Letters

THANKS FOR RECOGNITION

I would sincerely like to thank you for the great article you wrote about the East Chicago water ltration plant. The article shows all of the hard work that went into the planning, engineering, designing, construction, training and startup of our new system. I believe I can speak on the behalf of all water and wastewater treatment system professionals, in thanking your magazine for providing us with the means to show the general public what we do, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. You have shown us that we should speak up and tell our stories on how we provide clean drinking water and how we treat wastewater before returning it to the environment. Sincerely, Peter Baranyai Director of Utilities City of East Chicago, Ind.

ON TAP
BY TED J. RULSEH, EDITOR

Clean and Green

Water treatment plants meet green criteria almost by denition. Wed like to know what your plant does to reach the next level.
decade or two ago it might have been hard to reconcile using the word green to describe an oil renery, paper mill or car factory. Yet today big manufacturers, even in what many might think of as dirty industries, are doing remarkable things to beautify their sites and limit their environmental footprints. Water treatment plants, on the other hand, have been largely green by denition. When your raw material is lake or well water and the end product is drinking water that has to please consumers and meet all sorts of government standards, environmental responsibility pretty much comes with the territory. Yet green operation and sustainability are high on the agenda for water utilities around the country. Theyre doing the extras to set an example for their communities and win their customers condence.

QUESTION ON SOUND LEVELS

In regard to your article, Turbines Stand Tall (WSO, May/June), I want to point out a mistake in the discussions of noise output. The article says the wind turbines produce 89 dB at 18 feet and at residences 120 feet away noise problems were resolved. A couple of things: Probably, the author meant, A-weighted sound level, denoted as dBA. I assume the 89 dBA value is for one turbine, and best case is if the data is for four turbines operating simultaneously. If so, assuming turbine noise is a point source, no ground acoustical reection, wind not toward the residences, no temperature inversions and no intervening hills, trees or other objects, the sound level at the residences would be about 72 dBA for one turbine. If we add up all four, we get an energy average of 78 dBA. Either 72 dBA or 78 dBA is far above most common residential noise codes, which are 65 dBA day and 55 dBA night. Some codes are even more restrictive. So it is puzzling to say that the problems were resolved, unless the residents accept relatively loud sound levels. Richard J. Peppin, P.E., P.Eng. President Scantek, Inc. Sound and Vibration Instrumentation and Engineering Columbia, Md.

Many features
In each issue of Water System Operator, we prole one or two plants that are doing an exemplary job on the green front. Looking around the industry we see water plants sprouting renewable energy facilities like wind turbines and solar panels (the March/April issue highlighted the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in New Jersey, where 400 solar panels oat on a reservoir). We nd plants earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certication under a U.S. Green Building Council program. There are plants with green roofs and grounds that display elaborate native plantings, walking trails and wildlife areas. The Willamette River Water Treatment Plant in Wilsonville, Ore., proled in this issue, has attractive architecture and a park setting with landscaping that includes a fountain. Its so nice that people have graduation and wedding pictures taken there.

inspiring stimulating motivating

Savored by municipal wastewater professionals everywhere.
Get your ll for free. Subscribe at tpomag.com

Small is beautiful
Now, some of these plants have elaborate green spaces and green technologies because they have big budgets or because the sustainability projects were part of multimillion-dollar new construction or renovations. Not every facility can afford these showcase projects.

WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

WELL RECOGNIZED

The Willamette River Water Treatment Plant has been recognized for its performance as well as its appearance. The facility this year received an Outstanding Performer Award from the Oregon Health Authority. In addition to several operational excellence and safety awards from Veolia Water, it has received honors including:

2003 Mayors Teamwork Award for public-private partnership. 2003 American Council of Engineering Companies National Recognition Award. 2004 PLACES Award from the Environmental Design Research Association.

Team members at the Willamette River plant include, from left, operations and maintenance technicians Michael Templeton and Gary Simantel, assistant project manager Jason Labrie, project manager Tom Hubbard, maintenance supervisor Tom Widman, and operations and maintenance technician Greg Murray.

were reaching the point where our need for water was greater than what our wells could produce, recalls Delora Kerber, Public Works director. Working with engineering consultants Montgomery Watson Harza, the city looked at new supply alternatives, including additional wells on the south side of the river, before deciding to draw from the river itself. Other nearby communities were also struggling with water supplies, and Wilsonville explored a variety of potential partnerships before teaming with the Tualatin Valley Water District on a regional treatment facility, fed by a 72-inch intake pipe sized to accommodate future needs. Although the Tualatin district so far has not drawn water from the treatment plant, it owns 100 mgd of water rights on the river and in 2011 turned over 5 mgd of capacity to Sherwood, just west of Wilsonville. The Willamette Valley plant now delivers up to 6 mgd to Wilsonville and ultimately will provide the 5 mgd to Sherwood. When plans for the plant were announced, some residents had doubts about the quality of the river water. Some noted that a stretch of the river running through Portland Harbor well downstream from Wilsonville had been designated as a Superfund site. Of more immediate concern was runoff from agriculture in the Willamette Valley, potentially containing bacteria and other pollutants. There were those who believed the source would be difcult to treat, but it has proven to be quite the opposite, says Kerber. Its a very treatable water source, and the plant was developed with a lot of forethought. The city and the water district used a belt-and-suspenders approach really taking seriously what peoples concerns were to make sure the nished water would meet or exceed city standards.

