WaterBriefs: Siemens, Israel's largest national water company to develop new technology

June 17, 2006
Also in this report: Aqua Innovations in-situ test results in; Aqua America exec decries water utility turnover; MTL picks industrial network director; Rohm & Haas hikes resin fees, wins $1.93M Calif. perchlorate deal; Hydroxyl licenses ActiveCell to Infilco Degremont, AquaPoint; Suez wins $188M Qatar wastewater contract; Cellnet lands Ill. meter deal; MDS wireless network secures Puerto Rico aqueduct, sewer facilities; Early approval for Carlsbad, CA, desal plant; Wilo EMU USA names VP...

In other news below:
-- Aqua Innovations sets parameters for in-situ electrolytic oxygenation
-- Chinese pollution will ensure maximum U.S. air pollution expenditures
-- Aqua America chairman decries short-term ownership of regulated water utilities
-- MTL appoints Fieldbus expert Verhappen industrial networking director
-- 'Struggle to manage scarce natural resource' topic of DC webcast
-- Rohm & Haas hikes resin prices; wins $1.93M Calif. contract for perchlorate removal
-- Hydroxyl Systems licenses ActiveCell technology to Infilco Degremont, AquaPoint
-- Suez wins $188M contract for wastewater transfer, treatment system in Qatar
-- Cellnet lands Geneseo, Ill., metering contract
-- Foster Wheeler awarded boiler for SRP's Springerville expansion
-- MDS wireless network helps secure Puerto Rico aqueduct, sewer facilities
-- Metoc report out on UK impact of Revised EU Bathing Waters Directive
-- Bentley buys Corporate Montage, GEF-RIS AG software
-- Carlsbad, CA, desalination plant wins early approval
-- Wilo EMU USA LLC names Jed Pratt VP sales for industrial markets

Siemens will work with Israel's largest national water company on joint development of new technology -- WARRENDALE, PA, June 16, 2006 -- Siemens and Mekorot, Israel's national water company, signed an agreement to jointly develop water treatment technologies that will help solve some of the world's most difficult water challenges, including the supply of high-quality water in arid regions. The agreement joins the two companies in a strategic partnership to develop and market globally technologies specifically for wastewater treatment and reuse, desalination, and water treatment security techniques and solutions. Siemens will have the opportunity to use Mekorot as a beta site for new technology, partial funding of R&D, and exposure to new technology development under Israel's water technology incubator program. Siemens estimates demand for new water treatment, reuse and recycle technologies, estimated at $40 billion, will double in the next eight to 10 years...

Aqua Innovations establishes performance parameters for in-situ electrolytic oxygenation -- BLOOMINGTON, MN, June 16, 2006 -- Aqua Innovations Inc., is pleased to announce that Pace Analytical Services, an independent testing laboratory, completed testing of a lab/pilot scale device utilizing Aqua Innovation's patented electrolytic technology to establish hydrogen and oxygen production per kilowatt hour of energy input. For the device tested, optimal production appeared to be achieved with a 1000 mS conductivity water (about 500 ppm TDS). At these conditions, the system produced 0.79 mol O2/kwh, or approximately 0.64 CF/kwh. Hydrogen production was measured at 1.47 mol H2/kwh, approximately 1.24 CF/kwh. The company is presently working on systems that will handle the higher current density of high conductivity water, and expects to develop a series of designs with optimal production efficiency for a variety of applications...

Chinese pollution will ensure maximum U.S. air pollution expenditures -- NORTHFIELD, IL, June 16, 2006 -- Recent publicity on Chinese power plant smog and soot deposition in California is making voters aware pollution control needs to be addressed globally. This means the U.S., given current rules, could find itself in the embarrassing situation of emitting six times as much SO2 as China. The McIlvaine Company, in its report "World FGD Market," predicts new rules will ensure nearly all U.S. coal-fired power plants will be equipped with scrubbers to remove SO2 by 2020...
Also see:
-- "McIlvaine: Expect $168 billion FGD world market in next 15 years"
-- "FGD revenues will grow due to new NSR ruling"

Aqua America chairman says short-term ownership in regulated water utility industry is detrimental -- BRYN MAWR, PA, June 15, 2006 -- Aqua America Inc. chairman and CEO Nicholas DeBenedictis said he believes that business models that fail to instill long-term ownership of regulated water utility systems will be harmful to communities and customers. DeBenedictis' remarks to the 29th annual National Conference of Regulatory Attorneys, which is meeting June 11-14 in Scottsdale, AZ, provided a year-in-review assessment on the concerns he raised at last year's conference on the topic of certain non-utility buyers acquiring U.S. water systems...

