Oregon student wins United States Stockholm Junior Water Prize, will participate in international competition

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 17, 2013-- Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company focused on addressing the world’s most challenging water issues, congratulates Anirudh Jain of Portland, Oregon on his selection as the 2013 winner of the United States Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) – the world’s most prestigious youth award for water-related science and technology projects.

Jain’s project, “Use of Sulfidation as a Novel Method for Reducing the Toxicity of Silver Nanoparticle Pollution,” examined use of sulfidation as a viable approach to reduce the toxicity of silver nanoparticle pollution during wastewater treatment. The project received top honors out of the 48 state entries at the national competition held in Portland, Oregon on June 14 – 15. In September, Jain will represent the United States at the International Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in Stockholm, Sweden, where he will compete with 30 other students from around the world for the honor.

In addition, Jain will receive a $10,000 scholarship, the opportunity to present his research to water quality professionals at the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) 86th annual technical exhibition and conference in October, and his school will receive a $1,000 grant toward enhancing water science education. This year, SJWP has increased the scholarship amount awarded to the U.S. national winner to $10,000 to help elevate the importance of water research and education to the nation’s audience of high school students.

Xylem has been a sponsor of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize for the past 15 years and was a leading voice in its creation. Through its corporate citizenship and social investment program, Xylem Watermark, Xylem is working to make a sustainable mark in the world by providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to children and families in need, and to help people affected by disasters and other emergencies. The program also works to bring innovative solutions to these issues around the world, and supporting the Stockholm Junior Water Prize is an important part of those efforts.

“We are proud to be a supporter of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, helping to inspire the curiosity and imagination of the next generation of water leaders,” said Michael C. Fields, director, citizenship and social responsibility at Xylem. “Xylem Watermark is committed to provide and protect safe water resources for communities in need, and we constantly seek to drive impact through innovation.”

In addition, Isabella Cafaro and Sarah Orga received the Bjorn von Euler Innovation in Water Scholarship Award for their project, “Reducing Escherichia coli and Fecal Coliform Contamination at South Shore Beach.” The $1,000 scholarship recognizes projects that demonstrate a unique passion for education and awareness of sustainable water management. It honors the work of former WEF board member and retired Xylem Watermark Director Bjorn von Euler.

About Xylem

Xylem (NYSE: XYL) is a leading global water technology provider, enabling customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater problems. Xylem is headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., with 2012 annual revenues of $3.8 billion and approximately 12,900 employees worldwide. In 2012, Xylem was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for advancing sustainable business practices and solutions worldwide.

The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of our water-centric business by linking it with the best water transportation of all -- that which occurs in nature. For more information, please visit us at www.xyleminc.com.

Source: Xylem Inc.

Xylem Inc.
Jennifer Jacob,+1-914-323-5745
Jennifer.jacob@xyleminc.com