Key Points
- Water Magazine reported on 11 September 2026 that Sarah Pochin MP, Member of Parliament for Runcorn and Helsby, visited Cheshire-based Arvia Technology on 6 August.
- The visit focused on British-designed water treatment technology, advanced manufacturing, skilled employment and environmental challenges.
- Arvia Technology demonstrated its patented Nyex™ technology, which the company says destroys contaminants rather than transferring them into secondary waste streams.
- Sarah Pochin described Arvia as a fast-growing North West company working on innovative approaches to water pollution and “forever chemicals”.
- Simon Gatcliffe, Chief Executive Officer of Arvia Technology Ltd, said the company is founded on British engineering and innovation and is creating highly skilled jobs in Cheshire.
- Discussions covered the 2026 Cunliffe Review, Water White Paper and proposed Water Reform Bill, including plans for a single integrated regulator.
- The meeting also addressed the “polluter pays” principle, under which those responsible for pollution would bear the cost of treatment rather than costs ultimately being passed to customers.
- Arvia highlighted the need for a regulatory “sandbox” approach to help move successful water-treatment technologies from pilot projects into wider commercial deployment.
- The company also discussed STEM engagement, education partnerships and opportunities for young people to enter engineering, science, technical and advanced-manufacturing careers.
- Arvia develops, designs and manufactures its technology in the UK and exports it internationally, linking its operations to manufacturing growth, supply-chain resilience and cleaner industrial processes.
What happened during Sarah Pochin’s visit to Arvia Technology?
According to Water Magazine’s 11 September report, Sarah Pochin MP visited Arvia Technology’s headquarters in Runcorn on Thursday 6 August, where she met employees and toured the company’s manufacturing and engineering facilities. The visit placed the spotlight on British water-treatment innovation, highly skilled employment and the development of technologies aimed at addressing water pollution and difficult contaminants.
Arvia Technology is a Runcorn-based environmental technology business specialising in advanced water-treatment systems. The company describes itself as a tertiary water-treatment specialist developing equipment and solutions designed to reduce organic contaminants and colour in industrial wastewater. Its publicly available company information states that it was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Runcorn.
Water Magazine reported that Pochin’s visit was intended to provide a first-hand view of how technologies developed in Runcorn are being used by industrial customers in the UK and internationally.
The discussions were therefore broader than a conventional constituency visit. They connected local employment and manufacturing with national questions about environmental regulation, water reform and the ability of British technology businesses to scale.
Why was British water-treatment innovation a central issue?
The visit placed British engineering and advanced manufacturing at the centre of discussions about the future of water treatment.
Water Magazine reported that discussions focused on maintaining Britain’s industrial capability and supporting advanced manufacturing so that innovative UK businesses can expand and create highly skilled employment, including in smaller communities.
For Arvia, the Runcorn base is an important part of that proposition. The company says it develops, designs and manufactures its technology in the UK before exporting it internationally.
Simon Gatcliffe, Arvia Technology’s Chief Executive Officer, said the company was founded on British engineering and innovation. He said Arvia was proud to design and manufacture technologies intended to improve water quality internationally while creating highly skilled jobs in Cheshire.
Gatcliffe also told Pochin that investment in innovation was important to giving UK businesses the environment and resources needed to grow. He linked the development of water-treatment technologies with the UK’s wider ambition to strengthen its position in clean technology.
The issue has significance beyond Arvia itself. The company’s business profile describes its activities as including industrial wastewater treatment, advanced oxidation, persistent organic pollutant removal, colour removal and treatment of emerging contaminants.
What did Sarah Pochin say about Arvia Technology?
Sarah Pochin praised Arvia’s work during the visit, particularly its focus on water pollution and PFAS, commonly described as “forever chemicals”.
As reported by Water Magazine, Sarah Pochin MP said it was exciting to learn about Arvia’s development of technologies intended to tackle water pollution, particularly the challenge posed by forever chemicals. She described Arvia as a fast-growing and innovative North West company and said she was pleased to meet Simon Gatcliffe and the team.
Pochin’s comments positioned the company as an example of a regional business combining technology development with environmental objectives.
Her support also reflects the local economic dimension of the visit. Arvia’s operations are based in Runcorn, while the company says its technology is used to address water-quality challenges across different industrial sectors.
The company’s own public updates following the visit similarly highlighted discussions with Pochin about British innovation, advanced manufacturing, highly skilled local employment and the need for effective approaches to pollutants including PFAS.
How is Arvia Technology addressing PFAS and industrial wastewater?
One of the most technically significant subjects discussed during the visit was the treatment of PFAS.
PFAS refers to a large group of synthetic chemicals that are widely known for their persistence in the environment. Because of their durability, their management has become an increasingly important issue for regulators, industrial operators and water-treatment specialists.
Water Magazine reported that Arvia demonstrated its patented Nyex™ technology during Pochin’s visit. According to the report, the technology is designed to destroy contaminants rather than simply transfer them into another waste stream.
Arvia’s own company information describes its technology as an advanced oxidation process combining adsorption and electrochemical oxidation. The company says this approach is designed to remove organic compounds and that its systems can be integrated into existing treatment processes.
Arvia also states that its technology can address a range of persistent organic pollutants and hazardous micropollutants, with applications across industries including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, battery recycling and specialty chemicals.
The distinction between removing a contaminant and transferring it elsewhere was particularly relevant to the discussion around sustainable industrial wastewater treatment.
Water Magazine reported that Arvia presented the technology as part of a wider conversation about how industry can respond to emerging environmental challenges while complying with increasingly stringent standards.
What did Simon Gatcliffe say about UK manufacturing?