MTL appoints Fieldbus expert Verhappen industrial networking director -- HAMPTON, NH, June 15, 2006 -- The MTL Instruments Group plc is pleased to announce that Ian Verhappen has joined the group as Director of Industrial Networking Technologies. He'll be responsible for the development and support of not only MTL's present fieldbus products but also new technologies that will be critical to the ongoing success of both MTL and its customers. An ISA Fellow and Director of ICE-Pros Inc. (an independent engineering consulting firm), Verhappen is highly respected in the process automation sector and has served as project lead, engineer, designer or independent review consultant for a number of companies and industries around the world including: pulp and paper, mining, food processing, water and wastewater, oil sands processing, petrochemicals and refining...

'Governing water: Struggle to manage scarce natural resource' topic of DC webcast -- WASHINGTON, DC, June 15, 2006 -- Water can be a source of political struggles and social controversy around the world, from big dams to small wells, from privatizing water delivery to delivering bottled water. In his new MIT Press book Governing Water: Contentious Transnational Politics and Global Institution Building, Ken Conca of the University of Maryland examines political struggles to govern water. Conca was the chief presenter at the June 15 webcast hosted by Washington DC's Wilson Center website, www.wilsoncenter.org...

Rohm and Haas awarded $1.93M contract from ESTCP for perchlorate removal systems PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2006 -- The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program deal involves full-scale demonstrations of perchlorate-removal technology at three California host utilities. They'll use Rohm and Haas' perchlorate-selective Amberlite PWA2 ion exchange resins in a single-vessel design based on its AMBERPACK vessel system. Host sites are Rialto and Colton, CA, and the West Valley Water District near San Bernardino. The demonstration is slated to run for 9-12 months and expected to cut treatment costs by as much as 25%...
Also see: "Rohm and Haas announces a worldwide price increase of ion exchange resins"

Hydroxyl Systems licenses ActiveCell environmental technology to Infilco Degremont -- VICTORIA, British Columbia, Canada, June 15, 2006 -- Hydroxyl Systems Inc. announced yesterday it awarded Infilco Degremont Inc. (IDI), with headquarters in Richmond, VA, an exclusive license to market and distribute ActiveCell™ Hybrid technology for capacity upgrades and environmental process enhancements of municipal wastewater treatment facilities in the United States. Under this agreement, Infilco Degremont will provide complete design, engineering, project management, marketing, and distribution of ActiveCell Hybrid technology...
Also see:
-- "Hydroxyl, Aquapoint announce ActiveCell license agreement"
-- "Hydroxyl unveils new brand identity"
-- "Earthquake on the Island of Java: Suez Environment sends experts and equipment to relieve water problems"
-- "Degremont, Suez Group wins US$188 million contract to design, build and operate a wastewater transfer and treatment system in Lusail, Qatar"
-- "Signing of wastewater treatment agreement marks new step in strategic partnership between Suez, Chongqing"

Cellnet lands Geneseo, Ill., metering contract -- CHICAGO, June 15, 2006 -- At the American Public Power Association (APPA) Exposition here June 12, Cellnet Technology Inc. announced it has executed an agreement with city of Geneseo, IL, as its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) provider. The contract calls for the deployment of the Cellnet¿¥ wireless mesh network radio infrastructure, new electric endpoints, and host software in the initial phase of the project with water endpoints following in a subsequent phase. Located in northwest Illinois just east of Davenport, IA, Geneso sources power through long term power purchase agreements with Iowa-based utilities including Mid American Energy. Cellnet's fixed network AMI solution, which the city will own and operate, was picked in a tender process over wireless fixed network offerings from publicly traded competitors...

Foster Wheeler awarded pulverized-coal boiler for SRP's Springerville expansion project -- HAMILTON, Bermuda, June 15, 2006 -- Foster Wheeler Ltd. announced yesterday that Foster Wheeler North America Corp., an operating unit of its Global Power Group, has been awarded a contract for a pulverized-coal (PC) boiler by Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP). The contract, valued in excess of $65 million, calls for Foster Wheeler to design and supply a 400 megawatt (MWe) PC boiler for the Springerville Generating Station in Springerville, AZ. The unit will be owned by SRP and operated by Tucson Electric. The award will be included in Foster Wheeler's second-quarter 2006 bookings. This is the second boiler supplied by Foster Wheeler for the Springerville facility. The previous 400 MWe boiler, supplied to an ownership team including SRP, is currently in the start-up phase...

