Russia: Finland will donate g10 million for construction on the sewage system in the southwest district of Saint Petersburg. The funds will be used to purchase Finnish equipment necessary for the sewage system. The entire project, which costs g190 million, will expand system coverage to 700,000 city residents and reduce by one-third the current level of untreated wastewater discharged into the Gulf of Finland.
International bank loans will pay for most of the project. More than 25% of the funds are donated, and the EU will finance the construction of a sewage incinerator. The Russian company Vodokanal will contribute an estimated 10% of project costs.
Russia: The Surgut City Administration appointed the UK consultancy Mott MacDonald to help rehabilitate the water supply, wastewater and district heating systems for the central Russian city in the west Siberian Plain, part of a g75-million strategy to improve and redevelop city infrastructure. Sub-consultants SWECO and AF of Sweden and the Surgut -based West Siberian Design Institute will assist Mott MacDonald.
The population of Surgut grew almost ten-fold, from 34,000 in 1970 to some 300,000 in 2003, and unplanned development by several agencies led to unreliable service and inflated energy costs.
The project, the first phase of a long-term investment, is expected to rehabilitate water supply, wastewater and district heating systems. The programme includes more than 40 projects. The Surgut City Administration and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is funding the project. Surgut is one of the first Russian cities to achieve a credit rating enabling it to qualify for a direct EBRD loan. The project will be completed in spring 2006.
UK: Grundfos Pumps Ltd. reports exceptional growth in the first eight months of 2003 in new emerging markets such as India (63%), Russia (45%) and China (26%). The UK market shows solid growth in this period, results which belie the maturity of the market, according to Mitch Holmes, sales and marketing manager of water and wastewater for Grundfos Pumps Ltd. A key factor, says Holmes, is the strengthening partnerships with utilities, which increased by 24%. In addition, the company introduced heavy-duty submersible pumps last June, which improves its ability to supply equipment for larger contracts. Grundfos Pumps Ltd. is part of the Grundfos Group of Denmark.
UK: The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is inviting entries for the prestigious Ken Roberts Award for Technical Innovation in the Water Industry, which will be awarded in April 2004. Entries from the UK and overseas are welcome and the competition is open to all CIWEM members and their employers.
Adams Ricardo Ltd won the 2003 Award for its development of blowers for submerged use (WWI Feb 2003). Entries may relate to projects, research or other relevant work and will be judged on the following criteria: relevance to the water industry, technical and environmental excellence, innovation, practical value and presentation. For more information, visit the website at: www.ciwem.com/awards/.
