Water Industry Journal 19

JUNE2021

ISSUE19

Chemical Dosing • Flow & Level Measurement • Wastewater Treatment & Technology Phosphorus Removal • Improving Drinking Water Quality • Managing Sewer Networks

SINCE 1974

MADE TO MEASURE PRESSURE

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Welcome

Data is key to the way water companies do business, now and probably forever more

On March 29th, the Government announced its intention to bring in new laws designed to reduce the level of sewage discharge into waterways.

Editor Helen Compson

Recent figures from the Environment Agency revealed that water companies discharged raw sewage into rivers in England more than 400,000 times in 2020.

In April, a huge fatberg weighing in the region of 300 tonnes was discovered in the sewers below Birmingham – working round the clock, it took Severn Trent’s engineering team weeks to clear the huge blockage comprising cooking oil, grease and non-biodegradable detritus.

Just two of the many illustrations that could be cited in justification of the proposed new legislation, they also speak volumes (pardon the pun!) about the need for the very best in flow and level measurement and, indeed, wastewater treatment. ‘Time to take a look at what’s on the market,’ we thought.

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That led us on to the subject of digitalisation too, and the exponential growth of artificial intelligence. It is the future, yes, but a few more turns of the wheel are needed before the water industry is truly ready to harness the full power of machine learning, Garry Tabor, executive director of ATi UK, tells us.

“For many companies in the water sector, collecting and analysing performance data in order to unlock operational insights is the driver of efficiency and innovation,” he said.

“Yet getting to the pot of gold at the end of the AI rainbow isn’t as easy as some would want you to believe, with too many myths that are creating unrealistic expectations.”

Clear water flows from a clear view of any given situation in this industry.

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Contents 62

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Contents

6-20 News 24-31 Chemical Dosing 36-47 Flow & Level Measurement 50-53 Wastewater Treatment & Technology

56-60 Phosphorus Removal 64-71 Improving Drinking Water Quality 72-77 Managing Sewer Networks

Editor

Helen Compson helen.compson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

Design

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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

72 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

Water industry gives green light for hydrogen Green hydrogen – and how the water sector can engage with this ‘green, clean fuel source’ – was the focus of the latest Water Action Platform webinar – a forum for water sector collaboration across international boundaries, which took place on 20 May 2020.

Hosted by Isle chairman Piers Clark, the webinar featured Dr Jenifer Baxter, director for innovation and policy at Protium Green Solutions, who gave a rundown of key insights into hydrogen for the water sector.

The presentation also featured emerging hydrogen technologies from the UK and Australia.

“We see hydrogen as an opportunity to decarbonise key pillars of our society – including things that form part of our critical infrastructure like water and waste,” said Dr Baxter. “This is about sustainable development and making our industries much more sustainable by being able to understand exactly what feedstocks and wastes we have and how we can use them more effectively. It is a circular economy of energy and waste.”

Baxter explained how historically hydrogen has been reliant on the exploitation of fossil fuels, but that there are ‘clean’ ways of producing it and trials and feasibility studies are taking place at water utilities globally exploring cleaner, greener ways of producing hydrogen.

Capturing carbon

New resource recovery opportunities were explored during the technology showcase, both of which have the potential to simultaneously improve the wastewater

and taking methane originated from waste out of the atmosphere and capturing all the carbon associated with the feedstock.”

UK-based Organics operates globally and is focused on renewable energy, ammonia recovery and anaerobic digestion. Commercial director Keith Richardson explained how the company’s patented system recovers ammonia from high-strength wastewater and turns it into a range of saleable ammonia products, along with hydrogen.

treatment process while generating clean hydrogen. The first was from Hazer Group, an Australian company which produces fuel-cell grade hydrogen and high-quality graphite from methane, with low CO2emissions.