Quick settling
Heading day-to-day plant operations are Veolia assistant project man-

ager Jason Labrie and lead operations and maintenance technician Shane Wyer. Treatment is far more involved than when the city used well water needing only chlorination. The plant operates two shifts per day, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The most critical challenge is variability in the river water durDELORA KERBER ing winter. We get increasing ows in the river and increasing turbidity from runoff, and that also increases the bacterial load and raises the possibility of other contaminants in the water, Labrie observes. The process starts with two T-screens (Johnson Screens) about 30 feet below the rivers surface. The water ows through the intake pipe into a raw water caisson, a stilling well 50 feet in diameter and 80 feet deep. Water drawn out of that structure by Floway vertical turbine pumps (Weir Minerals Floway Pumps) is dosed with aluminum sulfate. We also have capability to prechlorinate or add pre-caustic to the system, Labrie says. When we see the river turbidity rising, we start to add more alum to optimize the coagulation process. That also depresses the alkalinity. We preemptively start adding pre-caustic when the gauge height and weather predictions tell us the water level will be rising. As long as we keep up on our caustic soda dosing strategy along with alum dosing, we can run quite comfortably at high turbidity. The chemically dosed water is fed to an Actio rapid sedimentation process (Veolia Water) that is the key to treating seasonal turbidity. The Actio process accelerates settling through the addition of microsand (continued)

The city and the water district used a belt-and-suspenders approach really taking seriously what peoples concerns were to make sure the nished water would meet or exceed city standards.

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WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

wsomag.com July/August 2012

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Gary Simantel checks operations in the plants high service pump room (Floway vertical turbine pumps from Weir Minerals Floway Pumps).

ballast. At Wilsonville, it enabled effective turbidity removal within a small footprint. We had river turbidity last winter up over 200 NTU, and we were able to knock that down to less than 1 NTU just with the Actio, before ltration, says Labrie. We use it continuously when were operating. We have two identical trains, each sized for 15 mgd, and we run them both unless were doing maintenance on one train. Turbidity in the dry season ranges from 2 to 5 NTU going into the plant and from 0.1 to 0.2 NTU coming out of the Actio. Thats essentially drinking water quality in terms of turbidity.

Finished water quality has a pH of 7.8, 0.88 mg/L chlorine residual, and 0.03 to 0.06 NTU turbidity.

Attentive operators
The operations team is experienced and well qualied. Labrie holds a Level 4 (highest) water treatment license with ltration endorsement and has seven years of water plant experience. Wyer holds the same credentials and has 19 years in the industry. The team also includes: Gary Simantel, operations and maintenance technician III, Level 4 water treatment with ltration endorsement, 28 years. Tyler McCune, operations and maintenance technician II, Level 2 water treatment and Level 2 water distribution, 13 years. Phillip Leach, operations and maintenance technician II, Level 3 water treatment, Level 2 water distribution, 26 years. Greg Murray, operations and maintenance technician II, Level 3 water treatment, 22 years. Tom Hubbard, project manager, Level 4 water treatment distribution and Level 4 water distribution, 23 years. Chris Hannan, administrative assistant. Ongoing training is a high priority. Operators receive monthly training through Veolia Water and attend American Water Works Association subsection events, annual conferences, technical sessions and short schools. Labrie recently completed a utility management seminar offered by the Utility Training Institute. The people I work with are all top-notch individuals, says Labrie. I cant say enough good things about the team, and I appreciate the attention the city pays to this facility and to water quality.

Dual disinfection
Water from the Actio process feeds into a common channel that is then divided into two trains of intermediate ozonation (WEDECO a xylem brand), each with eight ozone contactors. Ozone generators (also WEDECO) bubble ozone through the water in the rst two chambers of the contact basin. After ozonation, we quench the remaining ozone with calcium thiosulfate ahead of the lters, says Labrie. We destroy remaining ozone in the headspace with a Carulite lter system (Carus Corporation). Ozonation removes dissolved organics that could create taste and odor issues. That process is followed by dual ltration with six feet of granular activated carbon (for further organics removal) and one foot of sand (for polishing). Filtered water collects in an underdrain (Leopold a xylem brand). After pH adjustment with caustic soda and nal chlorination with sodium hypochlorite, the water is pumped to the reservoirs.

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WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

Gary Simantel, left, and Jason Labrie in the plants main control room.

LIGHTS, CAMERA
The Willamette River Water Treatment Plant formed the backdrop for portions of the 2010 movie, Extraordinary Measures, about a couples effort to find a researcher able to cure their two childrens rare genetic disorder. The movie starred Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser, among others. The actors and film crew were on site for two weeks, not counting a week of preparatory work to give the facility the appearance of a building at the University of Nebraska. They totally transformed the inside of this place to look like the university, says Jason Labrie, assistant project manager with Veolia Water. They shot scenes from the film here, and we got to meet the actors. Were not sure why they chose our plant, but we were happy to have them come. That meant happy enough to change the plants operating schedule to accommodate the filming. Since they filmed sometimes during the day and sometimes late at night, in the lab, it was going to be a problem for the operator to do the sampling during the shooting, recalls Shane Wyer, operations and maintenance lead. So we decided to run the plant during the night. I volunteered to work the graveyard shift. When they were done shooting at night, Id start the plant up and fill up the city, and in the morning when everything was full, Id just shut it down. We did that for three or four days. We wanted them to shoot the movie here, so we were determined to do everything we could to make sure that happened. Shooting took place in the administration building, the lab, and Labries office, which served as the office for Fords character in the film. There were also exterior shots of the lab entrance, and a scene in which Ford, pursued by Fraser, ran through a hallway out to the parking lot and peeled out in a truck.

