ClearWater Raises Bar on Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Standards

ClearWater Solutions (CWS), a nationally recognized water and wastewater management provider, is elevating industrial pretreatment standards through the leadership of Environmental Engineer Adam Bonomo. This highly regulated field serves as a critical bridge between municipalities and private industries, ensuring that industrial wastewater undergoes proper chemical and physical treatment before reaching municipal treatment plants. Bonomo describes industrial pretreatment as a complex but essential niche that protects infrastructure, water resources, employees, and communities. The company operates at the intersection of public utilities and private industry, developing and managing permits that define safe discharge limits in accordance with federal, state, and local pretreatment regulations under the Clean Water Act framework.

Bonomo's comprehensive role spans the full spectrum of pretreatment services, from analyzing industrial processes and characterizing waste streams to supporting ongoing compliance, monitoring, and reporting. His current projects demonstrate ClearWater's diverse expertise, including optimizing metal removal processes for Sierra Bullets in Sedalia, Missouri, and managing wastewater plant operations in Ellijay, Georgia, where the team addresses challenges from a major poultry processing facility. The company also oversees complex systems like Nissan's dedicated wastewater treatment in Decherd, Tennessee, ensuring proper handling of water containing heavy metals. With industrial categories such as metal finishing, food manufacturing, and automotive production representing the largest sources of regulated discharges, ClearWater's pretreatment expertise has become increasingly valuable in today's regulatory landscape.

CEO Paul Quentel acknowledges Bonomo's crucial contributions, noting that this component of their business puts ClearWater "ahead of the curve" in addressing wastewater challenges. Beyond field operations, Bonomo has expanded into education and outreach, speaking at regional and state-level conferences to help industry professionals navigate the pretreatment process. As demand for qualified pretreatment professionals continues to outpace supply, ClearWater's programs stand out as benchmarks for compliance, collaboration, and innovation. The company's approach not only solves immediate challenges but helps clients build knowledge to prevent future problems, positioning ClearWater Solutions as a leader in sustainable water management through their comprehensive pretreatment initiatives.