“Rather than typical gas-based hydrogen production which produces CO2 as a byproduct, we produce graphite – a solid, capturable and usable product,” said chief executive Geoff Ward. “It’s a clean and costeffective technology and, when paired with renewable biogas, has the lowest emissions profile of any available technology - going beyond where solar and electrolysis can reach

MARCH2021 ISSUE18

ISSUE17

Organics already has a well-established thermal ammonia stripper which is used to remove ammonia from, for example, watering liquors and landfill leachates. The recovered ammonia can be used as a fertiliser, a raw material for industrial processes or as a feedstock for ammonia-cracking processes that could generate green hydrogen.

Global update

In addition to the focus on hydrogen, the webinar also included updates on global water stories, including the rollout of wastewaterbased epidemiology and progress on diversity and inclusion in the water sector.

The next monthly webinar takes place on Thursday 17 June 2020 at 7.30am and 4.30pm BST. To register and find out more: www.wateractionplatform.com/contact

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

DECEMBER2020

Clean Water Networks

Pump Technology & Innovation

Biosolids & Energy Recovery

Pipeline Rehabilitation

Data & Analytics in the Water Utility Sector

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Trenchless Technology • Improving Custome r Experience • Water Drinking Water Treatme & Wastewater Monitorin nt & Supply • Wastew g & Analysis ater Treatment & Technolo gy • Leak Detection & Repair

• pipeline rehabilitation Wastewater Treatment & Technology Improving Asset Health Analysis • Wastewater Monitoring and

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

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

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News

Anglian Water targets leakage, resilience, water efficiency and community support with £630million investment for 2021 Anglian Water is embarking on a huge £630million investment programme for the financial year ahead. The largest investment ever planned for a single year will be spent across the entire East of England, which is the driest and one of the fastest-growing parts of the country.

The funds will be ploughed into areas of work specifically aimed at improving river quality, moving further towards the goal of net zero carbon emissions and preparing the region to meet the urgent challenges of climate change and population growth.

Anglian Water has often highlighted the future challenges of water scarcity facing the East of England. The company’s largest ever five-year business plan, which began in 2020, outlined ground-breaking schemes specifically designed to tackle this challenge.

The proposals were wholeheartedly endorsed by customers.

Alongside a focus on tackling these challenges, the company will also continue to invest heavily in maintaining and improving its network, providing top quality drinking water and delivering excellent customer service as well as fulfilling its company purpose – to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region.

This is year will see various resilience and community-led projects continue, including: £59million to begin the first stages of the region’s biggest water infrastructure project for a generation, creating hundreds of kilometres of new interconnecting pipelines and associated infrastructure to move water around the region wherever and whenever needed. This is part of an ambitious new investment in resilience to reduce abstraction from environmentally sensitive areas, keep taps running and minimise the impacts of future droughts.

Boots on the ground will see the first sections of pipework laid between Ancaster and Lincoln. £30million will be spent on the continuation of the company’s programme to roll out hundreds of thousands of upgraded water meters across the region, helping customers to understand their water usage and identifying leaks in customer’s homes to reduce demand for water in the future. £133million to protect and enhance the natural environment by removing chemicals such as phosphates and ammonia from used water, and working with organisations like The Rivers Trusts on river restoration projects to protect

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Chalk stream river some of the region’s unique chalk stream habitats. This work forms part of Anglian’s £800million Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), which is larger than that of any other water company. £19million on continuing to drive down leakage using the latest innovative solution including using satellite imagery and fibre optic technology to find and fix leaks.

The second half of Anglian’s £1million Positive Difference Fund will be allocated to charities and organisations on the front line dealing with the effects of Coronavirus in the community.

Peter Simpson, CEO for Anglian Water, said: “There is much for us to be positive about in planning for a better future for our region - this is the biggest investment we’ve ever made in a 12-month period and it comes after what has been an incredibly challenging time for everyone.

Our customers can be reassured that every pound they’ve paid us so far has been invested in doing the right thing.

“We’ll continue working hard towards our goals for improving resilience against climate change, ensuring the highest standards of water quality, delivering industry leading performance on leakage, supporting local communities and protecting the environment we all share.

“By working very closely with Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate through the Regulator’s Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) we can bring forward proposals to address future water scarcity in our region.

