WaterBriefs: World valve market to hit record $52 billion by 2010

In other news below:
-- Clarke Prize recipient stresses DBP control in drinking water
-- HDR teams with EnerTech to build the Rialto SlurryCarb facility
-- Layne Christensen announces acquisition of Collector Wells International
-- USFilter centrifuges solve Fla.'s increasing flows, decreasing land problem
-- Life Cycle Engineering announces PM/PdM Best Practices Course
-- World Bank approves $10 million loan to Madagascar for power/water
-- Palm Springs extends, expands wastewater partnership with Veolia Water
-- EWEB in Production with ArcFM, Responder outage management system
-- First Data Corp. to acquire utilities CIS software company Peace Software
-- GIS/geospatial market grew 17% in 2005 to top $3.3 billion
-- American Vanguard begins exclusive evaluation of FSI's mosquito larvicide
-- Beaudet named VP for quality systems at ABB Low Voltage Drives
-- Suntec modifies, expands Wheatland County Water Treatment Facility
-- Washington state awards over $100 million to improve water quality
-- $100 million loan to reduce water pollution in Wuhan, China
-- Bull Market Report examines water infrastructure stocks

McIlvaine Report: World valve market changing, growing -- NORTHFIELD, IL, July 13, 2007 -- Whenever new processes develop, it's certain there will be new valve variations to make these processes operate properly. The need to liquefy gas in the Middle East and transport it around-the-world has resulted in a number of new cryogenic valve designs. They are used at the liquefaction sites, on tankers, and at the regasification terminals.

New requirements in LNG, ethanol, tar sands, nanotechnology, and biotechnology will boost the industrial valve market to a record $52 billion annual sales level in 2010. This is the prediction in the most recent update of the online, Industrial Valves: World Markets, published by the McIlvaine Company.

Control valves will account for 25% of the total followed by ball, gates and globes, butterfly and plug types. Other valves will make up the final 18%.

Much of the growth in the market will be in Asia, but there are other hotspots as well. The tar sands expansion in western Canada represents considerable potential for increased valve sales.

The U.S. will be expanding valve purchases in several areas. One is biotechnology. Another is LNG where a number of terminals to receive the liquefied gas are now under design. The U.S. is already the leading ethanol producer with more than 100 plants in operation. To meet the administration's goals for ethanol to comprise 50% of the transportation fuels, another 1400 - 50 MMGY plants will need to be built.

The fact that may of the new ethanol plants will obtain their heat and steam from coal will also add to the valve potential.

Each new scrubber system installed on U.S. power plants requires a $1 million valve purchase. Over the next 15 years over 200 of these systems will be needed to meet environmental requirements. Additional valves are also required for the catalytic systems which reduce NOx at these same plants.

The movement of over one billion people from rural Asia to its cities will boost the valve markets in water and wastewater treatment. Since Asia is more arid than other regions, the potential for desalination and the valves required to handle the corrosive seawater will be greater than other regions.

China is planning to invest in more power plant scrubbers than any other country including the U.S. China also will be building more new coal-fired power plants than any other country. They will also be the leading investor in many other basic industries.

Power will be the biggest market sector for the valve industry in China in 2010. Wastewater will be the second leading sector. For more information on "Industrial Valves: World Markets," click here.

The McIlvaine Company (www.mcilvainecompany.com) is based in Northfield, IL, with a staff of 35 people that includes engineers, scientists and market researchers.

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Among other recent headlines:

• Clarke Prize recipient highlights need to improve science, policy for DBP control in drinking water -- FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA, July 14, 2006 -- The critical need to improve the ability to study, regulate and implement better management strategies to control the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water was highlighted at the 13th Annual Clarke Prize Award Ceremony and Lecture, held by the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) of Fountain Valley, CA, on July 13. The prize was awarded to drinking water expert, Philip C. Singer, Ph.D., P.E., the Daniel A. Okun distinguished professor of environmental engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for his groundbreaking efforts to understand the formation and control of DBPs in drinking water. As part of the award ceremony, Singer presented the 2006 Clarke Prize Lecture on improving science and policy related to DBPs to better protect public health...
Also see: "Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water: Additional Science and Policy Considerations in the Pursuit of Public Health Protection" - By Philip C. Singer, Ph.d., P.E.

