Industry

News

Seashells Can Clean Wastewater

In the United Kingdom, the thousands of tons of

waste seashells created by the edible-seafood sector
are being put to use by the University of Bath in a new
wastewater cleaning project. Darrell Patterson of the
universitys Department of Chemical Engineering used
waste mussel shells to create a less expensive and more
environmentally friendly way of polishing wastewater,
which could be used to remove unwanted substances
such as hormones, pharmaceuticals, or fertilizers.
Traditional wastewater treatment
broadly takes three
stages. The first is
the removal of solids
and oils; the second
filters the water
and degrades the
biological content of
the sewage, which is
derived from human
waste, food waste,
soaps, and detergents; a tertiary treatment is used to further improve
the quality of the water before it is released.

One of the most effective methods of tertiary treatment

is the photocatalysis of water to remove final trace contaminants. This process normally uses titanium dioxide,
which is expensive. By replacing this with a material called
hydroxyapatite from the calcium derived from seashells,
which can also be found in teeth and bones, Patterson aims
to significantly reduce the cost of tertiary treatment while
making use of a renewable, typically discarded product.
Patterson said, Mussel and other seashell farming
is a fast-growing industry around the world, and the
increase in the production of shellfish generates a
large amount of shell waste. Shells are a calcium-rich
resource that can be used to produce calcium oxide
(lime). This lime can be used in several different ways in
environmental technologies, and our study has shown
that the hydroxyapatite formed from [shells] is an
effective, green, and potentially cost-efficient alternative
photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.
The research was carried out using mussel shells,
but other types of seashells could feasibly be used to
produce photocatalysts, making this technique globally
applicable. The project will examine the wider applicability of this technology and the scaling up of shellbased photocatalysts to an industrial level.

ISI Charter Member Announces Credentialed

Sustainability Professionals
Burns & McDonnell, a charter member of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), has credentialed more than 100 employeeowners in 15 major
US metropolitan areas as ISI Envision Sustainability
Professionals (ENV SPs). Burns & McDonnellan engineering, architecture, construction, and environmental
consulting services companyplans to grant the ENV
SP credential to an additional 80 sustainability professionals by the end of 2013.
We have made a strong commitment to the Envision program because it clearly fits with the Burns
& McDonnell approach to deliver projects that are
designed, built, and operated in a sustainable manner,
said Burns & McDonnells senior vice-president Greg
Gould, sponsoring officer of the companys Envision
program. Burns & McDonnell has adopted the Envision
rating system as a tool to guide discussions with stakeholders and decision-makers assessing various project

alternatives in terms of standardized sustainability metrics. The Envision tool is flexible and can be applied to
a wide range of infrastructure . . . . said Gould.
In todays environment, the conditions and constraints
under which infrastructure must perform are increasingly
challenging, said ISI executive director Bill Bertera. Communities are facing new challenges arising from environmental regulations, ever-more-scarce financial resources,
and pressures associated with climate change and global
warming. We need to respond to these conflicting priorities
in ways that speak to broad public and societal interests.
Envision is the product of a joint collaboration between
ISIwhich was founded by three national engineering
associations: the American Society of Civil Engineers, the
American Council of Engineering Companies, and the
American Public Works Associationand the Zofnass
Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard
University Graduate School of Design.

Information in Industry News may describe products offered by companies in the water industry.
AWWA does not endorse these products, nor is it responsible for any claims made by the companies concerned.

56

DE CE MBE R 2 0 1 3 | J O U R N A L AWWA

2013 American Water Works Association

NEWS BRIEFS

US Water Infrastructure in Cycle of Debt and Rate Hikes, Study Shows

Water infrastructure in the United States is caught in a
recurring cycle of debt and rate increases even as its condition and resilience continue to deteriorate, according
to a study released by the Columbia University Water
Center (New York) with Veolia Water and Growing
Blue. (Growing Blue is a collaboration created by Veolia
Water of nongovernmental organizations, water companies, industry groups, and international organizations
focused on building awareness of water issues and water
solutions.) The report, Americas Water: An Exploratory
Analysis of Municipal Water Survey Data, examined
national survey data on water rates, providing a description of the key factors that influence the operational
costs, rates, and financial health of water utilities.
Both debt and rates for the US water infrastructure
are rising, increasing the financial burden on ratepayers.
From 2000 to 2010, utility debt increased on average by
33%, and water rates increased by 23%. Debt and rates
have increased by more than 100% at approximately one
third of the nations utilities surveyed by AWWA, according to its Buried No Longer report (2011). As shown in
the Water Center report, increased debt affects rates, but
it does not seem to have resulted in an overall improvement in the nations infrastructure.
The studys findings indicate that rates will likely go
up in the short term. However, steps could be taken to
stem rising rates and build a buffer to deal with unexpected and uncontrollable events.
Operational efficiency could be improved. Operating
expenses are a key variable affecting water rates, and
low productivity is passed to customers in the form of

