Margaret Finen of Tree H2O LLC, a Clarkson University Shipley Center for Innovation startup.

NORWOOD -- A Norwood woman plans to make commercially available sparkling water from water extracted from maple sap that would ordinarily go to waste.

In 2011, when Margaret Finen moved to Norwood from Baltimore, she was dismayed to learn that millions of gallons of water are routinely discarded during the production of maple syrup, so she did something about it.

While this iconic North Country industry yields an agricultural liquid gold, it also wastes an increasingly precious commodity. Finen founded Tree H2O LLC in 2014 to gather drinkable water.

“Why are so many producers dumping millions of gallons of water? I called to ask about permits and discovered there’s no reason not to get this water from sap,” she said. “There’s so much severe drought around the world, I can’t understand wasting water.”

She uses reverse osmosis to remove 75 percent of water from ordinary tree sap. Sap from any kind of tree can be used, but she and her husband, James, own a 56-acre maple farm so she has access to that sap.

Her Tree H2O company is a subsidiary to Finen Maple Products, which now includes sparkling water called Amazi (ah-mah-zi).

Adding to that distinction for northern New York, Finen and her husband plan to manufacture Amazi on their property in Norwood.

Finen was able to take her business from an idea to a reality thanks to Clarkson University and the Shipley Center for Innovation. Her son goes to Clarkson, and a neighbor suggested she contact President Tony Collins, so she did.

Collins put her in touch with Matt Draper, executive director of the Shipley Center for Innovation.

“Clarkson is helping me to succeed and has not charged a dime. I’m amazed at the support I’m getting without them asking for anything in return. They really want to see local businesses be successful,” she said.

Finen also has a crucial friend in Coyote Moon Vineyards of Clayton. She needed somebody who can bottle the still water in glass so she called there.

“Owner Phil Randazzo said, ‘yes, I’ll help you, I think it’s a great idea’ and he has been helping for over a year,” she notes.

The biggest hurdle she faces now is regulations from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The company’s website is www.treeh2o.net.