In other news below:
-- Pa. Gov. implements aggressive steps to improve water quality in state
-- Water industry reaches crossroads as UK consumer body publishes programme
-- ACWA fall conference to focus on regional water plans for statewide needs
-- Gold Coast Water selects ViryaNet to optimize field service, better manage water assets
-- American Water honored with InfoWorld 100 Award for deployment of Arbor Networks
-- Ontario's Utilities Kingston selects Itron for smart metering technology
-- Virginia Beach Department of Utilities selects Citect for water utility SCADA project
-- ENSR water expert elected president of North American Lake Management Society
-- CH2M Hill names Northeast state and local government affairs director
-- Wataire Industries receives CSA special inspection approval
-- GE awards Parsons upper Hudson River remediation contract
-- GreenFuel appoints VP to oversee deployment of emissions-to-biofuels system
-- Longmark Industries targets E. coli, foodborne illnesses with new program
-- Metron Technology to acquire ChemTrace to enhance fab-wide services
-- Mountain Province Diamonds' joint venture files for water, other permits on mine project
-- New discovery of C8 contradicts DuPont claims, say citizen groups
-- National Weather Service unveils new precipitation web page
-- Orange County groundwater project wins environmental leadership award
World Vision gifts provide help, hope and water to children, communities -- After disaster-filled year, charity uses gifts for poverty-fighting measures like clean water, education, and animals to improve lives -- SEATTLE, Nov. 29, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Many are calling 2005 "the year of the disaster." Tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes have devastated communities worldwide, affecting millions who were already struggling against poverty. This holiday season, you can help many of those affected by the disasters that dominated the news -- and reach out to those whose hardships have gone unseen.
The World Vision Gift Catalog, located at www.worldvisiongifts.org offers more than 120 poverty-fighting gifts that you can give in the name of friends and loved ones. With each gift purchase, you can designate a card to go to the friend, family member, or business associate in whose name you are giving. World Vision then sends special cards to those individuals, describing the gifts and their impact. The gift or intervention you have chosen goes directly to a child or family in need.
In addition to the individual and family donors doing their holiday shopping through the gift catalog, World Vision also welcomes the growing participation of schools, churches, and corporations. Last year, these partners in building a better world for children donated more than $8 million in life-saving gifts.
This year's items range in price from $10 to $25,800. Choices include:
-- Provide a care kit for a child orphaned by AIDS ($25)
-- Provide a backpack and school supplies for a child in the U.S. ($25)
-- Supply education and vocational training to girls impacted by the commercial sex trade ($35)
-- Provide a year of education for child orphaned by AIDS ($50)
-- Purchase a share of mine clearance and care ($75)
-- Provide nutritious food to feed a village ($80)
-- Purchase a share of a deep water well ($100)
-- Purchase a camel for a family in Afghanistan or Mongolia ($520)
-- Provide eye surgery for a child ($560)
-- Build a home for a family affected by HIV/AIDS ($4000)
To order World Vision gifts, visit the website or call to request a print catalog at toll-free 888-511-6511. All items are tax-deductible.
World Vision (www.worldvision.org) is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. We serve the world's poor, regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
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Among other recent headlines:
• Gov. Rendell implements aggressive steps to improve water quality in Pa. -- Ambitious efforts designed to clean up commonwealth waterways, help hasten Chesapeake Bay restoration -- WASHINGTON, DC, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Calling it a turning point, Gov. Edward G. Rendell today said 2005 has been a pivotal year for water quality improvements in Pennsylvania, as restoration efforts have focused on implementing new and innovative approaches to reduce nutrient pollution permanently and consistently throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed...
In other PaDEP news:
-- "Bay leaders adopt innovative pollution reduction, fisheries management strategies to accelerate Chesapeake restoration effort"
-- "EPA awards $517,000 to partnership for Delaware estuary"
-- "Lehigh River dam removal in Carbon County will improve public safety, enhance stream quality"
-- "Public input hearing set for Pocono Waterworks rate increase request"
• Water industry reaches crossroads as national consumer body publishes programme BIRMINGHAM, England, Nov. 29, 2005 -- United Kingdom consumers get a good deal out of the water industry in England and Wales -- but there is no room for complacency as the industry reaches a cross-roads in its relationship with consumers, the champion for water consumers were to say today. The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), which publishes its outline work programme for the next three years to March 2009, has identified five customer challenges for the water industry to meet: 1) Value for money - a fair and affordable price and charging system; 2) Right first time - problems sorted out quickly, without hassle; 3) Safe, clean drinking water -- a high quality product, good for health; 4) Water on tap 365 days a year - a reliable, continuous supply of water; 5) "Flush and go" - removal of wastewater, prevention of sewer flooding in the home and workplace, and removal of persistent smells from sewage treatment works...
