In other news below:
-- Chemical Injection Technologies Inc. appoints national sales manager
-- Golden Maid Packers deploys Novazone's storage solution to extend fruit shelf life
-- URS wins $87 million contract to provide support services for EPA's Superfund Program
-- Strategic Diagnostics files patent in support of new food pathogen assay
-- Contech relocates headquarters
-- Pittcon announces Invited Symposia for 2006
-- Flow International completes Avure Technologies sale
American Water partnership pays dividends for Buffalo Water System
American Water receives award from National Council for Public-Private Partnerships -- VOORHEES, NJ, Nov. 2, 2005 -- American Water, the nation's largest private water company, announced yesterday it has received the 2005 Public-Private Partnership Award from the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP). The NCPPP awarded American Water the honor in the "Service" category for the company's innovative work with the city of Buffalo's water system. Services provided by American Water to the City of Buffalo include repair and maintenance of the distribution system; water treatment and pump station operation; residuals management; customer service; billing and collections; and water meter repair and installation.
After six years of working with American Water, the City of Buffalo has recognized $21 million in savings through operational and financial improvements. The American Water-City of Buffalo partnership has made significant improvements to the city's water system, including the complete automation of customer records, the design and construction of a brand new customer service center and a new computerized maintenance and management system.
"A profound change has taken place in how water business is conducted in Buffalo as a result of our partnership with American Water," said Mayor of the City of Buffalo, Anthony Masiello. "Buffalo's initial goals of rate decrease and stabilization during the first five-year contract were achieved."
Additional improvements resulting from the partnership include an initial water rate reduction of 8%, held for five years; improved water quality and reduced turbidity by 450%; an innovative labor contract resulting in no voluntary staff reductions and a 26% increase in productivity; and the implementation of multiple community projects, with the focus on helping disadvantaged Buffalo residents.
"The partnership between American Water, the City of Buffalo and the unions has resulted in truly remarkable achievements. Our industry-leading internal systems and procedures, coupled with Buffalo's willingness to proactively modify its practices, have lead to substantial cost reductions, measurable performance improvements, and superior service to citizens. This is the ultimate goal of partnership," said James R. Campolong, Project Manager of American Water. "We are proud to receive the NCPPP Award, and we share this honor with our friends and colleagues of the Buffalo Water Board," he continued.
Each year, the NCPPP recognizes organizations that have successfully completed unique and innovative public-private partnerships, illustrating the best practices and applications in the field. A leader in operations and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities, American Water began working with the Buffalo Water Board in 1997. The city tapped American Water to upgrade, operate and maintain its aging water system, requiring the implementation of water-industry standards and a benchmarking process to measure and enhance performance.
The 2005 NCPPP Awards ceremony will take place at the 2005 Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet, held on November 16 at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town in Alexandria, VA.
With a history of over 100 years, American Water provides high quality water, wastewater, and other related services to over 18 million people in 29 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Employing approximately 7,000 and reporting over $2 billion in revenue, American Water is an integrated part of RWE's water division, which includes Reading-based Thames Water. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
Chemical Injection Technologies Inc. appoints national sales manager
FORT PIERCE, FL, Nov. 1, 2005 -- Chemical Injection Technologies Inc., a world leader in water and wastewater treatment and an ISO 9001:2000 certified company, has appointed Jonathan Specker as national sales manager. Specker will be responsible for sales and distributor management of all Superior products in the United States and Puerto Rico. He joins Bob Fraum, vice president of sales, and Jay Long, international sales manager.
Specker has been with the company since 1997, beginning his career with the company as a regional sales manager. He became operations manager in 2003, managing production activities and technical service. With his sales and technical experience in water and wastewater treatment products, Specker brings new dimension to the company's Superior distributor sales team, providing sales and product training and technical assistance.
Since 1992, Chemical Injection Technologies (www.chlorinators.com) has been providing solutions for water purification needs, including the disinfection of water for drinking, industrial process, chilling, washdown, and sanitation; controlling algae and slime in cooling tower and drip irrigation systems and swimming pools; and cleaning and disinfection of a variety of foods with advanced Superior-brand gas chlorinators, sulfonators and ammoniators. Superior products are safer, economical, and user friendly. An ISO-certified water and wastewater treatment company, Chemical Injection Technologies, Inc. is based in Fort Pierce, Fla.