Control over dosing

While the plants technology is sophisticated, performance depends on close operator attention and sound decision-making. The plant does not run itself, Labrie observes. Everything is operator-driven, and thats the way it was intended. The plant uses ow-paced chemical dosing. The operators have to deliver the necessary dosage, but programmable logic controllers from Allen-Bradley (Rockwell Automation) make the dosage calculations. We have a process control plan that helps us keeps our dosages low as low as we can go to properly treat the water without wasting chemicals, Labrie says. Wyer adds, Winter is challenging because of the water-quality changes. We can look at trends on the Internet, so that as the river is starting to come up, we can prepare for it. We have signicant redundancy in plant equipment, so if for example a chemical pump goes down or needs to be worked on, we can switch to another one. Operator decisions begin with daily plant startup: looking at chemical dosages from the previous day, checking raw water quality, performing jar tests, and making dosing changes to ensure proper chlorine residual and pH adjustment. Operators also decide when to take the lters ofine for backwash. A SCADA system from Wonderware (Invensys) with multiple nodes lets operators run the plant from a variety of locations. Instrumentation includes a BTEX analyzer for raw water (Turner Designs), turbidimeters (Hach), pH meters (Hach and Emerson Process Management), ORP meter and ozone sensors (Emerson Process Management), particle counters (Met One Instruments) and streaming current monitor (Milton Roy).

Always improving
Labrie notes that the team strives constantly to optimize the plant. If we have to buy equipment, recongure something, add a valve here or there, well do it, he says. One signicant improvement was an adjustment to the Actio system.
wsomag.com July/August 2012

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Greg Murray and Jason Labrie at the centrifuge dewatering control panel (Rockwell Automation).

Wyer states, At the end of the process we have a settling zone where the oc, sand and sludge all settle out. That mixture is then sent to hydrocyclones where the sand is separated and returned to the system and the sludge is diverted to a thickener. One thing we discovered was that if the hydrocyclones became plugged, we would lose a lot of sand. We installed vibration switches on the hydrocyclones so that if one of them starts to ll up, it will shake enough to activate the switch, stop the pump and keep us from losing sand. There are two hydrocyclones on each Actio train, so if one vibration switch picks up, the other units pump automatically starts, and the process continues to run. The plant also has a washwater equilibration basin that collects all backwash, all ltered waste, and all water from the sludge dewatering

Gary Simantel at the control panel monitoring chemical feed performance (Star Delta Motor Controls).

Bright future
The Willamette River plant is well prepared for more growth in the coming years. The site includes space reserved for expansion. Labrie expects to extend operations to 24 hours per day in the relatively near future. The city and Veolia have formed a true public-private partnership, says Kerber. The way the city sees it, we are able to provide top-quality water for our citizens at a very good price. wso

Winter is challenging because of the water-quality changes. We can look at trends on the Internet, so that as the river is starting to come up, we can prepare for it.
SHANE WYER

MORE INFO:
Carus Corporation
800/435-6856 www.caruscorporation.com

Milton Roy Company

800/693-4295 www.miltonroy.com
(See ad page 15)

process. That water is re-injected into the raw water line for treatment. There is zero water discharge from the site. In case of power failure, a 1 MW standby generator (Caterpillar) can enable the plant to produce 4 mgd for up to two days before refueling.

Caterpillar, Inc.
309/675-1000 www.cat.com

Rockwell Automation

Emerson Process Management

800/854-8257 www.rosemountanalytical.com

414/382-2000 www.rockwellautomation.com

Star Delta Motor Controls, Inc.

800/229-8965 www.VFD.com

Attractive setting
Besides delivering quality water, the plant makes a positive visual impression on the community. The plant stands next to a 9.9-acre city park. A water feature abutting the park mimics a river: Willamette River water ows through the site and feeds a fountain. Looking out on the water feature is a conference center with a three-sided glass enclosure, available for city staff meetings as well as for neighborhood groups. The plant exterior faade includes an arch of wood, stone and metal to appeal to neighbors and park visitors. Along the park side of the plant are windows that look in on plant processes. Interpretive displays tell visitors what is happening at each step. On weekends, we see a lot of photographers at the plant taking high school pictures, says Labrie. We see wedding pictures taken here. So word has gone around that its a great park, and photographers are using it for their businesses. We conduct a lot of public tours. Last year more than 400 people came through the plant. We welcome that. If its not me leading a tour, its one of the operators.

Hach Company
800/227-4224 www.hach.com
(See ad page 48)

Turner Designs Hydrocarbon Instruments

Invensys Operations Management

949/727-3200 www.iom.invensys.com

559/253-1414 www.oilinwatermonitors.com

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies North America

312/552-2887 www.veoliawaterna.com 704/409-9700 www.xyleminc.com

Johnson Screens

800/833-9473 www.johnsonscreens.com

WEDECO a xylem brand

Leopold a xylem brand

704/409-9700 www.fbleopold.com 541/471-7111 www.metone.com

Weir Minerals Floway Pumps

559/442-4000 www.weirminerals.com

Met One Instruments, Inc.

