WaterBriefs: RWE sells Thames Water Holdings plc to Kemble Water Ltd. for $9 billion

Oct. 20, 2006
Also in this report: Italian utility uses inge's UF technology; Europe seeks MBR standards; Invensys to upgrade digital control at Taiwan hydropower plant; PBS&J, Monterey, CA, explore offshore desalination alternative; Purolite hikes prices; Pure H20 piqued by H2O Innovations patents; LACSD odor control wins statewide award; Datamatic's Firefly gains AMR certification; Va. Tech to present cleanup predictor paper at Philly event; GE Water resolves sulfide problem at Australian refinery...

In other news below:
-- Italian's largest utility company uses inge AG technology for water purification
-- European initiative for the standardization of membrane bioreactor technology
-- Taiwan Power selects Invensys for Takuan hydro power station digital controls upgrade
-- Monterey, CA, PBS&J to study 'Seawater Conversion Vessel' as desalination alternative
-- Southern Nevada Water Authority Research Laboratory joins UC Berkeley study
-- Purolite adjusts price for ion exchange, catalyst, adsorbent and specialty resins
-- Pure H20 explores patent, technology rights of H2O Innovations water treatment systems
-- Weitz & Luxenberg responds to arsenic contamination in Minneapolis
-- Calif. DWR releases draft proposal solicitation package for 2007 Water Use Efficiency Grants
-- LA Sanitation Districts' odor control measures receive statewide award
-- Datamatic announces CENTRON certification for FIREFLY electric AMR
-- Concrete Washout Systems, Genesis Concrete launch service in Iowa
-- Public comment sought on Texas State Water Plan
-- Va. Tech to present groundwater cleanup predictor software paper at Philly event
-- Alfa Laval receives order from Kuwait for unique heat exchangers
-- GE chemical scavenger resolves sulfide problem at Australian refinery

RWE sells Thames Water Holdings plc to Kemble Water Ltd. for $9 billion -- Important milestone towards focusing on RWE's core electricity and gas business -- ESSEN, Germany, Oct. 20, 2006 -- RWE A.G. announced Oct. 16 it agreed to sell Thames Water Holdings plc to Kemble Water Limited, a consortium led by Macquarie's European Infrastructure Funds. The transaction was approved today by the Management Board of RWE AG. It remains subject to approval by the Supervisory Board of RWE AG, who is due to meet during the coming weekend, and by relevant antitrust authorities. The transaction is expected to close by early December. The purchase price for Thames Water amounts to GBP 4.8 billion [US$9.04 billion]. Thames Water has a pro forma net debt of GBP 3.2 billion [US$6.02 billion] which implies an enterprise value of GBP 8.0 billion [US$15.06 billion]. The transaction comprises the activities of Thames Water in the UK and certain international operations. Thames Water's Continental European activities have already been integrated into RWE Energy as previously announced Nov. 4...
Also see:
-- "RWE news release about the sale of Thames Water"
-- "Macquarie bid $126 mln more for RWE unit"
-- "Qatar seen as front-runner in bid to grab Thames Water utility"

Italian's largest utility company uses German high-technology for water purification -- inge AG equips desalination pretreatment of a power plant near Rome; 1,000 cubic metre per hour will be purified with ultrafiltration modules -- GREIFENBERG, Germany, Oct. 20, 2006 -- German inge AG, technology leader in the field of ultrafiltration of water, has been awarded to contribute to a large seawater desalination project in Italy. Approximately 1,000 cubic metre water per hour will be purified and desalted for the use in a power plant. The plant Torrevaldaliga North, is located in the Western-Italian port city Civitavecchia, around 50 kilometers northwest of Rome. It is operated by one of the largest Italian energy utility companies ENEL, ranking number three in Europe. The Italian system integrator Termomeccanica Ecologia from La Spezia currently constructs the water treatment system and uses ultrafiltration membranes of the worldwide technology leader inge AG from Germany. The plant is scheduled to start operation in March 2007. Over 375 dizzer®5000 modules of inge AG assure that the seawater from the Mediterranean Sea will be purified from viruses, bacteria and particles and will then be distributed at continuous high quality into the desalination process. After the Reverse Osmosis step the water is then further desalted in an Electro-Deionization plant (EDI)...

European initiative for the standardization of membrane bioreactor technology -- BERLIN, Germany, Oct. 20, 2006 -- AMEDEUS, a consortium on MBR-technology coordinated by the Berlin Centre of Competence for Water, completed a comprehensive study on market expectations and technological potential of standardized membrane bioreactor technology in Europe. Project partners, Anjou Recherche (Veolia Water) and Aquafin, major operators of MBR systems in Europe, were in charge of this study, undertaken in liaison with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), surveying a panel of 45 selected market players. Results of the study will be soon available at www.mbr-network.eu, the consortium's web-platform dedicated to the MBR technology, and will be presented on Nov. 24 in a workshop hosted by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) in Berlin...

