HAMPTON, VA — Pancopia LLC’s founder and CEO, Bill Cumbie, was recently featured on Wisenetix’s The Swine It Podcast Show in an episode focused on biological wastewater treatment, farm nutrient management, and the role of Pancopia LLC’s patented FreshFlush™ technology in improving outcomes for animal producers.
The episode explores Cumbie’s four decades of experience in water treatment and nutrient recovery, tracing his path from municipal wastewater work to NASA-funded research and, ultimately, to agricultural wastewater treatment. During the conversation, Cumbie discussed how Pancopia’s technology traces its origins to biological wastewater treatment research for long-duration space exploration missions and has since been adapted to address one of agriculture’s most significant environmental and operational challenges: lagoon wastewater.
“We wanted to find a place where we could make a real impact,” said Cumbie during the episode. “Agricultural wastewater has five to ten times the volume of human wastewater. That was where farmers and local communities were suffering and exactly where we could make a drastic improvement.”
Hosted by Dr. Trey Kellner, the episode also examines how Pancopia’s FreshFlush™ system is designed to treat lagoon-based wastewater by removing excess ammonia-nitrogen and producing cleaner flush water for use in barns. Cumbie explained that cleaner flush water moving through these barns can improve the barn environment, reduce ammonia-related challenges, and support healthier, more productive animal outcomes.
Cumbie highlighted production data from a 1,200 head swine barn where the use of treated flush water was associated with a 31% reduction in mortality and an 8.5% increase in weight gain, resulting in a 16% increase in total pork produced from that barn during the cycle.
“This is not just about treating waste,” Cumbie said. “It’s about helping farmers improve the production environment while also improving farm economics. If a farmer cannot afford to install a system that cleans the environment without risking bankruptcy, implementation will never occur regardless of the environmental benefits.”
The episode also discusses the broader challenge facing lagoon-based agricultural waste management, particularly in regions where lagoon wastewater can become too high in ammonia for beneficial reuse in agricultural irrigation. Pancopia’s approach is focused on transforming that water into a more valuable resource while helping producers address nutrient management, water reuse, and animal performance goals simultaneously.
Cumbie also shared that Pancopia is actively seeking first adopters and demonstration partners for FreshFlush™ treatment in lagoon-based animal operations. Producers looking to evaluate the technology in real production settings are encouraged to reach out, as Pancopia continues to move toward large-scale deployment.
The full episode is available through The Swine It Podcast Show on major podcast platforms and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Pancopia LLC
services@pancopia.com
Hampton, VA
www.pancopia.com