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WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

AWARD-WINNING PLANTS
The Aurora (Colo.) Water Wemlinger and Griswold water treatment plants have received multiple recognitions for excellence. They include: Charles A. Wemlinger Water Treatment Plant: 2011 Outstanding Water Treatment Plant, Rocky Mountain AWWA 2011 Water Taste Test, first place, Rocky Mountain AWWA 2010 Outstanding Water Laboratory, Rocky Mountain AWWA 2009 Water Taste Test, first place, Rocky Mountain AWWA 2006 Colorado Environmental Leadership Award, bronze level 2006 Directors Award Partnership for Safe Water Thomas J. Griswold Water Treatment Plant: 2006 Colorado Environmental Leadership Award, bronze level 2006 Directors Award Partnership for Safe Water

the pilot plant, we can test coagulants to see if they work as efciently as those we are currently using. We can then use the information to do a cost-benet analysis on whether changing coagulants is warranted. Teamwork allows the operators to better solve problems. They are never complacent, says Watson. If there is an issue with the process, they make sure the other operators know about it, and they work as a team to solve it. Last year, for example, they noticed that the particle counts almost reached the plants internal limit, and then decreased later in the day. This is a testament to the amount of attention our operators pay to the process, Watson says. We were still 100 percent in compliance, but it

Our operators are special because they are committed to delivering the best quality water they can, and that is what motivates them every day.
KIRK WATSON

wasnt our normal, so they wanted to know why. The operators worked with the lab staff to diagnose the problem. It turned out we were shearing our oc particles, and by taking a couple of the oc basins out of service, we were able to correct it. The operators didnt give up until they gured out what was wrong and xed it, which took about three weeks.

Les Grifn, treatment plant operator The Wemlinger and Griswold A at the Griswold plant. plant teams plan to retain Level IV Partnership status. We have to submit a report every year listing what we have done to continually improve, says Watson. Im on the Partnership review committee now, so I get to review other utilities reports. Its something I can learn from. Mikesell points out that the Partnership is a major accreditation: Its something you have to live. Aurora Water signed on for the Partnerships Distribution System Optimization Program, and operators have already started collecting data and assessing system performance. Says Watson, We will look at water quality or disinfection residuals and how they are maintained, hydraulic reliability or pressures within the system to make sure they are optimized, and physical security, which will be measured by the number of main breaks the system incurs. The Wemlinger plant hopes to win the 2012 water taste test, sponsored by the AWWA Rocky Mountain section. We won rst place in 2009 and 2011, so it would be great to win again, says Watson. The Partnership designation and the taste test awards are just a few of the honors Aurora Water has achieved in the last seven years. There will likely be more. Our operators are special because they are committed to delivering the best quality water they can, and that is what motivates them every day, says Watson. Mikesell agrees: They believe in and have embraced that vision. wso

Future goals

Fighting res
Operators challenges include turbidity increases from spring runoff. As the snow melts in the high country, water runs into the streams at higher rates and can carry additional sediment. This can also happen when heavy rains cause watershed washouts. Chemicals used in ghting forest res have also presented problems. The Hayman re in 2002 affected the main watershed, says Watson. The ame retardant had a high phosphorus content, and some of that got into the reservoirs and caused algae blooms. That affected the waters taste and odor. In response, operators monitored the water quality more often and minimized the smoky taste and odor with chlorine dioxide disinfectant. We use this as our primary disinfectant, and it has properties that help minimize taste and odor issues, says Mikesell. Utilities that didnt use chlorine dioxide received complaints from residents. Other challenges include reducing treatment costs and energy consumption. We want to lower our total cost to treat the water by researching and testing new chemicals, says Watson. We are also looking at ways to reduce backwashing so we can cut electrical costs and sludge production.

MORE INFO:
Chemtrac, Inc. Malvern Instruments, Ltd.
508/768-6400 www.malvern.com 800/442-8722 www.chemtrac.com

Emerson Process Management, Valve Automation

419/529-4296 www2.emersonprocess.com

Milton Roy Company

800/693-4295 www.miltonroy.com
(See ad page 15)

Hach Company
800/227-4224 www.hach.com
(See ad page 48)

Rotork

585/247-2304 www.rotork.com

Siemens Water Technologies Corp.

