WaterBriefs: Water Security Congress commemorates 9/11 disaster
In other news below:
-- Sensicore unveils new emergency water analysis for homeland security
-- WHO publishes Guidelines for Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater update
-- Thermal Energy acquires patented, award-winning bioenergy technology
-- CCS Income Trust acquires ARKLA Disposal Services Inc.
-- Aquarion Water selects Impress Software for GIS to integrate ESRI, SAP
-- HOBAS Pipe area managers celebrate 20 years of success
-- Anvil International names Dean Taylor as VP of sales and marketing
-- American Water appoints head of corporate communications, external affairs
-- BOC Edwards installs ERIX water treatment system at UAlbany Nanocollege complex
-- Sulphco signs agreement with Petrobras
-- Experts unveil new National Renewable Energy Plan
-- Thornton, CO, chooses Aquionics UV systems for its two water treatment plants
Water Security Congress commemorates 9/11 disaster
• Homeland Security official addresses 'very complex beast' of terrorism, natural disasters at AWWA second annual event; EPA Assistant Administrator underscores 'all hazards approach' to water security, response.
WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 11, 2006 -- Speaking before hundreds of water suppliers and security experts on the fifth anniversary of 9/11, Robert B. Stephan, Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), lauded the water sector's leadership in protecting infrastructure and responding to the "very complex beast" of terrorism and natural disasters.
Stephan addressed the opening general session of the fourth Water Security Congress, hosted by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). The congress, at Washington's Omni Shoreham Hotel, brings together water utility managers, national security experts, technology providers, emergency responders and public officials to address the essential need for the continued safety and security of the country's water supply and infrastructure.
Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Office of Water for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also spoke at the opening general session, encouraging an "all hazards approach" to water security that takes into account natural and man-made threats.
Noting that water impacts "every single house in America every day," Stephan said that terrorists could someday consider striking U.S. water infrastructure or supplies to instill fear and damage the economy. He pointed out that water infrastructure is a regular target in the ongoing war in Iraq, and that terrorists are paying close attention to the effects of those attacks.
"We have to be building in resiliency as well as physical security and cyber protection," Stephan said. "The water sector is leading the way."
To successfully defend against both terrorism and natural disasters, the water sector must employ dynamic leadership, smart partnerships and effective plans, Stephan said. He noted that the recently completed National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) provides comprehensive risk management framework that defines infrastructure protection roles for all level of governments and industries. "You can have the greatest Super Bowl team in the world, but if you go into the game without a playbook, you're not going to be able to move the ball downfield," he said.
Grumbles pointed to the growing interest in intrastate mutual aid agreements as an important step in assuring effective emergency responses to natural disasters or terrorist attacks, noting that AWWA and EPA have worked closely together to encourage mutual aid arrangements in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He also spoke about EPA's 2006 Water Sentinel Initiative, which will develop a water monitoring and surveillance system for potential contaminants.
The Water Security Congress concludes Tuesday. For more information on the program or exhibition, visit www.awwa.org/conferences/congress
Also see: "Sensicore introduces new emergency water analysis solution for homeland security"
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Among other recent headlines:
• WHO publishes update of Guidelines for Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater -- BEIJING, China, Sept. 11, 2006 -- In many parts of the world, good quality fresh water resources are becoming increasingly scarce. At the same time, wastewater is produced in ever-larger quantities, mainly as a result of the continued growth of the human population and the process of rapid urbanization. In reality, wastewater is a water resource of ever-growing importance, particularly for the urban and peri-urban poor whose livelihoods depend on agricultural products that can be marketed locally. However, its use for crop and fish production carries important health risks and the disease burden that can be attributed to its unsafe use is considerable. The third edition of the WHO Guidelines for the Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater in Agriculture and Aquaculture is published in four volumes, addressing, respectively, policy and regulatory aspects, wastewater use in agriculture, wastewater and excreta use in aquaculture and excreta and greywater use in agriculture. It supersedes the second edition of the guidelines, which was published in 1989...
