Axius Water: Smart Solutions for Nutrient Pollution 

In recent years, nutrient pollution has been in the spotlight—and for concerning reasons.  

While nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for healthy ecosystems, too much of a good thing can be harmful. When excess nutrients enter rivers, lakes, and coastal waters—often from agriculture, urban runoff, or aging infrastructure—they can trigger the rapid growth of harmful algal blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen in the water, damage aquatic habitats, and make it harder for cities to treat drinking water sourced from affected areas. 

Stormwater runoff is one culprit, washing fertilizers, pet waste, and other nutrient-rich pollutants from streets and fields into nearby waterways. In urban areas, leaky or broken sewer systems can add to the problem, sending untreated waste into streams and lakes. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified nutrient pollution as one of the most widespread, costly, and challenging environmental issues facing the country today. 

>> Visit Axius Water to learn more about nutrient pollution   

There’s good news: we have the tools to tackle this pressing problem. In late 2019, XPV Water Partners and the KKR Global Impact Fund established Axius Water, a company dedicated to combating nutrient pollution through advanced wastewater treatment solutions. 

Here’s how Axius Water is helping communities restore water quality—one smart step at a time. 

Solving complex challenges 

To protect vital water resources, governments across North America are putting increasingly stringent regulations into place. For example, since late 2010, municipalities and industrial facilities in Wisconsin face stricter phosphorus limits. 

Effective nutrient removal involves complex biological and chemical processes. Consulting engineers and their municipal and industrial clients rely on Axius Water experts to deliver solutions. These strategies consider factors such as site footprint, operational simplicity, energy efficiency, capital availability, and environmental conditions. 

Recently, a local Axius Water regional sales manager worked closely with a consultant partner to achieve a solution that addresses the new tighter restrictions on phosphorus and total dissolved solids (TDS). Together they found the right solution for the village of Denmark in Brown County, Wisconsin, a cold climate community of fewer than 3,000 residents facing stricter phosphorus and total suspended solids (TSS) limits. 

Like most small towns, resources are tight. The enhanced lagoon solution was accepted by Denmark in April 2024 which required no additional operational staff, fits within the existing footprint, and will be fully operational even in the dead of winter. The solution includes a chemical dosing pump paired with a Nexom*, BluePro reactive sand filter.  

Big cities are also doing their part to tackle nutrient pollution. On the other end of the spectrum, the New York City (NYC) Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) uses EOSi*’s MicroC® premium nonhazardous supplemental carbon sources to lower nitrogen levels and clean local waterways. 

Dosing EOSi MicroC® 2000 to the existing wastewater treatment process allows NYC to achieve its nutrient limits and prevents 3.15 million kilograms of nitrogen from entering Long Island Sound, Jamaica Bay, and other waterways each year. This reduces the formation of algae and eutrophication, or dead zones, at the watershed level, which results in a healthier ecosystem.  

DEP operates 14 wastewater treatment facilities that treat an average of 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater daily. Six of these facilities dose MicroC® 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The health of Long Island Sound and Jamaica Bay is improving, and wildlife and fisheries are rebounding along with increased recreational use of the City’s waterways. 

A suite of solutions for every situation 

When communities both big and small face strict nutrient limits, the more than 400 experts at Axius Water companies bring deep knowledge, proven technologies, and flexible strategies to help lagoon and mechanical treatment plants meet current and future regulatory requirements.  

Through 14,000+ projects, Axius Water has helped its customers achieve their goals, protecting our shared resources and preventing one billion pounds of nutrients from polluting waterways to date. 

*EOSi and Nexom are Axius Water brands 

Heading to WEFTEC 2025? Visit the Axius Water companies at Booth 3813.