866/926-8420 www.water.siemens.com

Henry Pratt Company

877/436-7977 www.henrypratt.com
(See ad page 27)

Leopold a xylem brand

704/409-9700 www.fbleopold.com

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WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

Recent data shows that for every 10 percent reduction in maximum pressure, you reduce the likelihood of leaks by 14 percent. That obviously is worth doing. At the same time, the technology is designed to enable utilities to detect leaks, even where they have not broken the ground. It helps them understand where and how big the leaks are.

wso: Why would a water system be under excessive pressure? Williams: Many water agencies somewhat over-pressurize their systems in order to guarantee acceptable pressure at the customer end. If there are opportunities to reduce pressure at certain places in the system while still maintaining acceptable pressure, then the tool were creating will identify that.

energy. And between 3 and 5 percent of the electricity consumption of the entire United States is used for moving water around. Water is heavy, and pumping is extremely energy-intensive. The other impact is that if youre over-pressurizing, youre putting additional wear and tear and strain on the infrastructure mainly at the joints. Pressure will nd the weakest points on the system, which are usually the joints. If you can reduce the pressure, then all things being equal, and over time, you should be able to reduce the propensity of the system to develop further leaks.

wso: What was the origin of your pilot project with SCWA and VMWD?
Williams: We have had quite a long and productive relationship with SCWA, which has a two-tiered structure. SCWA has long been keen to improve collaboration with its retail contractors, of which VMWD is one. They realize that if they are going to be collectively successful in managing the water resources in their area, which come mostly from the federally protected Russian River, they need to share information. They all need to understand whats going on in the system and have one version of the truth. Weve been working with them for a couple of years to pro-

wso: In basic terms, how does this technology work? Williams: We start with a hydraulic model, which if a water agency has one today, is probably a back-ofce tool that they deploy perhaps once or twice a year to run a few scenarios. What we do in effect is run that hydraulic model continuously, so that it provides a continuous operating baseline for what the system should be doing. We then compare the model with data coming from instruRecent data shows that for every 10 percent reduction in maximum pressure, mentation on the system bump you reduce the likelihood of leaks by 14 percent. That obviously is worth doing. meters, ow and pressure transPETER WILLIAMS ducers and so on. And we run a set of statistical algorithms and look for anomalies between what the vide tools that enable them to share information. The leak detection and hydraulic model says ought to be happening and what is actually happenpressure management work were now doing is an outgrowth of that. ing, based on data from the eld, usually coming through the agencys SCADA system. wso: How would you characterize the pilot project results to date? We then run other statistical algorithms to analyze those anomalies. Williams: We started with pressure management. The VMWD chief For example, for leak detection, where we get a variance, we use an optimizaengineer is on record saying hes been doing his job for 30 years, and that tion tool to identify the location and the size of the leak that best explains weve come up with options for meeting customer demand he never would the variation. The pressure detection is a different optimization calculation, have thought of. The simple reason he never thought of them is that hes but its the same basic idea. Given all the known constraints, what presnot a computer hes a human being. sure does there have to be in segment X of the system to deliver acceptWeve identied new ways for them to move water around the system. able pressure at the end user connections that feed off that segment? For example, they were having trouble getting a particular tank to ll with the available pressure. We helped them recongure the way they operate the valves and pumps on the system, and that problem has now gone away. wso: Where does the necessary instrumentation come from? They are now able to maintain tank levels and the tank turns more Williams: In theory, the water agency already has that equipment, efciently than they expected. We havent quantied the energy savings that although in both of our pilots we have provided additional instrumentacome from that yet, but its reasonable to expect that the savings will be there. tion. The more measurement points you have, the more granular you can Right now, were doing leak detection in one subdivision within get with your detection capabilities. Theres not much point in knowing VMWD. The idea is that once we prove this system works, we will show youve got a leak in a 5-mile stretch of pipe. You want to be able to narrow that it works in the entire district, which has about 2,000 end customers. that down to a few hundred feet if you possibly can. The next step will be to convince SCWDs other retail contractors that wso: What is the advantage of this technology over various other this is a worthwhile thing to do. leak detection methods already in wide use? Williams: Listening devices and other physical tools can be good wso: What has VMWD been doing previously for leak detection? solutions, although some surveys show that they fail to detect a large Williams: They had been mostly relying on public reports, and where number of the leaks that are out there. Also, leak detection solutions dont they had leak-prone areas, they sent crews out specically to hunt for tend to allow the user to optimize pressure at the same time, and vice leaks. That obviously is very labor-intensive. versa. What were providing is something that does both. The technology can be integrated with a SCADA system or integrated wso: How would you assess the potential for this technology? through some other dashboard. If the water system is sufciently instruWilliams: If you believe the U.S. EPA estimate, non-revenue water in mented, the agency can get the service and the value we provide with the the United States is 14 percent. The bulk of that is from leakage, and in same data theyre already collecting. some cities the percentage is very signicantly higher than 14 percent. Furthermore, many water agencies are looking hard at advanced We see potential for this technology to help agencies get a handle on leaks metering infrastructures (AMI), and AMI data is a wonderful source of and optimize pressure from inside the control room. additional information that will allow our solution to work even better. We know there are other related and analogous technologies available, and they all work differently. It will be interesting as we go down the track to gure out how to make some of those other technologies work wso: How does excessive pressure negatively affect infrastructure? with ours, and vice versa. We think this technology makes a major contriWilliams: In two primary ways. If pressure is generated by pumping, bution to the management of water systems. wso then youre generating more pressure than you need, and youre wasting

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PRODUCT FOCUS:
BY MIKE SCHOBLASKA

DISINFECTION
UV disinfection
Spektron UV disinfection systems from WEDECO a xylem brand, are designed to meet all common disinfection requirements including 3-log Cryptosporidium reduction and will be evaluated to all norms tting legal requirements for drinking water. Upgrades to the closed-vessel UV reactors are designed for ows from a few gallons per minute to more than 6 mgd. Systems come with the companys ECORAY UV lamp and ballast technology. In combination with the option of variable power output control, the units are energy efcient under all operating conditions. While in dim mode, the lamps use up to 20 percent less energy than the previous lamp generation and contain up to 80 percent less mercury. The lamps power savings translate to a carbon dioxide reduction of up to 500 kg per lamp over the lamps life cycle. 704/409-9700; www.wedeco. com/us.

optimize hydraulics within the chamber. The systems use 800-watt amalgam lamps to deliver the same performance as older medium-pressure technology, but use 60 percent less power. Each system is automatically wiped, and the chambers have inspection hatches. 877/885-4628; www. ets-uv.com.

