Water Industry Journal 15

JULY2020

Wastewater Treatment & Technology • Phosphorus Removal • Improving Drinking Water Quality Flow & Level Measurement

ISSUE15

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Welcome

Innovation and pushing the bounds

Rising to the challenge is something this industry has always done well. Come hell or high water, the expertise is there and a solution will be found.

We’ve got several good examples, this issue, of engineering teams on the ground surmounting some pretty imposing obstacles.

Editor Helen Compson

For starters, there is the mission-critical project in which a Southern Water team designed, built, installed and commissioned UV treatment plant at its Testwood water treatment works, in South Hampshire, in just eight weeks.

In normal circumstances, the work would have taken around year, but the race was on to prevent cryptosporidium entering the water supply to customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

So it was that more than 70 contractors worked seven days a week, 24 hours a day, during one of the wettest winters on record.

Selwood, the supplier of pumping solutions, demonstrated its engineering prowess when it helped stem the flooding overwhelming the Lancashire town of Earby.

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

During a 13-week, £1m project to repair a collapsed culvert, the Selwood team was required to move the water within a distance of 450m – past footpaths and through woodland that had to remain open to the public.

Meanwhile, Stephen Katz, market development manager for water reuse with global giant SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions, had one eye firmly on the future when he talked to Water Industry Journal.

It is time to put an end to the linear use of water, he says, and turn the use of our most precious resource into a cyclical – and therefore sustainable – industry.

It is predicted the global population will grow by another two billion to 9.7bn people by 2050.

More than half of them (52%) will be living in regions experiencing water scarcity.

But the thing is, we already have the technology and know-how to prevent that nightmare scenario materialising.

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32 WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Contents 38

4-5

Contents

6-18

News

22-31 Wastewater Treatment & Technology 32-33 Phosphorus Removal 38-45 Improving Drinking Water Quality 46-55 Flow & Level Measurement

Editor

Helen Compson helen.compson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

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Design

Distinctive Publishing, 3rd Floor, Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle, NE1 6UF www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Advertising

David Lancaster Business Development Manager Tel: 0191 580 5476 david.lancaster@distinctivegroup.co.uk

46 www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Distinctive Publishing or Water Industry Journal cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Water Industry Journal.

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News

8power completes successful remote condition monitoring trial with Anglian Water 8power, a Cambridge based condition monitoring system provider is pleased to announce that it has completed a successful trial with Anglian Water to provide remote condition monitoring sensors and analytic services on some large water pumping assets. The next stage of the project will see multiple Anglian Water sites monitored with the latest generation of 8power sensors.

With East Anglia being one of the driest regions in the country, Anglian Water is investing in projects to improve its infrastructure and its resilience to drought.

Innovation is at the core of its strategy to deploy sustainable practices that lead to reduced carbon footprint and increased efficiencies.

In 2018, 8power technology was showcased within the Anglian Water Shop Window innovation hub. The ‘Shop Window’ is a core component of Anglian Water’s ‘Love Every Drop’ strategy, aimed at driving innovation to transform its business through collaboration across partner alliances, amongst its supply chain, and with its customers in a live environment across the entire water cycle. To date it has worked with over 150 partners on over 130 projects, with those successful ideas being scaled up and implemented across Anglian Water.

8power has been working in collaboration with Anglian Water since 2018 to develop a sensor system that monitors asset health and usage and flags events or changing patterns, enabling a more proactive maintenance approach.

The 8power end to end system comprises sensors that deliver data to the cloud that can then be integrated with existing software platforms through an API. The system gives peace of mind as it can detect changes

in vibration, temperature, and humidity, delivering data insights to Anglian Water to prioritise the issues that should be addressed first. Other benefits include reducing downtime and repair costs,helping Anglian Water meet its regulatory targets, set by the regulator OFWAT. The data obtained during the pilots has helped Anglian Water better understand asset operation and prioritise the most critical network assets and put in place a proactive style condition monitoring approach.

8power will be working with Anglian Water to refine the development of its energy

MARCH2020 ISSUE14

ISSUE13 DECEMBER2019

harvesting sensors which will be trialled later this year. These wireless sensors are self-powered and designed to be more sustainable and longer lasting than battery powered sensors. Said Rich Fielding, Hydraulic Operations Engineer, “We see an opportunity to improve efficiency and the service we provide to our customers by shifting to condition based maintenance regimes with solutions such as 8Power’s. The self-powered design being progressed by 8Power is an attractive feature that distinguishes them from other solutions.”

If you would like to participate in the September edition of Water Industry Journal we shall be featuring: n Clean Water Networks

n Pump Technology Innovation

n Biogas & Energy Management

n Directional Drilling

n Wastewater Network Modelling

n Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Trenchless Technolog y • Wastewater Treatmen t & Technology • Leak flood defence • Drinking Detection & Repair Water Treatment • chemuk2020 preview

& recycling & incident management • Biosolids & analysis • Utility security Delivering resilience Water & wastewater monitoring • Catchment management • Wastewater treatment & technology

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Contact David Lancaster on 0191 580 5476 or email david.lancaster@distinctivegroup.co.uk for more information.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

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News

Work begins on UK system for estimating COVID-19 cases from wastewater

Scientists will develop a standardised UK-wide system for detecting coronavirus in wastewater, in order to provide an early warning of future outbreaks and reduce reliance on costly testing of large populations.

The majority of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease – are believed to shed the virus in their faeces, even if they are asymptomatic, so sewage surveillance is widely seen as a promising way of identifying future disease hotspots.

The new £1m research programme will see experts develop sampling, testing and scientific modelling methods that will be adopted by government agencies and scientists across the UK. The work will inform the UK national surveillance programmes recently announced by Defra, Scottish and Welsh Governments.

The researchers will also determine whether there is a possibility for SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and sludge to be infectious, and how environmental factors such as sunlight and temperature reduce infectivity. This will enable them to confirm that current guidance is protective of workers at sewage plants, and also assess the risk to people and animals as a result of treated and untreated sewage discharge in rivers and seas.

The research programme, which is now under way and will last until October 2021, is being led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). It also involves researchers from the universities of Bangor, Bath, Edinburgh, Cranfield, Lancaster, Newcastle, Oxford and Sheffield, plus the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

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Dr Andrew Singer of UKCEH, principal investigator of the new National COVID-19 Wastewater Epidemiology Surveillance Programme (N-WESP), says: “Several studies have shown that the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 – the genetic material of the virus - can be detected in wastewater ahead of local hospital admissions, which means wastewater could effectively become the ‘canary in the coal mine’ for COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases.

“The research will be centred on wastewaterbased epidemiology – the concept is based on analysis of wastewater for markers of infectious disease, illicit drugs or pharmaceuticals in order to better inform public health decisions.

“By sampling wastewater at different parts of the sewerage network, we can gradually narrow an outbreak down to smaller geographical areas, enabling public health officials to quickly target interventions in those areas at greatest risk of spreading the infection.”

Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern of the University of Bath, one of the programme’s co-investigators, explains: “Wastewaterbased epidemiology offers a promising method for monitoring a pandemic, particularly for infectious diseases such as COVID-19 where asymptomatic cases play a significant role in transmitting the virus.

Given the financial and logistical challenges of testing large numbers of people, and then trying to isolate those infected, this represents a potentially low-cost, anonymous and immediate mechanism for predicting local outbreaks and helping to contain the spread of infection.”

The researchers will also work with Defra, environment agencies, public health bodies and water companies across the UK. They will undertake sampling of wastewater at several major cities as part of their study.

Professor Gideon Henderson, Defra Chief Scientific Adviser, says: “It is heartening to see the scientific community continuing to combat coronavirus through this project, alongside the government.

“We are already working with researchers, water companies and devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and NI to monitor for fragments of coronavirus genetic material in wastewater in the hope that it will help us detect new outbreaks.

“Though the science is still in its infancy, this new project will help us to develop the methods that we are applying.”

The research programme is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

WE ARE AT CHEMUK 2021.

SEE US ON STAND C9

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06.09.2018 10:01:14

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Turning the tide - Microplastics detection in wastewater Understanding the impact of microplastics on the environment and on human and animal health is a crucial challenge for the next century. However, before the true impact of microplastics can be calculated, first we must refine our methods of detecting and categorising microscopic and particle-sized plastics.

Bert Swart, Franciszek Bydalek, Professor John Chew and Dr Jannis Wenk from the University of Bath’s Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC) explain how they are approaching the issue and how the water industry can help.

The ecological impact of plastic on the environment has been well-reported: it causes both great ecological damage and is an eyesore. Larger plastic parts from consumer products and packaging can be found almost everywhere, for example in the oceans, at the most remote beaches, in rivers and on roadsides. But perhaps even more concerning that the plastics we can see are those we cannot.

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5mm but they can often be microscopically small. Particles present in the environment originate from many sources, such as weathered or worn larger plastics and tyre wear from cars - but they can also be deposited through municipal wastewater. For example, ocean sediments sampled at a depth of several thousand metres have been found to contain almost 2 million microplastic particles per square metre.

The minute size of microplastics makes studying their environmental effects extremely difficult. Like larger plastic, microplastic is persistent in the environment and it presents significant risks. Microplastics can be ingested by small organisms such as krill, shellfish and juvenile fish, as well as larger filter feeders including whale sharks. In these smaller animals, microplastics may disrupt the digestive system with deadly consequences - as many small animals comprising the base of marine, coastal and river food webs and serve as food source for commercially important fish. Therefore, microplastic pollution may eventually affect fish populations, and human food security.

Similarly harmful is the way in which plastic can attract pathogens and toxic chemicals known as endocrine disrupting compounds.

These chemicals usually exist at very low concentration in water, but they can adhere to or inside plastic particles and become released once ingested. Via a process known as bioaccumulation these toxic chemical may further concentrate through the food web and

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Microscopic picture showing a partially weathered microplastic particle

Image (3.4 x 4.3 mm) showing polyethylene microplastic particles in water

slowly poison fish and humans that eat that fish.

can be used to detect and quantify microplastics - manual and semi-automated microscopic methods can be used to count particles, as well as materials characterisation via spectroscopy or spectrometry.

Beyond a better understanding of the environmental effects of microplastics it is critical to minimise the release of microplastics into natural waters. Wastewater effluent can be a significant source of microplastics, specifically synthetic fibres from clothes and additives of cosmetics such as body scrubs and peeling products.

Most wastewater treatment plants are not designed to efficiently remove microplastics, while detailed inventories of microplastic fluxes through wastewater treatment plants are rarely available. Data collection is often hindered by the absence of fast and reliable microplastic detection methods. Therefore, in our research groups we work on better and more rapid microplastics detection methods to differentiate and quantify microplastics, and assess the severity of the issue in UK municipal wastewaters.

Detection and identification of microplastics in wastewater presents various challenges. While particles larger than 0.5 mm are relatively straightforward to extract, smaller particles remain often undetected or may be destroyed during sample processing.

A huge variety of approaches and equipment

The challenge is to have fast, less laborious but at the same time accurate, reliable and repeatable detection and characterisation methods for a wide ranging size distribution.

An automated computer-based high speed camera method for microplastics quantification is currently in development within WIRC at Bath.

A successful detection followed by identification of plastic type and shape requires first the removal of any organic and inorganic impurities such as biofilms, fats, proteins and sand. Cleaning methods include the use of strong surfactants and most importantly oxidation processes that remove non-plastic compounds selectively.

Nevertheless, many detection methods suffer from 50% losses for particles smaller than 0.05 mm, which leads to a significant underestimation of the total amount of plastic particles.

Following sample preparation, both physical and chemical plastics characterization takes place. There are a variety of different methods

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Investigating the fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants and constructed wetlands available including microscopic techniques for shape analysis microscopic and advanced instrumentation for material analysis. Latter methods are also useful to look at effects of weathering and identify the source of microplastic particles.

In addition to using state-of the art microplastics detection and characterisation methods we have developed a setup that allows the observation and tracking of particles in solution by utilising automated image analysis. The solution is viewed through a transparent viewing slit using a highresolution camera.

Carrying out subsequent electronic image analysis allows easy identification of particle

size within the micron range. The system is also being further developed and trained to distinguish different plastic types and nonplastic particles.

including microplastics, it seems inevitable that wastewater treatment plants may need to become better at cutting down the release of microplastics into the environment.

Parallel to the development of new detection methods, we are investigating the fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants and constructed wetlands.

Progress is already being made as some treatment setups including membrane bioreactor discs and rapid sand filtration or dissolved air flotation are currently reported to be capable of reaching over 95% removal of microplastics. Financial constraints might specifically encourage looking into the potential of existing facilities first, before making large investments. Our work helps to understand the fate of microplastics and can point towards ways for better removal of microplastic from wastewater streams.

For example, our data indicate that constructed wetlands have the potential to hold back inflowing microplastics. However, we also observed the release of weathered and partially fragmented microplastics from constructed wetlands.

Given the global scale of plastics pollution

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Through the Water Innovation and Research Centre at the University of Bath our experts work with industry, academia, and other stakeholders to tackle the fundamental issues surrounding sustainable water. Through WISE, our Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Informatics: Science and Engineering, we work with collaborative partners to train the next generation of skilled water scientists and engineers.

To explore a partnership with water research experts and students at the University of Bath for your organisation, contact water-research@bath.ac.uk.

go.bath.ac.uk/water-research

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Selwood helps to safely stem the flooding problem at Earby The Background

The Lancashire town of Earby has been prone to devastating flooding in recent years - most notably on Boxing Day 2015, when homes and properties suffered significant water damage.

