NEWS RELEASE
Drinking Water Trial in Australia saves 31% of Evaporation
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, May 23, 2006 – FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL, INC. (AMEX: FSI, FRANKFURT: FXT) Today the Company announced results from a potable water trial of it’s WaterSavr™ product on an Australian reservoir used to store drinking water. FSI is the developer and manufacturer of cost-effective, environmentally safe, biodegradable, and patented water technologies. FSI’s evaporation control products are used to reduce water loss in arid climates, reduce energy loss from public and private swimming pools and cause spreading of desired particles across water surfaces. The Company’s bio-polymers are utilized in agricultural nutrient availability, oil industry scale prevention and as suspension agents in the detergent industry.
The month-long trial was conducted on two identical side-by-side reservoirs operated by the Coliban Water Authority in the state of Victoria. One reservoir received 0.44 pounds per acre (500 grams per hectare) of WaterSavr™ every day while the adjacent one was untreated as a control. Weather conditions and all other parameters were the same for both water storages.
Nylex’s Mr. Mason states, “WaterSavr™ has proven to be a practical and highly effective evaporation reduction tool. Regular application with the “set and forget” OFB applicator has achieved evaporation savings of up to 50% and, if applied to Coliban Water’s entire 1,200 hectares of water storage, could save a staggering 10,800,000 cubic meters per annum (based on 1800 mm per year of evaporation which is low for Australia) – equivalent to 5400 Olympic swimming pools of water every year. The product can also conserve water in irrigation supply channels in areas where evaporation rates can be twice as high as Coliban Water Authority experiences”.
The study, carried out by NYLEX AUSTRALIA’S Innovative Product Manager, Brendan Mason and David Verlee of Flexible Solutions in conjunction with the Coliban Water Authority, resulted in an average reduction in water evaporation loss of 31%. In two weeks of the trial, water evaporation savings in excess of 50% were recorded. Application took place over a three-week period, on two 4-hectare (10 acre) dams at Korong Vale, Victoria. A preliminary week with no WaterSavr™ on either reservoir was used to to confirm a baseline. The uniqueness of this trial was that the size and shape of the two potable water reservoirs were identical. In the trial, only 500 grams per hectare of WATERSAVR™ was applied to one dam each day using the automatic dispensing machine, while the adjacent dam was observed without WATERSAVR™.
Mr. Daniel B. O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Flexible Solutions, states “This trial reconfirms the many others conducted throughout the world over the last four years. We expect that Nylex Water Solutions will be able to use this success to close significant sales in Australia over the next six weeks with delivery scheduled to coincide with the new dry season in September. The Flexible Solutions sales team will use this significant trial on potable water to augment their efforts to close sales in other countries.”
WaterSavr™, is an innovative product that reduces water evaporation by up to 50%. WaterSavr™ is manufactured by Canadian environmental technology company, Flexible Solutions Ltd, and is exclusively distributed in Australia by Nylex Water Solutions.
WaterSavr™ is a patented hydrated fine granulated lime powder product with hydroxy-alkanes that is applied to the surface of water. Its clever formula allows for ionic repulsion forces to “self-spread” the hydroxy-alkanes, resulting in a mono-molecular film on the surface of the water that effectively reduces evaporation.
WaterSavr™ can be applied to water reservoirs, lakes, ponds, channels, dams and slow moving rivers. It is easily applied in powder form. It reforms if wind or wave action disrupts coverage. It is environmentally benign due to the biodegradability of the film components – it works without effecting alkalinity or dissolved oxygen levels.
WaterSavr™ is composed of food-grade ingredients and is potably approved – it degrades into water and air in 2-4 days and can be reapplied as required. Nylex and Flexible Solutions worked with Australian manufacturing organization, OFB Pty Ltd, to develop an automatic spreading machine that can be used to distribute the powder. This allows the powder to be applied to the water anywhere and at anytime without human involvement.
WaterSavr is an environmentally friendly, patented, evaporation reduction powder that self spreads to create a one molecule thick layer on the water surface. WaterSavrä has been proven effective in trials conducted around the world that have resulted in average water savings of 30%. WaterSavr™ has been certified by the United Nations Environmental Program, The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and meets drinking water standards of the America National Standard Institute (ANSI).