I believe that the collaborative approach this embodies can allow us to work with our regulators, fellow water companies, agriculture, energy and wider stakeholders to deliver the innovative solutions needed to address this challenge.”

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Is AI in smart water a misconception?

The world of IoT and digitalisation has fast become a reality for the water sector, with much excitement and hype surrounding the possibilities this brings. However, it has also created some misconceptions surrounding AI and its machine learning capabilities. ATi’s Executive Director, Garry Tabor, discusses whether expectations have been set too high and what crucial foundations must be laid to make digitalisation a true success.

For many companies in the water sector, collecting and analysing performance data in order to unlock operational insights is the driver of efficiency and innovation. Yet getting to the pot of gold at the end of the AI rainbow isn’t as easy as some would want you to believe, with too many myths that are creating unrealistic expectations.

AI is typically a platform that creates algorithms, but the water industry is not quite ready for the autonomous intelligence this requires – at best we are only at the stage of machine learning, pattern recognition and reproducibility. As all water specialists know, water is a complex and dynamic chemistry that is fluid and everchanging. It is not a mathematical algorithm; it holds to the universal law of cause and effect. Moreover, there is also mother nature who often defies predictability. In a similar way to weather, water is inherently difficult to predict and manage by computers alone – whatever you put in needs to be interpreted by a data expert. Water companies cannot simply rely on the correct coding to monitor and measure water quality, and this is the first misconception of AI. Just like the way humans need to walk before they can run, machines need to be taught how to learn. Algorithms need to be trained to do what is needed; but to train an algorithm you need to feed it with clean, reliable and accurate data from strategically placed smart sensors,

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along with the expert knowledge of data specialists to interpret it. In short, if you put rubbish into the smart system, you will only ever get rubbish out and even the smartest analytics platform could not succeed without the perfect combination of quality data, smart people and efficient processes to take those insights and turn them into meaningful actions.

For these powerful analytics tools to have any beneficial impact, they need to harvest high quality data throughout the process from source to tap. Purely mathematical models have many data blind-spots; but a neural network of smart sensors can provide the solution for this, creating a complete picture and enabling effective water quality management. Carefully selecting the right industry-leading smart sensors as the foundations is vital – only then can digitalisation start being built.

Making the Future of Digitalisation a Reality However, due to the amount of analytics programs and data visualisation tools being marketed, a lot of confusion has been created and many water companies still claim they are ‘data rich, information poor’.

This is either because their sensors are not as ‘smart’ as they claim, or it is due to a talent gap in specialist data analysts who can interpret and action the data. Water

utilities know that it is not more data that they need, but clear, actionable insights.

Automated data collection, through the use of smart, reliable sensors, and the ability to upskill staff to analyse and understand it, represents a change in this approach to unlocking insights to drive efficiency.

In other words, to make digitalisation a success, the industry needs to focus less on the myths of AI and more on the famous PPT paradigm: People, Processes and Technology.

The future adoption of digital water could be at risk by AI expectations being set too high. Innovation and the adoption of smarter digital solutions will bring about rapid and dramatic benefits, but if not challenged, these misconceptions risk slowing the deployment of proven technology down and ultimately risks destroying the promise that such innovation offers.

So, is AI the future of smart water quality management? If we change the meaning of AI to “Actionable Insights” rather than “Artificial Intelligence”, then the answer is yes. While the vision of digitalisation may take time to materialise, it is the decisions made today, laying the foundations with the right smart sensors, collecting data and applying pattern recognition, based on specialist industry knowledge, that will determine how quickly we get there. atiuk.com

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British Water appointments will enhance members’ support British Water is pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Lewis as new vice chair of its UK Forum, further building on the expert-driven support it offers the water and wastewater supplier community.

Mark Coates

Rachel Lewis

Tom Williams

Rachel, joint owner and director, IQ Engineers, took up her post in May 2021.

association and the wider water industry: “It is the end of business-as-usual in our sector.

She said: “I am looking forward to working with the British Water team and members and using my experience of growing a business within the industry to support others in the supply chain.

