Greentech Lead America: Xylem, a company specializing in water/wastewater treatment technologies, has been awarded a $617,000 contract from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) for five marine monitoring buoys that will collect high-quality data for researchers studying climate change in the Caribbean Sea, including the waters of Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago.
The customized solar powered YSI EMM2000 buoys will measure, record, and transmit in real-time meteorological and water quality data as the key components of a Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS).
The YSI EMM2000 technology provides the right solution to protect the valuable coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, said Chris McIntire, president of Xylem Analytics. “
Coral reefs play an extremely important role in the Caribbean economy for tourism, as well as food production and food security. The regions’ reefs have been impacted by rising sea temperatures and pollution. Long-term monitoring of environmental conditions in the Caribbean will help researchers track the health of the reefs, among the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet.
The CCCCC will work with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and YSI to install and operate this network, beginning in spring 2013.
Xylem has a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater problems. Xylem has earned revenues of $3.8 billion in 2011 and has employed 12,500 employees worldwide. In 2012, Xylem was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for advancing sustainable business practices and solutions worldwide.