WaterBriefs: Landis+Gyr, Neptune Technology announce alliance

In other news below:
-- Stevens Geomembranes retains quality assessment rating
-- PureTech Systems, S.W. Microwave integrate perimeter protection system
-- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assesses Hurricane Rita damage on Texas coast
-- Nalco plants returning to production after Rita
-- PPG's Lake Charles, La., chemicals complex damaged by Rita
-- Anheuser-Busch sends 12,520 cases of canned drinking water to Beaumont, Texas
-- Cytec Performance Specialties adopts surcharges due to energy, transportation costs
-- Arcadis names vice president and director of Underground Infrastructure
-- Nichols elected president of LADWP Board of Commissioners
-- New algae species complicates efforts to improve taste, smell of San Diego drinking water
-- American Chemistry Council, Pittsburgh members unveils new public education campaign
-- USAID, Coca-Cola announce global watershed partnership agreement

Landis+Gyr, Neptune Technology announce alliance
LONG BEACH, CA, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Neptune Technology Group Inc. and Landis+Gyr Inc. announced Sept. 19, during the annual Automatic Meter Reading Association international symposium Autovation 2005, an alliance to develop and market an AMR endpoint which combines Neptune's R900^® module with Landis+Gyr's solid-state, residential FOCUS^® meter platform. The endpoint will be compatible with Neptune's ARB^® Utility Management Systems™ mobile applications.
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Stevens Geomembranes retains quality assessment rating
HOLYOKE, MA, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Stevens Geomembranes announced the continued ISO 9001:2000 certification of its Westfield, N.C., manufacturing facility. This ongoing certification, as a result of an audit by AQA International last month, recognizes the Stevens "Carolina Plant" as having successfully met the model criteria for quality assurance in the design, development and production of its geomembranes. The company is believed to be the only U.S. based geomembrane manufacturer with the ISO 9001:2000 certification rating.
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PureTech Systems, S.W. Microwave integrate perimeter protection system
PHOENIX, Sept. 26, 2005 -- PureTech Systems Inc. and Southwest Microwave have cooperated to provide an integrated perimeter intrusion detection solution that not only detects a security breach, but also directs PTZ cameras to the point of intrusion. By using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), advanced scene analysis, and policy-based detection rules and notification technology, the PureActiv™ solution equips security personnel with specific alarm information, including the exact location and type of security threat...
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Other recent headlines include:
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins assessing Hurricane Rita damage on Texas coast FORT WORTH, TX, Sept. 26, 2005 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District began assessing damage on the Texas coast Saturday, said Col. Steve Haustein, Galveston District Engineer and Commander. A flyover with the U.S. Coast Guard to pinpoint debris and possible navigational hazards was to occur that afternoon...

• Nalco plants returning to production after Rita -- NAPERVILLE, IL, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Nalco Holding Company said manufacturing facilities closed in advance of Hurricane Rita have all resumed operations and are returning to full production as employees return. Production re-started in Sugar Land and Freeport, Texas, during the weekend. Nalco also shut down operations in Garyville, La. as Rita approached and resumed production this weekend following a short power outage. Two small Louisiana plants that operate on a five-day workweek are resuming operations today after closing Friday as Rita turned northeast...

• PPG declares force majeure for products at Lake Charles, La., chemicals complex -- PITTSBURGH, Sept. 26, 2005 -- As a result of Hurricane Rita, PPG Industries' Lake Charles chemicals complex is temporarily not operating and PPG today declared a force majeure condition -- an uncontrollable event -- for all of its products manufactured at, and businesses located at, the facility. Products affected include liquid caustic soda, chlorine, Pels dry caustic soda beads, vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, ethyl chloride, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, 111 trichloroethane, VersaTRANS chlorinated solvents and hydrogen -- as well as all silica products and liquid sodium silicate produced at this facility...

• Anheuser-Busch to send 12,520 cases of canned drinking water to Beaumont, Texas, at state request -- BEAUMONT, TX, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Anheuser-Busch today will deliver much-needed safe drinking water to the Texas Department of Public Safety for victims and relief workers in the wake of Hurricane Rita. The company is sending 12,520 cases, or more than 300,000 cans. Anticipating the need for safe drinking water, the company last week pre-positioned water at its warehouse in Waco, Texas, to enable the company to respond immediately to emergency requests...

