John L. Parker, Esq.
Interview of
Jeff Denholm, CEO & Founder Strongwater Technologies
Interview July 2, 2026
Norway Means Business:
PFAS Challenges Facing Communities Across the Globe
Participant: Panel 2:
Solutions to Meet PFAS Technical and Business Challenges
Jeff Denholm is an innovator, retired merchant marine, commercial diver and recently a United State Forest Service, Engine Contractor. Jeff founded Strong Water out of an urgent need for innovation in the firefighting industry and to provide firefighters with better tools.
His experience battling catastrophic wildfires as a United States Forest Service, Region 6 wildland Engine Contractor revealed to him critical failures of outdated toxic firefighting chemicals and the tactics that are tied to them. Witnessing the immense loss firsthand fueled his conviction: “We need to do better.”
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What motivates you to develop an innovative approach to fire suppression and firefighting that avoids forever chemicals?
I was first inspired by my experiences serving on a U.S. Forest Service engine crew as a wildland firefighter. Over time, it became clear to me that existing aerial firefighting tactics and the widely used suppression chemicals were not effectively slowing the progression of wildfires before they developed into major conflagrations.
Most aerial firefighting strategies rely on a single long-term chemical retardant called Phos-Chek. While retardants are valuable as a defensive tool, they are typically delivered by large fixed-wing aircraft that require significant time to reload and often must travel long distances from permanent air bases. These operational limitations can allow a fire to grow substantially before suppression resources arrive.
In addition, the U.S. Forest Service has faced multiple lawsuits over the use of Phos-Chek, including high-profile cases alleging violations of the Clean Water Act. It was the combination of these operational and environmental challenges that inspired me to develop our suppression technology, one centered on non-toxic formulations and rapid, direct-attack firefighting tactics designed to stop fires while they are still small and controllable.
What are your thoughts about the technical challenges in developing your technology?
Like most chemical innovations, developing a new product takes time. You have to find the right partners with expertise in the specific chemistry you’re pursuing, and there is inevitably a fair amount of trial and error throughout the development process.
That said, the biggest obstacle has been funding. Most venture capital firms and sophisticated private equity investors tend to shy away from companies focused on the government sector. Adding to the challenge, our company was positioning itself to compete against a single, large, deeply entrenched incumbent. Those factors made raising capital significantly more difficult than it would have been in a typical commercial market.
You recently participated in a PFAS Forum in Washington D.C. that brought together leaders and innovators dealing with this chemical. Please share your thoughts about the challenges of bringing innovating technology to market to avoid the use of these forever chemicals?
I think the biggest challenge is that PFAS are found in so many different products and classes of chemicals that the scope of the problem is daunting. There is also the influence of lobbying, as some of the largest chemical companies spend significant resources advocating for policies that preserve the status quo.
This challenge will not be solved without meaningful support from government leadership, which is one of the reasons I feel compelled to speak out on the issue. Both government leaders and the public need to recognize the full scope of the problem, and those of us who understand the risks have a responsibility to raise awareness and advocate for meaningful change.
JeffREY Denholm
CEO & Founder, Strong Water Technologies and Home Dome Wildfire
Jeffrey Denholm is an innovator, retired merchant marine, commercial diver and recently a USFS Engine Contractor. Jeff founded STRONG WATER out of an urgent need for innovation in the firefighting industry and to provide firefighters with better tools.
Denholm’s experience battling catastrophic wildfires as a Region-6 USFS wildland Engine Contractor revealed to him critical failures of outdated toxic firefighting chemicals and the tactics that are tied to them. Witnessing the immense loss firsthand fueled his conviction: “We need to do better.”
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-denholm-748a4238/
We Know What's in the Water. Now We Need the Will to Fix It.
Sally Gutierrez