Residual chlorine analyzer

The FX-1000P-CS residual chlorine analyzer with controller from Foxcroft Equipment & Service Co. helps control chemical cost and maintain drinking water compliance. Continuous amperometric readings help control chlorine feed via metering pump or gas feed valves. Bare electrodes with auto-cleaning perform in water that typically fouls membrane-covered probes. The included digital PID controller can use time- or current-proportional algorithms and features keypad operation, two 4-20 mA outputs, one digital input, jumper-free conguration, two-line display, fuzzy logic input ltering, and auto or manual tuning. Options include data logging, remote control, Modbus and Ethernet communications. 800/874-0590; www.foxcroft.com.

Large-scale disinfection
The TrojanUV Torrent UV disinfection system reduces maintenance for large-scale drinking water disinfection. The product incorporates TrojanUV Solo Lamp technology, offering the advantages of existing mediumpressure and low-pressure high-output lamp technologies. The disinfection units provide lower life-cycle costs and reduced environmental impact. 888/220-6118; www.trojanuv.com.

UV disinfection system
Compact and efcient UV disinfection systems from Aquionics pass water through high-grade 316 stainless steel closed-vessel chambers and expose it to UV light from high-output, medium-pressure or low- pressure high-output amalgam lamps. Each lamp is monitored by an individual certied intensity sensor, ensuring the most efcient output. An automatic quartz sleeve cleaning system ensures optimal disinfection and reduces maintenance. Simple but intelligent control software allows facility managers to access information on system performance and customize key operating parameters to work with plant controls. A Power Stepping feature regulates power to the lamps, increasing and decreasing input power as needed to ensure adequate disinfection while optimizing power consumption. All systems have been third-party validated to the latest drinking water standards and treat a wide range of ows and water qualities. 800/925-0440; www.aquionics.com.

Free/total chlorine sensor

The chlori::lyser from s::can Measuring Systems is a pH- and ow-independent sensor for monitoring free chlorine or total chlorine in a ow cell setup. Due to the membrane-covered amperometric measuring principle, ow or pH changes/uctuations do not inuence the measurement result. Integrated temperature compensation and a third electrode eliminate potential interferences. The digital sensor runs on RS485-Modbus, comes works-calibrated, and allows simple plug-and-measure functionality on all the companys terminals, panels and software. Internal buffer electrolyte allows pHindependent measurement between pH 4 to 10+, and a triple-electrode system provides extremely stable readings, even at high uctuations of pH, temperature, and ow. 888/296-8250; www.s-can.us.

On-site chlorine generation

Arden Industries offers a new concept for onsite chlorine generation using Occidental Chemicals NSF 60 approved TriChlor Tablets, which are 90 percent available chlorine. The tablets generate only a clear, clean chlorine solution, leaving no sludge or byproducts in the water system. Systems can be congured to handle ow rates up to 6,000 gpm and higher and can be designed to incorporate ow proportioning, residual control and compound loop control. The units are durable and cost-effective, and do not require water softeners, brine tanks, electrodes or injection pumps. The solution generated is less than 1 percent chlorine and does not require secondary containment. 530/677-3671; www.ardenindustries.com.

Closed-vessel UV disinfection
Engineered Treatment Systems (ETS) has a family of closed-vessel UV disinfection systems designed for use in water or reuse applications. The systems deliver a high UV dose. The ow geometry is axial, and the uid exiting the reactor is slowed using a chamfer to

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WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

Projects & Awards

Echologics signs with Las Vegas Valley
Echologics secured a one-year service agreement with Las Vegas Valley Water District to use the companys leak detection and condition assessment services for one year with the option to renew for up to ve years. The agreement is the result of a successful pipe condition assessment pilot project completed in the fall of 2011 that included non-invasive testing of a 6.5-mile span of 16- to 24-inch mortar-lined steel cylinder pipe under main thoroughfares. The acoustic survey found that only 15 to 20 percent of the pipes had lost signicant wall thickness. of cubic feet, making bills easier to understand. Customers will be able to view their hourly water usage information online. The utility will install 66,000 advanced data logging communication modules and a xed network collection system as part of the metering upgrade.

Plattsburg gets funds for drinking water improvements

The U.S. EPA awarded $364,000 to Plattsburg, Mo., for improvements to its drinking water system. The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of the water transmission main that conveys water from the treatment plant to the distribution system. The construction will include 9,200 feet of 16-inch iron pipe, water valves and re hydrants. The project will reduce numerous leaks. The grant will partially fund the construction project, estimated to cost $661,800.