“Over the next five years, Ofwat is calling on water companies to reduce customer bills by 12%. At the same time, according to Ofwat, the sector needs to invest an additional £6 million every day over the next five years, all while striving to deliver a net zero water supply by 2030.

“Innovation is so important to address the challenges the sector is facing but both current practices and technical innovations are underpinned by people and skills. People have always been an important part of the sector and with an ageing workforce, we need to encourage a wider range into the industry to bring new ideas and experiences but also retain existing knowledge.

“SMEs are essential to this and the water industry needs to be supportive of them to ensure a diverse ecosystem of suppliers is retained to help meet the challenges ahead.”

British Water’s announcement follows its April 2021 appointments of Mark Coates, strategic industry engagement, Bentley Systems, as chair of the UK Forum and Tom Williams, chief executive, Enebio, as vice chair of the International Forum.

Coates said the three new appointments represent a period of change for the members’

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“This is providing the impetus to drive innovation further and faster. As new chair of the UK Forum, I look forward to working alongside Rachel, as well as with Tom, the British Water team and its members to champion the change our sector needs.”

Williams said: “I have been British Water’s USA export mentor for 10 years and, after a turbulent few years, the sector is now recognising the climate challenge we are facing and working together across the world.

With our depth of expertise, amazing SMEs and new technology companies, British Water members are the future for UK international business.”

British Water chief executive Lila Thompson said: “I’d like to congratulate Rachel on her appointment as vice chair of British Water’s UK Forum, as well as Mark Coates and Tom

Williams, who took up their posts in April.

“Their insights and expertise will add huge value to the support we offer our members, as the water sector undergoes a period of exciting transformation.”

British Water’s UK Forum supports members with an interest in the UK municipal and industrial market. The forum meets twice a year to review the water market, hear updates from leading industry figures and identify key challenges to be taken forward by British Water.

The International Forum, which is chaired

by Andy Blackhall, managing director, Water Research Centre, enables members to connect with leading players in the global water industry. Services include access to business mentors, market briefings and businesses development meetings with key buyers.

The Technical Forum, which is chaired by Angus Fosten, UK business development director, Partech, coordinates all activities and technical developments affecting the water industry.

More details on the work of British Water’s forums can be seen at www.britishwater.co.uk

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ELIQUO HYDROK and MECANA extend Exclusive Agreement Following on from a highly successful partnership through AMP6, ELIQUO HYDROK and Mecana have concluded the extension of their mutually exclusive representation agreement for the UK– despite Covid interfering with the ability to conclude and toast the new agreement in person! Covering a minimum of the next 7 years, this includes a renewal of the exclusivity on the wastewater Mecana products, PLUS the addition of the new Mecana range of DWI approved freshwater filtration technologies.

Lewis O’Brien, CEO of ELIQUO HYDROK commented, “It’s a great pleasure to extend our relationship with Mecana, not only in our joint commitment to the wastewater applications so successfully deployed to date, but also to now be introducing the exciting range of drinking water filters to UK!” Guido Schmucki, CEO of Mecana added, “continuing our partnership with ELIQUO HYDROK to support the water industry in the UK is great. Not only will this allow us to bring our experience in the removal of micropollutions and micro-plastic into the UK but

also extending it further into the drinking water industry is another milestone in our collaboration.”

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Cyber security assured in supply chains Finalist in the ‘Most Innovative New Technology of the year’ category in this year’s Water Industry Awards, cyber security firm Risk Ledger is already a winner in many respects.

The Northumbrian, Welsh, Affinity and South East water companies are already using Risk Ledger’s innovative platform - giving them access to the crucial data they need to secure their supply chains – and some of the other ‘big five’ are about to sign on the dotted line too.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Haydn Brooks, who was included on Forbes’ recent 30 Under 30 business leaders to watch out for list, said: “Our third-party risk management network helps clients improve the cyber resilience of their supply chain at a time when the threat of attack has never been greater - you need only look at the massive supply chain cyberattacks on Microsoft’s Exchange Mail Servers and Solarwinds’ Orion network monitoring software for evidence of that.