Taiwan Power Company selects Invensys for Takuan Hydro Power Station digital controls upgrade -- FOXBORO, MA, Oct. 20, 2006 -- Invensys Process Systems today announced that Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) will implement I/A Series distributed control systems (DCS) from Foxboro for a hydro power generation and pumped storage automation upgrade project. Located at the 1,088-megawatt Takuan Hydro Power Station in Nantau County in central Taiwan, the new implementation will utilize the Foxboro high-speed mesh control network backbone to maximize system availability and reliability. Invensys Taiwan will also provide a range of professional services. The new systems at Takuan will control Plant 1, comprising four 22-megawatt hydro-electric generation units, and Plant 2, which consists of four 250-megawatt hydro-electric pumping units. The plants utilize water stored in Sun-Moon Lake, Taiwan's largest natural lake...

Seawater Conversion Vessel to be studied as alternative to land-based desalination -- Unanimous vote by water management district on California's central coast seen as more environmentally responsible -- MONTEREY, CA, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Water Standard Company, developers of the Seawater Conversion Vessel (SCV), announced that the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) in Monterey, CA, voted this week to study the vessel as a supplemental water source for this region. Water Standard founder and CEO Andrew Gordon and Skip Griffin, senior vice president of engineering firm PBS&J, are the first to propose ship based mass desalination in the effort to provide a permanent solution to the decreasing availability of fresh water around the globe...
Also see: "State Signs Agreement with Metropolitan Water District to Benefit California Small Businesses"

Southern Nevada Water Authority Research Laboratory joins UC Berkeley study -- LAS VEGAS, Oct. 19, 2006 -- The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) Board of Directors today approved a professional services agreement that will fund the SNWA's support of a large-scale University of California at Berkeley-led study related to the potential effects of waterborne contaminants on Chinook Salmon. While the project is specific to California river systems, this line of research has broad implications for municipal wastewater treatment agencies around the world. At issue is whether, or to what extent, trace concentrations of chemical compounds in treated wastewater affect the endocrine systems of aquatic species. One of the most advanced municipal water quality laboratories in the world, the SNWA's Research and Development facility was selected based on its staff's demonstrated ability to detect and identify trace concentrations of compounds in water...

Purolite adjusts price for ion exchange, catalyst, adsorbent and specialty resins -- Sustained high costs for raw materials and energy forced the increase -- BALA CYNWYD, PA, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Due to sustained high costs for raw materials and energy, Purolite Corp., the largest privately held ion exchange, catalyst, adsorbent and specialty resin manufacturer, will increase its prices worldwide for all products. The price increases are effective Nov. 1. They will range from 4-7%, depending on the product line. Founded in 1981, Purolite has ISO-9000:2001 certified sales offices in more than 30 countries as well as manufacturing and R&D facilities in the United States, China and Romania, as well as a dedicated central R&D facility in the United Kingdom...

Pure H20 in talks to acquire patent, technology rights of H2O Innovations water treatment systems -- RENO, NV, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Pure H2O Inc., a provider of novel water and wastewater treatment systems, is pleased to announce they have entered into substantive negotiations to acquire the impure water treatment technologies of H20 Innovations Inc. and CMS Inc. H20 has been developing and commercializing water and impure water treatment systems for a number of years in a variety of industries. The company specializes in the agricultural, oil and gas and mining industries...

Tallahassee goes live with SPLs Customer Care & Billing Upgrade -- SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2006 -- The public utility system operated by the city of Tallahassee, FL, has gone live with an upgraded version of SPL's Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) solution, built on the PeopleTools® platform. SPL is a leading provider of strategic utility management software solutions for the global utility market. The municipal utility owned and operated by the city of Tallahassee began generating electricity for public use in 1902. By 1955, a sewer system, water utilities, waste disposal, natural gas services and business support services had been added to its utility offerings. Today, the utility's more than 850 employees work 365 days a year to ensure reliable service to its nearly 100,000 customers...

Weitz & Luxenberg responds to arsenic contamination in Minneapolis -- NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2006 -- In an ongoing investigation, the EPA has identified over 60 properties containing arsenic in soil that posed an immediate health threat to people in South Minneapolis, MN. In response, law firm Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. reaffirms its ongoing dedication to hold polluters responsible for the hazards they wreak on our communities. The firm has a long history of exposing polluters and championing the people's right to know about hidden dangers in their area. This even includes situations where the contamination took place long ago, or where victims had all but assumed there was insufficient scientific evidence to bring forth a fight for justice. In nearby Wisconsin, Weitz & Luxenberg has filed an MTBE pollution case on behalf of residential families. The firm also is litigating a case on arsenic contamination for property owners in Florida...