• HDR teams with EnerTech to build the Rialto SlurryCarb facility -- ATLANTA, July 14, 2006 -- EnerTech Environmental, Inc. announced today that it has signed a contract with HDR Design-Build, Inc., the design-build operating company of architectural and engineering firm HDR, to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for its upcoming SlurryCarb™ facility in Rialto, Calif. Initial site preparation for the Rialto facility is currently underway and full construction is scheduled to begin this summer. HDR has worked closely with EnerTech on the design of the Rialto facility, which will receive biosolids from municipalities in the Los Angeles region and produce approximately 140 tons per day of renewable fuel...
Also see: "HDR purchases assets of Warner + Associates Inc."

• Layne Christensen announces acquisition of Collector Wells International Inc. -- MISSION WOODS, KS, July 14, 2006 -- Layne Christensen Company announced yesterday it has acquired Collector Wells International, Inc. (CWI), a specialty water services firm that designs and constructs water supply systems with yields ranging from less than 1 mgd to over 100 mgd. The management team of CWI has been together for over 25 years. It will be combined with a similar business acquired in the Reynolds Inc. acquisition completed in September 2005. CWI had combined revenues of about $6.5 million in the previous 12 months and brings in approximately $9.6 million in current contracts. Key among the water supply systems provided by CWI and Reynolds are radial collector wells, seawater collector wells, fixed-screen surface water intakes, infiltration galleries/riverbank infiltration, hydrogeological investigations, including riverbank filtration studies and water supply development feasibility studies...

• Centrifuges solve problem of increasing flows, decreasing land in Florida -- FORT WALTON BEACH, FL, July 13, 2006 -- The Florida panhandle is booming, especially scenic Walton County, the sixth fastest growing county in Florida. Also booming are the challenges for Regional Utilities of Walton County. The utility runs the water supply system, sanitary sewer collection system and the three activated sludge wastewater treatment plants that serve the county's southern region. It found its solution to more efficient sludge processing with USFilter's Centrapac centrifuge dewatering system...
Also see: "Siemens acquires Italy's Sernagiotto Technologies and its sludge dewatering, drying technology"

• Life Cycle Engineering announces PM/PdM Best Practices Course -- Popular allied reliability curriculum now offered through LCE -- CHARLESTON, SC, July 13, 2006 -- Life Cycle Engineering (LCE), the learning source for optimizing asset reliability and performance, is now accepting registrations for its new PM/PdM Best Practices course. This new four-part training series, which will benefit companies looking to improve their preventive and predictive maintenance programs, is designed for people with little or no formal training in predictive maintenance and condition monitoring technologies, including maintenance technicians, supervisors, planners and schedulers, reliability engineers and plant managers...
Also see: "Life Cycle Engineering promotes Mark Petersen-Overton to senior VP of Engineering Services Group"

• World Bank approves $10 million loan to Madagascar for power/water -- Move supports power/water sectors recovery and restructuring project with US$10 million credit line -- WASHINGTON, July 13, 2006 -- The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit line of US$10 million to help restore the power/water utility in Madagascar to a minimum level of operational and financial performance. This credit supports the first phase (APL 1) of a longer term assistance program or Adaptable Program Lending (APL) aimed at financing needed infrastructure investments and facilitating the government reform process towards a JIRAMA (Jiro sy Rano Malagasy, Electricity and Water of Madagascar) operated according to best practice under a public private partnership. The effort is further supported by the IFC transaction advisory team assisting the government in the process of selecting and contracting a suitable private partner for the Utility...
Also see: "World Bank supports wastewater treatment services in Tunisia"

• Palm Springs extends, expands wastewater partnership with Veolia Water North America -- Seven-year extension result of performance and community involvement record -- HOUSTON, July 13, 2006 -- The city council in Palm Springs, CA, has unanimously approved a seven-year contract extension and scope expansion with Veolia Water North America - West to continue managing the city's wastewater system. The expansion incorporates several new green and asset management initiatives that include:
-- Development, implementation and long-term operation of programs to ensure compliance with the California's tough new sewer systems regulations.
-- A "get off the grid" initiative to make the wastewater facility independent of the electrical grid by implementing alternative energy programs.
-- Establishment and annual maintenance of a community garden adjacent to the wastewater facility.
-- An annual incentive program for Palm Springs residents and businesses to purchase and upgrade to low-flush toilets.
-- Annual subsidies to assist businesses (primarily restaurants) in meeting the city's new grease trap requirements.
The city's wastewater system consists of a 10.9 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) secondary wastewater treatment facility, five lift stations, six percolation ponds, 225 miles of collection system pipelines and a biosolids disposal program...
Also see: "Brockton, Ontario, awards partnership for water and wastewater treatment services to Veolia Water Canada"

