WaterBriefs: American Red Cross reflects on tsunami a year later

Dec. 19, 2005
Also in this report: UC Berkeley pioneer in use of algae to treat wastewater dies; Hydranautics' Europe-Middle East director dies; Metro Wastewater has 'grand slam' year in 2005; Foster Wheeler wins contract for pulverized-coal boiler at Dallman Station, Ill.; Royal Spring Water wins Conquest order worth $6 million; PA watersheds data system goes live; Pall files patent infringement suit against Mykrolis; Solutia files protective actions in Chapter 11 case...

In other news below:
-- UC-Berkeley pioneer in use of algae to treat wastewater dies
-- Hydranautics' Europe-Middle East director dies
-- Metro Wastewater has 'grand slam' year in 2005
-- Foster Wheeler wins contract for pulverized-coal boiler at Dallman Station, Ill.
-- Royal Spring Water wins Conquest order worth $6 million
-- PA watersheds data system goes live
-- Pall files patent infringement suit against Mykrolis
-- Solutia files protective actions in Chapter 11 case

American Red Cross reflects on the tsunami one year later
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2005 -- One year ago, as families were gathered for the holiday, the images that flashed across our television screens were not those of football or holiday parades, but rather, the shocking images of lives torn apart, homes destroyed and villages wiped away. The Indian Ocean tsunami struck more than a dozen countries on Dec. 26, 2004, and the American Red Cross is one of 40 national societies of the larger International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement that was on the ground, responding to the disaster. We are still there, helping survivors recover, rebuild and strengthen their communities.

Thus far, through our emergency relief distributions, vaccinations and recovery programs, the American Red Cross -- with our partners -- has reached more than 30 million people living in the tsunami-affected countries.

Immediately following the tsunami, people of all ages from around the world demonstrated the season's spirit of giving when they opened their pocketbooks and gave money in record amounts to help organizations deliver relief to tsunami-affected countries. The American Red Cross received more money than any other single organization and we continue to honor our donors' generosity through programs that meet the needs of individuals and their communities.

With our partners, the American Red Cross is still distributing food, still providing shelter, still working to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and still ensuring the safety of drinking water. We continue to work with communities through community leaders to make certain survivors receive the emotional support they need, and that our programs match the needs of those affected. We participate in community clean-up efforts through cash- for-work programs. While the American Red Cross continues to address ongoing humanitarian needs, long-term programs are underway, focused currently on rebuilding water and sanitation systems and providing transitional shelter.

"Thanks to the generosity of people across America and around the world, the American Red Cross is helping to help restore hope to the survivors of last year's tsunami," said David Meltzer, senior vice president for International Services for the American Red Cross. "There is no better sign of recovery than the sound of a child's laugh and we hope to hear many more sounds of recovery in the coming months and years," he said.

With approximately $568 million donated to fund an estimated five-year recovery plan, the American Red Cross is working with local Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, government and non-governmental partners in the tsunami- affected region. American Red Cross delegations have been established in the hardest hit areas of Indonesia and Sri Lanka with delegates located in the Maldives, Thailand and East Africa.

The American Red Cross continues to build partnerships with other national and international organizations. Most recently, an agreement to partner with the World Wildlife Fund was signed to support our work in tsunami-affected countries, while ensuring that our activities establish and promote healthy environmental practices.

"While we take this opportunity to reflect upon and commemorate the loss of life, homes and livelihoods that occurred nearly one year ago, we also look ahead to 2006 with hope as we anticipate building upon the progress we've seen over this past year," Meltzer said.