Calif. DWR releases draft proposal solicitation package for 2007 Water Use Efficiency Grants -- Public workshops scheduled -- SACRAMENTO, CA, Oct. 19, 2006 -- The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released a Draft Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) for the 2007 Water Use Efficiency Program. This $35.3 million grant program implements Chapter 7(g) of Proposition 50, the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002. DWR will conduct two public workshops -- Oct. 30 in Sacramento and Oct. 31 in Chino -- to present information and receive public comments...
Also see:
-- "Draft Salton Sea Restoration Report Released"
-- "Calif. DWR on Schedule to Repair Critical Erosion Sites"
-- "Delta Vision Workshop in Los Angeles set for Nov. 8"

LA Sanitation Districts' odor control measures receive statewide award -- WHITTIER, CA, Oct. 19, 2006 -- The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County's Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) was awarded the 2006 California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) Technical Achievement Award for odor control. The award recognized the most recent in a series of new odor control facilities at JWPCP, which treats an average flow of 320 mgd and processes solids for over 5 million people. The four major projects include odor control for the solids handling facilities, flat aluminum covers on all primary treatment tanks and channels, a central odor control facility, and a skimmings odor control system. The Districts have a long-standing goal of being a good neighbor to the community surrounding the JWPCP. As a part of that goal, the District invested over $70 million in these four odor control projects...
Also see:
-- "CASA announces 2006 achievement award recipients at annual conference in Monterey"
-- "Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County Honors Industries for Being 'Good Corporate Citizens'"

Datamatic to introduce ProfilePLUS online interactive AMR software system at AMRA Conference -- Real-time billing dispute resolution for the FIREFLY AMR System -- PLANO, TX, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Datamatic Ltd. will introduce ProfilePLUS Online®, a web-based interactive enhancement to the proven FIREFLY AMR System at AMRA Autovation 2006 on October 22, 2006. ProfilePLUS Online streamlines billing dispute resolution by making customer usage profiles available over the Internet and can do so using handheld, mobile and fixed-base data collection platforms. Datamatic has been a leading supplier of enterprise meter reading solutions since 1980...
Also see: "Datamatic announces CENTRON certification for FIREFLY electric AMR"

Concrete Washout Systems, Genesis Concrete launch service in Iowa -- Concrete Washout Systems and Genesis Concrete have teamed to offer the patented Concrete Washout System throughout greater Des Moines, Iowa -- ELK GROVE, CA, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Concrete Washout Systems, Inc., announced today that Genesis Concrete, Inc. is now offering the Concrete Washout Systems (CWS) solution in Des Moines, Iowa. Concrete Washout Systems is the best management practice for concrete washout waste removal and treatment. Genesis Concrete provides support services to concrete contractors throughout greater Des Moines...

Public comment sought on Texas State Water Plan -- AUSTIN, TX, Oct. 19, 2006 -- The Texas Water Development Board's Fall 2006 Water for Texas newsletter is now available online. Articles include:
-- TWDB Collects Public Comments on the 2007 State Water Plan
-- TWDB Launches State Revolving Fund Program Marketing Initiatives
-- Announcing the New Innovative Water Technologies Web Site
-- 'Major Rivers' Distribution Completed for Middle Schoolers
-- Brackish Groundwater Desalination Demonstration Projects Sought
-- Rainwater Harvesting Evaluation Committee Seeks Input on Report
-- Drought, and Rain, and Floods, Oh My!
-- TNRIS Workshops Save State Money
-- Timelines for 2008 State Revolving Funds

New software predicts results for groundwater contamination cleanup strategies -- PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 18, 2006 -- A software package developed at Virginia Tech, to predict results and timelines for cleaning up groundwater contamination, has proved itself at eight Department of Defense sites and is being offered free to environmental cleanup professionals. Mark Widdowson of Blacksburg, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, will present results at the at the Geological Society of America national meeting in Philadelphia Oct. 22-25. The Natural Attenuation Software (NAS) was developed with funding from the U.S. Navy and in collaboration with U.S. Geological Survey for application to groundwater systems. It was designed to help environmental cleanup professionals estimate how far underground plumes of contamination will migrate from a source, such as a solvent spill or underground gasoline storage tank leak, and how long cleanup will take with natural attenuation in various environments with or without use of remediation technologies. Tests have recently been completed at eight different sites with funding from the Department of Defense Environmental Security Technology Certification Program...

Alfa Laval receives order from Kuwait for unique heat exchangers -- STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 17, 2006 -- Alfa Laval -- a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling -- has received an order for the unique heat exchangers from Alfa Laval Packinox to a petrochemical plant in Kuwait. The total value is about SEK 100 million and delivery will take place in 2007. The equipment will be used in a plant owned by KPPC -- Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company. The heat exchangers will be part of the catalytic sections of processes for making mixed xylenes which is a feedstock for various petrochemical end products such as PET and polyester. Alfa Laval received the order from South Korean SK Engineering & Construction (SKEC) Company and Italian Tecnimont S.p.A...

GE chemical scavenger removes sulfides, solves water conformance for Australian refinery -- TREVOSE, PA, Oct. 17, 2006 -- In 2004, an Australian refinery had a problem with effluent water from its wastewater treatment plant. Despite treating it before discharge to the local water authority, the water occasionally contained a high sulfides level. The problem was the water authority set a limit on sulfide concentration in effluent from the lagoon that was non-negotiable. As a result, the refinery's conformance designation was downgraded from Level 1 to Level 2. So, it turned to GE Water & Process Technologies' ProSweet sulfide scavenger to solve the problem and help restore its rating...
Also see: "ProSweet essential oil technology controls odor from biosolids plant"

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