higher rates. Utilities should examine their operations

for efficiency improvements, including maintenance
plans, staffing, chemical costs, and energy use. Water
use efficiency should also be reviewed.
Source matters and is a significant cost driver. Managing for environmental sustainability will beneficially
affect costs. The study finds that the source of a utilitys
water directly influences rates. Utilities tend to use the
least expensive source to its limit and then consider
other resources. To reduce costs, areas with less costly
water sources, such as groundwater, should work to
ensure the long-term viability of these sources. When
a water resource becomes stressed from inefficient and
wasteful use, alternate sources need to be identified.
Alternatives to the existing rate structure can be
explored. The municipal solid waste sector developed
a sliding-scale fee system to encourage waste reduction by charging a premium rate to customers who
exceed predetermined limits. A similar system could
apply to water, encouraging conservation and reducing
waste. Some of the municipalities identified in the study
already use such conservation-driven sliding scales,
requiring those who put the heaviest strain on a system
to pay proportionately more.
All revenue sources can be considered. There are ways
to recover costs other than through usage rates alone.
Other revenue sources include connection fees, green
infrastructure incentives, or savings performance contracting. In some cases, the investment community can
be recruited to provide options for transferring liabilities from municipalities to the private sector.

Report Shows National Reach of Freshwater Toxic Algae Blooms

In partnership with the National Wildlife Federations
Great Lakes Regional Center, communications firm
Resource Media released a report, Toxic Algae: Coming Soon to a Lake Near You? which examined how
extreme weather and an increase in nonpoint source
pollution from agriculture and failing septic systems
are spurring toxic algaes spread. Health effects and
economic costs were also reviewed.
These results came from tracking toxic algae in summer 2013:
New York had warnings issued at 50 lakes and ponds.
For the first time, Kentucky officials found toxic
algae at four lakes, which collectively draw more than
5 million visitors a year. Some visitors to the lakes complained of rashes and intestinal problems.
Western Lake Erie continues to experience a resurgence
of toxic algal blooms, leading to health advisories and do
not drink orders being issued by the state of Ohio.

In southeast Florida, a massive toxic algae outbreak covered St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon
with fluorescent green slime, prompting warnings from
health officials to not touch the water. Scores of dolphins, manatees, birds, and fish have died.
Heavy spring and summer rains increased the volume
of chemical fertilizer and manure from crops and livestock operations entering waterways across the United
States. Scientists caution that these conditions, along
with record-high summer temperatures, contribute to
the spread of toxic algae and associated lake closures.
The report urges federal public officials to set limits
on the amount of phosphorous allowed into waters;
to maintain efforts to restore the nations great waters,
including the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, and the
Gulf of Mexico; and to pass a strong farm bill that pays
farmers to take specific actions to help protect soil and
water quality.

2013 American Water Works Association

JO U R NA L AWWA | D EC EM B ER 2013

57

NEWS BRIEFS

Governor Signs Water Authority Bill to Advance Water Recycling

California governor Jerry Brown signed water
authoritysponsored legislation designed to advance
water recycling statewide. Senate Bill 322, carried by
Senator Ben Hueso of San Diego, is expected to expedite a transparent and rigorous scientific assessment of
potable reuse as a potential water source.
The new law is particularly important in San
Diego County, where water suppliers such as the
city of San Diego and Padre Dam Municipal Water
District are assessing ways to augment traditional
water sources with advanced treated purified water.
Partially treated wastewater is commonly used for
irrigation and industrial purposes; the scientific
question addressed by SB 322 is whether higher
levels of treatment would make it safe to add
repurified water directly into raw water supplies

being delivered to treatment plants that produce

drinking water.
SB 322 requires the state department of public health
to convene an expert panel and investigate the development of uniform criteria for direct potable reuse. A
stakeholder advisory group will also be formed to ensure
that the expert panels work will be done in an open and
transparent manner. A public draft of the agencys report
is due by Sept. 1, 2016, and a report to the legislature is
due Dec. 31, 2016.
Water recycling is an important piece of the regional
strategy to increase water supply reliability by developing
a portfolio of water resources instead of relying too
heavily on a single source. Other elements of the supply
diversification plan include groundwater development,
seawater desalination, and conservation.

