Can Smart Sponge® be used with equipment we already own?

Yes. Bulk Smart Sponge® media can be integrated into compatible existing vessels and treatment systems, allowing facilities to add treatment without purchasing an entirely new system.

Do we need to purchase the treatment equipment?

Not necessarily. Abtech can support both equipment-based solutions and treatment-as-a-service models depending on the application.

Does the Smart Skid provide live monitoring?

Yes. Smart Skids can incorporate instrumentation, controls and PLC functionality to support system monitoring and integration with existing operations.

What maintenance does Smart Sponge® require?

Maintenance primarily involves monitoring media performance and replacing media as it reaches capacity. Abtech can help establish an appropriate monitoring and changeout schedule based on the application.

What happens to captured contaminants?

Contaminants remain captured within the treatment media. Appropriate handling and disposal depend on the contaminants present and applicable regulatory requirements. Abtech can help customers evaluate the appropriate media management approach for their application.

Wastewater

Municipal & Industrial Wastewater Management

Your wastewater treatment system gets you close. Smart Sponge® helps get you to your limit.

Abtech Smart Sponge® media complements existing municipal and industrial wastewater treatment systems to help facilities meet discharge and reuse requirements, improve treatment performance and reduce operational burden.

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The Wastewater Challenge

Higher water-quality demands are putting more pressure on existing treatment systems.

Wastewater facilities face increasingly stringent water-quality requirements while managing operating costs, maintenance and downtime. Industrial systems can be challenged by fouling, clogging and chemical demand, while municipal facilities may need additional polishing to meet discharge limits.

Smart Sponge®
Sediment & TSS
Targets suspended solids and sediment through a high-porosity structure designed to capture particulates while maintaining flow and reducing maintenance demands.
Smart Sponge®
Hydrocarbons & oil
Captures oil, grease, and hydrocarbons that contribute to sheens and degraded water quality.
Smart Sponge® HM
Heavy metals
Targets lead, iron, arsenic, selenium, zinc, copper, and other metals using contaminant-specific media.
Smart Sponge® HM
Nutrients
Helps reduce nutrient loading associated with harmful algal blooms and impaired waterways.
Smart Sponge® AC
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
Adsorbs dissolved and suspended organic compounds that contribute to elevated TOC, helping improve water quality and support discharge and treatment objectives.
Smart Sponge® Plus
Bacteria
Targets E. coli and coliform to support safer discharge and receiving-water quality.
Smart Sponge® Quanta™
PFAS
Engineered to capture per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds from contaminated water.

The Abtech Solution

Add treatment where your system needs it most.

Smart Sponge® can be incorporated at different points within an existing wastewater treatment train depending on the application.

Pretreatment

Install Smart Sponge® upstream of membranes or filters to remove suspended solids and targeted contaminants that can contribute to fouling and clogging.

Potential benefits: longer run times, reduced cleaning and more efficient downstream treatment.

Post-Treatment & Polishing

Deploy Smart Sponge® downstream of DAF units or other treatment processes to further reduce specific contaminants before discharge or reuse.

Potential benefits: additional contaminant removal without replacing the primary treatment process.

Complement Chemical Treatment

Installing Smart Sponge® can provide an additional physical treatment step that may help reduce reliance on incremental chemical addition in certain applications.

Potential benefits: simpler operations and reduced chemical handling and costs.

Wastewater Deployment Options

Flexible Deployment. Minimal Disruption.

Abtech solutions are designed to integrate into existing wastewater treatment systems, whether you need a complete treatment platform or Smart Sponge® media for equipment already in place.

Flexible media for larger treatment systems

Bulk Smart Sponge® Media

Available in the quantity you need for integration into pressure vessels, skids, tanks, vaults and other treatment systems.

Smart Sponge® Quanta™ — PFAS
Smart Sponge® — Hydrocarbons & oil
Smart Sponge® HM — Heavy metals & phosphorus
Smart Sponge® Plus — Bacteria
Smart Sponge® AC — Dissolved organics

Water Treatment delivered in Vessels

Vessels

Smart Sponge® media can be delivered in Abtech’s large vessels or installed in pre-existing vessels onsite.

Can accommodate a wide range of flow rates and operating pressures
Designed for easy integration into pre-existing systems
Designed for quick and efficient media replacement

Full water treatment system delivered as one unit

Smart Skid

Smart Sponge® media delivered in skid-mounted pressure vessels for easy system integration.

Can accommodate a wide range of flow rates and operating pressures
Designed for easy integration into pre-existing systems
Installed with pumps, pressure and flow controls

Learn more about our filtration media and deployment options.

Two Wastewater Environments

Different Wastewater Systems. Different Treatment Roles.

Industrial and municipal facilities face different operational challenges, so Smart Sponge® is deployed differently based on where targeted treatment can add the most value.

Municipal Wastewater

Effluent limits. Nutrient reduction. Bacteria control. Existing treatment infrastructure. Limited appetite for major plant modifications.

Use Abtech solutions as a polishing step downstream of existing treatment processes to target phosphorus, E. coli, coliform and other pollutants before discharge or reuse.

Explore Municipal Wastewater Solutions

Industrial Wastewater

Variable influent quality. Membrane fouling. Filter clogging. Chemical demand. Downtime and operating costs matter.

Use Abtech solutions for pretreatment, targeted contaminant removal, or final polishing to protect downstream equipment, improve treatment efficiency and help meet discharge or reuse requirements.

Explore Industrial Wastewater Solutions

Performance Advantages

Treatment without creating another operational headache.

Smart Sponge® systems are designed to integrate efficiently into existing wastewater operations.

Smart Sponge® treatment vessels on a skid, installed outside a water treatment site

High flow capability

Porous media supports high treatment flow rates.

Low differential pressure

Designed to maintain flow with minimal pressure loss across the media.

Simple media changeout

Scheduled vessel swaps can simplify maintenance and minimize downtime.

Small footprint

Add treatment capacity without requiring significant additional plant space.

Scalable configuration

Add vessels or treatment stages as flow and contaminant requirements change.

FAQs

Yes. Multiple media types or treatment stages can be configured within a treatment train to address different contaminants based on the application.

Municipal & Industrial Wastewater Management

Higher water-quality demands are putting more pressure on existing treatment systems.

Sediment & TSS

Hydrocarbons & oil

Heavy metals

Nutrients

Total Organic Carbon (TOC)

Bacteria

PFAS