Since that date, the Environment Agency has worked in partnership with local authorities and Yorkshire Water to develop schemes to reduce the flood risk.

A significant contributor to the problem was the Victoria Clough Culvert, which carries water under the town. Part of the culvert, underneath a disused railway embankment, had collapsed.

In July 2018, a 13-week, £1million project began to replace the collapsed section and to re-line and replace a number of sections along the culvert to reduce the flood risk to 91 properties and 17 businesses. The scheme also included the installation of an improved trash screen at the inlet to the culvert, designed to be easier to clear and to reduce the likelihood of blockages.

The Environment Agency appointed JBA Bentley as contractors for the scheme.

Selwood’s pumping solutions specialists were called upon by JBA Bentley to survey the overpumping of the culvert inlet while the trash screen was being upgraded.

The Challenge

While the trash screen works were being carried out, water needed to be overpumped away from the inlet and discharged into a manhole on a public street.

Selwood’s teams needed to move the water a distance of 450m, through woodland that needed to remain open to the public and through areas used by pedestrians, for the duration of the works.

Enabling pedestrians to safely cross the pipework and keeping access open at all times were challenges to be overcome.

The Solution

Because of the health and safety considerations and need for public access, the pumping setup needed to be as neat and tidy as possible.

Two Selwood D150 Drainer pumps, connected together using a Y branch, were used to pump the water flow along the 450m distance.

One common line rather than two was used to minimise the amount of pipework involved, and at the point of discharge, the line was enlarged to reduce friction losses within the pipework. This was vital to ensuring the water could travel the distance required.

In the woodland areas, pedestrian bridges were used over the pipework to keep the footpath open. On the areas of public path, road ramps were used. These are wider than the bridges, with a more shallow ramp, helping the flow of pedestrians and providing an easier journey for those using wheelchairs or prams.

The Result

Selwood’s specialists were involved for seven of the 13 weeks of the project, successfully diverting the flow away from the culvert for the duration of the works without causing significant disruption to the public. The site manager reported satisfaction with the project and praised the expertise of Selwood’s team.

The project completed in late August 2019, with a new 40-metre length of culvert installed under the railway embankment and a further 60m relined.

The project has been hailed as bringing significant flood risk benefits to homes and businesses in Earby.

The Recommendation

Selwood has signed a three-year deal to support JBA Bentley as a supplier of pump rental solutions. Andrew Ball, Plant Manager at JBA Bentley, said: “We are delighted to extend our long-standing partnership with Selwood. Selwood continues to demonstrate a proactive attitude to safety, an ongoing commitment to finding sustainable solutions that minimise operational carbon and total expenditure, and an unrivalled range of industry-leading assets backed up with exellent service.” www.selwood.co.uk

Selwood continues to demonstrate a proactive attitude to safety, an ongoing commitment to finding sustainable solutions that minimise operational carbon and total expenditure, and an unrivalled range of industry-leading assets backed up with exellent service.

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Specialists in trenchless techniques GMAC Utilities Ltd pride themselves on being able to work in the most difficult and restrictive of conditions, to enable their customers to bring their projects to completion, on time and on budget. Bringing their 30 years of horizontal directional drilling experience, along with now offering many other trenchless and open-cut solutions, from guided auger boring, to timber headings and shaft sinking, GMAC will have the solution for your project.

Often GMAC are required to work in environmentally sensitive locations and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), from protected rivers to marshes and beaches, with each contract bringing its own list of challenges and often restrictions and constraints to work within. Whatever a project requires, GMAC have the experience and skillset to manage all the environmental risks associated with it, along with the day to day risks and challenges that come with any operation.

GMAC recently worked on a project in Galashiels, Scotland, on behalf of Caledonian Water Alliance, as part of a project to upgrade a 12km water main. Working with the main contractor, A.G. Wilson, GMAC used their uprated American Augers DD440 to place two, 420m shots for 400mm water mains, below the sensitive River Tweed, the busy

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A70 road and, a high pressure gas main, with no disruption to the local environment or community.

The fourth longest river in Scotland, the River Tweed, is an important SSSI which meant working with a number of ecological constraints to maintain the habitats of otters, salmon and crayfish. To aid in facilitating the protection of the site and its pristine waters, it was vital to drill 10m beneath the bed of the Tweed and through solid Scottish rock, to minimise the risk of drilling fluids contaminating the river.

The drill needed to pass on a curved path below the river so the rig was placed 100m from the banks of the river to enable plenty of space to achieve the required depth and compound curve.

GMAC’s experienced crew spent a number

of weeks on each shot, drilling out, reaming and cleaning the hole, before pulling each of the two, twenty tonne, water pipes through.

With onsite mud recycling facilities, GMAC minimised the requirement for fresh water to aid the drilling process by cleaning and reusing the fluids used in the drilling process.

Often working in challenging winter weather conditions, both pipes were placed in good time and the site cleared and made good, ready for the main contractor to meet up with the open-cut work.

To get a competitive quote for your project, contact GMAC at either info@gmacutilities.com or any of the contacts below: Conor McCloskey: 07967 445556 (UK) Gerald McCloskey: 07823 526240 (ROI and NI) Wayne Cartwright: 07378 505006 (Sales)

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Always going from strength to strength, Gmac Utilities Ltd take their decades of experience in horizontal directional drilling and working with utilities, to offer bespoke and turnkey services. With vast experience with water companies nationwide, we have the knowledge and skillset to complete your project.

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News

Xylem reports broad sustainability advances, beats greenhouse gas reduction target by more than 40%

Xylem Inc, a global water technology company, announced it has succeeded in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) intensity, exceeding its planned target. Xylem’s 2019 Sustainability Report, “Water for a Healthy World,” launched today, revealed the Company had achieved a 28.3% reduction in GHG intensity, against a target of 20% set in 2014. The report also demonstrated overachievement or material progress on all of its 2019 sustainability targets.

“Water for a Healthy World,” which has been verified by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as conforming to GRI’s reporting standards, details Xylem’s progress on a wide range of sustainability topics: from energy and water intensity, to innovation, diversity and inclusion, disaster relief, corporate citizenship, community impact and employee volunteerism. In addition to beating its own stretch targets for greenhouse gas emissions, the water technology leader also reduced product energy intensity.

Xylem’s corporate social responsibility program, Xylem Watermark, hit new highs in employee engagement, reaching 58% participation and over 70,000 volunteer hours in 2019, alone. The program also launched a global Humanitarian Disaster Response Team, engaging employees, customers, and suppliers in responding to water-related disasters, such as floods and hurricanes. Xylem Watermark partners with over 250 non-profit organizations, globally.

“The importance of water to community sustainability is more apparent today than

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perhaps any other time in recent history,” said Patrick Decker, Xylem’s President and CEO. “The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role that clean water and reliable sanitation play in preventing and controlling disease and in making communities resilient in the face of extraordinary challenges.”

Xylem’s 2019 performance highlights the sustainability momentum the Company has achieved, having been recognized as a top performer across a range of pre-eminent sustainability listings – including Fortune’s Change the World list, Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies, and a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

“With water and resource management at the core of our business, Xylem is deeply committed to sustainability,” continued Decker. “It is fundamental to who we are and what we do. We feel both privileged and proud to be making progress, alongside our customers and partners, and making a difference for our stakeholders, globally. Now, as part of our mission to solve the world’s toughest water 2 and resource challenges -- making the world more sustainable for everyone -- we’re committing ourselves to doing even more.”

“Water for a Healthy World,”marks the finish line for Xylem’s previous set of 5-year sustainability targets, set in 2014, and the first year of tracking its bolder 2025 goals, set last year.

“A year ago, we expanded our sustainability strategy and set 2025 goals in response to

escalating water challenges around the world,” said Claudia Toussaint, Xylem’s General Counsel and Chief Sustainability Officer. “We are a company that pushes boundaries and are motivated to achieve a sustainable future. So, when we refreshed our sustainability goals, we built on our momentum and got more ambitious. We expanded our sustainability strategy, put greater focus on advancing sustainability across our customer products and solutions, and integrated sustainability even more tightly with our business strategy.”

Xylem’s 2025 signature goals include commitments to: Save more than 16.5 billion cubic meters of water through the use of advanced technologies; · Prevent over 7 billion cubic meters of polluted water from flooding communities or entering local waterways; Provide access to clean water and sanitation solutions for at least 20 million people; Ensure 100% of employees have access to clean water and safe sanitation at work, at home and during natural disasters; Give 1% of xylem employees’ time and 1% of company profits to water-related causes and education; Use 100% renewable energy and 100% process water recycling at its major facilities.

For more information, “Water for a Healthy World,” is available, now.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

News

Wessex Water Foundation launched to help those in need The new Wessex Water Foundation, a multimillion pound initiative launched by the water and sewerage company, will mainly benefit people hit hardest by the Covid-19 crisis in its first year.

A dedicated funding scheme for projects across the Wessex Water region, the Foundation is being run in partnership with the Quartet, Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset Community Foundations and is already prioritising those worst affected by the pandemic.

And from 2021 the Wessex Water Foundation will provide at least half a million pounds of funding every year to support community projects, debt advice and charities dealing with those suffering the consequences of poverty through poor mental and physical health, hunger, housing or unemployment.

Region-wide emergency funding will be awarded to groups on the frontline, including charities and foodbanks, while the Wessex Water Recovery Fund opens for local

applications later this year to help respond to the challenging economic situation.

Wessex Water will also continue to support local environmental projects, supporting the ambition to rebuild communities with new green infrastructure.

Colin Skellett, Wessex Water’s CEO, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to launch the Wessex Water Foundation alongside our friends in the community foundations in our patch.

“Being at the heart of the communities we serve is nothing new for us, but the Wessex Water Foundation is a new way of making sure we’re helping the people who need it most.

“It’s been an incredibly tough time for everyone in our region and supporting emergency coronavirus response projects is a fitting place to start.”

Rosemary Macdonald, interim CEO of UK

Community Foundations, said: “We at UKCF would like to thank Wessex Water Foundation for all their help with the emergency coronavirus appeal.

“It is great to see the Community Foundations in the Wessex region come together and work so successfully with one of our key employers. The Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Quartet foundations are working hard to distribute the funding provided by the Wessex Water Foundation to those most affected by Covid-19.

“It’s wonderful to see such a great partnership helping those in need at this challenging time.”

For nearly three decades Wessex Water has been working with the wider community to help local causes and projects, both through volunteering and various funding projects.

To find out more about this and the Wessex Water Foundation visit wessexwater.co.uk/community

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11.12.2019 09:00:55

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News

Emergency funds help Thames Water’s community partners through coronavirus lockdown

New Thames Water community relief fund will provide £400,000 this financial year (2020/21) to company’s community partners.

Thames Water gives recreational clubs and not-for-profit organisations financial support worth almost £200,000 to help during coronavirus lockdown.

Berkshire Community Foundation receives grant to support coronavirus appeal.

Thames Water has set up a new relief fund to provide financial support to its community partners during the coronavirus pandemic.

The company is donating £400,000 to community organisations and charities it works with to help them pay business costs resulting from loss of income, such as fundraising opportunities, during this difficult time.

Thames Water has also allocated £100,000 for the Rivers and Wetlands Community Days project, managed by the Wild Trout Trust. The project provides small grants to encourage communities to get practically involved in restoring, improving and maintaining rivers, lakes, wetlands and the environment.

Thames Water has provided funding and assistance worth £6.5 million in total, to 62 community projects in the Thames Valley area over the past five years (2015-2020).

The projects have helped to protect and enhance wetland habitats, improved community access to cycle paths, improved flood defences and funded education programmes for school children.

Richard Aylard, Thames Water sustainability director, said: “Our work at Thames Water goes beyond providing essential water and wastewater services. We’re proud of our association with these organisations, which have done so much to enhance their communities and the natural environment.

“We care about the communities within which

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we all live and work, and we want to support them during this challenging and uncertain time. By providing relief funding to our fantastic community partners, we’re ensuring they can continue making a positive difference to the local communities and customers we serve.”

making a commitment to doing what they can to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The financial support for leaseholders and the community relief fund are part of the company’s wider support for communities and customers who are coping with the coronavirus outbreak.

Thames Water has also provided financial support, worth £192,000, to 43 not-for-profit organisations and recreational leaseholders in London and the Thames Valley, to help them with their running costs during this difficult time.

Thames Water is donating £1 million to its Trust Fund and extending its WaterHelp social tariff, so it can support more customers who are in financial need during the coronavirus pandemic.

The company owns various buildings and grounds which house sports and social clubs.

These include cricket clubs, sailing and football clubs, amateur boxing studios and scout groups.

Gabrielle Boase, general manager at Datchet Water Sailing Club in Slough, said: “The COVID-19 outbreak has prevented our members from gathering at the club to enjoy their sport and social gatherings. Thames Water was very fast to offer support to the club. This helped us focus on maintaining our community groups and we’ve found new ways of being social and competitive during the lockdown, through virtual racing and interactive Zoom nights. Without the support of Thames Water our focus would have been away from our community.”

Thames Water has signed the COVID-19 Business Pledge, which encourages businesses and universities to be a force for good by

The company has also donated £40,000 to local community foundations during the coronavirus pandemic. Berkshire Community Foundation received £7,500 from Thames Water, which it is using to support local charities and groups during the coronavirus lockdown.