BUSINESS BRIEFS
The amount of new desalination
capacity expected during 2013 is
50% more than last years total,
according to new data from the
International Desalination Association
and Global Water Intelligence. Desalination plants with a total capacity of
6 million m3/d are expected to have
come on line during 2013, compared with 4 million m3/d in 2012.
Seawater desalination continues
to represent the largest percentage
of on-line global capacity at 59%,
followed by brackish water at 22%,
river water at 9%, and wastewater
and pure water each at 5%.
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts
awarded Tighe & Bond the Gold
Award for the companys work at
the wastewater treatment plant in
Sturbridge, Mass. Tighe & Bond
used a combination of Siemens
Water Technologies BioMag and
CoMag systems, using magnetite
to ballast biological floc, allowing
an increase in mixed liquor concentration as high as 12,000 mg/L.
The BioMag system proved to be a
cost-effective method while expanding capacity from 0.75 mgd to
58

DE CE MBE R 2 0 1 3 | J O U R N A L AWWA

1.62 mgd. Since implementing this

system, the plant has experienced no
loss of productivity caused by clogging, plugging, or backwashing, and
the town received a process guarantee providing < 0.05 mg/L of effluent
phosphorus.
Panama will continue improving,
rehabilitating, and expanding its
water and sanitation services in central and western provinces through
the Water and Sanitation Multiphase Investment Program, a $54
million loan from the Inter-American
Development Bank. The program
involves upgrading and expansion
of water and sanitation infrastructure, increased focus on water
and sanitation sector reform, and
modernizing Panamas public utility
company, the National Institute of
Aqueducts and Sewerage.
Middlesex Water Company has
entered into an agreement through
its subsidiary, Tidewater Utilities,
with the US Department of Defense
for the privatization of the water
system of Dover Air Force Base
(DAFB) in Dover, Del. Tidewater
will provide DAFB with potable
2013 American Water Works Association

water service under a 50-year

agreement and plans to integrate
the DAFB water system into its
regulated utility operations, subject
to Delaware Public Service Commission regulatory approval. Tidewater
will own and maintain all DAFB
water utility assets and make all
necessary capital improvements.
Parsons Brinckerhoff is responsible
for preparation of an advanced facility plan and detailed design of the
Lower Pogues Run Tunnel Project
in Indianapolis, Ind. This is one of
five major components of a federally mandated 25-mile deep-rock
storage tunnel system, referred to as
Dig Indy, intended to capture and
convey combined sewer overflow for
treatment at the Southport wastewater treatment plant in Indianapolis.
Detailed design is scheduled for
completion by the end of 2015 with
construction slated for completion
in 2021.
MIOX Corp. has signed a distribution agreement with Veolia Water
Solutions & Technologies for cooling
tower water treatment, wastewater
reuse, industrial water treatment,

and downstream oil and gas water

applications. MIOX has spent the
past decade expanding its industrial
cooling tower installation base
and developing technologies that
support water management and
recycling for industrial and oil and
gas applications.
In other company news, Veolia
Water has begun operational
management of the CONSOL
Energy Inc. Northern West Virginia
Water Treatment Facility near
Mannington, W.V. The zero-liquidwaste (ZLW) facility designed and
built by Veolia will treat 3,500
gpm of mine drainage. Through
the ZLW process, low-quality
water is extracted and treated,
and clean water is returned to the
ecosystem, improving the water
balance and condition of the
Monongahela River watershed.
Veolia will provide operational
management of the facility for the
next 10 years.

Innovyze announced that the

municipality of Tholen, an area in
the Netherlands that is vulnerable
to flooding, has chosen InfoWorks
CS and InfoWorks 2D to manage
Tholens wastewater and stormwater network modeling activities.
Infoworks CS provides hydraulic
modeling of complete collection
system networks. This extends to
full modeling of backwater effects
and reverse flows, open channels,
trunk sewers, complex pipe connections, and ancillary structures.
InfoWorks 2D enables users to
model complex storm and combined sewer collection systems and
surface flooding.
UK-based Syrinix has been invited
to participate in a project called
SmartWater4Europe, which aims
to make a business case for smart
water supply networks across
Europe. The project leader, Dutch
water utility Vitens, has formed a

