keywords: ge ionics buy unit billion
text: GE unit plans \$1.1 billion purchase of Mass.-based water treatment &lt;b&gt;...&lt;/b&gt; WATERTOWN, Mass. -- A unit of General Electric Co. said Wednesday it will buy Ionics Inc. for \$1.1 billion in cash, not counting about \$200 million in debt GE will assume in its purchase of of the water treatment company.