One-year accomplishments:
-- Rushed relief supplies to 675,000 tsunami survivors. This aid included family tents, sleeping mats, cooking sets, hygiene kits and much more.
-- Provided emergency food assistance to more than 2.1 million people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives through a partnership with the World Food Program.
-- Created a psychosocial support program that has reached approximately 123,000 people and is expected to help more than 400,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
-- Started water and sanitation programs to benefit nearly 900,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives. The American Red Cross is also providing water and sanitation infrastructure for 11,000 transitional shelters, built by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which will serve homes, schools and health clinics and is expected to assist approximately 77,000 people in Aceh Province, Indonesia.
-- Working in partnership with the International Organization for Migration to build 5,000 transitional shelters, including schools and health clinics, to assist approximately 35,000 people in Aceh province, Indonesia.
-- Prevented epidemics by vaccinating nearly 7.8 million children against measles in Indonesia and Tanzania and more than 23.4 million children against polio in Indonesia in conjunction with United Nations agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

For more information about the American Red Cross Tsunami Recovery Program, please visit the Web site at www.redcross.org/tsunami. The Program's Plan of Action and One-Year Report are both available for download online.

The American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) is where people mobilize to help their neighbors- across the street, across the country and across the world-in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new -- the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through more than 800 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood -- the gift of life-through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 183 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. Jack McGuire is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.

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Among other recent headlines:

UC Berkeley pioneer in use of algae to treat wastewater dies -- BERKELEY, CA, Dec. 19, 2005 -- William J. Oswald, a University of California, Berkeley, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering and of public health, and an innovator in algae biotechnology and natural wastewater treatment, has died. He was 86. Oswald, who was also a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), died Dec. 8, at his Concord home, six months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Oswald, pictured above at the university's Richmond Field Station (Photo: Courtesy Saxon Donnelly/UC Berkeley), was among the first engineers to study the symbiotic interactions between algae and bacteria in wastewater treatment ponds. It was in the 1950s that Oswald began his research leading to designs of natural treatment systems powered primarily by solar energy, making wastewater treatment more affordable and sustainable. He developed a system of "integrated ponds" that takes advantage of two natural biological cycles to replace much of the energy and labor costs of conventional treatment...
In other news: "Europe/Middle East director for Hydranautics dies"

Metro Wastewater has 'grand slam' year in 2005 -- DENVER, Dec. 19, 2005 -- The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, which provides sewage treatment service for 1.5 million people in metropolitan Denver, had a "grand slam" year in 2005, winning four major environmental honors and a safety award. In May, Metro Wastewater won its second consecutive Platinum Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA; formerly the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies) for its second five-year period without a single numerical violation of its discharge permit. At year end 2005, Metro Wastewater has amassed 111/2 years without a numerical violation of its discharge permit. In July, Metro Wastewater was notified that, as a result of it having passed a voluntary third-party, independent audit of its Environmental Management System (EMS) for Biosolids by the National Biosolids Partnership, its EMS had been certified. That made Metro Wastewater the eighth wastewater treatment agency in the U.S. to have its EMS certified by the National Biosolids Partnership. The EMS for Biosolids is completely voluntary. In September, Metro Wastewater was awarded the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association's Biosolids Management Merit Award at that association's annual meeting in Albuquerque, N.M. The award recognized Metro Wastewater for the overall excellence of its biosolids management program. And in October, the EPA presented Metro Wastewater a first-place award in Washington, D.C., as a nationwide winner in the Operations and Maintenance Large Advanced Plant category...

Foster Wheeler wins contract for pulverized-coal boiler at Dallman Station, Ill.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Dec. 19, 2005 -- Foster Wheeler Ltd. announced that a U.S. subsidiary has been awarded a contract to design and supply a new 200 megawatt (MW) pulverized-coal-fired steam generator for a new power plant to be built at City Water, Light & Power's Dallman Generating Station in Springfield, Ill. It will supply the steam generator to Kiewit/Black & Veatch, the owner's lump-sum turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contractors for the new power plant. Foster Wheeler's contract, which exceeds $40 million, will be included in the company's fourth-quarter bookings. The new plant will be equipped with Foster Wheeler's state-of-the-art MBF coal pulverizers, low NOx Vortex series burners complete with an advanced closed loop measurement and control system for lower NOx generation, and an integrated selective catalytic reduction system to minimize NOx emissions from the unit. City Water, Light & Power plans to retire its aging 76 MW Lakeside plant, northeast of the Dallman facility, after the new power plant is completed in 2009...

