WaterBriefs: GE Fanuc, SAP team to ease enterprise integration, production management

In other news below:
-- George Gu joins Atlantium Technologies as Asia representative in new Shanghai office
-- RJA establishes wholly-owned operation in Shanghai
-- University of Idaho wastewater treatment research investigates nature of 'stink'
-- Minneapolis picks CH2M Hill for continent's biggest pressurized UF drinking water plant
-- Siemens membranes solve Oregon county water authority's problems on a fast track schedule
-- Ex-Interior Secretary Gale Norton to be auctioneer of largest U.S. effluent water auction
-- Control Microsystems announces 2006 Customer Innovator Award for Devon Energy Corp.
-- Itron, Comverge partner to support OpenWay advanced metering platform
-- Verano expands worldwide distribution network for Industrial Defender
-- Black & Veatch's management consulting division introduces safety, crisis management tools
-- International Code Council takes action on ASHRAE proposals
-- Emerson uses Dust Networks WSN products in new smart wireless solutions

• GE Fanuc teams with SAP to ease enterprise integration, improve quality and drive productivity -- Americas go-to-market agreement leverages proven capabilities to transform business performance by eliminating barriers between enterprise and production management systems -- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, & FOXBORO, MA, Oct. 19, 2006 -- GE Fanuc Automation yesterday announced the completion of a sales and marketing agreement with SAP America, Inc., to jointly market GE Fanuc Production Management solutions and SAP^® applications easing plant floor and enterprise integration to increase quality, drive productivity, and enable success in key business initiatives such as Lean Six Sigma, regulatory compliance and efficiency. This new relationship allows both companies to leverage each other's strengths to meet the needs of customers in important Americas markets and in two key industries: Automotive and Mill Products. Other programs that fall under the agreement include the development of specialized professional services in order to support customers with planning, design, and implementation of the solutions...

• George Gu joins Atlantium Technologies as Asia representative -- Pioneers of Hydro-Optic Disinfection™ (HOD) establish Shanghai office -- HAR TUV, Israel, & SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Atlantium yesterday announced the opening of its Shanghai office. George Gu, formerly with Ecolab Chemicals and Shanghai Suntory Beverage, will lead the office. The accessibility of Atlantium's HOD solution addresses China's growing demand for environmentally friendly technologies and advanced water disinfection systems. The HOD system's revolutionary design places powerful, proprietary medium-pressure, high-intensity light sources outside the water and behind a thick quartz window. The core of the reactor is a large quartz tube that acts as both a clear water channel, which enables unimpeded water flow, and an effective light trap...

• RJA establishes WFOE office in Shanghai -- SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 19, 2006 -- Rolf Jensen & Associates Inc. (RJA) has established a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in Shanghai, China. RJA previously maintained a presence in China through a Representative Office (RO). As a WFOE, RJA will provide professional fire protection consulting services directly to China-based clients as well as providing these services for US-based clients. For over a decade, Martin Reiss, CEO, has spearheaded the effort to make RJA a recognized name in fire protection consulting in China. He, along with the RJA International team, has spent these years developing valuable personal and professional relationships with the fire service and officials in China...

• University of Idaho wastewater treatment research investigates nature of 'stink' -- MOSCOW, ID, Oct. 18, 2006 -- University of Idaho's Erik Coats conducts research so distinct, you can smell what he's up to -- literally. An assistant professor of civil engineering, Coats' research focuses on microbial wastewater treatment processes. If better understood at the molecular level, he said his research could potentially save the state and region hundreds of millions of dollars. Recent national attention to the Spokane River's phosphorus levels, along with changing local waste management requirements, has provided increased visibility of this research. Coats said the proposed Spokane River phosphorus limits are the lowest in the nation, making additional research both timely and vital in long-term planning. Scientists researching biological wastewater treatment processes seek to create conditions that mimic nature and, while doing so, learn how to better utilize microorganisms to remove phosphorus and other nutrients present in wastewater. This process doesn't use chemicals or outside elements; rather, it focuses on enhancing naturally occurring processes. While much of today's wastewater research is conducted in laboratory settings, Coats is seeking to work with seven to 10 regional wastewater treatment plants to create a consortium that will allow funding for a graduate research program in Biotreatment of Wastewater Treatment. The National Science Foundation recently selected Coats' wastewater proposal out of 130 nationwide and awarded nearly $140,000 toward the startup of this program...

