktonic
batch culture bioreactors, as the sand filters grow bacteria that
effecively break down toxic waste.
H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presented Todesco with the
prize of $15,000 and for the first time this year, the winner’s school
will receive $5,000.
“Finding solutions to challenging global water issues is our company’s
focus. Enlisting the next generation of scientists, engineers, educators
and practitioners is one way we are confident we will succeed,” said
Patrick Decker, president and chief executive officer of Xylem. “For the
sixteenth consecutive year, we have supported Stockholm International
Water Institute, the Stockholm Junior Water Prize and students from
around the world, whose intellectual capabilities and desire to make a
difference are truly impressive. We applaud their efforts and look
forward to their continued success and contributions to the water
industry.”
The selection jury also awarded a Diploma of Excellence to Orawan
Thasanabenjakul, Pannawat Peanjad and Natthanicha Jairungsri from
Thailand for a project focused on transforming wastewater generated
during the production of raw natural rubber sheets to a valuable
bio-plastic. The innovation found a 95.15 percent reduction in the
amount of wastewater created during production by synthesizing the
wastewater into gelatinous bacterial cellulose, which exhibits
properties similar to petroleum-based plastic. The winners of the
Diploma of Excellence will receive an award of $3,000.
The international SJWP is presented each year to students between the
ages of 15 and 20 for outstanding water-related projects that focus on
topics of environmental, scientific, social or technological importance.
Teams from 29 countries competed for the international honor, which was
awarded by an international jury of water professionals and scientists.
The prize is administered by the Stockholm International Water Institute.
About Xylem
Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology provider, enabling
customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public
utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and
agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150
countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its
people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding
local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater
problems. Xylem is headquartered in Rye Brook, New York, with 2013
revenues of $3.8 billion and more than 12,500 employees worldwide. Xylem
was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the last two
years for advancing sustainable business practices and solutions
worldwide.
The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that
transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of
our water-centric business by linking it with the best water
transportation of all -- that which occurs in nature. For more
information, please visit us at www.xylem.com.
Contacts:
Xylem Inc.
Jennifer Jacob, +1-914-323-5745
jennifer.jacob@xyleminc.com
Source: Xylem Inc.
© 2024 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.