• EWEB in Production with ArcFM, Responder outage management system -- Eugene, OR, utility moves toward 'Enterprise GIS' -- FORT COLLINS, CO, July 13, 2006 -- Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) is the largest customer-owned utility in Oregon. It provides electricity, water and steam to over 83,000 customers in the Eugene. EWEB recently went into production with ArcFM for map maintenance and viewing, and Responder to support its outage management operations. In 2004, EWEB began searching for an ESRI-based mapping solution to serve water and electric GIS needs as well as outage management systems (OMS). Due to increased utility costs for licensing, maintenance and use of the two legacy GIS applications, and absent any unifying vision, the convergence of technologies was a central goal for the new system. Today, EWEB is up and running with 4 ArcFM/ArcGIS editors maintaining the electric and water networks using one common GIS system, nine dispatchers and electric operations coordinators using Responder to predict outages and dispatch crews, and 60+ Mobile and Desktop Viewers. Responder was also integrated with EWEB's IVR from 21st Century Communications and Banner Advantage CIS from Indus...
Also see: "Osmose Mapping Center now utilizing Miner & Miner's ArcFM"

• First Data Corp. to acquire utilities CIS software company Peace Software -- Deal solidifies global electronic commerce and payment services provider's entry into the utilities CIS market -- DENVER, Jul 12, 2006 -- First Data Corp., a global leader in electronic commerce payments services with revenue of more than $10 billion, has signed an agreement to acquire Peace Software, a leading customer information system (CIS) product company that develops advanced software for managing utility billing and customer care. Peace has developed a feature-rich, scalable off-the-shelf CIS software product, Peace™, which has been installed and is operating at major utilities in 35 regulated and competitive electricity, gas and water markets around the world...

• GIS/geospatial market grew 17% in 2005 to top $3.3 billion -- Sales led by growth in data products -- CAMBRIDGE, MA, July 12, 2006 -- Worldwide GIS/geospatial revenue is forecast to reach $3.6 billion in 2006, up from $2.82 billion in 2004, according to a new report from Daratech Inc., an IT market research firm, released July 6. This growth is driven by sales of commercial data products and the emergence of desktop and Internet-based systems. Core-business revenue includes software, hardware, services and data products. The breakdown for these areas for 2004 is as follows:
-- Software comprised over one-half of total revenue, with revenues from GIS software vendors reaching $1.5 billion. Leading the market in software revenues were Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), Bentley Systems, Incorporated and Intergraph Corporation. Together, the three companies accounted for about half of the industry's total software revenues. Other software leaders included Autodesk, Inc., Leica Geosystems, GE Energy, MapInfo, MacDonald Dettwiler, SICAD Geomatics, and LogicaCMG.
-- Data was the second largest component of core-business revenues, accounting for a quarter of total revenue, or $677 million. Sales of commercial data sets are skyrocketing and are projected to continue to grow strongly as consumers and businesses become more aware of and purchase geo-enabled devices.
-- Services came in third, with core-business vendors accounting for one fifth of total core-business revenues, or $536 million.
-- Hardware, a declining component of core-business revenues for many years, dropped again, and accounted for just 4% of total core-business revenues, or $113 million...

• American Vanguard begins exclusive evaluation of FSI's mosquito larvicide -- VICTORIA, BC, Canada, July 12, 2006 -- Flexible Solutions International Inc., a developer and manufacturer of biodegradable and environmentally safe water and energy conservation technology, as well as anti-scalant and crop nutrient enhancement products, today announces an exclusive evaluation agreement with chemical manufacturer American Vanguard Corp. with respect to FSI's mosquito larvicide, WaterSavr-BTI™ (WS-BTI™). WS-BTI is FSI's proprietary formulation, which contains a self-spreading, mono-molecular film incorporating the natural insecticide ingredient Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. This product was developed for the lucrative mosquito larvicide markets of the U.S., including mosquito abatement districts, government contracts and professional pest managers. American Vanguard has agreed to expand on existing third party efficacy and application studies over the next five months and, in the event of a positive evaluation, will have the right to negotiate a distribution agreement with FSI...
Also see:
-- "Drinking water trial in Australia saves 31% of evaporation"
-- "Flexible Solutions receives first purchase order for mosquito control version of WaterSavr"
-- "Flexible Solutions awarded contract to reduce evaporation on Libyan reservoirs"
-- "Flexible Solutions receives approvals for Mexico, announces significant new sales to North Sea oil customer"

