A Legacy Of Clean Water

By Stacey Pineau, LuminUltra Technologies Ltd.

Helping to maintain clean water is part of the Whalen family history, a story that begins in the mid-1990s with a father’s fervent belief that his research could make a difference and his son’s intense desire to ensure it did.

Their legacy is the firm LuminUltra. Today, the company’s water monitoring technology provides the first line of defense for thousands of municipalities and companies around the world. But, in 1995, chemical engineer Phil Whalen and microbiologist Jim Cairns were just starting to explore new concepts in biological wastewater treatment applications. Supporting them in their efforts was Phil’s son, Pat, who says he grew up in the lab, solving chemical and biological problems involving water and wastewater treatment.