Irvine-based WaterHealth International Inc., a water purification company that serves developing countries, announced Wednesday that it secured $10 million in venture backing.
Sail Venture Partners L.P. in Costa Mesa and Dow Venture Capital, a unit of Michigan-based The Dow Chemical Company, each contributed to the funding, which is expected to rise to $20 million by March.
This is the fourth round of venture capital backing for WaterHealth. In late 2006 it had $11 million invested in it.
WaterHealth sells water purification and disinfection systems, which use ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and organisms.
WaterHealth, whose goal is to fight waterborne diseases such as cholera, said the funding would help with its plans to expand to new communities.
The company has about 600 locations around the world, including India, South Asia, West Africa, the Philippines and Mexico.
Sail Venture is led by lawyer-turned-venture capitalist Walter Schindler, who primarily invests in alternative-energy startup companies.
He has also invested in Irvine’s Oryxe Energy International Inc., a company that makes diesel fuel additives that cut down on engine emissions.
