FIELD NOTES

Germany: The membrane manufacturer inge AG of Greifenberg began distributing its membrane technology and modules for the purification of drinking and wastewater in North America.

Founder and CEO Michael Hank reported "We already have a number of reference customers in addition to the first pilot projects up and running in the USA." The company plans to market its technology globally. Its merger with S. Search B. V. of The Netherlands provides inge AG with ultrafiltration technology and on-going research and development advantages.

Romania: Apa Nova, a French-Romanian water distribution company, plans to invest weird15 million within the next 15 years to rehabilitate and develop water supply and sewerage systems in the capital city of Bucharest. Apa Nova, in which Vivendi is a major shareholder, will spend more than weird6.5 million to replace sections of the distribution network in addition to rehabilitating water treatment plants near Bucharest. The company replaced 90 kms of pipelines in Bucharest.

Scotland: The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) awarded a three-year Framework Agreement for Environmental Consultancy to WS Atkins of Epsom, Surrey, UK. Atkins will provide consultancy services in the fields of sustainable development, aquatic management, air quality management and waste management.

Atkins will also provide advice on water pollution control, flood warning & forecasting, aquatic management planning and other subjects.

Turkey: A £40 million European Investment Bank loan will help Turkey upgrade its water sector infrastructure to meet European Union directives. The 25-year loan is targeted for medium-sized Turkish municipalities, located primarily in the eastern past of Turkey, specifically Central and Eastern Anatolia. Turkey is an EU accession country, so the EIB loan will contribute to meeting the "environmental acquis," such as the Urban Wastewater Directive.

The EIB loan covers investments in water supply, particularly leak detection programmes); wastewater collection and treatment; and stormwater drainage.

Under the Framework approach defined by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and EIB selected municipalities will be supported throughout project preparation and implementation by external assistance.

United Kingdom: The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) inducted Jim Oatridge as the new president last 20 June. Replacing Roger Hanbury, Mr. Oatridge is a senior CIWEM Council member and has served as the institution's junior and senior vice president.

Mr. Oatridge is the group services director at Severn Trent plc and is active in a number of voluntary positions within the water and environmental industry. He is also Severn Trent's Liaison Delegate to the World Business Council on Sustainable Development and chairs its Freshwater Committee.