Simon Gatcliffe used the visit to underline the relationship between environmental technology and UK manufacturing.
According to Water Magazine, Gatcliffe said Arvia was pleased to show Sarah Pochin the work being carried out by its Runcorn team. He emphasised the company’s British engineering and manufacturing base and its role in creating skilled jobs in Cheshire.
Gatcliffe also said the discussion with Pochin covered the importance of supporting UK manufacturing through investment in innovation.
His comments placed the water-treatment business within a broader industrial policy debate: how Britain can develop technology domestically, create skilled employment and then enable businesses to compete in international markets.
Arvia’s own public information supports that description of its business model. The company identifies its headquarters as Runcorn and describes itself as a privately held environmental-services business focused on advanced water-treatment technology.
The visit therefore brought together two objectives that are increasingly connected in environmental policy: improving environmental performance and strengthening domestic industrial capability.
What does the visit mean for UK water reform?
Water reform was another major subject discussed during the meeting.
Water Magazine reported that Simon Gatcliffe described the current period as pivotal for national water reform. The discussions referenced the 2026 Cunliffe Review, Water White Paper and proposed Water Reform Bill as elements of a framework intended to modernise the sector.
According to the report, the proposed reforms include plans for a single integrated regulator. The stated objective discussed during the visit was to streamline decision-making, reduce bureaucracy and accelerate investment in areas including brownfield housing regeneration.
The reforms also raise questions about how environmental responsibility should be allocated between polluters, water companies and consumers.
How could the “polluter pays” principle affect water treatment?
The “polluter pays” principle featured prominently in the discussions between Arvia and Sarah Pochin.
Water Magazine reported that the proposed reforms would reinforce the principle that organisations responsible for pollution should bear the cost of treatment, rather than those costs being passed to water companies and ultimately customers through higher bills.
The principle has direct relevance to industrial wastewater because treatment costs can form part of the overall expense of managing pollution.
For technology providers such as Arvia, changes in regulatory responsibility could influence how companies approach investment in treatment systems. It could also affect the commercial environment for technologies capable of addressing persistent or difficult-to-treat contaminants.
The discussion did not establish a new regulatory requirement at Arvia’s site. Rather, the visit provided an opportunity for the company to explain to a local MP how proposed reforms could interact with technology development and deployment.
Why did Arvia call for a regulatory “sandbox” approach?
Another issue raised by Arvia was the gap between technological development and commercial deployment.
Water Magazine reported that the company argued for a regulatory “sandbox” approach that could help proven water technologies move from successful pilot projects into wider commercial use.
A regulatory sandbox can provide a controlled environment in which new approaches can be tested under regulatory supervision. In the context of water technology, such an approach could potentially allow regulators and businesses to assess innovative treatment solutions while managing environmental and operational risks.
For British technology companies, the issue is particularly relevant where a solution has already been technically demonstrated but faces obstacles before being adopted at larger scale.
Arvia’s position is that creating clearer routes from pilot projects to commercial deployment could help UK water-technology companies expand both domestically and internationally.
How is Arvia supporting skilled employment and STEM careers?
The visit also covered the workforce needed to support advanced manufacturing and environmental technology.
According to Water Magazine, Arvia outlined its commitment to local talent through STEM engagement, collaboration with education providers and opportunities for young people to develop careers in advanced manufacturing and environmental technology.
The workforce issue is significant because the development and manufacture of sophisticated water-treatment equipment requires engineers, scientists, technicians and other skilled professionals.
Arvia’s public company profile identifies water technology, advanced oxidation, wastewater treatment and pollutant removal among its areas of expertise.
The company therefore sees workforce development as part of its wider role in the regional economy rather than as a separate issue from technology development.
For Runcorn and the wider Cheshire area, the emphasis on technical careers also connects environmental innovation with local employment.
How could British clean technology contribute to economic growth?
Arvia told Sarah Pochin that UK-based innovation could contribute to economic growth and supply-chain resilience while supporting the international shift towards more sustainable industrial processes.
Water Magazine reported that Arvia develops, designs and manufactures its technology in Britain before exporting it internationally. The company highlighted this model as evidence of how innovative British businesses can contribute to both domestic economic activity and international environmental objectives.
The argument is that environmental technology can generate economic value at several stages: research and development, engineering, manufacturing, employment, supply chains and international exports.
At the same time, the environmental benefits depend on whether technologies are effectively deployed and deliver the outcomes claimed for them. The visit therefore brought together the commercial, industrial and environmental dimensions of the water-treatment sector without establishing a new government policy.
What happens next for Arvia Technology and UK water innovation?
The visit forms part of Arvia Technology’s continuing engagement with policymakers.
Water Magazine reported that the company intends to ensure British expertise in clean technology is recognised as the UK develops future environmental policy and considers investment in sustainable industrial growth.
Sarah Pochin’s visit also provided a local political dimension to wider national discussions surrounding water reform, pollution, advanced manufacturing and environmental technology.
For Arvia, the central message was that technological development, skilled employment and environmental improvement can be pursued together. For policymakers, the discussions highlighted the practical questions businesses face when attempting to bring new technologies into wider use.
The meeting also underlined the importance of the workforce required to support that transition, with engineering, science and technical skills forming a key part of the company’s message.
As the UK considers changes to water regulation and environmental policy, companies such as Arvia are likely to remain part of discussions about how innovation can be translated into practical infrastructure and industrial solutions.
The visit to Runcorn consequently combined a constituency-level engagement with wider questions about Britain’s industrial future. It highlighted the role of companies developing water-treatment technologies, the importance of skilled local jobs and the continuing challenge of dealing with persistent contaminants such as PFAS.
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