In other UK water news:
-- "New water consumer champion pledges to account for every penny"
-- "Defra proposes to lift GBP 86 million business burden with plans to simplify, streamline regulations"
• ACWA fall conference to focus on regional water plans for statewide needs -- Attendees to discuss California's Katrina, water supply science at event -- SACRAMENTO, Nov. 29, 2005 -- The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) is expecting to draw more than 2,000 water professionals, experts, and other leaders in the field at its annual Fall Conference and Exhibition, being held Nov. 29-Dec. 2 at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego. The theme for the event is "Water: Statewide Needs, Regional Plans -- Who Leads? Who Pays?" The event also serves to mark ACWA's 95th birthday. State Sen. Denise Moreno Ducheny (D-San Diego) will speak at the Nov. 30 Opening Breakfast, at 8 a.m. Mark Limbaugh, assistant secretary for water and science for the U.S. Department of the Interior, will keynote at the Nov. 30 luncheon, scheduled for noon. Among other featured speakers slated for December 1 are U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner John Keys, who will address ACWA's Federal Projects Subcommittee on Dec. 1 at 8:30 a.m., and Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow will speak at the noon luncheon...
In other ACWA news: "State advisory panel recommends ballast water treatment to protect California from harmful organisms"
• Gold Coast Water selects ViryaNet to optimize field service technicians, better manage water assets -- SOUTHBOROUGH, MA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- ViryaNet Inc., a leading provider of software applications for mobile workforce management and field service delivery, today announced that Gold Coast Water (GCW), a major utility providing water and wastewater products and services to residential and commercial customers in Queensland, Australia, has contracted with ViryaNet to implement ViryaNet's FOCUS product...
• American Water honored with InfoWorld 100 Award for enterprise-wide deployment of Arbor Networks -- Arbor Peakflow X saved company over $1 million fighting threats -- LEXINGTON, MA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Arbor Networks, a leader in network security, today announced that its customer American Water, the largest water services provider in North America, has been honored with an InfoWorld 100 Award for its innovative use of Arbor Peakflow X, Arbor Networks' internal intrusion prevention solution (IPS). Arbor Peakflow X protects against internal and external attacks and threats against business networks...
• Ontario's Utilities Kingston selects Itron for smart metering technology -- Municipality to read 1,500 electricity, water and gas meters with one Itron fixed network -- SPOKANE, WA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Itron Inc. announced a contract with Utilities Kingston in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, to provide the municipality with Itron's advanced Fixed Network automatic meter reading (AMR) technology and CENTRON® solid-state electricity meters. Located on the northern shores of Lake Ontario, the Kingston municipality provides water, gas and electricity services to most of its 146,000 residents. Kingston joins four other Ontario utilities that have deployed pilots of Itron's Fixed Network advanced metering technology -- Wasaga Distribution, Hydro Ottawa Limited, Bluewater Power and Toronto Hydro -- in anticipation of new "smart meter" initiatives from the Ontario Ministry of Energy to foster energy and water conservation...
• Virginia Beach Department of Utilities selects Citect for water utility project -- Integration & upgrade of municipal water/wastewater SCADA system -- ALPHARETTA, GA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Citect and its Platinum Integration Partner, Edison Automation, have been awarded a contract exceeding $1.5 million by the Virginia Beach Department of Utilities to upgrade its water and sewer pump station monitoring system. Citect will provide engineering and software in excess of $500,000. This is the third major CitectSCADA installation in six months at a large water/wastewater pumping and treatment facility. McKim & Creed will also participate in the joint engineering project...
• Kenneth J. Wagner, Ph.D., CLM, of ENSR elected president of North American Lake Management Society -- ENSR senior water resources manager elected to 3 year NALMS term -- WESTFORD, MA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Kenneth J. Wagner, senior water resources manager with ENSR, has been elected President of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) -- a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement and protection of lakes in North America. Dr. Wagner has been a member of NALMS since its founding in 1980 serving as treasurer and chair of several committees...
• CH2M Hill names Vincent Ragucci state and local government affairs director for Northeast region -- DENVER, Nov. 29, 2005 -- CH2M HILL, an international engineering services firm based here, announced the promotion of Vincent "Vinny" Ragucci to state and local government affairs director for the company's northeast region. In this position, Ragucci will identify and support company interests through relationship building with local communities and company clients, as well as managing regional government affairs activities. Since joining CH2M HILL in 2003, Ragucci has been a member of the company's Northeast Water team serving as New England business development lead, client service manager and regional client service director...
• Wataire Industries receives CSA special inspection approval -- VANCOUVER, BC, Canada, Nov. 29, 2005 -- On behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. P.R. Fraser today announced that Wataire Industries Inc. has received Special Inspection CSA approval for the HOME/OFFICE WII 4010 Atmospheric Water Generator. The company has worked diligently to meet the requirements of the CSA inspectors and has met or exceeded the guidelines set forth by the CSA. The technical requirements used to evaluate the product covered by the approval are CSA Standard C22.2 No.o.o.4 as a guide to SPE 1000...
• GE awards Parsons upper Hudson River remediation contract -- PASADENA, CA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Parsons announced today its selection by GE for a contract to provide construction management services for the first phase of the Upper Hudson River PCB Sediment Remediation Project. Parsons' construction management responsibilities include design review and evaluation of constructability, preconstruction planning and scheduling, assisting with contracting, contract administration, contractor coordination, cost management, time management, quality management, and safety management...