• CH2M Hill chosen by Minneapolis to deliver North America's largest pressurized UF drinking water plant -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN, Oct. 18, 2006 -- CH2M Hill, a global full-service engineering, construction, and operations firm, has been unanimously selected by the City of Minneapolis to design, manage construction and commission the Fridley Membrane Filtration Plant (FMFP). The plant, when fully operational in 2011, will be the largest drinking water plant in North America using pressurized ultrafiltration (UF) membrane technology, having a capacity of 95 million gallons of water per day (mgd). The FMFP is the next phase of Minneapolis Water Work's on-going program to upgrade their water treatment facilities in order to provide the citizens of Greater Minneapolis with the highest quality drinking water through the use of membrane technology. The Fridley Membrane Filtration Plant will utilize a pressurized membrane system to be supplied by Pall Corporation. The Pall system uses banks of Microza™ modules that filter water through hollow fibers, providing a robust, physical barrier to waterborne pathogens and other particulate contaminants that may be present in the plant source water...

• Siemens membranes solve Oregon community's taste, odor and turbidity problems on a fast track schedule -- The MEMCOR^® CS submerged membrane system was selected by the Sunrise Water Authority as the most cost-effective solution to meet water quality needs -- WARRENDALE, PA, Oct. 18, 2006 -- The North Clackamas County Water Commission (NCCWC) owns and operates a 10-mgd slow sand filtration plant in Oregon City, OR, that treats Clackamas River water. The Commission is made up of the Sunrise Water Authority, Oak Lodge Water District and the City of Gladstone. The existing slow sand plant operated well under most water quality conditions including algae blooms and seasonal taste and odor events. However, when turbidity levels reached 10 NTU, the plant was shut down and the Commission was required to purchase additional supply from a neighboring agency to meet their demands. Turbidity events historically resulted in plant shutdowns ranging from about 15 to 30 days a year...
Also see: "Siemens supplies Ionpure CEDI modules for Polish semiconductor producer Cemat Silicon"

• Ex-Interior Secretary Gale Norton to be auctioneer of largest U.S. effluent water auction -- PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ, Oct. 18, 2006 -- Contributing to the market development of reused water, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton will moderate the Town of Prescott Valley's Effluent Water Auction, Nov. 1-3, in the Town Chambers of Prescott Valley, AZ. The auction for 2,724 acre feet of effluent water will be the largest water auction and first large-scale sale of effluent water in the United States. Effluent is wastewater treated to regulatory and purity standards that the town recharges into the aquifer to offset additional groundwater pumping elsewhere in the aquifer. The effluent water can recharge the aquifer enough to support as many as 12,000 new homes within Prescott Valley, which lies 85 miles north of Phoenix and is expected to grow from its current 35,000 residents to over 79,000 residents by 2025. This growth, along with regulatory requirements that restrict groundwater use in the region, has increased the demand for alternative water supplies...

• Control Microsystems announces 2006 Customer Innovator Award for Devon Energy Corp. -- Devon Energy recognized for innovation and excellence in SCADA applications for oil, gas -- OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 18, 2006 -- Control Microsystems, global developer of advanced RTU/PLCs, SCADA management software, and intelligent sensors, today at ISA Expo 2006 has recognized Devon Energy Corporation for their 2006 Customer Innovator Award. This annual award recognizes one Control Microsystems customer who demonstrates excellence and innovation in solving SCADA application challenges using Control Microsystems products. The presentation was made during ISA Expo at the Control Microsystems booth. Devon representatives Reed Estes and Kathleen Carrizales were present to accept the award on behalf of Devon, as was Dale Symington, senior vice president of engineering at Control Microsystems...

• Itron partners with Comverge for demand response technology to support OpenWay advanced metering platform -- SPOKANE, WA, Oct. 17, 2006 -- Itron Inc. has formed a strategic partnership with Comverge Inc., to provide the demand response and load control components to Itron's OpenWay™ Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) platform. The agreement, which has been in place for several months, establishes Comverge as the principal provider of demand response technology, such as "smart" thermostats and load control switches, for use with Itron's OpenWay AMI solution. The OpenWay development redefines the standards for AMI and demand response within the industry by utilizing Itron's open architecture communications network to enable price responsive rate schedules, load shed verification, and messaging (such as price signals) to the residential, mass market segment of utility's customer base. The devices will communicate via the ZigBee™ wireless in-home communications standard with extensive feature/functionality to support "smart grid" requirements...

