Microvi MNE™ Biocatalyst Featured in Landmark AWWA Manual M80: Biological Drinking Water Treatment

Microvi’s cost-effective MNE™ nitrate biosolution for Sunny Slope Water Company (Pasadena, CA) selected as a case study in the first-ever comprehensive guide to biological drinking water treatment

HAYWARD, CA (September 18, 2025) – Microvi Biotech Inc. today announced that its MicroNiche Engineering™ (MNE) biocatalyst technology has been featured in the newly published American Water Works Association (AWWA) Manual of Practice M80: Biological Drinking Water Treatment – the first comprehensive guide of its kind for the drinking water industry. Microvi’s inclusion represents a significant industry validation of its proprietary MNE™ platform as a proven, next-generation biosolution for nitrate treatment in drinking water.

The featured chapter presents a real-world case study from Sunny Slope Water Company in Pasadena, California, where Microvi’s compact MNE™ biocatalyst system successfully achieved reliable nitrate removal without the high costs or waste streams associated with conventional treatment approaches. The chapter was co-authored by Ali Dorri, Vice President of Business Development, and Ameen Razavi, Chief Innovation Officer at Microvi Biotech.

Nitrate contamination in drinking water is a growing global public health crisis, affecting nearly one billion people worldwide. As nitrate exceedances increase—driven by agricultural runoff, groundwater depletion, and tightening regulatory standards—water utilities face mounting pressure to find treatment solutions that are both effective and economically viable. Traditional approaches such as reverse osmosis (RO) and ion exchange, while proven, are often prohibitively costly, energy-intensive, and generate significant waste streams that create additional disposal burdens.

Microvi’s MNE™ biocatalyst takes a fundamentally different approach. By leveraging precision biology and advanced material science, the compact MNE™ system converts nitrate directly into harmless nitrogen gas through a natural biological process—eliminating the need for costly secondary waste streams and dramatically reducing operational complexity. Unlike conventional systems, Microvi’s biocatalyst maintains a high-density, controlled population of microorganisms within a proprietary composite material, delivering consistent, high-performance treatment within a significantly smaller footprint.

“Seeing Microvi’s MNE™ technology recognized in AWWA’s first-ever manual on biological drinking water treatment is a profound milestone for our team and for the industry as a whole. This publication confirms what utilities implementing our technology have experienced firsthand—that biological treatment is not only viable for drinking water, but is often the most sustainable and cost-effective path forward.”

— Dr. Fatemeh Shirazi, CEO, Microvi Biotech Inc.

For water utilities, the practical benefits of Microvi’s MNE™ solution translate directly to lower lifecycle costs, minimal residual waste, and consistently high-quality treated water—all within a smaller physical footprint than conventional technologies. Microvi’s modular and scalable bioreactor systems are deployable across a wide range of utility sizes and site configurations, offering a commercially viable path for communities facing nitrate challenges.

Microvi extends its gratitude to AWWA, the manual’s editorial team, and all contributing authors for advancing this milestone resource for the drinking water community. AWWA Manual M80 represents the industry’s most authoritative guidance to date on biological drinking water treatment—covering aerobic and anoxic systems, water reuse applications, and real-world implementation case studies. Microvi is honored to contribute to this effort to elevate biological treatment as a cornerstone of sustainable, next-generation water infrastructure.

Microvi remains committed to the global movement for clean water—scaling proven biological solutions to meet the growing regulatory, environmental, and public health challenges facing drinking water utilities worldwide.

###

About AWWA

Founded in 1881, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world. Its membership includes more than 4,300 utilities that supply roughly 80 percent of North America’s drinking water and treat nearly half of its wastewater. AWWA’s 50,000 members represent the full spectrum of the water community—water and wastewater systems, environmental advocates, scientists, academics, and others committed to advancing water as a vital public resource. Learn more at www.awwa.org.

About Microvi Biotech Inc.

Microvi Biotech Inc. is an applied biotechnology company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that develops and commercializes next-generation biosolutions for critical challenges in water, wastewater, climate, and environmental sustainability. Powered by its proprietary MicroNiche Engineering™ (MNE) platform, Microvi delivers proven, high-performance biosolutions worldwide—reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste while increasing productivity and cost-efficiency for its customers. Microvi’s scalable biosolutions are deployed globally across diverse sectors, delivering disruptive economic value for industry partners and contributing to a cleaner environment and healthier communities. Learn more at www.microvi.com.

Media Contact

Microvi Marketing

info@microvi.com

+1 (510) 344-0668