Royal Spring Water receives $6 million order -- Letter of intent from Conquest covers 3-year term -- LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19, 2005 -- Royal Spring Water Inc., a bottler and distributor of Artesian spring water, announced today that it has received a letter of intent with a minimum three-year contract valued at over $6 million. The letter was signed by the President of Conquest. To date, this brings the value of Royal Spring Water's LOIs to over $9.5 million a year, and over $28.5 million for the next three years...

PA watersheds data system goes live -- HARRISBURG, PA, Dec. 16, 2005 -- Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) has announced the release of an online system that will store data collected by volunteer watershed monitors statewide. This information is currently used to track the impacts that human activities may have on a watershed, but it is stored only locally, without online access. With the advent of the PA Watersheds Data System, thousands of records dating back to the early 1970s can be made publicly available. The system is accessed through POWR's website www.pawatersheds.org, and is designed to place the monitoring groups in charge of their data, including whether they will store their data in it and who they will allow to see it once it is stored there...
In other PA news:
--

"DOE-qualified steam specialist workshop Jan. 24-26 will help 'Save Energy Now'"
-- "DEP Sec. McGinty shares outlook on Pa.'s environment in magazine interview"
-- "Mark your calendars - Free summer watershed tour to be held for teachers"
-- "DEP to hold public hearing on Bushkill Terrace II proposal"
-- "DEP orders Hercules to clean Clairton property"
-- "Mikulski receives award from SRBC for support of Susquehanna flood warning system, Chesapeake Bay protection highlighted"
-- "Nutrient load limits for significant dischargers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed available"

Watts Water Technologies Announces Webcast of 8th Annual Needham & Company, LLC Growth Conference
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2005--Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Symbol "WTS") today announced that William C. McCartney, its Chief Financial Officer, will present at the 8th Annual Needham & Company, LLC Growth Conference being held at the New York Palace Hotel, New York, on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. The presentation will be broadcast via a webcast. The address of the webcast is http://www.wsw.com/webcast/needham13/wts/ with replays available for 90 days after the event.
Watts Water Technologies, Inc. designs, manufactures and sells an extensive line of valves and other products to the water quality and water regulation and control markets.

Pall files patent infringement suit against Mykrolis -- EAST HILLS, NY, Dec. 16, 2005 -- Pall Corp. filed a patent infringement action today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Entegris Inc., doing business as Mykrolis Corp. The suit alleges Mykrolis is manufacturing and selling filter products, including certain of its Quickchange® and Waferguard® products, that infringe on two of Pall's patents. The suit seeks damages and an injunction precluding Mykrolis from selling the infringing products. Pall is a leading provider of integrated filtration solutions to the microelectronics industry...

Solutia files protective actions in Chapter 11 case -- Actions filed to preserve estate's legal rights; Company reiterates support of agreement-in-principle announced in June -- ST. LOUIS, Dec. 16, 2005 -- Solutia Inc., a leading manufacturer and provider of performance films, specialty chemicals and an integrated family of nylon products, today filed several protective actions in its Chapter 11 case. According to federal bankruptcy law, Solutia has two years from its Chapter 11 petition (Dec. 17, 2003) to file certain types of actions. As a result, the company is filing approximately 90 avoidance actions prior to this deadline, including one such action against Monsanto/Pharmacia, to preserve the legal rights of the bankrupt estate...

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In earlier newsbriefs, see: "WaterBriefs: Groups line up to support introduction of Clean Water Trust Act" -- Also in this report (Dec. 16, 2005): ACEC, AGC and ASCE laud Clean Water Trust Fund Bill; AWWA applauds EPA signing of Stage 2 DBPR, LT2ESTWR; Washington Group joint venture to help replace steam generator at N.J. nuclear power plant; Analysis of U.S. Homeland Security R&D programs and budgets through 2010 released; Biosolids expert Dr. Mohammad Abu-orf joins Siemens Water Technologies; Underground Solutions announces new management team, completion of convertible note issue; Orange County's Groundwater Replenishment System to receive $2.25 million in federal funding; CCC closes purchase of Steel Valley Plastics and announces consolidations, expansions...

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