Medicine Hat chooses MeterSense

The City of Medicine Hat, Alberta, selected MeterSense, a division of Harris Utilities, to provide meter data management (MDM) for its electricity, water and gas delivery services. The utility company will implement MeterSense as part of a larger advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) smart-meter project. The technology will enable the city to automate meter reading, deliver timely and accurate bills, build conservation initiatives, and provide customers with analyses of their consumption patterns. The city expects its smart-meter program to pay for itself in about seven years.

Dewberry selected for Baltimore water main project

The Dewberry national consulting rm will provide water design and engineering services for the Bureau of Water and Wastewater in the Baltimore (Md.) Department of Public Works. The contract, valued at $1 million, focuses on improving eight miles of the citys aging water mains. The work includes water main assessment and determination of the need to rehabilitate or replace the existing infrastructure. The Bureau of Water and Wastewater maintains 3,400 miles of water mains. Dewberry has completed a number of water and wastewater engineering projects for the bureau in recent years.

Honeywell helps western Virginia water authority

Honeywell has undertaken a water metering and infrastructure renewal program with the Western Virginia Water Authority in Roanoke to upgrade water meters across the customer base and enhance energy efciency at its facilities. Backed by a guaranteed systemwide water infrastructure improvement program, the $32 million project aims to increase meter accuracy, improve leak detection and reduce carbon dioxide emissions without adverse impact to the operating budget. The upgrades are expected to help save more than $1 million in annual electricity and operational costs and add $1.5 million in revenue through increased meter accuracy. Technicians will replace 58,000 water meters with electronic meters that wirelessly transmit real-time readings back to the authority. Honeywell will also install a data management system to provide a single, centralized view of the water system.

Woodard & Curran signs contract with Villa Rica

Woodard & Curran won a seven-year contract to staff, operate and maintain the City of Villa Rica (Ga.) water treatment facility. Villa Rica is a community of nearly 13,000 about 30 miles from Atlanta. The citys surface water facility has an average daily ow of 1.2 mgd. Woodard & Curran will retain the citys six staff members and will oversee the identication, installation, and operation of capital upgrades over the next year.

Miya gets contract to maximize Bahamas water system efciency

Miya, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arison Investments signed a contract with the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) in the Bahamas to maximize the efciency of its water systems. The contract value is $83 million over 10 years. The WSC supplies drinking water to some 250,000 residents. The project will be carried out in New Providence, the most populated island in the Bahamas. It will improve distribution utilities to reduce leakage of potable water, estimated at 50 percent. Within ve years, more than half of the leakage will be reduced, saving 3 million gallons per day.

American Water and Elizabeth, N.J., earn mayors award

American Water and the City of Elizabeth (N.J.) water and wastewater systems earned the 2012 Outstanding Public/Private Partnership Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The award honors achievements made possible through the combined effort of cities and the members of the Mayors Business Council. American Water and the city were honored for the positive results of a public-private partnership and significant improvements to the citys water and wastewater systems. Needing to upgrade its 100-year-old water infrastructure and 150-year-old wastewater system, the city entered two long-term contracts with American Water. In 1998, the city entered a 40-year concession contract with American Waters market-based subsidiary to operate and maintain the water system. Later, the city entered a 20-year operation and maintenance contract with the company for the sewer system. During the partnership, American Water has made more than $4 million in water-related infrastructure investments, including systemwide meter replacements, and 700 new re hydrants. On the wastewater side, Etown Services operates the citys combined sewer system and has invested $1.4 million to rehabilitate brick sewers. wso
wsomag.com July/August 2012

Madison utility selects Itron for AMI solution

The City of Madison (Wis.) Water Utility will implement Itrons advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for Project H20, the citys program to automate the collection and analysis of water meter reads. The solution will allow the city to manage conservation initiatives, improve metering accuracy, and operate more efciently. The technology will enable residents to switch from biannual meter reads to monthly meter reads and measure consumption in gallons instead

35

NEWS
Standard Methods manual updated
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater has been expanded and revised. Published by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation, the publication is in its 22nd printing. One change in the edition is an emphasis on quality assurance/quality control practices. The book is available by calling 888/320-2742, emailing apha@pbd. com or visiting www.aphabookstore.org.

INDUSTRY

Metrohm offers young chemist award

Metrohm will present $10,000 to a graduate, post-graduate or doctoral student in North America performing novel research in the elds of titration, ion chromatography and/or electrochemistry. Candidates can submit their research abstract/summary for consideration at www. metrohmusa.com/youngchemist.

Pural hires product manager

Pural named Tom Miles product manager for its Biological Air Treater odor control technology. Miles has 26 years experience in the water and wastewater industry.

Koch Membrane hires commercial manager

Koch Membrane Systems named Ravichandran Subramanian regional commercial manager. He is responsible for developing the markets for all KMS products in Southeast Asia for both the Water & Wastewater and the Industrial & Life Sciences divisions. Subramanian has 15 years of industry experience in sales, management and product management.

Watertronics, Pentair team up on rainwater education

Watertronics and Pentair combined to educate architects, consultants and engineering rms on how they can provide innovative rainwater harvesting systems that result in healthy plants and year-round savings through reduced municipal water use. The website www.rainwaterinnovation.com includes case studies, white papers and video.

American Flow Control names sales manager

American Flow Control, division of American Cast Iron Pipe Co., named John Hagelskamp division sales manager. He will work with current sales manager Walter L. Cooper, who is retiring in 2013.