• Thermal Energy acquires patented, award-winning bioenergy technology -- Dry-Rex turns bark, sludge and other biomass into high-efficiency, low-cost, low-emission biofuel for power producers, pulp and paper, and other industries -- OTTAWA, Canada, Sept. 11, 2006 -- Thermal Energy International Inc. has expanded its suite of energy saving solutions by acquiring the award-winning, patented Dry-Rex™ bioenergy technology from Mabarex Inc., of Montreal for $3.25 million. Terms of the deal include taking immediate ownership of the exclusive worldwide license to the Dry-Rex technology and the transfer of all intellectual property (patent) rights on an earn-out basis over five years. Thermal Energy is also acquiring the global sales relationships and the existing roster of active sales opportunities from Mabarex. Thermal Energy has been actively marketing this new solution for several months and is already engaged in early-stage project development talks with prospective clients for Dry-Rex solutions...
Also see: "Thermal Energy, Johnson Controls commence initial phase of major U.S. project: It would significantly reduce energy costs for world leading food producer"
• CCS Income Trust announces Louisiana-based acquisition -- CALGARY, Canada, Sept. 11, 2006 -- CCS Income Trust has completed the acquisition of ARKLA Disposal Services Inc. and its affiliated companies. ARKLA is an industrial waste water treatment plant operating in the Port of Shreveport, LA. The plant treats both produced water from area gas wells and various industrial waste streams. CCS acquired all of the outstanding shares of ARKLA for about CDN$11.7 million [US$10.43 million]. Consideration consists of CDN$5.7 million in cash and CDN$6.0 million in CCS Income Trust Units. These units will be held in escrow and released rateably over the next five years. In addition to the purchase price, ARKLA has CDN$7.0 million of long term debt and will pay CDN$0.7 million in retention bonuses to key employees over the next two years...
Also see: "Canada, Yukon partner to provide $18 million for infrastructure"
• Aquarion Water selects Impress Software for GIS to integrate ESRI, SAP -- Packaged integration improves business processes and enhances data integrity -- WALTHAM, MA, Sept. 11, 2006 -- Impress Software, a leading provider of packaged integration applications for SAP Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Enterprise Project Management (EPM) customers, today announced that it has been selected by Aquarion Water Company to integrate its SAP and ESRI systems. Aquarion will implement Impress Software's Impress for GIS, a solution that enables businesses to relate asset information between SAP and ESRI and streamline business processes that span both systems...
• HOBAS Pipe area managers celebrate 20 years of success -- HOUSTON, Sept. 11, 2006 -- To celebrate its 20-year anniversary in the United States, HOBAS Pipe USA gathered its regional and area managers from across the USA at its Houston, Texas manufacturing facility for a three day sales training seminar and golf outing. HOBAS is a recognized leader in fiberglass pipe and most U.S. municipalities have installed it in new construction and rehab for critical applications. It is versatile and used for sliplining, jacking, microtunneling and above ground installation. The fiberglass-reinforced, polymer mortar pipe is inherently corrosion resistant with a life expectancy of 100 years or more. Diameters range from 18 to 110 inches and standard sections up to 20-feet...
Also see: "Texas capital city of Austin tunnels with HOBAS Pipe"
• Anvil International names Dean Taylor as VP of sales and marketing -- PORTSMOUTH, NH, Sept. 11, 2006 ¿ Anvil International, the largest and most complete fitting and hanger manufacturer in the world, recently announced their promotion of Dean Taylor to the position of vice president of sales and marketing. He'll manage the Mechanical and Fire Protection Divisions, the Business Development Team, and Inside Sales, with a special focus on Anvil's domestic and international growth. Taylor has 20 years of experience in sales within the Anvil (and predecessor) organization, most recently as the vice president of AnvilStar™ (Fire Products Division of Anvil International) and vice president of international business...