Gerry Lejeune OBE, Berkshire Community Foundation chief executive, said: “We were delighted to hear the news that Thames Water has made a generous donation to our disaster appeal. Our small team here at Berkshire Community Foundation are hugely appreciative of this support, as the grant will enable us to get the funding out to the most disadvantaged in our county. Thank you to everyone at Thames Water.”

More information about Thames Water’s community relief fund and application process can be found here: https://corporate. thameswater.co.uk/about-us/community/ working-in-our-communities

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

WE CONNECT BIG DATA TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

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Groundbeaker’s NRv2 LoFlow Check Valve

Water supplies in the 21st Century: reduction of personal water use Is there a simple solution to reverse the impact of dry spells and COVID-19 on water consumption?

UK water companies have been promoting water efficient living to counter the impact of population growth, lifestyle and weather pattern changes that are putting UK water supplies under increasing pressure. However, a combination of the population staying at home and the warm, dry spring weather has undermined that work over the last few weeks.

April’s rainfall was 40% of average1 and May was the driest since records began. Combine this with the increase in demand due so many people remaining at home, and warnings of hose pipe bans were circulating.2 The change in weather gave a short reprieve, but this pattern of demand is likely to reoccur.

In November 2018 the Met Office unveiled its predictions for the impact of climate change on Britain. A reduction of 47% in summer rainfall in anticipated in the next 50 years.

Whilst house building is set to continue, with new home targets currently at 300,000 per annum. Conservation is becoming the buzz word of the water industry, as supply cannot be adjusted to meet demand.

BUT in the UK, attitudes to water means that consumers are resistant to conservation education. Whilst ‘smart metering’ and public awareness campaigns can have some impact

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on domestic consumption, it is unlikely to come anywhere close to halving usage - the target set by some water companies.

Water companies are required to provide a supply capable of delivering 10 litres/minute at 1bar pressure to a domestic dwelling (Water Industry Act). However, without care or effective water management, volumes greater than this can be taken by inconsiderate or uneducated consumers – despite current environmental concerns.

There is a practical and cost-effective solution, Groundbreaker’s LoFlo Check Valve provides a ‘cap’ to the volume of water supplied to any property. Set to provide above the legally required minimum supply, and not noticeably interfere with normal daily domestic use, the LoFlo Check Valve ‘attenuates’ the water supply to a property by the inclusion of a precision engineered, flow restriction device.

The delivery reduction means that taps left running, to clean teeth or rinse dishes wastes less water. The sprinkler or hose pipe left on each day delivers a lower volume of water, reducing consumption.

Simply installed between the water meter and manifold in any underground or surface mounted water meter enclosure,

Groundbraker’s LoFlo Check Valve is an easy, low cost intervention that can be introduced without expensive excavation or retrospective work.

Smart metering and networks will be a longer term solution to reduce consumption further, but for an immediate, low cost intervention that could produce results this summer Groundbeaker’s LoFlo Check Valve is the only option.

Groundbreaker products meet all the defined criteria and are used extensively across the whole of the UK water supply network – whether that be North of Scotland or the Channel Islands.

For further details or to find your local distributor go to https://groundbreaker.co.uk/products/nrv2/ 1. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-anddata/summaries/index 2. https://londonlovesbusiness.com/uk-warned-abouthosepipe-ban-as-may-is-set-to-be-the-driest-in-124-years/ Note: Section 63A of the WI Act states that there should be no impediment to a domestic water supply “for debt management”.

Given that the LoFlo still provides above minimum supply levels and the impediment is not for the purposes of debt management, this condition does not apply.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

TURNING WASTEWATER INTO SOMETHING REFINED The irony of wastewater, the waste product of the use of water, is that it is already in the location where fresh water is needed. It is time the linear use of our most precious resource gave way to a sustainable continuum, HELEN COMPSON reports.

It is a contradiction that cannot be allowed to continue.

living in river basins where water use exceeds recharge.”

As a report produced by the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership, founded by Wharton University of Pennsylvania, lays bare, today more than 40% of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity with 17 countries under “extremely high” water stress, using almost all of their resources.

And the problem is only going to get worse. It is predicted the global population will grow by another two billion to 9.7bn people by 2050.

According to United Nations figures, “Over 1.7 billion people are currently

As Stephen Katz, market development manager for water reuse with global

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

More than half of them (52%) will be living in regions experiencing water scarcity.

giant SUEZ - Water Technologies & Solutions, makes clear, recovering wastewater so that it can be reused – and yes, that includes being used as drinking water too – will be key to eking out this world’s finite supply.

“Bringing back wastewater as drinking water is an emerging trend in the market,” he said.

“When you drill the facts down, the concept of our water usage has been linear – extract, treat, use, discharge.

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Wastewater Treatment & Technology

“However, now we are moving into this world of circularity in which water is reclaimed and reused, and I’m looking at the future when I say a significant amount of the work in the water industry lies in this area.”

Some were put off by the idea of consuming what had once been wastewater, he acknowledged, but to the naysayers he points out that we are still reliant now on the water that was around when the dinosaurs were walking this planet.

“The water that exists today is the water that existed millions of years ago,” he said. “People should be aware of the fact that rain isn’t magic new water sent from the universe.

“It’s all part of the water cycle taught to us in school using the image of a lake and a mountain and evaporation and big fluffy clouds. It is not an imaginary cycle … the only difference is that we have just dropped communities and industry in the middle that weren’t drawn in this natural cycle “ Reclaiming wastewater therefore could be and should be a natural part of humankind’s water supply, a sustainable element of a sustainable continuum.

In the 21st century, there were four engines driving change in the water industry – climate change, the increasing demographic challenge, a digital revolution, and public expectation/ activism.

And SUEZ, which specialises in the innovative technology, predictive analytics and solutions needed in both the water and wastewater industries, is well-placed to respond.

and water companies individually had three key transitional factors to contend with.

One, wastewater is becoming a feedstock. “It is a fuel in that it has organic matter that can be converted to gas, nutrients that can be recycled for fertiliser and water that is water. This is a key focus for our own water teams today.”

Two, the lack of availability of fresh water, particularly in relation to the growing size of the population a company might be catering for while dealing with a diminishing source of supply.

Offering a comprehensive range of chemical and equipment solutions and services, the company has 450,000 business and industrial customers and 90,000 staff globally.

Three, the size and scale of the utilities – is there actually the space for a company to grow its treatment footprint in tandem with the growing call on its resources, while balancing the demand for space in the community.

It also has an annual research and development expenditure currently running at E120m.

Stephen said: “What does that all mean in terms of technology and municipalities and the industry as a whole?

The water industry is in a state of transition generally, there’s no doubt about that, he said,

“Well, that is our first question, always, at SUEZ. We are looking to solve these problems to create a more sustainable water supply for our clients and their customers in municipalities and industry.”

We are looking to solve these problems to create a more sustainable water supply for our clients and their customers in municipalities and industry.

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Depending on the water source, the desired outcome and the quality of water that is needed for reuse, different technologies can be combined to remove target contaminants and harmful pathogens.

Membrane bioreactor technology continues to be a primary building block for water reuse applications. It is perfect for plants that don’t have a large footprint, because it allows for upgrades in treatment in existing tanks.

Ultrafiltration membranes can be used as a tertiary treatment step on the back end of conventional activated sludge facilities to upgrade quality.

Reverse osmosis is often part of the treatment train for high-quality reuse water due to its efficiency in removing salinity and many inorganic and organic contaminants.

It is also a barrier to pathogens.

Electrodialysis removal is gaining momentum for streams with brine challenges. This technology is a great option for any wastewater stream that needs total dissolved solids (TDS) removal prior to reuse. It has a high recovery and low fouling tendency.

Ozone and biofiltration is an excellent means of removing trace chemical constituents without the creation of a brine waste stream.

Disinfection technologies, which include ozone and UV, are core to pathogen inactivation and are both used in advanced treatment processes.

As potable water reuse has gained traction, there has been an accompanying increase in the level of monitoring too. Total Organic Carbon, or TOC, analysers play an significant role in managing treatment across an entire flowsheet.

For even tougher-to-treat industrial waters or where brine discharges can be a problem, zero-liquid discharge technology can achieve around 98% water reuse.

We need to think beyond tradition and put an end to the linear use of water, said Stephen.

“The continuum that exists in reusing water is a very interesting one.

“Every municipality has wastewater and the beauty of that is it is local and already exactly where water is needed – it is, after all, the waste from the use of water.

“So if you look at the options a community has for achieving a sustainable water supply, it is under their noses and the thing is, we don’t have to wait for the necessary technology to appear to do this properly and safety, because it already exists.

“The technology innovation has already taken place and today is about tailoring the right solutions for the unique challenge that exist in different places.” www.suezwatertechnologies.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Water Technologies & Solutions

ZeeWeed* solutions are comprehensive and included on the DWI UK list of approved products We offer service and support that compliment a broad portfolio of ultrafiltration membrane products for all potable water applications: • River, lake and ground water membrane filtration • Wastewater reuse (Direct & Indirect) • Desalination For new infrastructure and upgrading aging facilities, we have a product for every application: • ZeeWeed 700B – pressurized UF, robust SevenBore* PES membranes • ZeeWeed 1500 – pressurized UF, ready for highly variable raw water quality • ZeeWeed 1000 – submerged UF, easily upgrade media filters to membranes • ZeeWeed 500 – submerged UF, able to treat the world’s most challenging feed waters

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Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Conveyors – keeping your staff safe From sewage, dewatered sludge, dried biosolids, cake, wastewater handling and other water treatment and sewage processing, Conveyors have been supporting water & sewage treatment, and reservoir sites for many years. But as we all face this ongoing, unprecedented period of COVID-19, they have an even more important part to play in protecting staff through social distancing, eliminating downtime, and increasing productivity.

Whilst many businesses are struggling to find ways to move and process what they need to within the regulations set out by the Government, modular conveyors can help industries like water treatment and reservoir management continue to provide a critical service, and at times perhaps respond to an increase in demand, by offering a solution that can fit around specific sites and logistics, reducing the need for staff contact, without compromising the speed or quality of the treatment processes.

Coveya, a Bristol based manufacturer and supplier of modular conveyor systems throughout the UK and worldwide, lead the way in supplying conveyors for hire and purchase to the water and reservoir industries and have many years’ experience of enabling customers to increase productivity.

As we all need to consider social distancing, conveyors provide an opportunity for employers to utilise efficient, portable, and robust conveyors across all forms of water treatment and maintenance ensuring staff stay apart and are protected. With the possibility of a reduction in staff and a real need to make sure water treatment services keep on going with sites being maintained

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properly, conveyors quickly and efficiently move what’s needed, to, from and across site, eliminating downtime by reducing the need for manual handling.

Coveya are specialists in delivering specialist conveyor solutions for reservoir maintenance and improvement projects, sometimes across complex sites, all of which support social distancing without compromising efficiency, speed or productivity and with a conveyors ready to support a range of applications, they respond to specific requirements with modular stock or bespoke conveyor solutions. So, from the removal or relocation of aggregate, spoil and sediment to enabling access and the movement of materials within limited access sites or even tunnels, conveyors will keep water treatment and reservoir improvement and development moving, both right now and well into the future.

Coveya just like many other businesses across the UK, has been looking at innovative ways to support customers and the wider business community, alongside its range of conveyor solutions. So, the team designed COV-Screen, a freestanding or countertop acrylic screen that mitigates the spread of COVID-19, protecting both staff and customers. You will find

COV-Screen across the UK; on building and excavation sites to NHS distribution centres, hotels, reception areas and recycling plants and COV-Screen has an equally important part to play at UK water, sewage, and reservoir sites.

Over the next few months as we prepare to return to normal, there will be a need to ensure that staff and customers are protected from the spread of COVID-19. Conveyors not only have an important part to play in making this happen but also offer an efficient, cost-effective, productive and safe solution for water treatment, sewage and reservoir sites that need to improve their processing capability, meet an increase in demand or simply make their operation more safe and efficient.

If you’ve not thought about how conveyors can support your water, sewage or reservoir site before, you should, and if you want to know more about how you can improve what you already have whilst protecting the people that matter the most to your business, without compromising the quality of the service you offer, Coveya can help. www.coveya.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

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Wastewater Treatment & Technology

OMEX help your facility run at optimum performance Key OMEX products for WWT

At OMEX we understand the importance of keeping the wastewater treatment facility at optimum performance. Below our operations manager, Dimitris Theodoridis, highlights the key points to achieve the best performance from your WWT plant:

OMEX offer a full range of products to help with the optimisation of the wastewater treatment process, including: Magmex - an environmentally friendly pH neutraliser. In addition, Magmex contains certain compounds that are beneficial nutrients needed by the biology within the plant

Keep the biology strong and healthy In order for the plant to function, the first area to look at is ensuring the biology is “happy”. Keeping the biology in working condition enables the plant to work, so this should usually be the first point to check on any site managers checklist. If the biology isn’t getting all the necessary elements it needs, such as adequate food, aeration and nutrition, the plant will subsequently fail and lose performance, this can in turn lead to wastewater being discharged with certain measured parameters being out of consent.

Nutrient Profiling

The best way to assess the biology in the plant is to analyse it. OMEX offer full technical support and provide facilities to assess the performance of the bacteria in the plant. The fully accredited OMEX labs are able to offer an in-depth analysis and treatment of all the possible problems which can occur within the wastewater treatment industry. OMEX

Nutromex N&P (Plus) - strengthens the biology, stabilises performance and enables a more effective breakdown of the organic content in the raw wastewater

technical staff will collect a set of samples to establish the status of the biological process.

