Xylem Wins the Contract. Water Wins the Argument.

Xylem will design, build, and operate advanced water reuse systems at Dow's Fort Saskatchewan complex, targeting operations by August 2028

23 Jun 2026

Xylem has agreed to design, build and operate water reuse systems at Dow's industrial complex in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, in a deal announced on 8 June 2026. Full operations are targeted for August 2028.

Treated process water will be routed back into Dow's production cycle rather than drawing from freshwater sources. At a site of Fort Saskatchewan's scale, that represents a material reduction in resource demand from one of North America's larger chemical manufacturing facilities.

Rodney Aulick, executive vice-president and president of Water Solutions and Services at Xylem, described the deal as significant in scope. "This agreement represents a major milestone for Xylem," he said, adding that "it reflects the strength of our long-standing relationship with Dow and the deep trust we've built."

Under a design-build-operate model, Xylem assumes technical and operational responsibility for the reuse systems, leaving Dow's teams to concentrate on core production. Such arrangements shift complexity to specialists, a model gaining traction as industrial operators face tighter water regulations and greater scrutiny from investors over supply chain risk.

Freshwater availability is becoming a material concern for energy-intensive industries operating across North America. Facilities in regions where access is not guaranteed face growing pressure to reduce consumption and limit discharge volumes. Fort Saskatchewan's project offers one workable response.

Commissioning remains two years away, giving both companies time to calibrate system performance. Should the project meet its targets, it may serve as a reference point for similar facilities weighing integrated reuse as a longer-term operational strategy.