Pittsburgh-based Calgon Carbon said it would invest in a major expansion of drinking water carbon reactivation capacity at its Columbus, Ohio, plant.
The investment, valued at nearly $100 million, will add an additional 27 million pounds of annual drinking water carbon reactivation capacity at the plant. Operations from the investment are expected to begin in 2028. Officials with Calgon Carbon, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Co., Ltd., said the investment would position Calgon Carbon to meet customer demand driven by U.S. EPA PFAs regulations and the growing adoption of granular activated carbon as the treatment standard for municipal drinking water systems in the U.S.
“Calgon Carbon has spent more than 80 years building the technology, infrastructure, and expertise that make investments like this possible,” Steve Schott, president and CEO of Calgon Carbon, said. “Kuraray’s investment in our growth reflects their commitment to improve our living environment including pure water and clean air and the critical role activated carbon plays in treating drinking water. Our customers and communities are counting on us, and we are delivering.”
The Columbus plant, which holds NSF/ANSI Standard 61 certification for potable water reactivation, is one of a half dozen reactivation plants in the company’s network, officials said. The expansion adds two potable water kilns and supporting infrastructure, the company said, which will increase the facility’s capacity to serve municipal customers across the Midwest. Additional expansion at an 83-acre site in Moore, S.C. to expand drinking water carbon reactivation and serve customers in the Southeast is also planned.