Answer: They both use caustic soda, which is more commonly known as lye.

No Lie, Lye is Needed for Clean Water

Hawkins Inc. is responsible for bringing caustic soda – also known as lye – up the Mississippi River throughout the shipping season. They then sell the product to municipalities to be used for both clean drinking water and waste water management.

These products are food grade, which means they can also be used in the food industry. If you have ever had a pretzel, the brown shiny coating is made with caustic soda, which is also known as lye. And, for those in Minnesota, with Norwegian roots, it is the same lye used to make lutefisk.