Micromex - when the plant is lacking in the number of microorganisms needed to process, Micromex augments the biology cultures, effectively breaking down the unwanted organics

Technical Advice

Once a full nutritional analysis of the plant has been undertaken, results should be analysed and discussed with a technical expert, who is able to advise on the best course of action to improve and optimise the process. The OMEX technical sales team are able to assess the plant via lab analysis and in depth discussion with the site operator/ manager to gain a thorough understanding of any issues the plant is experiencing. Once this process is completed a tailored product programme is put together, along with recommendations and appropriate dosing rates to achieve the desired outcome.

Anomex - in activated sludge processes there is a risk of hydrogen sulphide in the sludge storage tank, Anomex is used to minimise the risk of sludge becoming septic Contact www.omex.com/environmental-products E: environmental@omex.com T: +44(0)1553 770092

Nutrients and Neutralisers For all types of wastewater treatment pH Control Solutions

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Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Standardise to remove phosphorous Eutrophication is a significant issue and one that is only going to get worse. Industry regulator Ofwat has challenged water companies to deliver more cost-effective and efficient solutions than their current framework designs allow. So, how can the water industry and chemical dosing manufacturers meet growing demands? Graham Ward of WES suggests a way forward. also need to be delivered as a complete, preassembled and pre-tested package which is quick and easy to install and commission.

What a standardised chemical dosing system looks like

Packaged systems like the DS1500 from WES can easily slot into the industry’s current thinking process around simplification and standardisation of chemical dosing units. Ideal for indoor and outdoor applications requiring small to medium capacity, this compact and tough product is fully enclosed within a weatherproof, rotationally moulded structure.

Why the growing demand for phosphorus removal?

Phosphorus removal standards are becoming increasingly stringent as regulators seek to minimise the problem of eutrophication across the UK’s lakes, rivers and other surface waters.

As well as being a strong focus in AMP7, the UK water industry’s Asset Management Period for 2020 to 2025, phosphorus removal is being reinforced by the Environment Agency’s Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP).

As a result of this increased focus on phosphorus removal, chemical dosing, which has traditionally been used on larger sites, has begun to be used on smaller sites as well.

This has led to an increase in demand for the solution across the industry as a whole.

However, with Ofwat’s challenge to deliver cost-effective solutions, chemical dosing can only be delivered efficiently if water companies, contractors and the supply chain work in partnership with manufacturers to create simpler, more standardised systems.

A shift in perspective

Chemical treatments offer an economical means of removing phosphates from wastewater and have a positive result for the environment.

However traditionally, water companies have preferred to buy large and often over-engineered dosing systems that have been tailored to a bespoke set of needs. These solutions come at a

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cost, taking longer to manufacture than more standardised, small to medium sized systems. For dosing systems to be produced in larger numbers and at lower prices, without compromising on performance and integrity, radical change is therefore needed.

For enhanced safety, it features separate, lockable dosing and fill/control compartment doors, automatic leak detection cut-off, splash screens and an integral bund. A vertical tunnel through the bund conceals and protects power and signal cables, as well as dosing lines. Its construction material options allow for use of different dosing chemicals. The system’s integrated design includes a 1,700-litre chemical storage tank with a working volume of 1,500 litres, designed to take 1,000-litre deliveries from commercial chemical suppliers.

It can also be filled by pumping from an onsite IBC (intermediate bulk container).

By applying standardised designs and production practices, manufacturers can optimise operational efficiency, reduce lead times and achieve cost reductions, all without any impact on the consistency, quality and safety of products. The current optioneering exercise could be used by the water industry to engage with colleagues and partners in exploring how they might adopt such standardisation and value engineering.

The rewards of working together could include mutual economic benefits, better dosing systems and wider improvements in phosphorus reduction.

According to their preferences and applications, customers can choose from a variety of digital dosing pumps arranged in single or duty/standby set-ups. Dosing rates can be entered directly via the screen of a user-friendly interface. With very wide turndown ratios and no need for complex stroke rate calculations, the system offers plug-andplay simplicity. Dosing rate, over a range from 0.025 to 150 litres per hour, is simple to control manually or can be automatically governed via the pumps’ input/output connections. Further options include automatic duty/standby pump changeover and telemetry functions.

Standardised dosing systems – things to consider

When thinking about standardising dosing systems, some key things to consider include: the product’s size, where it is likely to be used, the variety of dosing chemicals that it can cope with and its storage tank capacity. In addition for small, medium and large applications alike, the range of dosing rate settings that will be available on it and the telemetry it will be fitted with, to enable immediate reporting of any failures. All of these features and functions

The DS1500, and similar packages, can be readily bought or hired from WES, which operates the UK’s largest chemical dosing hire fleet. Fully constructed and tested in the factory, they are built for rapid deployment on site. Their design points to a standardised, simplified approach which, if supported by industry collaboration, can address the dosing system manufacturing capacity challenge.

For further information, visit www.wes.ltd.uk.

Graham Ward is the Sales & Marketing Director of WES Ltd.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

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Phosphorus Removal

Taking the P Severn Trent has launched a pioneering research programme to find new ways to reduce the amount of phosphorus in wastewater.

Even though we are only just a few months into the new AMP, by the end of AMP7 water companies up and down the country will be asked to reduce levels of phosphorus in their wastewater catchments that serve rural communities. For Severn Trent, this means finding a low cost and low carbon solution across 100 of its 750 rural catchments…

The Challenge

The conventional approach to controlling phosphorus levels is using iron or aluminiumbased coagulants. This approach is effective but, it has a high carbon footprint and high operating costs. Severn Trent also recognises that the significant increase in demand for iron and aluminium-based coagulants across the water industry is a business risk which must be carefully managed.

Emily Timmins, Severn Trent’s Head of Wastewater Recycling, believes that identifying alternative ways to control phosphorus in rural wastewater catchments is a key opportunity to build resilience, reduce costs and deliver a lasting environmental and societal benefit.

Emily said: “The cost of running a rural wastewater treatment works is largely made up of maintenance visits and sludge collections.

Chemical-based phosphorus removal solutions will only increase these costs.

“Our long-term ambition for rural wastewater catchments is to use systems that are carbon neutral, require minimal operator intervention

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and deliver added value to the communities they serve.

“This vision will help deliver the company’s Triple Carbon Pledge, which includes a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, and our Great Big Nature Boost which will deliver biodiversity improvements to 5000 hectares during AMP7.”

Emily said: “We’ve assessed the potential of wetland technologies through a series of knowledge exchange visits with other water companies and we’re now working with River Ecosystem Services (part of the Rivers Trust) to carry out detailed feasibility studies for six FWSW opportunities.

Finding a solution

“Involving the Rivers Trust at an early stage in the projects has enabled us to use their local and ecological knowledge to inform design proposals and capitalise on opportunities to improve biodiversity in the surrounding area.”

The company is working with water companies across the world, as well as academia, its supply chain, landowners and regulators, recognising that all these stakeholders have a part to play in establishing a toolkit of solutions which deliver net environmental gains and value to the communities Severn Trent serves.

Working in partnership with the agricultural community and implementing catchment interventions has helped Severn Trent to protect potable water supplies.

It believes using a similar approach in rural wastewater catchments provides an opportunity to manage phosphorus loads upstream of their wastewater treatment works. This allows Severn Trent to benefit from a more flexible permitting approach, as well as avoiding traditional chemical treatment solutions.

Severn Trent’s approach to innovation means it can research and develop new solutions, experiment with ideas that already exist across the globe and adopt them quickly.

What’s happening now…

Today, Severn Trent already uses wetland technologies, ranging from reed beds to facultative ponds, to deliver low carbon treatment across its estate. Recent research on Free Water Surface Wetlands (FWSW) for wastewater treatment has highlighted their ability to passively deliver water quality improvements and reinstate biodiverse habitats with socioeconomic enhancements.

Severn Trent is also working with farmers, landowners and NGO’s to limit phosphorus inputs at source, or to disrupt the transport and delivery of phosphorus to the watercourses. Emily explains: “Opportunity mapping and targeting interventions in higher risk areas provides us with the biggest benefit and using nature-based solutions provide wider environmental and community-based benefits to an area.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Phosphorus Removal

“This includes increases in biodiversity, flood relief, recreation, engagement with our communities and ultimately a more resilient environment.”

Reactive media and algae treatment

Severn Trent is also working to identify materials known as reactive media that can remove phosphorus from wastewater through adsorption and precipitation mechanisms.

Reactive media can be a naturally occurring mineral, for example apatite, or a waste product like steel slag, and should be deployed in large passive treatment beds to deliver long term, low cost and low carbon treatment.

After a full-scale trial with steel slag media proved to be unsuccessful, Severn Trent worked with its supply chain and academia to develop other media which deliver good phosphorus capture, are mechanically robust and have the potential to form part of a circular economy supply chain.

Algae treatment is another approach the Midlands-based company has taken in its search to reduce Phosphorus levels. Algal requires substrate, light and carbon dioxide to grow and in the process create oxygen and removes both phosphorus and nitrogen.

Emily said: “Processes which use algae to capture phosphorus are ideal polishing steps for our existing treatment works. Algal processes won’t require any chemicals and produce a biomass by-product with circular economy potential.

“We’re working with universities and technology developers to focus on innovative approaches where the algae is conditioned before being introduced to effluent in order to achieve low phosphorus levels.”

Although Severn Trent has assessed market ready technologies, developed low TRL ideas with universities and identified offsetting strategies that capture phosphorus in the local catchment, their search for the right toolkit continues. To work with Severn Trent, please contact them through their website www.severntrent.com/innovation

Our long-term ambition for rural wastewater catchments is to use systems that are carbon neutral, require minimal operator intervention and deliver added value to the communities they serve. www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Severn Trent use ‘giant socks’ in ground-breaking phosphate trial Severn Trent is using ‘giant socks’ to collect essential minerals used on farmers’ fields before they get washed away, as part of a new ground-breaking phosphate trial.

The Catchment Management and Biodiversity team at Severn Trent have pioneered new technology that will allow them to capture phosphate – an essential mineral for growing crops, by using large tubular mesh structures known as filter socks.

These giant socks are filled with material that absorb phosphate and trap sediments before they run off into river catchments, where supply is under increasing threat because of a greater demand for food, fuelled by population growth.

Responding to this global issue, catchment management specialists at Severn Trent are working closely with farmers across the region, installing them at sites in Cropston, Leicestershire; Aqualate Mere, Shropshire; and within the river Bourne catchment in Warwickshire.

The technology has been adapted from filter socks developed in the US, where they are commonly used as a way to control sediment run-off from construction sites.

Alex Cooke, Principal Catchment Scientist at Severn Trent is leading the trial. She said: “This exciting trial is all about protecting and collecting phosphate – a mineral that is absolutely essential for growing crops.

Unfortunately, because of the growing demand for food around the world, caused largely by population growth, supplies of this key fertiliser are coming under increasing threat.

“When phosphates are used on agricultural land they can wash away into local watercourses, which means this precious resource is lost, and causes algal blooms upon entering our reservoirs. That’s why Severn Trent is taking action now, by essentially putting giant socks in farmers’ fields, that’ll absorb these essential minerals so they can be used again and protect our water supplies for our customers.”

Alex added: “Our ultimate aim is to be able to offer them to farmers across our region through our Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS). In these trials, we are not only interested in the performance of the socks, but we’re also interested in understanding how they perform under different environmental conditions and locations.”

The trial, which will run until 2021, began in Autumn 2019 and will also look at whether phosphate socks offer any other environmental benefits too.

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The Management of Risk & Resilience Why effective management of Risk & Resilience will be as important tomorrow as it is today in a COVID-19 world

The Level 5 Award in Management of Risk & Resilience in the Water & Environmental Industries How Learning & Development Associates’ Risk & Resilience qualifications can help Water, Wastewater and Environmental industries strengthen their resilience in the face of COVID-19’s emergence.

During these extremely challenging times, it has never been so important that all of us in the Water Industry collaborate to ensure vital services’ resilience.

At L&DA we are committed, as part of the wider Water Industry community, to doing whatever we can to help our colleagues manage through these uncertain times successfully.

The current coronavirus’s emergence finds the UK’s Water and Wastewater organisations well prepared to face the challenges, based on their existing pandemic contingency plans. However, the impacts of precautionary self-isolation, illness and individuals’ potentially extended recovery times may test organisations’ ability to continue to field sufficient qualified and experienced staff.

Uncertainties also exists over the eventual mortality rate, the virus’s persistence in the community, the possibility and rate of any viral genetic mutation and the likelihoods of acquired immunity and/or a future successful vaccine’s development.

In such circumstances it is vital to further reinforce existing capabilities by building strength in depth in both operational and support functions and embed wider strategic awareness that encourages business improvement and innovation.

Much of this reinforcement can be achieved through the improved skills and knowledge of our most precious resource, our people.

Our Risk & Resilience qualification is designed specifically for the Water and Environmental Industries and is therefore aligned to address resilience challenges of both COVID-19 and other unrelated exposures.

The Level 5 Risk & Resilience qualification will develop individuals’ technical skills and provide a comprehensive understanding of the Management of Risk & Resilience and lead to improvements in knowledge and therefore performance.

Our Award learners will develop skills on taking responsibility for planning and deploying courses of action, including, where relevant, responsibility for the work of others and exercising independent judgement.

