From algae biofuel harnessed in wastewater, to financing options for water infrastructure projects in the US, 2012 has certainly been a busy year for the industry. At Waterworld.com we are lucky enough to be in a position to cover the latest global news, from contract signings to technology trials. So what were the highlights of this year? We’ve tracked down the top ten stories viewed by you, water and wastewater professionals…
1) Why water was not the right fit for Siemens Put up for sale in November, Siemens Water Technologies (SWT) said that water treatment was outside of the scope of its industries division future strategy after acquiring USFilter from Veolia Environnement for $993 million…Read story
2) Forward Osmosis: Is China next to shake up the desalination sector? After completing installation of its second forward osmosis facility in Oman, Modern Water is now expanding eastwards with an agreement signed with the Hangzhou Development Center of Water Treatment Technology (Hangzhou Water), in the People’s Republic of China…Read story
3) New thermal desalination process claims 1 kWh/m3 energy use
Following operating experience from a 500 m3/day pilot plant in El Gouna in Egypt, a low temperature distillation process has been launched which claims to produce water using less than 1.0 kilowatt hour per cubic metre…Read story
4) Top 50 most promising water tech start ups of 2012 unveiled
The 2012 Artemis Project Top 50 Water Tech Listing identified the most promising companies that are applying innovation in the market to address today's dire water challenges. Entrées included five companies from Israel, three from Singapore and 29 from the USA…Read story
5) Show me the money: Options for meeting water infrastructure funding needs
With a hundred-year old distribution and collection system networks in the US reaching the end of their service life and relatively simultaneously, estimates predict that over $1 trillion will need to be spent over the next 25 years to modernize, repair, and expand drinking water infrastructure…Read story
6) Understanding check valves: Sizing the application, not the line size
Check valves are probably the most misunderstood valves ever invented and, as a result, could be the least popular valve in use today. This article puts the record straight and explains the basics of check valves, how they work, what types there are, how to select and install them, how to solve their problems, and, finally, why they are not always the cause of the problem…Read story
7) Algae Biofuel: Could it eliminate the need for wastewater aeration?
Algal blooms have always proved a challenge for the water industry. Yet could this organic matter, with the help of wastewater nutrients, be turned into a biofuel and help alleviate fossil fuel shortages? The European funded All-Gas project in Spain believes so…Read story
8) Saudi solar desalination vision gets brighter
Research underway in Saudi Arabia to look at how solar power can be harnessed for desalination processes is paying off as the country looks set to increase capacity. News reports suggested that the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) will establish three new solar-powered desalination plants to reduce dependence on oil…Read story
9) Nano membrane toilet to eliminate water for sanitation
As part of the Gates Foundation global challenge to reinvent the toilet in developing nations, the UK’s Cranfield University has designed a solution that uses nano and advanced water treatment technologies to treat human waste on-site without external energy or water, allowing it to be safely transported away and potentially reused…Read story
10) Membrane expense cited for Pepsico’s view on water reuse
PepsiCo was awarded the Stockholm Industry Water Award for its Arizona facility that reused 80% of process water through filtration and purification. However, the beverage giant later said that the wastewater reuse process was “capital intensive and it’s not a cheap thing to do, or fast to build up the process”...Read story
