Signal Business Incubator: Protect Our Water

Compass TV’s Signal business show features local entrepreneurs through its Business Incubator series. This week, we speak with Giovanni Myrie-Smith and Tony McInerney from Protect Our Water.

Tell us the story of Protect Our Water

We first met through bible study and got talking. We work in different industries, including plumbing, and we started discussing the environment, wastewater treatment systems and what was already out there. We came across the Compass article, and that really kicked us off.

What is your product?

Protect Our Water is an early-stage project developing a biofiltration product to clean the wastewater that is discharged from our septic tanks.

The two main metrics used to measure wastewater effluent are BOD, which stands for biochemical oxygen demand, and TSS, which stands for total suspended solids. We are seeking to lower those numbers through biofiltration.

That means the water going into the deep well should be less toxic. It has already been treated through the septic system, but if you are not pumping your septic tank regularly enough, or for other reasons, the water leaving that system can be over Cayman’s 30/30 limit.

Our product can be retrofitted, so you do not have to dig up your yard. It is designed to work with existing septic infrastructure and help protect our groundwater.

Why does this matter for Cayman?

The Compass’s reporting showed that only one in four septic systems were meeting Cayman’s 30/30 standard. There are roughly 17,000 septic tanks in Grand Cayman. We believe that by God’s grace Cayman will continue to grow, with more homes being built, more visitors arriving and more wastewater going into the ground. Most of us have a septic tank. What goes in disappears, and we forget about it. But we all love our reefs and our water.

There are studies from the Florida Keys linking wastewater getting into the ground and seeping out into the reefs with coral damage. We do not want that here in Cayman.

This is not only for homes. The product could also be scaled for commercial systems. Schools, restaurants, hotels and larger properties all have bigger wastewater systems. Any development with over seven units has to have a treatment system, so there is a wider need.

Is this a Cayman-specific product?

It is designed for Cayman, but it is not limited to Cayman.

In Cayman, wastewater often goes through septic systems and then into deep wells. In other jurisdictions, septic systems may discharge to leach fields instead. Urban areas may have central sewage systems, but septic tanks are still widely used.

The long-term goal is to prove the product here and then look at markets including Guyana, Brazil and other places where septic systems are common.

What makes it stand out from the competition?

There are systems in Europe that are similar in nature, but they use different media. The filtration media we are using is part of what we are protecting through the patent process.

We are not the first to use biofiltration for septic sewage or wastewater treatment. But many competing systems are large external secondary polishers. You have your septic tank, and then the septic system goes into another large unit.

Our design is intended to fit inside your existing infrastructure. Until the patent process is further along, we are protecting the details of exactly how it looks and works. We understand the patent process can take about a year and a half, but protection can backdate to the application date.

We would probably manufacture the product here, although the filter housing may need to be outsourced. The aim is to use what we can locally and create something sustainable for Cayman.

How will Protect our Water make money?

We expect the business model to include installation and maintenance based on ongoing testing. Every household and every business is different. Septic tanks can range from around 1,000 gallons to much larger systems, but the key issue is how many people are using the property and how much water is going into the system.

Testing allows us to tell a homeowner or business whether the readings are good and the tank can be left alone, or whether the filter needs to be changed or if the tank needs to be pumped. We are looking at the system potentially lasting about five years before the media needs replacing, but testing will give us a better understanding of the replacement schedule.

What is the next stage of growth?

We are still pre-incorporation. We are planning to incorporate soon and apply for the necessary licences. At this stage, we are two people working on a project that we care about.

We’re currently building our prototype. With the necessary approval we will install three units in operational septic tanks and test Protect our Water to the 30/30 standard.

What type of investment are you looking for?

Right now, we are looking for a grant. We are seeking about $50,000 to $75,000, which would be used to complete and deploy our prototypes.

We have not shut down the idea of investment. If somebody wants to invest and have a discussion, that conversation can happen. But the next step we are looking for is grant funding.

For more information on this project and updates you can visit protectourwater.online.