• American Water appoints head of corporate communications, external affairs -- Laura Monica to lead company's overall communications strategy -- VOORHEES, NJ, Sept. 11, 2006 -- American Water, the nation's largest private water company serving over 18 million people, announced today that Laura Monica has been appointed Senior Vice President Corporate Communications and External Affairs. Monica will be responsible for all internal and external communications, including government relations, media relations and corporate responsibility. She will also lead the marketing and advertising strategy while overseeing all associated implementation activities. For the past 15 years, Laura has been president and founder of High Point Communications, an award-winning strategic communications firm in Bow, NH...
• BOC Edwards installs ERIX water treatment system at UAlbany Nanocollege's Albany Nanotech Complex -- ERIX recycles scrubber water and improves efficiency of back-pad treatment facilities -- WILMINGTON, MA, Sept. 8, 2006 -- BOC Edwards, a leading supplier of vacuum, abatement, chemical management equipment and services to the world's semiconductor OEMs and fabs, announced today that it has successfully installed its innovative ERIX wastewater treatment system at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University of Albany's, Albany NanoTech complex in New York . The installation is part of BOC Edwards' ERIX system development program. The ERIX system will be available to the market in the first half of 2007. ERIX (Electrochemically Regenerated Ion Exchange) recovers 90% of point-of-use (POU) scrubber water, reducing water consumption and concentrating the hydrofluoric acid (HF) in the effluent sent to back-pad precipitation facilities...
Also see: "Linde, The BOC Group become The Linde Group"
• Sulphco signs MOU with major Brazilian oil company -- Petroleo Brasileiro S. A. (Petrobras) produces over 2 million barrels per day -- SPARKS, NV, Sept. 6, 2006 -- SulphCo Inc. is announcing that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-based Petroleo Brasileiro S. A. (Petrobras). This MOU follows a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) previously signed in 2004 to allow Petrobras to visit SulphCo facilities and gather preliminary technical information about SulphCo's Sonocracking™ process. Under the terms of the agreement, Petrobras will make its best efforts to review and assess the maturity and the adequacy of SulphCo's process, and visit its first commercial (210,000 barrel per day) Sonocracking plant currently being installed in Fujairah, U.A.E. Upon completion of Phase I, SulphCo will host a visit of top Petrobras management and technical personnel at Fujairah. In the period between signing the MOU and completion of Phase I of the Fujairah plant, the two parties intend to go ahead with such transfer of information based on technical analyses from Petrobras to evaluate the feasibility of this technology into Petrobras refining structure. Both parties will continue to operate under the terms of the 2004 NDA...
• Experts unveil new National Renewable Energy Plan -- Roadmap uses Market-Based Approach to Reach 20% Renewable by 2020 -- NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 8, 2006 -- In an article just published in Electricity Journal, NNEC Executive Director Chris Cooper and Dr. Benjamin Sovacool of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory unveiled a bold strategy for meeting 20% of U.S. electricity demand with clean, renewable energy by the year 2020. The peer-reviewed article, "Green Means 'Go?': A Colorful Approach to a U.S. National Renewable Portfolio Standard," presents a novel way of implementing a federal renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that uses market-based strategies to persuade utilities to increase efficiency, diversify U.S. energy supplies, and help customers generate their own electricity to sell back to the central transmission grid...
• Thornton, CO, chooses Aquionics UV systems for its two water treatment plants -- ERLANGER, KY, Sept. 8, 2006) -- As Thornton, CO. has grown over the past 50 years, it has accommodated this growth by following its motto of "City of Planned Progress." The city's latest preparation for future progress is the installation of UV water treatment systems from Aquionics, the company reported Aug. 8. The closed chamber, medium pressure disinfection systems will allow the city to meet increased demands in water treatment capacity and tightening water quality regulations. The city's two water treatment plants, the Wes Brown Water Treatment Plant and the Thornton Water Treatment Plant, serve the needs of 114,000 citizens. With assistance from Aquionics representative Canyon Systems, Inc. (Lakewood, CO), Aquionics CrossFlow UV systems were chosen to provide a secondary barrier in the city's water treatment process...
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