“Third-party cyber risk management was identified as one of the key focuses for the industry in the UK Water Sector Cyber Security Strategy 2017-2021, so it’s no surprise this has filtered through to the awards ceremony.”

Having graduated from Imperial College London in 2014, Haydn was working on clientfacing teams at KPMG and Deloitte when he came to understand the magnitude of the cyber threat to industry supply chains.

“There were two big problems,” he said. “Firstly, supply chains were getting more complex as they went through digital transformation and began working with more third parties, and secondly supply chain cyber-attacks were becoming more and more efficient whilst the traditional defences became less and less effective.”

Now we have just over 1000 suppliers on the platform, a new client can join the Risk Ledger platform and within a matter of hours, access consistently updated data about how their suppliers manage cyber security risks on a control-by-control basis.

Haydn Brooks, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Risk Ledger

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Haydn Brooks At the heart of Risk Ledger’s unique solution is a digital network that gives clients the tools to quickly assess the cyber maturity of their suppliers on the platform while making it free and easy for those suppliers to respond to due diligence requests from multiple clients.

Would-be service commissioners in information security and procurement teams can see – quickly and easily – exactly what their third parties are doing to protect themselves and therefore anybody they work with.

Haydn said: “Now we have just over 1000 suppliers on the platform, a new client can join the Risk Ledger platform and within a matter of hours, access consistently updated data about how their suppliers manage cyber security risks on a control-by-control basis.

“This type of supply chain visibility at speed and at scale isn’t possible in any other way.”

“Previously, completing that sort of verification process would have taken months for just a small percentage of the supply chain.”

A key feature is the move away from data collected at a moment in time. Rather than having to update data annually, which is the norm using traditional methods, Risk Ledger does it continuously, monitoring every supplier’s risk controls and providing clients with that data - eliminating the time and cost of annual reviews.

security teams to map and identify potential risks in their supply chain, and act accordingly.

“Current third-party risk management methods are so slow and costly, businesses can’t effectively run this important process,” he said. “As a result, we’ve had tremendous take-up at Risk Ledger because, as people often tell us, they have not seen an approach like ours on the market before.

“It comes into its own when we look at critical national infrastructure, such as in the water, energy and telecoms industries, and continuous cyber protection is crucial – where the success of an attack on a supplier can take out a whole critical industry.

“Our platform gives clients the ability to check how their suppliers are actively governing security and to collaborate with them to improve where necessary.”

Haydn worked out of his bedroom for the first six months of Risk Ledger’s existence in 2018.

Today the company has an office in London, 15 members of staff (a number he plans to nearly double this year), a string of clients predominantly across the UK and Scandinavia, and a list of over 1000 registered suppliers from 25 countries … and rising!

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News

Pre-World War One water pipes replaced in £1.5 million project in London More than two kilometres of ageing cast iron Edwardian water pipes are being replaced in a £1.5 million investment by Thames Water in south London.

The project will ensure taps keep flowing for thousands of customers in Crystal Palace for at least another 100 years.

The 112-year-old pipes have been in service since 1909 – three years before the Titanic sank and five years before the start of World War One – and are now being replaced by leak-resistant plastic pipes that will last for generations.

Work has started in Camden Hill Road and will continue for the rest of the year in a rolling programme in Becondale Road, Beardell Street, Cawnpore Street, Gipsy Hill, Mountbatten Close, Woodland Hill, Woodland Road and Victoria Crescent.

The work in Gipsy Hill will be carried out alongside SGN gas mains replacement work during the school holidays in July and August to keep disruption to a minimum and reduce costs.

Tom Grant, Thames Water project manager, said: “We look after 10,000 miles of water pipes in London, many of them still from the

Victorian and Edwardian eras which are prone to leaks and bursts.

“We’ve already replaced more than 2,000 miles of these cast iron pipes with new hard-wearing plastic pipes that will provide customers with a more reliable service well into the next century.