• GreenFuel appoints VP of process development to oversee deployment of emissions-to-biofuels system -- New executive is a 20-year veteran of large-scale advanced technology projects -- CAMBRIDGE, MA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- GreenFuel Technologies Corp., a privately held company providing emissions-to-biofuels™ conversion services to power plants and industrial facilities, today announced that it has appointed John (Jack) Lewnard, PhD, to the position of vice president of process development. Dr. Lewnard has previously managed projects in the biotechnology, fuel production, and electricity production sectors. In his most recent post at Millipore Corp., he introduced several new membrane characterization techniques, including a more sensitive integrity test in patent review...
• Longmark Industries targets E. coli, foodborne illnesses with new food service industry technology program -- PHOENIX, Nov. 29, 2005 -- An innovative plan that combines state-of-the-art food sanitation technology with a consumer information plan may provide a major leap forward in prevention of food borne illness in the food service industry. Longmark Industries LLC announced the launch of its restaurant-oriented program called "VeriPure™ Inside." The plan includes the use of a new FDA-approved non-chemical food sanitizing process to minimize the occurrence of potentially lethal food borne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7. The program also provides restaurant customer education about the new process which is used as an additional step to the safe food handling practices already employed by food preparers...
• Metron Technology to acquire ChemTrace to enhance fab-wide services -- SAN JOSE, CA, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Metron Technology Inc., a leading supplier of fab-wide services to the global semiconductor industry, announced today that it has agreed to purchase all of the outstanding shares of ChemTrace Corporation and ChemTrace Precision Cleaning, Inc. (collectively, ChemTrace), both privately-held companies, for an undisclosed cash amount. The acquisition will enhance Metron's capabilities to provide customers worldwide with high quality parts cleaning and materials testing solutions to support their integrated circuit manufacturing operations...
• Mountain Province Diamonds' joint venture submits application for construction, operating permits for NWT Mine -- Production expected to average three million carats annually over 15 years -- TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. announced that De Beers Canada Inc., its operating partner of the Gahcho Kue Joint Venture, has filed an application with the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board for the permits required to construct and operate a diamond mine at Gahcho Kue. The Gahcho Kue project is a joint venture between De Beers Canada (51%), Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. (44.1%) and Camphor Ventures (4.9%)...
• New discovery of C8 contradicts DuPont claims, say citizen groups -- State assumes authority over DuPont investigation -- FAYETTEVILLE, NC, Nov. 29, 2005 -- Newly discovered contamination of groundwater by a controversial toxic chemical manufactured only at DuPont's Fayetteville, N.C., facility contradicts the company's previous claims about the source of the contamination and the dangers posed to people and the environment, according to a release from the North Carolina C8 Working Group. C8, also known as ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO), has been labeled as a "likely human carcinogen" by an EPA Science Advisory Board. It has been found in the blood of DuPont-Fayetteville employees and is the same chemical that contaminated public water supplies in West Virginia, leading to a class- action lawsuit involving more than 50,000 people...
• National Weather Service unveils new precipitation web page -- WASHINGTON, DC, Nov. 28, 2005 -- High-quality precipitation analyses used for flood forecasts, drought monitoring and climate trends are being made available on NOAA's National Weather Service Web site on a trial basis through June 2006. During this time, comments regarding the service will be collected to determine whether it effectively meets users' needs and whether the service should be continued after the trial period. Fine resolution precipitation data will help government agencies, river authorities, agribusiness, hydro-power utility companies and others make better, more cost- effective decisions about water management and the impacts of water surpluses and shortages. Emergency management agencies will be able to monitor impending flood conditions and conduct more effective operations during floods...
• Groundwater Replenishment System wins 2005 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award -- FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA, Nov. 23, 2005 -- The Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) System, the largest water purification project of its kind and joint project of Orange County Water District (OCWD) and Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD), received the 2005 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in the category of Ecosystem and Watershed Management. The award was presented at a formal recognition ceremony held at the California Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters in Sacramento on November 22...
In other news: "Orange County residents invited to our construction site for water purification plant Dec. 3"
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In earlier newsbriefs, see: "WaterBriefs: Apax Partners to acquire majority interest in Contech Construction Products" -- Also in this report (Nov. 28, 2005): Aqua America unit invests $4.2M to acquire N.J. water system; $6.3 million cleanup of Newton Creek, Hog Island Inlet now complete; Public invited to DWR Salton Sea ecosystem restoration program meetings; Biophage's PDS Biosensor detects toxic cyanobacteria in drinking water; Army Corps of Engineers deploys Hummingbird Enterprise for ESRI; Six UK engineers transform lives of Ghanian villagers with access to clean water; Wessex Water tests strategic environmental assessment; Ovation reports successful testing of water purification technology; Irvine Ranch Land Reserve stewardship program wins top environmental award; Aqua Society develops new heat pump; Global Beverage Solutions to acquire controlling interest in Rudy Beverage; Royal Spring Water to distribute in Puerto Rico, Caribbean islands and Latin America; ICC, IAPMO set February as critical meet date; Southwest Water names Walter J. Bench as treasurer; Maragos joins Black & Veatch as part of enterprise management division...
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