KANSAS City, MO, Oct. 19, 2004 -- Black & Veatch, a global engineering, consulting and construction company, has been awarded a contract by the AWWA Research Foundation (AwwaRF) to identify and evaluate the costs, benefits and risks of complete water treatment plant automation.
The 22-month research project will yield a methodology that incorporates both traditional economic and strategic-impact analyses for utilities' use in evaluating potential automation programs.
"Automation can increase treatment plant efficiency and improve productivity, enhance safety, contribute to regulatory compliance, optimize treatment processes to improved finished water quality and reduce certain operations costs," said AwwaRF Project Manager Jason Allen. "Although we have the communications and computer technologies for complete water treatment plant automation, concerns about automation reliability and cost require closer scrutiny. The water industry needs more information on the costs, benefits, challenges and risks of fully automating all types of treatment processes."
Principal investigator David Roberts, national practice leader for instrumentation and control services for the Water Americas division of Black & Veatch, will lead AwwaRF Project No. 3019: Costs & Benefits of Complete Water Treatment Plant Automation. The project budget includes $298,500 from AwwaRF as well as non-cash, in-kind contributions from research-team members Black & Veatch, Westin, Transdyn Controls, Cucamonga County Water District, Irvine Ranch Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy, Modesto Irrigation District, Placer County Water Agency, California-American Water Company and the City of Austin Water and Wastewater Utility. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a collaborative partner in the research project.
The research team will compile life-cycle costs and benefits associated with water treatment automation; develop a cost-benefit analysis methodology that incorporates both financial and strategic impacts; perform a risk-and-barriers analysis; and conduct case studies that will serve to refine the methodology as well as provide examples for utility decision makers. Water utility involvement will be an integral element of this research.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch Corp. (www.bv.com) is a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company specializing in infrastructure development in the fields of energy, water and information. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch serves its clients with conceptual and preliminary engineering services, engineering design, procurement, construction, financial management, asset management, information technology, environmental, security design and consulting, and management consulting services.
The Water Sector of Black & Veatch provides innovative, technology-based solutions to utilities, governments and industries worldwide. Local project managers work with a global team of water and wastewater treatment process experts to address site-specific challenges through a broad range of consulting, study, planning, design, design-build and construction management services. The employee-owned company has more than 90 offices worldwide. Black & Veatch is ranked on the Forbes "500 Largest Private Companies in the United States" listing for 2003.
About AwwaRF
AwwaRF (www.awwarf.org) is a member-supported, international, nonprofit organization that sponsors research to enable water utilities, public health agencies and other professionals to provide safe and affordable drinking water to consumers. Established in 1966 to provide a centralized, practical research program for the drinking water community, AwwaRF sponsors an anticipatory and scientifically credible research program that is responsive to the needs of the water supply community; identifies the practical benefits of research findings and delivers this knowledge to stakeholders throughout the water supply community; and cultivates partnerships with organizations around the world to leverage funding and share expertise.
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