The qualifications addresses the practical competencies required for the effective management of Risk & Resilience in the Water and Environmental Industries and will importantly provide evidence of demonstrable organisational competence for our Regulators and other Stakeholders.

Level 5 Award in Management of Risk & Resilience in the Water & Environmental Industries

Risk & Resilience Virtual Learning Our proven Risk & Resilience classroom course delivery is now augmented by our new interactive approach through Virtual Learning, a methodology that allows flexible and independent learning, whilst providing support and advice from fully qualified, experienced tutors.

Learners can chose to attend either our classroom or Virtual Learning courses and will experience high quality education delivered by our specialist tutors where access to a range of online resources, including videos and chat facilities where we encourage interaction with other learners to enhance the overall experience.

As we learn to adapt to our new methods of conducting business then L&DA keeps pace with industry needs in a changing world through our new Virtual Learning environment.

AVAILABLE FROM 1st JULY 2020

Learning & Development Associates (L&DA) Bespoke company specific training to the Water and Environmental Sectors We have a wide range of courses and qualifications, including but not limited to;

Students will gain a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of: •

The principles and objectives of risk and resilience management

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The legal and regulatory requirements and the role of the regulators in respect of risk and resilience, including the emergence of Cyber threat

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The interconnected impacts that changes in risk and resilience make

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The effect of climate change on risk and resilience strategy

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The objective and purposes of a Company’s risk and resilience strategy and management structure

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Where risk and resilience management sits in the company organisational structure

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The decision-making process in terms of risk and resilience management

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The role of risk financing and the nature of risk financing and the variables that influence the process

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The importance of building resilience in the context of Cyber threat

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The principles of risk and resilience and its relationship to contingency planning

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The use and merits of quantitative and qualitative techniques in risk and resilience management

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How to reduce risks to business continuity in the emergency planning and business continuity process

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How to measure individuals’ behaviour to risk

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The factors that influence group attitudes to risk-taking

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The practical meaning of business resilience and its role in disaster recovery

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The range of technologies and the techniques for gathering data available to assist the management of risk and resilience

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The use of probability theory and the use of normal and binomial distribution numerical methods in risk and resilience management

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The principles of scenario planning in relation to risk and resilience

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The principles of risk, resilience and contingency planning in commissioning assets

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The principles of inventory management in relation to risk and resilience

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The role of logistics in relation to risk & resilience

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How to prepare the business for pre and post emergency situations

Level 5 Certificates; • Level 5 Certificate in Management of Water Production • Level 5 Certificate in Management of Water Networks • Level 5 Certificate in Management of Waste Water Treatment • Level 5 Certificate in Management of Waste Water Networks

We are a group of like-minded senior professionals, who have achieved industry wide recognition for excellence in our own particular fields of expertise, whilst continuing to serve the learning needs of the industry. L&DA founded in the UK, has a range of experience in the UK and a background in several international Water markets and with our trusted partners we bring additional Cyber resilience specialist expertise to the sector.

We specialise in the design of bespoke human resource development interventions for the utility sectors. With our breadth of knowledge and vision, L&DA makes its capabilities available to the sector through specialist design, delivery, project management, assessment and embedment of expertise and advisory services.

We are the leader in qualifications for Water and Environmental Professionals and the only provider in the UK who design and deliver Higher Education Level frameworks in these fields. We are now offering these qualifications through our new Virtual Learning delivery methodology.

Level 5 Awards; • Level 5 Award in Leading Innovation in the Water and Environmental Industries • Level 5 Award in Understanding Event & Incident Management in the Water and Environmental Industries • Level 5 Award in Understanding Project and Change Management in the Water and Environmental Industries • Level 5 Award in Understanding Hydraulic Principles in the Water and Environmental Industries • Level 5 Award in Understanding the Management of Physical and Cyber Security in the Water and Environmental Industries • Level 5 Award in Understanding Demand Management and Leakage in the Water Industry • Level 5 Award in Managing Reservoir Safety in the Water and Environmental Industries Level 3 Certificates; • Level 3 Diploma in Understanding Water Production • Level 3 Diploma in Understanding Water Network • Level 3 Diploma in Understanding Waste Water Treatment

Learning & Development Associates Advancing the Competence of the Water Industry For more information on our qualifications

www.learninganddevelopment.associates Tel: 0330 111 3344 Learning & Development Associates Ltd, The Coach House, Hooton Green, Hooton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH66 5ND, UK email: enquiries@learninganddevelopment.associates

Locken’s next-generation contactless electronic key secures Veolia A leader in clean water storage and distribution solutions, Veolia recently renewed its partnership with Locken, an Iseo Group company, and has invested in the next-generation contactless electronic key.

In 2016, Veolia’s Eau France business referred to Locken as a preferred provider of access control and equipped several thousand facilities throughout the country. The company, which has just renewed its contract for three years, has opted for the new generation of Locken electronic keys.

The new keys represent a major technological evolution: they communicate with the lock through magnetic induction technology, which avoids any electrical contact between the key and the cylinder, and gives the solution exceptional reliability. The transmission of information is carried out without electrical contact and is therefore not at risk from moisture or dust that could accumulate in the cylinder. This is a distinctive feature, essential in isolated outdoor environments exposed to climatic hazards.

In addition to their reliability, these nextgeneration keys allow for instant opening of doors, gates or hatches, which saves significant time during maintenance checks.

In its new contract, Veolia has chosen cylinders and padlocks that meet the highest safety requirements: EN 16864 grades 4 and 5 for padlocks, EN 15684 for cylinders, an ideal range for a sector classified among activities of critical national infrastructure (CNI).

Finally, the transmission of real-time access rights, through the Bluetooth key module

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and the MyLocken App, contributes greatly to the enhancement of security and the management of multifunctional sites, often shared with telecoms or energy operators.

These advantages are confirmed by Vincent Govelet, buyer at Veolia, who told us: “The maintenance teams have already experienced the significant advantages of the Locken solution, and are keen to see the added benefits of the second-generation key, which is uniquely tailored to the individual, with bespoke access rights and even more reliable. Managers appreciate the added security and flexibility of

access management provided by the MyLocken App and Locken Smart Access software.”

Finally, the mechanical component of the keys offers additional flexibility of use: allowing the use of simple mechanical cylinders, on a site secured by an electronic key.

Catherine Laug, Marketing Manager at Locken, explains: “In the water industry, sites are extremely scattered and subject to difficult weather conditions. The Locken solution is the ideal response to these challenges.” www.locken.eu

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

News

Young Thames Water scientist wins top chemistry award A young Thames Water chemist who helps maintain the company’s top-quality drinking water has won a major science award.

Katty O’Brien-Quilty, 22, from Slough, has been named the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Chemical Sciences Apprentice of the Year.

about it as I never thought I’d win in a million years. It was a very nice surprise and made my day a lot brighter.”

Based at the Thames Water laboratory in Reading, she won the award for proficiency in a variety of analytical techniques and serving as a fantastic advocate and brand ambassador for apprenticeships, chemistry and Thames Water itself.

Katty, who is studying chemistry at Greenwich University, works alongside other analysts to carry out nearly one million tests a year on clean water to ensure it is safe to drink, and wastewater to ensure it meets strict environmental standards.

Katty, who joined Thames Water in 2017, also receives a £1,000 cash prize and a trophy.

She said: “I’m ecstatic to receive the award and I’m attributing it to the fantastic team that I work with – they push me to take opportunities presented to me and generally better myself within my field as well as outside of it.

Dr Helen Pain, acting chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “We live in an era of tremendous global challenges, with the need for science recognised now more so than ever – so it is important to recognise those behind the scenes who are making significant contributions towards improving the world we live in. It is our honour and privilege to do that with these awards, which recognise exceptional scientific achievement.

“It’s fair to say when the email first came through, I had to check that it was from a legitimate email address. I was very shocked.

My manager had mentioned to me that I had been nominated but I quickly forgot

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“The global chemical sciences community is one that covers many different

specialisms, from health and climate change to product development, sustainable transport, and everything in between. In recognising the work of Ms O’Brien-Quilty, we are also recognising the important contribution this incredible network of scientists makes to improving our lives every day.”

The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Prizes and Awards are awarded in recognition of originality and impact of research, or for each winner’s contribution to the chemical sciences industry or education. They also acknowledge the importance of teamwork across the chemical sciences, as well as the abilities of individuals to develop successful collaborations.

Of those to have won a Royal Society of Chemistry Award, an illustrious list of 50 have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work, including 2016 Nobel laureates Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa.

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Improving Drinking Water Quality

What’s behind you doesn’t matter “Even Formula One pit teams get the car to stop before changing the tyres – you’re switching the engines on a flying jet”. That’s how Michael Wood, the Southern Water field performance manager responsible for the company’s Testwood water treatment works in South Hampshire reacted to the project team when he was told we were going to install an ultraviolet treatment plant on to the two giant water mains from the site.

The UV treatment plant in south Hampshire was designed, built, installed and commissioned from scratch in just eight weeks instead of a standard year.

Following water quality issues, the project was mission-critical to prevent cryptosporidium entering the water supply to customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

More than 70 contractors worked seven days a week, 24/7, in one of the wettest winters on record and through Christmas, to install four UV treatment reactors at the site.

Testwood WSW supplies Southampton, Totton, the Waterside and the Isle of Wight and is undergoing a major £50m upgrade to provide customers with high-quality drinking water.

As well as the new UV treatment reactors to provide an additional layer of disinfection, the main water treatment processes are clarification, filtration and disinfection prior to supply.

The analogy has a degree of truth to it. The site supplies as much as 80 mega litres of water

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day through two 30 inch diameter pipes. More than 252,000 properties including almost all of the city of Southampton rely on the works and the Isle of Wight also receives a crucial feed from the site. To give some perspective, an average day’s water production for the entire company is 538 mega litres.

Unlike smaller sites, there was no option of shutting down Testwood for months, weeks or even days. Homes, hospitals, schools and the giant oil refinery at Fawley next to Southampton rely on Testwood.

There are huge challenges to constructing on any water supply site while it is running. The control of water quality and the demands of engineering and construction are not an easy mixture.

The concerns of the network team also had to be taken into consideration. The inside of the 30 inch mains that push water out of Testwood are not something you expect to see more than once in a lifetime. But that would have to happen at some point to put the UV section in – as quickly as safety allowed.

The network team prepared carefully for the shut off. Storage reservoirs were filled and careful rezones were calculated.

There were risks with supplying areas in different ways. When the flows in a pipe are reversed it can stir up sediment on the bottom of the pipe leading to discolouration, change in taste and even water quality issues.

James Henderson, Director, Process & Water, Trant Engineering, the principal contractor on the project, explained the nature of the hurdles ahead, and how they were successfully jumped.

He said: “The project involved the installation of four UV treatment reactors to provide additional protection to the water supply from an industrial and potable water main being pumped from Testwood WSW. “The reactors had to be housed within a building, which itself was built in just six days, for security and protection from the weather.

“Normally this kind of scheme would take 12-18

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Improving Drinking Water Quality

months but was delivered in 8 weeks, which is an extraordinary feat by any measure.

“This was an unprecedented challenge because there were many unknowns, and up against such a tight deadline.

“For example, the pipes involved hadn’t been uncovered in some 50 years so the condition and sizing led to a lot of challenges, from securing appropriately-sized pipe and fittings from maintaining the pipes integrity during the works.

“Moreover, in such a short timeframe, it was nearly impossible to find UV units that could meet the volume of treated water per day, were available in the time frame and were approved from a water quality perspective.

“The four quarters of the globe - and the supply chain - were approached, with the units sourced from Germany and fast-tracked across Europe.

“We weren’t afforded the luxury of lead-in periods for design and procurement so we had to adopt an agile approach centred on communication and collaborative approval processes from Southern Water.

“Such a project couldn’t have been delivered alone; an integrated delivery team was developed, comprising Southern Water, Trant Engineering, Atkins, process scientists and many key supply chain members.

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

“This allowed us to capture experience from similar projects, give us the capacity to plan, design and build at the same time and gave us a global reach which was vital to deliver the project.

“Collaboration between the teams helped to make the impossible possible. Everyone bought into the challenge and risks from the outset, from client to sub-contractors.

“This buy-in gave everyone momentum and ensured that all stakeholders’ voices were heard. This meant we could design, plan and construct as we went along.

“I can’t emphasise the whole team effort enough. Across the whole of our business, in getting the funding and resources needed quickly, and all the partners involved. I am absolutely delighted with the success of this scheme.

“Everybody really pulled together. The kind of work we were doing had never been done before on the site, and included some very difficult work, some of which was done overnight to minimise risk. This really is a great achievement for all.

“We are all proud of what was accomplished.

It was very much a success of industry collaboration – everyone working together and invested in solutions.”

“And these kind of things do not happen by accident, careful planning and integration is required. We built 3D models of some work before anything was installed on site. Some of the team were even driving to Italy to pick up parts.”

A total of 22,500 hours were involved in the project, including 2,557 design hours, with 15 sub-contractors, 400 metres of pipework, 2,500 tonnes of excavated materials, 310 tonnes of concrete and two cranes.

John mentions the level of impressiveness of Testwood is comparable to that of when he oversaw a project which involved shutting the M25, a huge piece of infrastructure, for vital works.

Southern Water’s John Evans, who oversaw the whole project, emphasises the effort of all involved in completing this work in a short amount of time.