• Daniel Beaudet named VP for quality systems at ABB Low Voltage Drives -- NEW BERLIN, WI, July 11, 2004 -- Daniel Beaudet has been named vice president, Quality Systems, for ABB Automation Products, Low Voltage Drives unit, according to Rick Hepperla, senior vice president and general manager of ABB Low Voltage Drives. Beaudet most recently was director of manufacturing and continuous improvement at Waukesha Engine/Dresser in Waukesha, WI. Before that, he held numerous positions of increasing responsibility at Bombardier Recreational Products, including director of assembly and quality, and director of operations, at plants in Quebec, Canada, and in Sturtevant, WI...
Also see:
-- "ABB signs products agreement with Dow Chemical: Switchgear and motor control will complement Industrial IT system solutions"
-- "Gillette Stadium hosts customers and prospects, who come to see 20 ABB low-voltage product families and solutions on exhibit"

• Suntec announces modification, expansion to Wheatland County Water Treatment Facility -- CALGARY, AB, Canada, July 11, 2006 -- Suntec Pure Water Technologies Inc. is pleased to announce that the upgrade and expansion steps at its Wheatland County water treatment facility outlined in Suntec's Alberta Energy Utilities Board Application No. 1455183 have now been completed, five weeks ahead of the scheduled completion date of Aug. 15. In particular, Suntec has completed the installation of a sand handling facility and a potassium chloride plant, and has increased internal tankage and general water storage capacity at the Facility. It's also pleased to report that water recycling operations recommenced at the facility on July 6, ahead of the scheduled re-start date of July 15...

• Washington Ecology Department awards more than $100 million to improve water quality -- OLYMPIA, WA, July 10, 2006 -- The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has awarded more than $100 million in grants and loans to cities, counties, tribes and other organizations working to improve and protect water quality in Washington. This year, Ecology received 88 proposals requesting approximately $187 million for the July 2006 through June 2007 funding cycle. With current funding, 49 projects were selected to receive financial assistance. The projects selected for funding will address issues such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades; on-site septic system repair and replacement; water reclamation and reuse facilities; water pollution cleanup planning and implementation; waterbody buffer-zone restoration; agricultural pollution control; stormwater management planning and implementation; public information and education; groundwater protection; and water quality data collection and monitoring...
Also see:
-- "Landmark Spokane River clean-up agreement reached"
-- "New approach needed to protect and restore Puget Sound, say community leaders; Puget Sound Partnership issues interim report to Gov. Gregoire"
-- "Seven eastern counties to receive $71,527 to restore stream banks"
-- "Public may help update oil spill-response plans for Central Puget Sound"
-- "Upper Columbia cleanup Teck Cominco's responsibility, court says"

• $100 million loan to reduce water pollution in Wuhan, China -- MANILA, Philippines, July 10, 2006 -- A US$100 million loan will help improve the urban environment, public health and quality of life of residents and businesses in Wuhan City, People's Republic of China (PRC), through better management of its water resources. Rapid economic growth and urbanization over 25 years have resulted in inadequate urban infrastructure and placed pressure on overloaded facilities. Now, despite abundant water resources, 56% of rivers and 89% of lakes in the city are polluted. The project comprises nine activities covering municipal wastewater management, stormwater management and development of utilities. It will construct new and upgrade existing wastewater treatment facilities, extend and rehabilitate collection networks, and add larger-capacity stormwater pumping stations...
Also see:
-- "Innovative US$15 million grant to strengthen ADB's program in India"
-- "ADB pilot project putting piped water on tap for Philippine urban poor"

• The Bull Market Report examines water infrastructure stocks -- PRINCETON, NJ, July 5, 2006--The Bull Market Report (http://www.bullmarket.com), an online investment newsletter focused on long-term growth and income-generating stocks, announced today that it has provided subscribers with a detailed report on water infrastructure stocks, including Basin Water, Meuller Water Products, Pentair and General Electric. The report looked at the following topics, among others:
-- After a solid IPO, Basin Water has seen its shares fall 35% in recent sessions. Should investors consider the stock at current prices?
-- Is Mueller, another recent water IPO, expected to fare better than Basin?
-- What do Pentair's ambitions in water infrastructure in the developing world mean for investors?
-- Should investors looking for exposure to the water infrastructure industry consider General Electric even though it is only a small but growing part of its business?...

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For previous "WaterBriefs" reports, click here.

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