CSI Controls representative expands territory

The 419 Group LLC expanded its CSI territory, becoming the wholesale factory representative for CSI customers in North and South Carolina. The group also serves as CSIs representative in Virginia.
John Hagelskamp

MIOX names director of business development

Microsol acquires SOLON and subsidiaries

Microsol, a United Arab Emirates-based solar cell manufacturer, acquired components of the insolvent SOLON SE and its subsidiaries, including U.S.-based SOLON Corp. The main sites in Germany, the United States and Italy will be maintained. The purchase price was not disclosed.

MIOX Corp. hired Cem Candir as director of business development. He has a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA with dual concentration in marketing and strategic management.

AWWA publishes water, wastewater design-build book

The American Water Works Association published Design-Build for Water and Wastewater Projects. The book provides utility managers, operators and water quality staff, city ofcials and others with information on when design-build project delivery is a good choice for a water or wastewater utility. It also outlines how to plan, procure and execute a DB project. Black & Veatch senior water process engineering manager Holly Shorney-Darby, Ph.D., P.E., managed and edited the book.

Netzsch Pumps names vice presidents

Netzsch Pumps North America named Julio C. Ferreira vice president of sales and John Maguire vice president of operations and product management. Ferreira has 30 years of industry experience. Maguire has been with the company for 20 years, most recently as vice president of sales.

TB Woods publishes eCatalog

TB Woods expanded its eCatalog, www. tbwoods.com, to include its Sure-Flex, DuraFlex and Form-Flex couplings. The site enables users to select the correct coupling for a specic application.

Julio C. Ferreira

John Maguire

Aqua-Chem forms joint venture with VICEL Group

Aqua-Chem Inc. formed a strategic joint venture with Brazilianbased VICEL Group to manufacture and assemble Aqua-Chems freshwater makers at the VICEL facility in Rio Das Ostras. The new company will exceed 60 percent of local content in reverse osmosis desalination systems in the rst phase of the production plan, scheduled for the third quarter of 2012.

Xylem offers product app, launches marketing campaign, changes brand

Xylem Inc. launched a mobile app for its online Xylect product selection tool. The app provides access to detailed product information with a smartphone and is available at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xylect/ id490601467?mt=8. The company also launched a new marketing campaign, Great Pumping Moments, to promote its Flygt Ready dewatering pumps and introduced Standard Xchange as the name of its industrial heat transfer brand, formerly known as ITT Standard.

Dow completes purchase of Clean Filtration

The Dow Chemical Co. purchased remaining equity in Clean Filtration Technologies Inc. Dow Water & Process Solutions will operate the new business as Clean Filtration Technologies LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Co.

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WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR

Wilo names CEO, adds distributor

Wilo USA LLC named Mark DAgostino president and chief executive ofcer. He joined the company in 2007 and has been vice president of sales and marketing and national sales manager. The company also added Metropolitan Industries Inc. of Romeoville, Ill., as a product representative in Illinois, northwest Indiana and St. Louis County, Mo.

Mark DAgostino

MAR Systems names VP of sales

MAR Systems named Darrell Zielinski vice president of sales. He has 20 years of experience in the water treatment industry.

Grundfos opens water utility center

Grundfos North America held a ribbon cutting in April for its Aurora, Ill., water utility center. The facility will function as a competence center for municipal water, where research and development operations will bring to market sustainable and innovative solutions for water supply and wastewater challenges.

Agri-Inject names CEO, director of global sales

Agri-Inject Inc., provider of uid injection technology for industrial and municipal use, named Erik Tribelhorn chief executive ofcer and Neal Saxton director of global sales.

Erik Tribelhorn

Neal Saxton

GSE Lining Technology rebrands as GSE Environmental, adds assets

GSE Lining Technology LLC of Houston rebranded as GSE Environmental following its listing on the New York Stock Exchange, and to reect its transition as a global organization. The companys brand identity includes name change, logo and tagline, Durability runs deep. The companys subsidiaries also acquired certain manufacturing equipment from Poly-America LP and Poly-Flex Inc. for $7.5 million.

Carbolines Reactamine 760 receives FDA approval

Reactamine 760, an elastomeric polyurethane hybrid lining from Carboline Co., has received FDA approval for direct dry food contact in addition to its UL certication for potable water service.

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In every issue of Municipal Sewer & Water, youll read all about sanitary sewer, stormwater and water system professionals. Youll discover: Who are the innovators in system repair and maintenance How they make sound decisions that improve service and save money n What tools and technologies drive efciency and performance n Where to go to nd the latest equipment and advice
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Bauer Gear opens China assembly plant

Bauer Gear Motor, part of Altra Industrial Motion, opened its rst assembly plant in China to more effectively serve industrial growth in that region. Located in Esslingen, Germany, Bauer is not moving its core design and manufacturing.

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Severn Trents Spanish ofce changes name

Severn Trent Services/Apliclor, the company formed when Severn Trent Services acquired Barcelona-based P.S. Apliclor S.A. in 2009, changed its name to Severn Trent Services. The Apliclor name will continue to be used as a product brand within the Spanish ofces chemicals business. The company also introduced a new Spanish website, www.severntrentservices.es. wso

wsomag.com July/August 2012

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