• Cytec Performance Specialties to implement surcharges due to energy, transportation costs -- WEST PATERSON, NJ, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Cytec Industries Inc. announced the immediate implementation of global transportation and energy surcharges on all products produced by the Cytec Performance Specialties segment. These surcharges will affect products produced by the mining chemicals, phosphines and phosphorus specialties, polymer additives, specialty additives and water treatment businesses. The transportation surcharge will be assessed at a rate of one to two cents per pound of product; the energy surcharge -- which will vary from product to product -- will be based on energy consumption during production...

• Arcadis names vice president and director of Underground Infrastructure -- DENVER, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Arcadis announced that Faruk Oksuz, P.E., has joined the company as vice president and director of the Underground Infrastructure practice. Oksuz will be primarily responsible for client relations, project development, staffing, and management and execution of tunnel projects for water, wastewater, combined sewer overflow storage and conveyance systems, highways, railroads, and other large underground facilities. He'll interact closely with Arcadis' global tunneling experts in South America and Europe to bring global tunneling technologies to the firms' clients...

• Nichols elected president of LADWP Board of Commissioners -- LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26, 2005 -- Mary Nichols, director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and a former state and federal environmental official, was elected president of the City of Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners during a special meeting of the new board on Sept. 23. The board also elected Commissioner H. David Nahai as vice president and confirmed Nick Patsaouras and Edith Ramirez as members...

• New algae species complicates efforts to improve taste, smell of drinking water for San Diego area counties -- TEMECULA, CA, Sept. 23, 2005 -- Regional water quality experts reported progress today in dealing with an unrelenting new strain of algae in Lake Skinner that is affecting the taste and smell of drinking water being served to consumers in San Diego and southwest Riverside counties. Jill T. Wicke, manager of water system operations for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, said the district will apply another treatment of copper sulfate on Saturday -- the fourth application since Aug. 8 -- to address the growth of a persistent new species of blue-green algae in the drinking water reservoir near Temecula...

• American Chemistry Council, Pittsburgh members unveils new public education campaign on many ways chemistry is essential₂life -- PITTSBURGH, Sept. 23, 2005 -- The American Chemistry Council -- the trade association for the world's leading chemistry companies -- launched a major public education campaign yesterday to increase awareness about the chemistry industry's contributions to modern life, from the innovations of everyday products to its impact on the U.S. economy. In Pittsburgh, leading chemistry companies -- Bayer, LANXESS, NOVA Chemicals and PPG -- are working together using the essential²Pittsburgh theme to raise awareness about how the chemistry industry is vital to Pittsburgh's economy and is a key generator of jobs and growth in the region...

• USAID, Coca-Cola announce global watershed partnership agreement -- WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 23, 2005 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Coca-Cola Company announced the "Global Community - Watershed Partnerships Program." This public-private collaboration, unveiled Sept. 14, will support a wide variety of water-related programs in developing countries around the world. In an effort to provide more access to clean water and to protect our environment, the two are working together with the Global Environment and Technology Foundation to reduce the impacts of water-related problems in priority countries. By combining local experience, community involvement, technical knowledge and funding, the partners will work to find positive and long-lasting solutions to local water problems...

-- In other USAID news, the Sept. 23 Reconstruction Weekly Update for Iraq notes that, to date, the agency's efforts have resulted in rehabilitating 105 water treatment units and 396 kilometers of water networks to ensure the provision of potable water in critical areas as well as a water treatment plant in a poor area of Baghdad that's benefiting 1 million residents. In addition, rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities of 180 schools has been completed, with rehabilitation of 236 more schools ongoing and 308 schools slated to be rehabilitated. In the Ministry of Agriculture, it's also focused on teaching water management skills which will help maximize the efficiency of irrigation systems...

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In earlier newsbriefs, see: "WaterBriefs: Robbins & Myers names president of new Fluid Management Group" -- Also in this report (Sept. 23, 2005): ITT Aquious membrane filtration process wins Ontario certification; Ex-Im Bank free environmental exports workshop Sept. 29; ACWA director testifies at Little Hoover Commission on CALFED; IET Inc., Biophage Pharma sign joint marketing deal; Integrated Environmental Technologies to be on World Business Review TV series; Orica Watercare to be featured on World Business Review TV series; Survey says Americans unclear about ozone benefits...

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