West Wales-based Hydro Industries — a technology company that designs and operates solutions for water purification and industrial effluent processing — has secured a contract worth up to $200 million to help safeguard one of the world’s most fragile eco-systems over the next decade.

The company (www.hydro-industries.co.uk) has won a global tender to build a water treatment plant to service an oil terminal on Egypt’s Red Sea Coast, near the popular tourist destination of Hurghada.

This coastal strip is considered one of the word’s top-five diving locations, with 5,000-year-old coral reefs.

In co-operation with East Gas Co, Hydro will ensure that all water discharged back into the Red Sea meets the strict new environmental standards demanded by the Egyptian Environmental Agency, while drilling continues for gas and oil, which are both vital for Egypt’s economy.

When the plant is completed next year, Hydro will be able to process 55,000 tonnes of waste-water a day, making it one of the largest ‘produced water’ plants in the world.

Its technology will remove challenging contaminates such as hydrocarbons, boron and heavy metals, returning clean water to the Red Sea.

Wayne Preece, CEO of Hydro Industries, said: “The prospect of preserving a site of such natural wealth and beauty for future generations is a real privilege, and our technology allows industrial progress alongside true high-tech environmental protection.

This is a world-wide challenge, with a market valued at over $14 billion per year.

"Hydro’s developing relationship with UK Export Finance will enable us to capitalise on our major breakthrough in this sector, further enhancing our British and global brand.”