“This whole project has been on a different level. Essentially a brand new site within eight weeks. What has been achieved is a massive success and testament to the hard work, skill and dedication of all involved.”

“My role is to help others produce excellent work and with this work at Testwood, they did it in spades,” says John.

By Simon Fluendy, (Southern Water) and Ron Wain (Trant Engineering).

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Improving Drinking Water Quality

North London WTW Metaldehyde Removal Project

North London Metaldehyde Removal Project North London Water Treatment Works (WTW), owned and operated by Affinity Water, is situated to support the North London water supply infrastructure. It has four ground water sources which are susceptible to both historic and diffuse pollution such as pesticides, bromate and nitrate.

By Robert Reeves MSc CEng MIMechE Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – Trant Engineering Ltd

One of the pesticides of significant concern to a number of Water companies at present is metaldehyde as it is not readily removed by conventional pesticide removal processes.

Affinity Water has an Undertaking with the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) to construct and commission a new treatment process for metaldehyde removal.

Affinity Water contracted Trant Engineering to design, construct and commission a new high-rate clarification plant with powdered activated carbon (PAC) dosing which will primarily target the removal of metaldehyde.

The new process treats a segregated flow from one of the raw water sources which

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has been identified to have consistently high metaldehyde levels.

The high rate clarification process enhances the flocculation and settlement stages by ballasting the flocs with the addition of sand and polymer. Trant Engineering’s Design Department utilised historic raw water quality data to determine the relevant process parameters for the new treatment equipment, ensuring adequate metaldehyde, and turbidity, reductions were achieved without affecting the existing treatment processes and subsequent final water quality. Additionally, integration of an existing online metaldehyde monitor into the control system has enabled optimisation of the PAC dose.

Trant has extensive experience in the development and implementation of bespoke process solutions, applying the full expertise of our civil & MEP design and delivery teams to the seamless integration of specialist technologies into our Client’s existing process

streams. Paired with our supply chain management processes and procedures which ensure we engage only those organisations demonstrating the highest levels of HSE & Quality Management, we’re able to reliably deliver projects in line with the value and programme expectations of our Clients.

At North London WTW, through quality communication and a collaborative approach, the Trant Engineering & Affinity Water project team are successfully delivering a bespoke solution centered around the application of high-rate clarification technology and PAC dosing. This approach has been maintained throughout the detailed design, construction and commissioning stages, ensuring a positive outcome for the end user.

For more information please visit www.trant.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

DELIVERING TOTAL ENGINEERING

C-TECH Low Cost Phosphorus Removal Process for AMP7

trant.co.uk Rushington House, Rushington, Southampton, SO40 9LT Tel: +44 (0)23 80665 544

Improving Drinking Water Quality

Sitebox smart water quality systems donated to Nightingale hospitals Cutting-edge, smart water quality systems have been donated to UK Nightingale Hospitals fighting COVID-19, helping to ensure the highest quality water to the emergency healthcare facilities.

ATi UK are playing a vital role in the safe running of these new, emergency sites by helping to ensure clean, reliable and safe water for critically ill coronavirus patients.

The industry’s only portable, bespoke, water treatment control and policing system, SiteBox, has been delivered and installed, free of charge, into healthcare facilities in locations such as Bristol and Manchester, with other installations in the pipeline across the UK and Spain, to provide a higher level of water quality assurance during the pandemic, exceeding all compliance levels.

The first SiteBox was donated to Bristol’s Nightingale Hospital, within days of initial planning meetings, following concerns over the converted university building housing no onsite water storage. By working closely with Bristol Water, ATi UK were able to offer an innovative early warning solution with the use of a SiteBox, to help protect the hospital in the unlikely event that the water supply was lost.

Delivery to start up in minutes

This was closely followed by SiteBox and MetriNet installations at Manchester’s Nightingale clinical facility to safeguard the water security, for additional reassurance and compliance of the water supply. The systems were all installed onto the inlet and were generating live data in as little as 20 minutes, allowing the forward-thinking water companies to monitor, alarm and prevent events that could affect the water quality supply, minimising any disruption.

The live data is then transferred to a cloudbased platform, with water quality teams able to analyse the data in real-time, with

alerts to any incidents. SiteBox is configured to alarm in the event of any water quality incidents, loss of supply or threats to compliance or security. The versatile ‘lift and shift’ systems were originally designed as event management tools, but the capabilities have now widened to emergency water quality management.

Bespoke, yet off-the-shelf

Each SiteBox was tailored to the customers’ needs, factory tested and installed within a week, allowing the water companies to lead the way with a more proactive, rather than reactive, approach.

SiteBox systems can be held by utilities for emergencies, capable of being deployed and working quickly, offering resilience of supply and mitigating against potential public health claims.

This enables water companies to measure water quality immediately online, record real-time data for regulatory requirements, all whilst fixing the problem, saving the need for boil notices and customer compensation.

The modular nature enables users to tailor a bespoke monitoring system that fits individual site requirements, capable of measuring up to 20 different parameters.

SiteBox can be used on its own as the input to a control system, or alternatively as an independent monitoring system that polices existing water quality monitors.

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Versatile, Future-proof Technology

Its flexibility means that SiteBox can be used anywhere that water quality measurement and control is needed, from drinking water treatment and process water in the food industry, to large-scale event management and holiday parks.

Demonstrating its versatility, SiteBox can be used to extract deeper insights on pipeline networks to enhance operational efficiencies; assist in the cleaning and refurbishing of service reservoirs; is utilised by the world’s largest provider of water systems for global events; and is also set be used at the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.

Garry Tabor, ATi UK Executive Director, said: “ATi UK is proud to be working with our utilities partners to support the NHS Nightingale hospitals during the current pandemic. We are a values based company and are passionate about supporting communities in any way we can.

“SiteBox will ensure that these water companies are going above and beyond the usual guidelines to safeguard water quality for staff and patients during this difficult time. By continually measuring any of the 20 available parameters, the Nightingale Hospitals will have some of the best characterised and protected installations in the country and we are extremely proud to be part of these collaborations.” atiuk.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

SiteBox. The only portable, bespoke water quality monitoring and control system.

Providing the highest level of water quality assurance, exceeding all compliance levels.

Our innovative, smart water quality SiteBox system provides a complete, engineered, portable solution for a vast range of applications, extracting deeper insights on water treatment.

This versatile ‘lift and shift’ water quality management and policing tool is specifically designed for any events affecting water supply, such as leaks and bursts. Offering pro-active, emergency water quality management, SiteBox predicts, alarms and prevents events, is quick to install and can be generating live data within 30 minutes.

It’s flexibility allowing it to be used in many different applications.

Going above and beyond guidelines for safeguarding water quality, SiteBox continually measures up to 20 water quality parameters, offering protection from unexpected events, such as discolouration and disinfection. SiteBox measures immediately online, providing real-time data for regulatory audits.

Improve compliance ratings and reduce TOTEX costs, with a cost-effective solution for a smarter future.

sales@atiuk.com / +44 (0) 1457 873 318 / atiuk.com ATi UK is a leading provider of engineered, analytical sensor monitoring solutions to the water and gas industry. Our pioneering and industry leading range of Network Monitors, Water Quality Monitors and Gas Detectors provide innovative solutions for the most demanding of applications.

Solutions for a Smarter Future

Improving Drinking Water Quality

Introducing two new Mecana Systems in the UK Eliquo Hydrok have added two new Mecana technologies to their existing Pile Cloth Media Filtration (PCMF) systems available for the UK Water and Wastewater markets.

Mecana Optifiber PES-14-DW® pile cloth media.

Drinking Water & Surface Water Pre-Filtration

Eliquo Hydrok have the UK distribution for the Mecana Pile Cloth Filter Media within their portfolio of Clean Water Treatment Processes, Drinking Water and Surface Water pre-filtration treatment utilising the Mecana Optifiber PES-14-DW® pile cloth media.

Pile cloth media filtration can be used as a resilient pre-filtration solution to address the problems associated with algal blooms occurring in water extracted from surface water sources. Mecana PCMF systems can be used as an economical and an efficient pre-filtration stage in the treatment of surface water to produce drinking water or process water.

The system utilises the disc configuration and the exclusive OptiFiber PES-14-DW® pile cloth filtration media, to effectively filter; a wide range of algae typically responsible for seasonal algal blooms, from diatoms and other unicellular algae in spring to filamentous types such as Melosira more common in the summer, surface water particles and suspended solids without the use of chemicals.

The pre-treatment of raw water is an important step in the multi-stage water treatment process, since it impacts crucially on the operating efficiency of the main treatment and after-treatment processes further downstream.

Drinking water production with surface water from reservoirs or rivers is faced with

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Primary Filtration cloth media filtration system a challenge of the removal of low density suspended solids and algae. In the context of climate change, droughts may impact reservoir water quality and result in more prolonged and severe algal challenges. An affordable chemical-free alternative to traditional processes such as sand filtration and DAF can be provided by pre-filtration with pile cloth media.

Primary & Post Primary Filtration Applications:

Primary Filtration Post Primary Filtration Stormwater Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) High Solids Applications (Municipal and Industrial) The Pile Cloth Media Primary Filtration cloth media filtration system is designed as an economical and efficient solution for the treatment of primary wastewater and wet weather applications. This system utilises a disk configuration and the exclusive OptiFiber PF-14® pile cloth filtration media to effectively filter high solids waste streams without the use of chemicals. This technology is ideal for primary wastewater treatment as a primary filter, as an alternative to a conventional primary treatment; or it can also be used as a post primary filter in series

after a conventional primary treatment, due to its proven removal efficiencies and high quality effluent, even under varying influent conditions.

The Primary Filtration system is designed to handle a wide range of flows in a fraction of space compared to conventional primary clarifiers. The system’s high solids removal in comparison to conventional treatment provides more energy and operational savings within the wastewater treatment plant due to reduced loads to the secondary process and the increase of organic solids for anaerobic digestion, producing more energy. Pile Cloth Media Primary Filtration contributes to the positive energy balance of WwTP’s.

Lewis O’Brien, Technical Director at Eliquo Hydrok said, “These two evolutions of the well proven Mecana Pile Cloth Media Filtration technology not only provide exciting new opportunities to advance future water and wastewater treatment, but also stand as excellent examples of the commitment to research and development shared by both Eliquo and our core technology partners” For further information contact Lewis O’Brien, lewis.obrien@eliquohydrok.co.uk 01726 862000 www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Improving Drinking Water Quality

Wat-er quality job!

As the country’s largest water company by geographical area, Anglian Water set its standards high to ensure excellent quality drinking water across the region.

Despite water quality compliance scores remaining high for decades, Anglian Water’s Head of Water Quality Clair Dunn highlights the importance of continuing to strive for excellence to ensure standards are exceeded for the East of England’s water company.

Compliance with the EU Drinking Water directive was 99.95% in England in 2018, according to the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s annual report, with drinking water described as “excellent” by the organisation’s Chief Inspector. To further scrutinize the sector, new measures were introduced in 2018, but Dunn has embraced the opportunity to provide further credence to Anglian’s successes.

“Drinking water quality is essential to the business we are in, and despite consistently achieving the high industry standards yearon-year, there is always work to be done and fine-tuning to undertake in order to improve,” Dunn outlined.

Culture & Governance

In order to maximise performance, Dunn has helped Anglian to implement a strong culture across the business, ensuring that health, safety and water quality are top priorities in everything the company does.

A strong governance structure has ensured an emphasis on water quality is carried out at all levels in the organisation, with risks discussed and considered in all operational meetings.

Senior managers also join compliance monitoring groups alongside weekly quality

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calls with the company’s Chief Executive, Peter Simpson.

internally as well as across the industry to achieve best practice.

“Through strong governance and a proactive culture, we’re better equipped to ensure that risk and compliance are factored into key decision making, both strategic and operational,” Dunn described.

The ‘Could It Happen Here?’ methodology enables Anglian to take learnings from other organisations, as well as the DWI’s Chief Inspectors Report, to understand scenarios and plan for any eventuality. Using real-world examples gives operational staff an insight into the processes which could lead to a water quality failure, and how to prevent them.

Competency and Planning

Training is also key to Anglian’s fortunes, with trained and competent staff accessing externally certified programmes. Dunn understands the necessity for staff to “understand water quality risks from source to tap”.

Whether that takes the form of monitoring, investigations or mitigation, it’s crucial for staff to understand the risks in their business area, helping to undertake impact planning and rapid escalation. The company’s commitment to risk assessment has earned them a Lloyd Register certification.

Through this greater understanding, water quality is embedded in planning with identification of risks and mitigation central to the approval process for stakeholders. Clear escalation processes also ensure that early intervention is carried out to reduce impact on customers.

Innovation and Collaboration

Not one to rest on their laurels, Anglian take a proactive approach to share learnings

Anglian has continued its drive to collaborate, utilising its innovation teams and academic partners to understand what Dunn calls “next generation water quality”, helping to find new ways of tackling future water quality challenges.

Planning for the future

It is clear that Anglian must continue to plan for the long-term, taking into account the challenges of climate change and growth, as well as future Water Resources Management, Brexit, policy changes, natural capital, amongst others.

Future planning will always include the provision of safe, clean drinking water as a top priority and the need for investment will not dissipate. It’s clear that Anglian’s processes are robust, with an uncertain future firmly set in the sights of Dunn and its senior management, making sure that the East of England is protected against the challenges that may come its way.