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Among other recent headlines:
• Golden Maid Packers deploys Novazone's storage solution to extend fruit shelf life -- Ozone solution reduces decay, improves quality and cuts need for chemicals to keep kiwi fresh -- LIVERMORE, CA, Nov. 2, 2005 -- Novazone, a leading provider of innovative ozone-based solutions to improve the freshness and safety of food and water, yesterday announced that Golden Maid Packers, growers of plums, table grapes, persimmons and kiwifruit, has deployed Novazone's ozone-based cold storage solution for kiwifruit to extend shelf life and provide additional protection against Botrytis...
• URS wins $87 million contract to provide support services for EPA's Superfund Program -- SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 1, 2005 -- URS Corp. it was awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, re-compete contract by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide emergency response, technical, analytical and quality assurance support services for the Superfund and other EPA programs in the EPA's Region 8, which includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 27 sovereign tribal nations. The contract includes a four-year base period, one two-year option period and an additional one-year option period. The maximum aggregate value of the contract to URS is $86.7 million over the full seven years assuming all the option periods are exercised. Under the terms of the Superfund Technical Assistance and Response Team (START) contract, URS will assist the EPA in response activities; the identification, assessment and mitigation of environmental hazards; brownfields assessments; and emergency planning and training. URS may also provide similar environmental services nationwide to other EPA regions through the contract...
• Strategic Diagnostics files patent in support of new food pathogen assay -- NEWARK, DE, Nov. 1, 2005 -- Strategic Diagnostics Inc. -- a provider of biotechnology-based detection solutions for a broad range of food, water, agricultural, industrial, environmental and scientific applications -- has filed a patent application in the US and in many countries throughout the world, seeking protection of its new enrichment media technology to be used in the Company's food pathogen assays. Enrichment media is a significant component of the $1.6B global food testing market. Dependent upon the detection method used, media may represent more than half the per test cost. The Company intends to release the first application of this new selective enrichment method together with a new Salmonella assay in the first half of 2006. There are more than 100 million tests run in the United States each year to test for the presence of Salmonella in processed and ready to eat food products...
• Contech relocates headquarters -- MIDDLETOWN, OH, Nov. 1, 2005 -- Contech Construction Products Inc. has relocated its corporate headquarters to Centre Pointe IV in the Union Centre business complex effective Nov. 14. It's the only nationwide provider of corrugated metal and plastic pipe, detention/retention systems, geogrid and geotextile materials, erosion control products, concrete arch systems, retaining wall systems and bridge structures...
• Pittcon announces Invited Symposia for 2006 -- Several sessions focused on advances in environmental science and technology to be presented by renowned speakers from academia, government and industry -- PITTSBURGH, Nov. 1, 2005 -- Pittcon® -- The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy -- announced today the Invited Symposia that will be presented at Pittcon, March 12-17 in Orlando, Fla. Attracting thousands of scientists annually, the Invited Symposia feature over 75 presentations and discussions on cutting-edge technologies used for numerous scientific applications. A number of Invited Symposia and contributed technical sessions, with speakers from the EPA and other leading institutions, will focus on the latest techniques and research in environmental science and technology...
• Flow International completes Avure Technologies sale -- KENT, WA, Nov. 1, 2005 -- Flow International Corp., a supplier of ultrahigh- pressure waterjet products, today announced that it has completed the divestiture of its General Press operations, which consist of the North America Press and the International Press segments, as well as the non- ultrahigh-pressure portion of its food business, which is included in Avure's Fresher Under Pressure® food segment. The businesses have been acquired by an affiliate of Gores Technology Group LLC, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. As part of the previously announced agreement, Flow entered into a supply agreement with the Gores affiliate to build on Avure's leading position in the design and manufacture of advanced high-pressure presses for the food industry...
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In earlier newsbriefs, see: WaterBriefs: California's water system vulnerable to long overdue earthquake -- Also in this report (Oct. 31, 2005): Calif. water district files lawsuit against Diamond Farming, Bolthouse Farms; Calif. DWR improves water data library; Serious fraud office investigates Ofwat's concerns about Severn Trent Water; Mixed blessings on UK water companies' leakage, water efficiency performance; Whatman sweeps 2005 IBWA Supplier Awards; RushNet Inc. secures additional bottler for e-water; Cytec completes expansion for mining chemicals product line; Third of First Nations adults consider household water unsafe to drink: RHS report...
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