Somerset Environmental News Releases:
Somerset Environmental Solutions Surpasses 5 Billion Gallons of Mine Water Treated at Colorado Remediation Site
Pennsylvania company commissions first commercial Gen3 Maelstrom Oxidizer® systems, building on nearly a decade of field operation
SEWICKLEY, Pa. — July 29, 2026 — Somerset Environmental Solutions, Inc. (“SES”) announced today that its Maelstrom Oxidizer® systems have treated more than 5 billion gallons of mine-impacted water at the Rico remediation site in Colorado since entering service in April 2016. The company also completed the installation and commissioning of two next-generation Gen3 Maelstrom Oxidizer systems at the site on July 17. The project marks the first commercial deployment of SES’s Gen3 platform and extends a field operating record spanning nearly a decade.
SES crew members at the Rico, Colorado site as the new Gen3 Maelstrom Oxidizer® systems begin operating, July2026. (Photo: Somerset Environmental Solutions)
“More than 5 billion gallons of operating history gives us a substantial foundation for Gen3,” said Peter J. Vuljanic, Vice President of Somerset Environmental Solutions. “The new systems incorporate what we have learned from nearly a decade of field operation at Rico, with improvements in treatment capacity, durability, service access and operating performance.
The two Gen3 systems provide combined peak treatment capacity of up to 1,500 gallons per minute. Under projected operating conditions, the Rico installation is expected to treat approximately 490 million gallons annually. At that rate, the systems could process approximately another 5 billion gallons over the next decade.
Nearly a Decade of Field Experience
Acid mine drainage and other forms of mine-impacted water can continue long after mining operations cease. As water moves through former mine workings and mineralized rock, it can carry dissolved metals into nearby streams and watersheds. Conventional treatment systems may require ongoing chemical addition to adjust water chemistry and support metals removal. The Maelstrom Oxidizer takes a different approach during the oxidation stage, using air to accelerate the conversion of dissolved metals into forms that can be separated from the water through downstream treatment processes.
SES’s previous-generation systems have operated at Rico since 2016. The accumulated operating experience from those systems directly informed the design of Gen3. Key Gen3 enhancements include:
- Durable HDPE construction engineered for extended service life in demanding field conditions
- Increased treatment capacity within a streamlined system configuration
- Upgraded blower silencing for quieter operation
- Improved access for inspection, servicing and maintenance
- Simplified field installation and commissioning
“Gen 3 reflects nearly a decade of work by the operators, engineers, field crews and project partners involved at Rico,” said Kenton Ganster, Business Development, Somerset Environmental Solutions. “That experience allowed us to design the new platform around actual site conditions and operating requirements rather than theoretical assumptions.”
From Field Performance to Broader Deployment
The Rico installation represents an important commercial milestone as SES expands the Maelstrom Oxidizer platform for mine-water remediation, environmental cleanup and industrial water-treatment applications.
Unlike a laboratory demonstration or short-duration pilot, the Rico operating record reflects continuous field use at a historic mining site in the Colorado mountains. SES believes that record provides a strong basis for customers and engineering firms evaluating treatment technologies for long-duration remediation projects.
“The most important measure of an environmental treatment system is how it performs over time in the field, with proven results,” Vuljanic said. “The Rico milestone demonstrates the durability of the platform and gives us confidence in the next generation of the technology.”
About Somerset Environmental Solutions, Inc.
Headquartered in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, Somerset Environmental Solutions designs, manufactures and supports aeration and oxidation systems for mine-water remediation and industrial water and wastewater treatment. Its patented Maelstrom Oxidizer® platform uses high-volume, low-pressure air to accelerate the oxidation of dissolved constituents in demanding treatment applications. SES supports customers from process design and equipment fabrication through commissioning, field service and lifecycle support.
Media Contact:
Kenton Ganster, Business Development
Somerset Environmental Solutions, Inc.
1606 Carmody Ct., Suite 201B
Sewickley, PA 15143
Email: [email protected]
Editor’s Note: High-resolution photographs and aerial footage of the Rico installation are available on request. Interviews with SES leadership can be arranged.