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Flow & Level Measurement

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A dB6 Ultrasonic Level Transducer proves its resilience against the corrosive H2S gas When wastewater is transported through sewer networks sometimes the required flowthrough velocities are absent, which creates ideal conditions for the extremely toxic and corrosive Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) gas to develop.

H2S is a toxic malodorous gas and causes many problems for our utility companies and their contractors. It is highly corrosive and physically eats away concrete structures and support steelwork whilst also creating extremely hazardous atmospheres, particularly in confined spaces, that only highly trained operatives with specialist equipment can access safely. In the wider community, the odor can be a significant nuisance to neighboring stakeholders/customers.

At a Terminal Pumping Station in the UK, nmcn plc were tasked with repairing the internal concrete structure of the existing wet well along with replacing all of the support steelwork and bracketry that had been damaged by years of exposure to H2S gas. The Terminal Pumping Station also has to contend with a catchment that suffers

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with elevated levels of rag and grit within the incoming flow. As well as a gravity section from the nearby village, three other pumping stations from nearby towns discharge at this site totaling an incoming dry weather flow of 110 liters per second. Large submersible pumps discharge the flow down a 2km pressurized main to a large sewage treatment works.

The submersible pumps are controlled by a Pulsar dB6 ultrasonic level transducer which is also housed within the existing wet well and has been subject to the same hazardous atmosphere as the concrete and steelwork.

the transducer is set to be replaced, but the transducer will remain and be put back into full operation following nmcn’s refurbishment works. The dB6 monitors level within the wet well – a pre-set level is programmed with the accompanying Quantum 3 pump controller, housed in the control panel 20 meters away, which starts a submersible pump as soon as this level is reached to expel the sewage from the wet well. The panel unit also houses an Ultra 5 rack mount controller that is monitoring flow on a different application.

Despite the highly corrosive atmosphere and severe damage caused as shown in the accompanying images, the Pulsar dB6 Transducer is still providing accurate and reliable readings. All surrounding steelwork including the actual bracket that holds

Pulsar Process Measurement transducers benefit from a secure IP68 design, meaning they are dust tight and protected from long term immersion up to a specific pressure. The housing used for the products is valux 375 which is a non-corrosive material. All sensors

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Flow & Level Measurement

2

3 1

dB 6 Transducer in existing wet well

2

dB6 Transducer - PVDF Face Threaded

3

Quantum 3 Fasica Mount

4

dB 6 Transducer in existing wet well

4 manufactured by Pulsar Process Measurement are designed around engineering principles to ensure that are not susceptible to easy failure in hazardous/toxic atmospheres.

The dB6 pictured here was installed with a submergence shield which further protects the transducer’s face from being damaged when submerged for a long period of time. With the recent weather events and sudden spike in catchment floods, this has greatly contributed to the reliability of the product.

In addition to submergence shields, Pulsar transducers are also available with PVDF & PTFE faces that are more than suitable for any applications where chemicals/gases are present.

Commenting on the application and general refurbishment of the site, David Greaves, a Mechanical Engineer for nmcn plc said: “Despite the hazardous atmosphere created here on site by the H2S gas, the Pulsar dB6 is still providing accurate and reliable readings

for the site, and will continue to after we have completed our works. Credit must be given to Pulsar for supplying a product with high manufacturing standards which has durability and a robustness to continue operating as it’s designed in this dangerous atmosphere.”

To find out more about our full range of transducers and accessories, please visit our website: www.pulsar-pm. com/Instrumentation/Product-Types/ Transducers/dB-Transducer-Series

Despite the hazardous atmosphere created here on site by the H2S gas, the Pulsar dB6 is still providing accurate and reliable readings for the site, and will continue to after we have completed our works. Credit must be given to Pulsar for supplying a product with high manufacturing standards which has durability and a robustness to continue operating as it’s designed in this dangerous atmosphere.

David Greaves, Mechanical Engineer for nmcn plc

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

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Flow and Level Measurement

FPI Mag® Flow Meter – Next Generation Mag Meter: A tool for leak detection What can we do to prevent water loss?

The Ideal Solution for Leakage Monitoring

The availability of fresh water supply is a growing worldwide concern. People are more informed about the need to conserve. Current technology combined with knowledge that there is a worldwide water shortage issue is paving the path for improving our behaviours and processes.

Using flow meters for monitoring and leak detection begins with understanding the ground or surface water quantity drawn from the intake source.

Measure and record the flow at each location.

With awareness and conservation as a key focus, some topics of discussion that emerge are non-revenue water loss and leak detection.

Non-revenue water is essentially water treated for distribution that does not make it through the billing cycle. One source of non-revenue water is losses throughout a municipal distribution system because of damaged piping.

As our piping and distribution infrastructure continue to age, the need for maintenance and system improvements are becoming more apparent. There is a greater need to do as much as we can to manage and prevent leaks within our distribution systems while keeping costs at a minimum. Although there are many ways to conserve water and many alternative technologies available for leak detection, the focus of this article is to share knowledge about the use of a flow meter as a tool for identifying, detecting, and monitoring quantities of physical non-revenue water within a distribution system.

Using a Flow Meter - A Tool for Finding Non-Revenue Water

A flow meter, as a tool for leakage monitoring, assists with leak detection processes by narrowing down or localizing the area in which a leak may exist. Electromagnetic flow meters have been a common tool used by municipalities in traditional locations and applications. There is an unrealized opportunity to understand non-revenue water by expanding flow meter usage to include new measuring points. Flow meters are useful for measuring the content of raw ground or surface water that flows into a water treatment plant. They also can measure the flow of the produced treated water delivered to the distribution system. What some may not be aware of, is that the data provided by flow meters is an asset that utilities can use to drive down water loss.

What is the Next Generation Mag Meter?

The FPI Mag meter represents the next generation of development of magnetic flow meter technology and employs a unique and ground-breaking configuration whereby the coils and electrodes are assembled in a tube that inserts into a pipe perpendicular to the full flow profile of the pipe. The advantages of this configuration are numerous in a wide

48

variety of applications. In fit and form the FPI Mag is unique; in function the FPI Mag meter is just that – a mag meter.

The important point here is that the FPI Mag is unique. There is nothing on the market comparable to this patented technology. The FPI Mag is comparable to a full-bore mag in terms of specifications. The FPI Mag achieves this by measuring flow at various points within the pipe diameter. With an excellent accuracy rating of ± 0.5% from 1 ft/s to 32 ft/s (0.3 m/s to 10 m/s), and ±1% from 0.3 ft/s to 1 ft/s (0.1 m/s to 0.3 m/s) of reading, but the differentiator is that FPI Mag can be installed under pressure!

The FPI Mag uses a multi-electrode sensor design that measures flow across the entire pipe diameter and exemplifies the robustness, rangeability, and accuracy rating of a full-bore mag meter while providing the ability to install and remove the meter under pressure by its hot tap installation method.

The ability for a utility to install and remove the FPI Mag under pressure means significant cost savings and provides greater budget flexibility. If the FPI Mag is being installed for the first time, a cost saving of up to 45% will result from not needing to shut the service processes down during installation, as well as a reduction in manpower, materials, and equipment. Additionally, flanges are not required, pipes do not have to be cut and welding is generally unnecessary. This makes installation simple and easy; ideal for retrofits, upgrades and maintenance projects as well as sites never metered before.

Significant future savings also result because the meter can be removed under pressure.

What does this mean for the utility? It means that without interrupting service, a plant operator can easily take the meter out of line should it be required for inspection, cleaning or for calibration if mandated by a state regulatory authority.

By positioning the FPI Mag in multiple locations throughout the treatment or distribution system, the flow of water is measured as it passes through each of these processes. Analysis and tracking can be documented showing the percent of loss between each location as the water passes.

A higher than expected percent of loss or a significant change in the percent of loss over time can indicate that there is a leak within the zone or district being monitored.

Pump stations are another example of a good measuring location. Equipment such as a pumps can need repair, including seal replacement, which may result in leaking equipment.

Davidson Water Case Study

One of our valued customers, Davidson Water in Lexington, NC, uses the FPI Mag in various plant locations to track non-revenue water loss. As quoted from the Davidson Water Case Study, Dale Draughn concludes, “The FPI Mag flow meters are allowing us to pinpoint pressure zones with issues. Once we know we have an issue, we can break it into subzones and start a rapid street-by-street investigation…The obvious benefit is a drop in production cost. But this also serves to support the utility’s commitment to water conservation and resource preservation.” The ability for Davidson Water to understand where the losses are occurring at various points within the county including water leaving the plant, rural water towers and booster stations have made a significant impact on their bottom line.

Conclusion

In addition to leak detection and monitoring, flow meters have another benefit; they add a level of trust for consumers. Flow meters hold the service provider accountable for the actual water being produced. Comparing the produced finished water with the billed usage sets a standard for tracking; differences can be attributed to non-revenue water loss. By using a flow meter to quantify the percent of non-revenue water within the water treatment plant, utilities can localize leaks, identify opportunities to improve or repair the infrastructure within the plant, and eventually reduce the quantity of non-revenue water losses. These efforts will assist with preservation of our water resources while improving profitability for the utility.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

FPI Mag® Full Profile Insertion Flow Meter The FPI Mag is a Full Profile Insertion flow meter combining the ease of hot tap installation with an accurate measurement of the full flow profile. This is accomplished with a unique operating principle featuring multiple electrodes across the entire pipe diameter.

This allows the FPI Mag to deliver accuracy unmatched by other insertion mag meters and rival the performance of a full-bore mag meter.

Simple Installation The insertion design of McCrometer’s FPI Mag Flow Meter facilitates simple installation across a wide range of applications and pipe sizes. Hot tapping allows insertion without process interruption, dewatering lines, cutting pipe or welding flanges.

Lower Costs Furthermore, FPI eliminates the need for heavy equipment and manpower normally associated with mag installation realising typical savings of 45% in this regard.

Robust Construction With no moving parts, wear and tear are minimized. The heavy-duty stainless steel sensor body imbues maximum structural integrity and is hermetically sealed and protected by NSF/WRAS certified 3M fusion bonded epoxy coating.

FPI at a glance: • Hot tap installation without interrupting service • Total installed cost reduced by more than 45% • Insertion design for total accessibility. Removable in pipes under pressure for inspection, cleaning, calibration or verification • Multi-electrode sensor delivers accurate total flow profile to rival the performance of a full-bore meter • Robust Construction for operational longevity with rugged 316 stainless steel sensor body • Virtually no recalibration or maintenance.

For more information, call ABLE on +44 (0)118 9311188 or email: info@able.co.uk

Flow and Level Measurement

Fighting water scarcity through Fire Supply monitoring On average, every single person in England consumes 143 litres of water per day.

That’s the equivalent to around one and a half baths of water every day, for each of England’s approximately 56,000,000 residents, and this number is growing. In fact, demand has increased each year since 2015, according to a recent report by the National Audit Office (NAO).

The NAO Water Supply and Demand Management report also explained that, due to climate change, daily demand for water in England and Wales will rise almost 30%, from 14bn litres to 18bn litres.

The concern is, due to increasing temperatures, less water will be harvested through sustainable abstraction (the process of taking water from the ground or surface water bodies), and with demand growing, not meeting the deficit could cause the risk of drought in South East England, one of the country’s most populated areas.

Water companies are playing their part, by undertaking large-scale network monitoring projects in an effort to hit ambitious leak reductions targets.

However, the NAO report is calling for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to do more to ensure that the threat of water scarcity in the UK is not realised.

One recommendation made in the report is for Defra to promote a more coherent and credible

50

message about water efficiency. While water companies are using social media campaigns successfully to educate customers about what is safe to flush, more could be done to encourage efficient use of water.

It is suggested in the report that the government should take the lead on getting across of the message that customers need to save water.

Commercial property water consumption is highlighted in the NAO report as an area in which more could be done to increase water efficiency. It is suggested that Defra should work with other government departments to reduce water consumption by large public sector users like schools and hospitals.

Private sector water consumers, such as factories, offices, retail outlets and building sites should also be encouraged to consider how efficiently they use water.

By reducing water consumption, not only will private companies be contributing to staving off potential water scarcity, they may also generate significant financial rewards thorough cost savings.

Fire Supply Monitoring

This enables water companies to identify the fire supplies from which water is being used or lost. Benefitting from remote set up, Flow.

Watch is a versatile, easily installed system that provides a non-intrusive alternative to metering.

Flow.Watch is a proven fire supply monitoring solution. In a recent case study, Flow.Watch was installed to monitor the fire mains systems of 118 large industrial facilities belonging to one of the UK’s largest water companies.

Over an 8-week period, over half of these sites (60) were found to have regular water usage events from the unmetered fire supply, with more than half of these having some form of leak.

Flow testing in the fire supply of one property discovered usage of 375 litres/minute. With weekly tests lasting on average 38 minutes, we estimated up to 230,000 litres/week of usage from fire supply testing alone.

In another trial, in Italy, we discovered that 59% of industrial buildings surveyed (61) had regular water use events. In this trial, 60% of these properties were found to be illegally using the fire supply to supplement the meter.

One area in which significant water and cost savings are achievable for water companies is fire supply monitoring.

These successful trials demonstrate that Flow.

Watch can quickly play an important role in delivering both water and cost savings.

To provide remote fire supply monitoring, HWM-Invenio has developed Flow.Watch, a unique, patented, solution that combines advanced temperature analysis with our NBIoT telemetry technology. Flow.Watch identifies and categorises fire supply flow into leakage, test use and intermittent use.