MDS helps secure Puerto Rico aqueduct and sewer facilities with high-speed wireless network -- SAN ANTONIO, TX, June 15, 2006 -- Microwave Data Systems (MDS), a world leader in industrial, wireless, networking solutions with applications in the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), automation, telecommunications, public safety, and online transactional markets, together with full-service partner, Intracom Inc., yesterday announced at the AWWA convention being held here that it will provide a high-speed, wireless infrastructure for the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA). PRASA is a government-owned, public corporation in charge of Puerto Rico's water aqueduct and sewer services, both of which are key elements to the island's modern infrastructure. The MDS FIVE Series radios are spectrum and data rate scalable, enabling utilities to trade-off system gain with spectral efficiency and channel availability for optimal network connectivity. The radios are typically used for backhaul and to extend IP networks. In addition, the MDS Wireless Systems Group is providing design and equipment integration for the project...

Metoc releases report for UK water industry on cost, environmental compliance for Revised EU Bathing Waters Directive -- LONDON, June 15, 2006 -- Environmental engineering firm Metoc plc announced yesterday it has completed a research project, commissioned by UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), to investigate the potential costs and understand the compliance issues for the UK arising from the revisions to the EU's Bathing Waters Directive (BWD). The new directive will raise bathing water standards through enhanced beach management and water quality improvements for the further protection of human health. Metoc's work has helped to inform the Water Industry and influence the decision making process which resulted in the successful adoption of the Directive in February 2006. The standards reflect a good balance between compliance, sustainability and the important role of improving public health protection, according to the report authors. Metoc's bathing water assessment strategies were critical in providing informed and scientifically justified recommendations, says Richard Dannatt, Metoc's business manager for the water sector...
Also see: "Metoc releases 'Desalination Plant Development: New Environmental Risk Guide'"

Bentley acquires CADscript, MAPscript from Corporate Montage -- New products increase depth of Bentley's publishing and plotting offerings -- PRAGUE, Czech Republic, June 15, 2006 -- At the inaugural BE Conference Europe, Bentley Systems Inc. announced June 12 that it has acquired the map publishing and finishing products, including CADscript and MAPscript, from Corporate Montage Pty. Ltd. of Perth, Australia. Another acquisition announced simultaneously brings Bentley GEF-RIS AG's sis family of products led by sisNET, an integrated solution for the design, documentation, and management of electricity, gas, water, and district heating networks. The Liemen, Germany, company's sisNET is built on Bentley's MicroStation and maintains data in commercial spatially oriented databases such as Oracle...
Also see:
-- "Bentley acquires Germany's GEF-RIS AG"
-- "Bentley ships V8 XM edition of ProjectWise software"

Carlsbad, CA, desalination plant wins early approval -- SAN DIEGO, CA, June 15, 2006 -- Opponents of a desalination plant in Carlsbad, CA, suffered a major setback June 13 when the city council unanimously approved the facility. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported yesterday that city officials said the plant would provide 73% of Carlsbad's water supply 72% of Carlsbad's supply under its agreement with Poseidon Resources Inc., the developer of Tampa Bay's desalination facilities that proposes to build the plant. Environmentalists, including the Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation, cited problems in Tampa Bay, but chiefly objected to using the project to prolong the life of the Encinitas Power Station by decades. They pointed out thousands of fish and marine microorganisms die each year due to the outdated facility cooling system. The project still facies a series of regulatory hurdles to overcome. The San Diego County Water Authority was scheduled to discuss a discharge permit for the Connecticut-based Poseidon's proposal on June 22. The San Diego Regional Water Control Board also must approve the permit...
Also see:
-- "San Diego County Regional Water Control Board"
-- "San Diego County Water Authority"
-- Ocean Desalination Plants in Southern California - Desal Response Group
-- Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Chapter
-- "Carlsbad Watershed Network"

Wilo EMU USA LLC names Jed Pratt VP sales for industrial markets -- THOMASVILLE, GA, June 15, 2006 -- Jed Pratt has recently been named vice president of sales for industrial markets at Wilo EMU USA LLC. He brings many years of in-depth industrial sales and applications experience to the increasingly popular Wilo EMU Extended Mean Time (EMT) pumping and mixing technologies...


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In earlier newsbriefs, see: "WaterBriefs: Rain Bird partners to support EPA's new water efficiency program" -- Also in this report (June 12, 2006): Regina, Canada, goes live with SPL's Enterprise Asset & Work Management; Emerson Rosemount water quality monitoring system achieves 94% accuracy in EPA testing; Renowned sidewalk chalk artist showcases water infrastructure at AWWA; CONTECH Stormwater names consultants for DC, Southern Calif. areas; ControlGlobal reports from the 2006 Honeywell Users Group meeting; GE RO system helps Unilever cut water, natural gas and chemical usage; EBI Consulting hires Earth Tech veteran; Hach sponsors webcast on optimizing online pH measurement ; Organoclays prevent oily waste's fouling of membranes in industrial wastewater; Siemens Water Technologies helps communities comply with new regulations; EU coasts OK for bathing, while inland water sites worsen...

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