Innovative water filtration solutions
eClean is dedicated to providing innovative solutions for cleaner water in urban and agricultural environments. Our advanced system removes nitrates and other contaminants, and our comprehensive water cleaning and monitoring solution ensures the highest level of water quality.
Bridging tradition and innovation for water purity
eClean combines over a decade of scientific research and Mātauranga Māori, championing water purification technology amid New Zealand's water quality challenges. Committed to sustainable practices, our bioreactor technology revitalizes the health of our waterways, reducing contaminates. In collaboration with local Māori STEM initiatives, eClean educates and engages communities, honouring traditional knowledge while advancing environmental solutions. Together, we’re dedicated to nurturing clean waters and fostering an understanding of ecological stewardship for a healthier planet.
eClean, TPE and Hugo Plastics joint venture for success
In early 2021, Ngarie embarked on an ambitious R&D journey with a vision to revolutionise bioreactor technology. She sought the expertise of TPE, a pivotal move that catalysed the production and development of the award winning prototypes. TPE's mastery in manufacturing and servicing laid the foundation for two cutting-edge products, setting the stage for a transformation in the industry. Fast forward to May 2022, a strategic alliance was born. TPE/Hugo Plastics and eClean joined forces in a JV partnership, combining the best of engineering prowess with unparalleled scientific research. This partnership demonstrates the fusion of industry expertise and scientific innovation – where the drive for scientific discovery meets industry expertise to push boundaries and redefine standards. eClean, with its focus on R&D, and TPE's multifaceted support, from engineering to marketing, are creating a legacy of innovation, proving that together we can build a smarter, cleaner future.
Meet our team
Get to know the talented individuals behind eClean.
Ko Tawhiti-nui-a-Paoa te maunga
Ko Waikawa te awa
Ko Te Whanau-a-Iritekura te hapū
Ngarie is driven in her research and engineering of cutting-edge research to continually improve water quality, control, and the restoration of our global waterways.
She is a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury, focusing her research on restoring traditional mahinga kai sites (Māori freshwater fish and food harvesting locations) by using a biological filter or bioreactor to enhance water quality and rejuvenate the Mauri and ecology of these sites.
Currently, Ngarie manages the lab and field trials of the eClean Bioreactor System, continually improving the product making it market-ready. Her days revolve around time in the lab or the stunning waterways in Otautahi, where she can be found collecting water samples, cleaning polluted waterways, riparian planting, and carrying out restoration tasks.
Simon Jones has been the diligent Managing Director at Thermoplastic Engineering Limited (TPE)/Hugo Plastics since 1995 and a majority shareholder from 1998. With a strong interest in ideas and concepts, he has steered TPE through many changes in the laboratory sector.
His early background in sales and the building industry lead to a successful career in sales, marketing and senior management with multi-national companies, and an MBA from Victoria University.
Simon has been involved with the plastics industry in various roles over a number of years and has a keen interest in ensuring TPE continues to design for a sustainable future. He has driven successful export sales into Asia with energy savings controllers, oversees TPE’s Australian operations, and is a director of a new joint venture, Opira Victoria Limited, which is based in Melbourne.
In addition to his passion for innovation, Simon enjoys spending time with his extensive extended family, is a keen weekend warrior on his mountain bike, and lives on a 40-hectare forestry block north of Wellington.
Hamish is head of Engineering at TPE, he works directly with eClean to provide a comprehensive engineering design and support.
Grant is the Head of Applied Sciences at Ara Institution of Canterbury and is a Project supervisor for the eClean research contract. Grant is a technical advisor on our projects and has years of experience in R and D activities and innovation.
Matt Pour is our technical advisor for the eClean projects under our current research contract at Ara. He is Jack's supervisor and is technical support on the engineering side of the projects.
Brooke is in her final year of studying a Bachelor of Lab Technology at Ara Institution of Canterbury. She has a passion for the environment and enjoys analytical chemistry.
Jack is a final year Engineering Student who is specialising in Civil and Water engineering. Jack works as our Engineering Intern and works directly with the TPE engineering team.
Tourley works directly with eClean to deliver the National role to put the eClean BR series to the agricultural sector here in New Zealand.
Iritekura has a background in Māori and Indigenous studies and is currently in her final year of Social Work at the University of Canterbury. She has worked as a field technician for eClean for the past three years and also helps with Iwi and community engagement for eClean.
Our journey towards cleaner water sources
Award winning start
2019/20 – Winner of University of Canterbury Entrepreneur Award 1st place for Business Start-Up
Lab set up
2020 – Set up a Laboratory at Ara
Started both laboratory and field trials at Avon River site
Pilot project launched
2021 – Wigram Retention Basin Pilot Project started
Successful funding
2022/23 – SFFF Funding for Hekeo Hinds Enhancement Pilot Project
New pilot project launched
2023 – Pilot project starts for HHEP Project
Industry recognition
2023 – Winner of National Fieldays Innovation Awards
Overseas interest
2023 – Represented in Thailand at Business Cohort Agri-tech Sector
Trusted by top universities and businesses across New Zealand
FAQs
Find answers to commonly asked questions about eClean, our products, and their environmental impact.
eClean has engineered microbiome technology which incorporates a blend of microbes, enzymes, and other living organisms to biologically filter and break down contaminants in water. This process effectively removes pollutants such as nitrates, E.coli, and heavy metals from water systems.
Yes, eClean's technology is versatile and can be implemented in both urban and agricultural settings. It is designed for use in farm drains, rivers, lakes, and other water bodies susceptible to point-source contamination.
Yes it is. eClean makes us of natural biological activities which requires less energy compared to conventional chemical or mechanical water treatment processes.
eClean's technology is designed to remove a broad spectrum of contaminants from waterways. These include:
- Nitrates: Significantly reduces nitrate levels, which are harmful to both aquatic life and human health when present in high concentrations.
- E. coli: Targets and reduces the presence of E. coli bacteria, a common indicator of water contamination and potential health risk.
- Heavy Metals: Efficiently removes heavy metals, which can be toxic to wildlife and humans even at low concentrations.
This range of contaminant removal capabilities highlights eClean's commitment to addressing various forms of water pollution, making water safer for both ecological systems and human use.
The eClean system has shown impressive performance metrics: it can remove up to 50% of E.coli, 50% of heavy metals, and up to 85% of nitrates after just a single pass, with the capacity to process between 80,000 to 150,000 litres of water per day. eClean is scaling up to process up to 1 million litres per day making it suitable for council projects.
Installation of eClean technology is straightforward – it is easy to set up and can be operational within hours. The system is designed to be simple to manufacture and deploy, which allows for quick installation across various locations.
The benefits of the eClean system include:
- Significant reduction in a variety of harmful contaminants in water.
- A scalable solution that can be deployed in various environments, from small farms to larger municipal waterways.
- Simple setup and operation, potentially leading to rapid deployment and scalability.
eClean is a water decontamination technology developed by eClean Envirotech, which makes use of an engineered microbiome technology to clean contaminated water systems effectively. Our goal is to provide innovative, biological solutions to tackle water pollution and improve water quality for different usage scenarios.
eClean, TPE and Hugo Plastics – a partnership of innovation
Thanks to our partnership, we were thrilled to be recognized as the Early-Stage Award Winner at the 2023 Fieldays Innovation Awards. This achievement highlights the significance of our collaboration and its impact on innovation.
Stay updated with our newsletter
Get the latest news on water cleaning technology.