February 4, 2026
The Evolution of Vortex Technology: How Hydro International’s Legacy Powers Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Water Management Solutions
Now part of Oldcastle Infrastructure, Hydro’s legacy of innovation continues to shape modern water quality and quantity management across North America.
For more than 50 years, Hydro International has been at the forefront of vortex‑based water treatment technology, pioneering the systems that today support some of the most advanced stormwater and wastewater solutions on the market.
From the invention of the earliest vortex overflow devices in the 1960s to today’s high‑performance hydrodynamic separators, the company’s influence on modern water treatment is unmistakable. With its products and experts now part of Oldcastle Infrastructure, engineers, municipalities, and industrial operators benefit from a powerful combination: Hydro’s technical excellence and Oldcastle Infrastructure’s nationwide manufacturing, service network, and engineering capabilities.
A Legacy That Started with a Simple Question: How Do We Make Water Work for Us?
Hydro’s origins can be traced back to the 1960s, when engineer Bernard Smisson sought a better way to remove solids from combined sewer systems in Bristol, UK. Limited by space constraints and dissatisfied with the performance of traditional weirs, Smisson designed a circular overflow device that used the physics of a controlled vortex to remove pollutants.
What followed was the birth of hydrodynamic vortex separation: a technology that would ultimately change global water treatment, and which would give rise to the revolutionary Hydro-Brake® Optimum flow control valve
During the 1970s, Smisson collaborated with U.S. agencies including the APWA and EPA, helping advance hydraulic separation systems and influencing early nationwide standards. His continuous refinement of vortex devices—focused on reducing headloss, minimizing solids deposition, and improving capture efficiency—laid the foundation for Hydro International.
Where Innovation Met Ingenuity: The Rise of the TeaCup® Classifier
At the same time, across the Atlantic, American researcher Dr. George Wilson was exploring new ways to separate fine particles from industrial process water. By inverting and accelerating the concept behind the swirl concentrator, he engineered the TeaCup®, one of the most effective high‑energy flow separation systems ever developed for grit removal.
Wilson went on to found Eutek Systems, which later became part of Hydro International, combining two of the world’s most influential vortex research lineages under one organization.
Hydro’s DNA: Constant Testing, Computational Modeling & Real‑World Validation
One of Hydro’s hallmarks has always been its commitment to scientific rigor. Over the decades, Hydro has continuously invested in:
- Full‑scale hydraulic testing laboratories: dedicated hydraulic test facilities capable of evaluating full‑scale systems, enabling real‑time performance confirmation and product optimization.
- Early adoption of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Long before CFD was widely used in water treatment, Hydro engineers were modeling flow paths, velocity distributions, and separation efficiencies to refine grit chambers, hydrodynamic separators, and vortex flow controls.
- Collaboration with universities and regulatory bodies: Hydro’s methods and test protocols have helped shape industry performance standards for stormwater treatment and wastewater solids‑liquid separation.
- Verified field performance: Thousands of systems in operation, validated by independent agencies, established Hydro’s technologies as reliable, low‑maintenance, and energy‑efficient.
A Global Leader Now Strengthened Within Oldcastle Infrastructure
Today, Hydro International’s people, technologies and products are an integral part of Oldcastle Infrastructure, a North American leader in water, utility, and engineered infrastructure solutions.
This acquisition has brought clear value to engineers, contractors and asset owners, including:
- Nationwide manufacturing and delivery capacity: Oldcastle Infrastructure’s extensive footprint means that systems are accessible where and when projects need them.
- Integrated engineering and support: Hydro’s water technology expertise is now part of Oldcastle Infrastructure’s design, precast manufacturing, and field service teams.
- Complete water management solutions: From hydrodynamic separators and grit removal systems to vaults, conveyance structures, and stormwater controls, customers can source full systems from a single trusted provider.
- Continued innovation: Hydro’s legacy of relentless testing, R&D, and CFD modeling are now central to Oldcastle Infrastructure’s mission of advancing water infrastructure and water management technology. The new Hydro-Shield® Advance stormwater separator is just one testament to that legacy.
Why Vortex Technology Still Matters Today
Even with decades of evolution, the benefits of vortex separation remain strong, including:
- All‑hydraulic operation; no moving parts
- High removal efficiency for fine particles
- Reliable performance with low maintenance
- Energy‑efficient solids removal
- Ideal for municipal wastewater, stormwater pretreatment, industrial flows, and drinking water intakes
As water quality regulations tighten and infrastructure ages, hydrodynamic vortex technologies remain among the most cost‑effective, proven, and sustainable options for solid‑liquid separation in the water industry.
Advancing the Future of Water
The integration of Hydro International into Oldcastle Infrastructure represents the next chapter in a decades‑long story of engineering innovation. With shared strengths in technology, manufacturing, and field execution, Oldcastle Infrastructure now delivers vortex‑powered solutions that continue to set industry benchmarks for performance and reliability.
From the origins of vortex technology to today’s cutting‑edge systems, Hydro’s history of innovation lives on, stronger than ever, as part of Oldcastle Infrastructure.