• Verano expands worldwide distribution network for Industrial Defender -- Six new resellers deliver Verano's real-time SCADA and control security solution for
mission-critical infrastructure around the globe -- MANSFIELD, MA, Oct. 17, 2006 -- Verano Inc., the SCADA security company, announced today that it has expanded the worldwide distribution network for its security event management solution, Industrial Defender®, with the addition of six new resellers in EMEA and Australia. New Industrial Defender partners include ATGS in Russia, CSE-Uniserve in Australia, Emte Sistemas in Spain, Ferranti in Belgium, Qpit in the Netherlands and Vision Automation in Italy. As the market's first and only cybersecurity solution designed to monitor and protect the real-time control environment, Industrial Defender combines all the critical layers of security (perimeter protection, gateway virus filtering, network intrusion detection, host intrusion detection, SNMP device monitoring and security event management) and integrates them uniquely to protect and monitor the entire real-time control environment. Industrial Defender was designed specifically for power transmission and distribution, water distribution and treatment, gas and liquid pipelines, mass transit systems and power generation companies...
Also see: "Verano Acquires e-DMZ Managed Security Service: Verano Launches Industrial Defender Co-Managed Security for Real-Time Control Environments"

• Black & Veatch's management consulting division introduces safety and crisis management tools -- OVERLAND PARK, KS, Oct. 17, 2006 -- Black & Veatch announced today that it has added a new Safety and Crisis Management solution set for energy and water utilities through its Enterprise Management Solutions (EMS) management consulting division. The new solution set will assist clients in optimizing safety and crisis management capabilities through performance of crisis management and safety system assessments. The EMS solution set also includes implementation of best practices in operational safety, and in developing management and response plans for effective hazard identification, mitigation, emergency preparedness and response plans for natural and man-made threats. The solution set will be headed by John Borowski, CIH, CSP, National Consulting Practice Leader of Safety and Health for Black & Veatch. Prior to joining EMS, Borowski led efforts that developed the innovative Safety-Thru-Design Initiative for Black & Veatch's water business, which has allowed the company to proactively identify potentially unsafe conditions and design, or install, safety devices that enhance safe operations and reduce risk. Borowski also led the company's efforts resulting in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Water Works Foundation grant support for the research project "Integration of Worker Safety and Health into Water Utility Management, Operation and New Facility Design"...

• International Code Council takes action on ASHRAE proposals -- ATLANTA, Oct. 17, 2006 -- International building codes may soon incorporate new requirements from ASHRAE standards, thanks to several recent proposals now under consideration. ASHRAE made several proposals to the International Code Council, which develops model codes that may be adopted by code jurisdictions in the United States or internationally. After a public review of the proposals, final hearings for the code change proposals take place May 21-22, 2007. If the proposals are accepted, they would be included in the 2007 code supplement. A proposal to include new ventilation rates from ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, was approved for inclusion in the International Mechanical Code (IMC). The change would lower zone ventilation in many zones, particularly those with high-occupant density, and improve overall ventilation results in systems where zones with differing ventilation requirements are served by a common ventilation system...
Also see: "Registration opens for free ASHRAE satellite broadcast, webcast on Nov. 14 on 'Multiple Benefits Soutions for Enhanced Building Security'"

• Emerson uses Dust Networks WSN products in new smart wireless solutions -- Emerson's wireless solutions using Dust Networks' self-organizing TSMP technology are field proven to excel in in-plant applications -- AUSTIN, TX, & HAYWARD, CA, Oct. 17, 2006) -- Emerson Process Management and Dust Networks, the leading provider of highly reliable, low-power wireless sensor networking (WSN) systems, today announced use of Dust Networks' Time Synchronized Mesh Protocol (TSMP) as the communications technology used in Emerson's new in-plant Smart Wireless field networks and solutions. Following three years of evaluating and field testing various technologies, Emerson's proven Smart Wireless solutions with Dust Networks' TSMP technology are now being ordered for mainstream manufacturing use. Extending Emerson's PlantWeb^® digital plant architecture, Smart Wireless solutions are built on top of TSMP-based products, and include gateways with wireless-enabled industry-leading Rosemount^® measurement transmitters. These comprise wireless in-plant field networks that integrate with wired networks of the PlantWeb digital architecture, or with legacy DCSs and PLCs, to create a process automation network that delivers new and existing plant data to users. Easy access to the broad range of data empowers local and mobile operators and maintenance personnel to expand predictive operations and maintenance to boost plant reliability and operational performance...

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