“During this latest round of work, we’re

aiming to keep taps flowing 24/7 but, in the unlikely event this is unavoidable, we will write to residents to let them know when the water will temporarily go off, and when it will come back on again.

“Working alongside SGN in July will mean only one set of roadworks are needed for two separate projects, meaning less disruption for residents and businesses.”

A New Company for a New Future The Trant Group is pleased to announce the launch of Te-Tech Process Solutions.

Building on Trant’s success as an EPC contractor in the water industry, the new company will be providing innovative products for water and wastewater treatment using advanced process technologies. Te-Tech’s products are designed, manufactured and assembled off-site for rapid delivery, installation and commissioning. With in-house capability including process, mechanical and electrical design, digital engineering, operational optimisation and real-time control, Te-Tech has the flexibility to engineer bespoke systems from standard packages to meet the exacting needs of clients in the municipal, industrial and commercial water and wastewater sectors.

Business Development Director, Mike Froom, says “Our strategic partnership with Austrian environmental engineering

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small dose of chemicals”, says Froom. The process also achieves nitrate removal and allows for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification to take place.”

Mike Froom group SFC Umwelttechnik allows us to offer sustainable technologies including advanced biological treatment, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and membrane bioreactors.” Just in time for AMP 7, Te-Tech is introducing te-cycTM cyclic activated sludge technology, well suited for wastewater treatment works required to meet 1 mg/l phosphorus residuals without chemical dosing. “The process achieves enhanced biological P removal and less than 0.3 mg/l P with a

Whilst Te-Tech’s focus is on innovation, the company also offers traditional process packages such as activated sludge and submerged aerated filters for wastewater and clarification, filtration and UV disinfection for drinking water. Te-Tech also has in-house automation and control technology and manufacturing facilities for control panels and motor control centres.

Chief Operating Officer, Ashton Dewey, is thrilled to be at the helm of the new company, “It’s an opportunity to make a real difference as we meet the needs of tightening consents for nutrient removal from wastewater and face up to the challenges of emerging contaminants in the future. Te-Tech Process Solutions aim to be at the forefront of technology and innovation.”

For details: visit www.te-tech.co.uk Email: enquiries@te-tech.co.uk or Tel: 023 8235 1600

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News

Innovation fund kickstarts cultural shift in water The water sector is on a trajectory towards technological transformation, with innovation and partnership moving centre stage, writes Lila Thompson, chief executive, British Water.

At the forefront of addressing climate change and at the heart of the post-Covid green recovery, there has never been a better time to work in water - but ongoing collaboration to attract new talent and ideas are needed to address urgent environmental and economic challenges and meet net zero carbon targets.

The 11 collaborative winning entries of the inaugural Innovation in Water Challenge (IWC), offer a window into what can be achieved when joint working is enabled and new ideas supported.

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degradation, to initiatives that will convert ammonia recovered from wastewater into green fuel and use optical fibre strands to detect leaks, the winning projects tackle some of the biggest issues facing the water sector in England and Wales, as well as globally.

As an IWC judge, I look forward to seeing how these unique projects develop and to reviewing entries to the second round of the challenge, expected to open in November.

Initiated by regulator Ofwat, and being run by Nesta Challenges supported by Isle Utilities and Arup, the challenge has sparked initiatives and partnerships that otherwise may not have been explored but that could yield transformative results for water.

The IWC is the first in a series of competitions funded through Ofwat’s Innovation Fund. The second, the Water Breakthrough Challenge which has a total prize pot of £40 million for larger initiatives, opened for entries on 6 May 2021 and will provide another huge boost for innovation that the whole sector can take pride in.

From artificial intelligence-led technology that analyses sewer defects and bespoke software that shows the impacts of habitat

However, when it comes to business-asusual innovation practices, it is widely acknowledged that there is still work for the

UK water utilities to do. SMEs and start-ups regularly encounter difficulties in their attempts to engage with utilities due to historic procurement processes acting as barriers to bringing new partners on board.