As the NAO report highlights, reducing unaccounted-for is essential in fighting water scarcity. Flow.Watch can help to achieve reductions in usage and efficiently deliver the associated cost savings also. www.hwmglobal.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Fire Supply Surveillance

Using our patented, non-intrusive technology, Flow.Watch uses advanced temperature analysis and NBIoT telemetry technology to detect and report flow through pipes.

Flow.Watch is ideal for detecting usage and leakage in commercial fire mains, a significant contributor to unaccounted-for water.

www.hwmglobal.com

Flow and Level Measurement

New low cost Compact 8O GHz level sensors Extended family for water and waste industries

VEGA has extended its proven VEGAPULS family for continuous level measurement.

The new radar instrument series is based on the latest FMCW 8O-GHz technology and, thanks to a specially developed radar level microchip and low price, it represents a real alternative to ultrasonic technology. It makes it highly economical for those applications found in the water/wastewater sector, or auxiliary applications in process automation.

The compact loop powered radar is available in two versions: as compact model with a cable connection housing and as standard model with fixed cable connection (IP68) .

1

Strong focusing ensures measurement without the jumps

With 8O-GHz technology, the radar beam is much more focused and can be aimed at the measured medium with pinpoint accuracy.

As a result, narrow shafts or deposits on vessel walls or internals such as pipes or pumps cannot create false signals and jumping outputs. So in contrast to ultrasonic technology, radars very rarely require false signal suppression in busy wet well shafts.

No dead zones for measurement in confined spaces

One special advantage of these new sensors is they have no dead/blanking zone, thus enabling them to measure right up to the top of the vessel. Typical areas of application are areas where head-space is limited, like underground assets; for example CSO’s and sewers, in culverts, underside of bridges, pipes, as well as small tanks or hoppers when capacity is at a premium.

Handles build up

Sensors constantly struggle with the problem of build up, maintenance call outs to ultrasonic devices ‘needing a wipe’ are widely reported in the sector. This is because contamination or condensation on the ultrasonic sensor face can greatly affect the reliability of the measurement signal and enlarge the dead zone. Using radar technology, the situation is different, a combination of the measuring principle and optimized signal processing enables these radar sensors to ignore interference caused by build up on their antenna system, which means they are immune to the effects of condensation and highly resistant to dirt and normal build up levels, reducing nuisance outages and cleaning.

Chemicals and EX approval

Storage and buffer tanks supply the chemicals for waste water treatment processes. The new radar sensors can exploit their strengths here, as they can be installed in very confined spaces and small process fittings. Or they can look through plastic tanks and safely

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1

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VEGAMET 862: Latest generation field-mounted controllers with Blue Tooth, SD card data logging for single, twin, differential, pump and open channel flow measurement VEGAPULS31: Compact 8OGHz radar with connection housing and optional field mounted display

measure the chemicals inside. Even if the medium generates gases, the sensors remain unaffected and deliver reliable measuring results. In addition, they have an Ex approval for flammable media. So it makes them highly versatile for use in a wide range of applications.

Reliable level independent of process and environmental influences

Due to their physical measuring principle, ultrasonic sensors are easily affected by ambient conditions: for example, the transit time of sound changes with temperature, like warming by the sun or varying vapour and gas composition, these can all affect measurement accuracy. Strong winds, rain, or even fog, can damp the emitted sound waves and restrict their measuring range. Radar sensors, however, are not affected by these conditions - or even pressure, vapours, gases or vacuums - they continue with accurate readings.

Open channel flow measurement needs the highest possible accuracy and stability due to the root calculation of the flow formula. In outdoor applications, whether in rain or intense sunlight, the new radar sensors perform accurately without any temperature effects. One example is flow rate measurement in the main inlets of the sewage treatment plant. The focused, high performance of the new radar sensors, enables precise measurement and therefore a reliable calculation of wastewater flows.

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Low power for remote sites and telemetry

Because of these immunities, the new compact radar sensor is ideal for monitoring of river and flood levels. Its measured values are crucial for being able to react quickly and correctly in the event of flooding. Radar sensors can monitor river levels without being affected by temperature stratification/fluctuations, high winds, rain or heavy mist. Even at a distance of 30 meters from the water surface, a radar transmitter delivers level readings with millimetre resolution. They also offer SDI12 and Modbus outputs, and all devices have a sub 10 second start up cycle, making them highly suitable for use with battery powered telemetry outstations and loggers.

Bulk solids level monitoring too

Another example, is lime silo level measurement, which is used to stabilize the effluent pH value, this is an ideal application for the new instrument series. Bulk solids can be measured reliably with no effect from dust generated during the filling process. Thanks to strong signal focusing, build up and deposits on the container wall or on the sensor face itself are no problem.

Optional controllers and Bluetooth built in

The radars also have an optional controller for local display, extra outputs and level alarms. Both sensors and controllers can be easily and safely adjusted via Bluetooth with a smartphone or tablet – ideal for harsh environments, operational safety or Ex areas.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

RADAR IS THE BETTER

ULTRASONIC 80 GHz level sensor with fixed cable connection (IP68)

£405 VEGAPULS C 11

All advantages of the radar technology:

www.vega.com/vegapuls

Flow and Level Measurement

There’s a name for hydrostatic level measurement: DCX – Data loggers for hydrostatic level measurements Accurate level measurements – hydrostatically!

Keller AG für Druckmesstechnik offers probes to monitor groundwater levels and filling levels in tanks that can be used under a wide range of conditions. Depending on requirements, these probes provide fully autonomous operation or they can be used with an integrated data logger, mobile transfer, an ambient pressure-compensating capillary or a separate absolute pressure sensor; additional options include integrated temperature measurement, etc. Depending on the sounding tube, probe diameters of 16mm and 18mm up to 22mm are available.

Thanks to its diameter of only 16mm, the DCX-16 can be used in locations where every millimeter counts (e.g. for sounding tubes with small diameters). The pressure sensor is welded into the logger housing. Type DCX-16, which is screwed in position and is fully watertight, operates as an autonomous battery-powered data collector with an absolute pressure sensor. In shallow water, a second logger (barometer) can be used for separate recording of the barometric pressure on the surface. The differential pressure and/ or the fi lling level are then calculated in the PC by subtraction of the time-stamped measurement data from the individual loggers. Version DCX-16 SG/VG provides a cable connection, wherein barometric pressure is fed to the sensor as a reference, via a pressurecompensating capillary in the connecting cable. There is no need to remove these loggers from the sounding tube in order to read the data. The interface plug is secured on the sounding tube with a fi xing device.

The fully-welded DCX-18 (diameter: 18mm) is designed as an autonomous level logger for low-cost, long-term measurements of level and temperature, with rechargeable accumulatortype batteries. The microprocessor electronics compensate for linearity and temperature deviations by the pressure sensor, achieving a further increase in the accuracy of the pressure and temperature signals. Different operating modes, with an absolute pressure sensor or an overpressure sensor with a pressurecompensating capillary, can also be supplied for the DCX-18. The measurement data are stored in a nonvolatile memory. The batteries are fast-charged every time data are extracted via the charging/read-out plug (which is sealed with an O-ring).

Type DCX-22 AA level loggers (diameter: 22mm) register and compensate for fluctuations in the local barometric pressure with a watertight air pressure sensor that is fitted on the top end of the sounding tube.

These devices are resistant to conditions of use in a damp environment, and will not even be damaged by brief flooding. The

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efficient electronic equipment registers the signals from the high-precision pressure and temperature sensors, corrects linearity or temperature deviations according to a mathematical model, and then records the values to the internal memory. For standard operation, the built-in battery has a lifetime of 10 years.

Thanks to the user-friendly GUI provided with the instrument, The DCX can be adapted to the specifi c requirements for the measuring point so that only useful data are stored. The recording interval can be event-controlled.

Installation data and comments on the measuring point can also be stored in the probe.

DataManager collects the measurement data, assigns them, visualizes them in graphic form, signals threshold value violations as appropriate, and finally stores the data in a mySQL database (for which no licensing costs are payable). Various export and internet functions enable third parties to access the measurement data for integration into their data recording systems.

Virtually every aspect of confi guration and monitoring of the DCX loggers with the ARC-1 unit can be handled via the DataManager software or via email. keller-druck.com

For sounding tube diameters of 2” or more, the data loggers can operate in conjunction with a screw-on remote mobile wireless data transmission unit. It is then easy to send the measured values to a central unit via email or SMS. Flexible, user-friendly software that is available free of charge – the DataManager – then performs the key functions of a monitoring, collecting, controlling and organizing unit in the central PC. The

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Electromagnetic Flowmeter MIS Series Full Bore Design

Flanged DIN & ASME Nominal Sizes 3” (DN80) & 4” (DN100)

Flow measurement

Monitoring function

∑

Total and partial quantity counter

2 configurable outputs

Display operation also with gloves

90°

Rotating colour display

Space saver

Available from stock exclusively from

01623 427701 www.kobold.com info.uk@kobold.com

News

Costain to support Thames Water’s AMP7 Programme Management Office as it transitions to an Intelligent Client model Costain, the smart infrastructure solutions company, has secured a contract alongside partners Stantec, Turner and Townsend and Mace to support Thames Water in the development of a new, client-led Programme Management Office (PMO) to oversee its multimillion pound AMP7 capital programme.

Thames Water, the UK’s largest water and wastewater services provider, is changing the delivery of its Capital Investment Programme from the previous AMP6 Alliance model to an ‘Intelligent Client’ model to drive greater efficiencies for its 15 million customers. This will require the progressive build of in-house capabilities in programme, project, commercial and financial management.

Costain will provide consultancy services to support the Thames Water programme in three specific areas. Firstly, in the reporting and governance of progress against Thames Water’s AMP7 objectives, outcomes and milestones. Secondly, driving efficient digital delivery across the whole programme to ensure that from definition, solution and need into the capital delivery environment our client will continually be generating

efficiencies. Thirdly, embedding digital tools across the whole asset investment lifecycle driving the right use of data for decision making, enabling Thames to have ‘one version of the truth’. This will deliver even greater efficiencies in the future by enabling a TOTEX approach to its AMP7 investment programmes.

Leading edge digital knowledge will be brought from other major programmes that Costain has worked on, for example the A14, Britain’s biggest road project, where a webbased platform has been developed to coalesce data from multiple sources. The joint venture project was delivered eight months ahead of schedule with £109 million in efficiency savings including £3.5 million from digital initiatives.

Gerard Shore, water sector director, Costain said: “This contract builds on our successful performance on the AMP6 capital delivery programme and enables us to bring together our wealth of experience in providing programme management consultancy, integrating digital technology solutions and delivering complex programmes to support

Thames Water’s ambitions. We look forward to helping them develop the skills and implement the tools, to drive greater value for customers across the whole business structure.”

Tim Horton, capital delivery director at Thames Water, said: “We have ambitious plans for the next five years including a further reduction of leakage, reducing interruptions to water supplies and reducing pollutions, and our suppliers will be key to helping us achieve those goals through establishing a Thames led forward looking programme management office.”

This contract follows Costain’s appointment to Anglian Water’s £350 million new Strategic Pipeline Alliance to provide a range of integrated services including strategic programme management, digital technology expertise and complex programme delivery for the supply-side strategy of Anglian Water’s Water Resources Management Plan. In addition, Costain was recently appointed to Yorkshire Water’s Technical Services Framework.

IChemE Forms of Contract An internationally acclaimed series of model forms of agreement, developed to reflect best practice for project delivery in the process industries. Drafted by a team of legal and industry professionals, these contracts address the complex way in which the purchaser, contractor and subcontractor divide responsibility for creating new process plants and working on existing structures.

Available in hard copy, PDF and editable word document formats. www.icheme.org/shop

Learn more about preparing, tendering and managing contracts What Engineers Need to Know About Contracts Examine contract law for engineering and construction contracts and learn how it is used to help deliver successful projects.

IChemE Forms of Contract Look at the structure, main provisions and features of the IChemE forms and learn how best to apply them to your projects. www.icheme.org/forms-of-contract

MB0217_20

www.icheme.org/contracts

MB0217_120 FOC HP AD 180x120.indd 2

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12/05/2020 15:49 WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JULY 2020

Securing National Infrastructure

CONTAIN • PROTECT • SECURE

LPCB Security Housings, Doors, Bar-sets, Cages and Access Covers Steel and GRP Buildings and Cabinets Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 and SR3 and SR4 Please refer to Red Book Live for full listings

LPCB Security Doors & Window Bar Sets for the Rail Industry

Morgan Marine Ltd., Llandybïe, Ammanford, Carms SA18Buildings 3GY and Cabinets Steel and GRP Telephone: 01269 850 437 Email: sales@morgan-marine.com Web: Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 andwww.morgan-marine.com SR3 and SR4 Please refer to Red Book Live for full listings

Providing pumping solutions for all At Selwood, the wellbeing of staff and customers has always been our number one priority. During these challenging times, we’re proud to be safely delivering our exceptional pumping solutions from our network of branches around the UK.

For more information call today on 03330 142000

www.selwood.co.uk

We’re responding to calls 24/7, working in line with Government guidance including the implementation of responsible social distancing.

Our pumps and people are trusted by the leading water and wastewater service providers and renowned for efficient, safe, integrated solutions.

Though these times are unusual, Selwood’s commitment to quality, safety and outstanding customer service remains unchanged.

We’re here when you need us – just get in touch.