Testing Smarter: How the CIWI-Go Helps Us Prove the Power of CIWI-Fe
At CIWI, we’re not just developing a product — we’re enabling a smarter, cleaner way to treat water. Over the past few months, we’ve been working closely with municipalities across the Netherlands to test our innovative CIWI-Fe technology using our portable lab setup: the CIWI-Go.
The CIWI-Go in the CIWI Water lab
From Real Wastewater to Real Results
With the CIWI-Go, we can bring our testing directly to the source. We collect real wastewater from water treatment plants, and then — either in our own lab or on-site — we produce and apply CIWI-Fe, our iron-based coagulant, using a miniature version of our production system. This approach lets us simulate real-world conditions and optimize performance for each specific case.
Proving Phosphate Removal
Phosphate removal is one of the most important — and most regulated — steps in wastewater treatment. Using CIWI-Fe, we’ve shown that we can match and sometimes exceed the performance of traditional chemicals like iron chloride. How? By producing pre-hydrolyzed iron salts or customized low-chlorine coagulants, we not only improve performance, but we help clients reduce chlorine introduction — which is crucial to meet new European regulations that limit chlorine discharges into surface water
DOC Removal That Measures Up
In addition to phosphates, we’ve also been testing the removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) — a key water quality parameter. We're proud to report that CIWI-Fe performs just as well as traditional iron chloride here too. With comparable removal rates and no need to transport bulk chemicals, the CIWI technology offers a compelling alternative
Why It Matters
European regulations are becoming stricter. There is increasing pressure to reduce chlorine emissions and to improve the ecological quality of our surface waters. This means wastewater treatment plants must look for cleaner, smarter alternatives to conventional chemicals.
That’s where CIWI-Fe comes in. Because we custom-produce our coagulants on-site, we can tailor them to specific water conditions — with less chlorine, better performance, and no need for bulk transport. Our approach supports treatment facilities in making the transition toward more sustainable practices, while also making their operations more resilient in the face of supply chain risks and changing regulations.
With the CIWI-Go, we can demonstrate this live — on-site, at a pilot scale, with real wastewater. No hypothetical scenarios. Just results.
A wastewater treatment plant