Startup looks to solids removal, advanced oxidation in storm drains

An engineering doctoral student from Marquette University is developing a water treatment technology that would combine solids removal and advanced oxidation in low-footprint, decentralized stormwater systems.

According to a story by Anna Funk in Marquette Today, doctoral student Paige Peters has been working with Daniel Zitomer, chair and professor of civil, construction, and environmental engineering. Peters has also founded and now acts as chief technology officer for a startup dedicated to the idea: Rapid Radicals Technology.

“My goal had been to go to grad school for two years, to get my master’s and maybe to do international development work,” Peters tells Marquette Today. “I had not thought of getting my Ph.D. and starting a company and getting millions of dollars in grants — that was the furthest from reality to me.”

The company has now received massive funding through research grants, including $1 million from the National Science Foundation, $500,000 from both the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and the National Science Foundation, and $50,000 from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The company has also won several awards for its innovation.

Peters is working to scale up the technology and collect data on its performance.