2013 American Water Works Association

consortium of public and private

water operators, technology providers, and research organizers, with
the aim of developing an integrated
solution that can be easily implemented. The project has identified
four European test sites, each with
a unique set of issues that include
leak control, water quality management, energy optimization, and
aging distribution systems.
Fluid Imaging Technologies
received the Robert R. Masterton
Award for Economic Development,
presented by the Portland Regional
Chamber of Portland, Maine. The
company was recognized for its
contributions to promoting and
enhancing the business climate of
greater Portland. The significance
of the FlowCAM particle imaging
and analysis system, the companys rapid rate of growth and
employment opportunities, and
its commitment to manufacturing

JO U R NA L AWWA | D EC EM B ER 2013

59

within the region were key factors

in selecting Fluid Imaging for the
award. The award is named for
Robert R. Masterton, who played
a key role in the economic revival
of Portland.
The Guadalupe Basin Coalition
(GBC), based in Seguin, Texas,
endorsed a resolution urging
regional water providers and users
to conserve water to the maximum extent possible to stretch
the available supply should the
drought continue into 2014, as
predicted by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration
Climate Prediction Center. GBC
members met to discuss current
conditions across the Guadalupe
River Basin and the Edwards
Aquifer, whose springs are the
primary source of water for the
river during droughts. The drought
began in fall 2010 and has persisted in the western half of Texas.

60

DE CE MBE R 2 0 1 3 | J O U R N A L AWWA

Northumbrian Water has chosen

Atlas Copco screw blower technology to help reduce energy consumption and minimize service
costs at its sewage treatment works
in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, England. The low-pressure,
oil-free rotary screw blower unit is
based on a principle of precision
timing gears maintaining minute
clearances between two intermeshing dry-screw elements that never
touch. No lubrication is required
in the compression space, and
specially designed seals prevent
rotor-bearing oil from entering the
compression chamber.
The Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) and the East Bay
Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
recently completed a transfer of
water through the joint agency
intertie pipeline that connects the
EBMUD and CCWD systems in
Brentwood, Calif. In 2007, CCWD

2013 American Water Works Association

and EBMUD completed construction on an intertie located in

Brentwood to allow the transfer of
water between EBMUDs Mokelumne Aqueduct and CCWDs
conveyance facilities.
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) saved
more than $9 million related to a
wastewater projectthe Oakwood
District Combined Sewer Overflow
Relief Sewer projectthat helps
convey wastewater and stormwater
to the wastewater treatment plant,
preventing basement backups and
sewage overflows to the Rouge
River. The department received
forgiveness on loan principal
from Michigan in the amount of
$9,313,375. DWSD received assistance on the projectmonitored
by the state department of environmental qualitythrough the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Wholesalers, distributors, and

dealers who have purchased UV
Pure Technologies products and
parts from 3M in the United States
or Canada can now purchase them
directly from UV Pure. Parts will
continue to be available to wholesalers from 3M through December
2014 or directly from UV Pure. UV
Pures product lines will continue to
be available from 3M in Australia,
Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Western Municipal Water District
in Riverside, Calif., received a $1
million grant for the Arlington Basin
Groundwater Quality Improvement
Project. The funding, provided by
the Riverside County Flood Control
& Water Conservation District, will
be applied to construction of three
groundwater recharge basins in the
Arlington Basin aimed at improving
groundwater quality and increasing
available water supplies. Recharging the basin will provide a local

and reliable groundwater supply for

Westerns Arlington Desalter.
American Water Resources, a
subsidiary of American Water Works
Co. Inc., is offering water and sewer
line protection programs to homeowners in Florida and Washington,
D.C. The programs provide homeowners with protection from costs
associated with leaks and breaks
in water lines, as well as clogs or
blockages in sewer lines running
through their property. The Water
Line Protection Program covers up
to $5,000 in repairs and the Sewer
Line Protection Program covers up
to $8,000 in repairs.
IDModeling Inc. has been selected
by Neptune Technology Group as a
Premier Enterprise Partner. IDModelings Sedaru (See Data Run)
software provides water utility
professionals with real-time analyzed information across the utility.

2013 American Water Works Association

When integrated with Neptunes

automated meter reading/advanced
metering infrastructure systems
and analytics system, Sedaru helps
the utility perform customer meter
reads with increased efficiency and
accuracy while monitoring water
meter condition, performance, and
consumption.
Public Utility District #1 of Benton County (Benton PUD) in Kennewick, Wash., has chosen MeterSense, Harris Utilities meter-data
management program, to synergize
past and future customer engagement initiatives. Benton PUD will
use MeterSense to provide customers with precise usage information.
The program, scheduled for activation in June 2014, will provide Benton PUD customers with an Internet
portal, offer prepay options, and
provide better outage management
through integration with Bentons
existing system.

JO U R NA L AWWA | D EC EM B ER 2013

61