Brooklyn Startup Cuts Wastewater Costs While Removing CO2

Wastewater treatment plants across America are struggling with a double crisis: aging systems that can barely keep up and treatment costs that have doubled in 20 years. Now a Brooklyn company called CREW Carbon has a surprisingly simple fix that solves both problems at once.

CREW just closed a $25 million funding round to expand their patented technology that helps wastewater plants do more with what they already have. Instead of expensive infrastructure overhauls, CREW adds alkaline minerals like calcium carbonate to optimize conditions in existing treatment processes.

The results are remarkable. Plants treating wastewater more effectively, using fewer chemicals, and running more efficiently. One utility is now considering deferring $350 million in planned upgrades because CREW's solution is working so well.

Here's the bonus: while improving wastewater treatment, the process permanently removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Those same minerals that help plants run better also lock away greenhouse gases in a measurable, verifiable way.

Since launching commercial operations in 2024, CREW has deployed at nearly 10 facilities across the US and Europe. Major companies like Google, JPMorgan, and Stripe have signed long-term agreements to buy carbon removal credits from CREW's process.

What makes this approach special is how practical it is. Utilities can plug CREW's technology into their current systems and see results within weeks. No massive construction projects, no years of permitting, no federal funding required.

The Ripple Effect

The wastewater industry treats billions of gallons daily at over 14,000 facilities nationwide. If CREW's approach scales across even a fraction of these plants, the impact multiplies fast: lower costs for ratepayers, better water quality, and significant carbon removal using infrastructure that already exists.

The funding round drew support from investors including Burnt Island Ventures, AP Ventures, and Sony Innovation Fund. CREW has also secured over $33 million in carbon removal agreements and won a $2.3 million award from Colorado's Clean Air Program.

The company is now hiring across multiple positions to meet growing demand from utilities nationwide. They're building an analytics platform to help wastewater facilities optimize operations even further.

Tom Ferguson from lead investor Burnt Island Ventures called CREW's results "jaw-dropping" for wastewater customers. The precision measurement of permanent carbon removal sets them apart in the carbon credit market, giving buyers confidence in what they're purchasing.

Sometimes the best climate solutions aren't flashy new technologies but smart improvements to systems we use every day.