Clearwater Controls gets second round of funding for pipe-clearing tech

UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE) originally supported Clearwater’s ‘Deragger’ solution for clearing wastewater pumps with a six-figure deal in 2017. This new funding, also in the six figures, will support the product’s largest trial yet in the US.

The Deragger monitors pumps in real time and engages a cleaning cycle when it detects a blockage, preventing a complete failure and the need for manual intervention. The company claims that the device pays for itself in a matter of months and that it can improve electrical efficiency by up to 48%.

In the next trial, the Deragger will be piloted on a complete, self-contained network in the US. This test will see the device installed on over forty pumps that feed one treatment works, with data being gathered simultaneously from the system.

A representative for UKSE said that, while the pump has previously only been used on pumps prone to blockages, the trial offered an opportunity for the Deragger to perform at a system-wide level and in a preventative capacity. They added that, if the test goes well, they expect to see a dramatic increase in adoption.

UKSE says that its backing will also help open up opportunities for Clearwater in Australia for similar programmes.

A subsidiary of Tata Steel, UKSE invests in businesses located in former steel-producing communities to aid development.