This is why, with the help of MWH Treatment, British Water has created a Water Innovation Map, collating up-todate information about water companies’ innovation strategies, areas of focus and direct available contacts. The guide, which also reveals where particular water companies are leading the way on innovation, along with a newly formed British Water Sustainability Supply Chain Task Force, should help support efforts to grow the sector’s capacity to innovate.

While I know Ofwat’s Innovation Fund will result in the roll-out of some brilliant solutions, I also hope it will prove to be a catalyst for a permanent cultural shift for the industry and its adoption of new techniques and emerging technologies.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Quantify bacteria in minutes instead of days The CyStain™ BacCount reagents, used on the CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m analyser, provide an easyto-use and cost-effective test system to enumerate bacteria in many types of water-based samples. ✔ Much faster than any bacterial cultivation method ✔ Counts all bacterial cells, including viable but non culturable cells (VBNC) ✔ Discriminates between dead / living bacteria ✔ Discriminates between HNA (high nucleic acid) and LNA (low nucleic acid) bacteria ✔ Pre-loaded analysis templates to simplify and standardise interpretation ✔ Rapid and clear-cut decisions ✔ Automated reporting as soon as the results are available ✔ Perfect for routine analysis For further information, please email flowcytometry@sysmex.co.uk

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Ready access to high-quality spare parts is essential to smooth CHP operation

James Thompson of Gen-C (R) and Olaf Jeinrich of Motortech (L) load up Gen-C’s van with Motortech components for the UK market

Purchasing quality CHP spares within the UK brings none of the hassle of importing from the EU

Avoid Brexit border delays to keep your sewage AD plant running smoothly Operators of sewage AD plants know just how important the smooth running of their combined heat and power (CHP) engine is to the overall success of their business.

Having access to critical CHP spares is an essential part of this. But with most of the leading CHP component providers based in Europe, getting hold of quality spares at short notice has become more difficult this year, due to a combination of Covid-19 and Brexit. Here, James Thompson, Managing Director of gas engine support specialist Gen-C, reveals how AD operators in the water sector can maintain their engine’s performance by buying directly from UK distributors – avoiding border delays, additional costs and bureaucratic red tape.

According to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), 45% of firms have experienced delays getting goods into the UK from the EU since 1 January 2021, citing new Brexit custom requirements and additional Covid-19 protocols as the main causes of delay. This is of vital importance to UK AD operators, who rely heavily on quality components from European manufacturers such as Motortech to keep their engines running smoothly.

Increased red tape

The new Brexit customs requirements mean that an operator looking to import spares from Germany, for example, must now follow multiple steps. First, they need to apply to HMRC for an EORI number. Then, they must

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find out the commodity code and value for the goods they want to import. This will determine the rate of duty and VAT they need to pay and whether they need an import licence.

Next, they must check the labelling, marking and marketing rules before attempting to get their goods through customs. If they are VAT registered, they can then apply to claim back any VAT paid on the goods imported, for which they will need an Import VAT Certificate (C79). If they paid the wrong amount of duty or rejected the goods, they will need to claim a refund on import duties or make a claim for rejected imports. Finally, they must keep records of all commercial invoices and any customs paperwork.

Easing the burden

If this sounds too much like hard work for a box of CHP spark plugs, then there is an alternative. UK distributors are perfectly placed to shoulder the bureaucratic burden on behalf of their customers, buying in bulk and in advance to ensure that a ready supply of quality European components is immediately available.

As the exclusive UK distributor for Motortech (a German provider of parts and systems for all popular gas engines), Gen-C can supply a wide range of high-quality components to the

UK market. We are also the UK partner of RS Motor, a Spanish-based supplier of spares for leading MWM and Jenbacher engines, and we specialise in upgrading gas CHP and genset control panels with Motortech air fuel ratio (AFR) expertise underwritten with ComAp technology.

Next-day delivery

Thanks to a significant investment in stock, our Sheffield warehouse now contains all the key European engine components that UK AD operators require, such as spark plugs, filters, HT leads, spark plug gaskets, speed pick-ups, control components, spark view ignition testing units, timing lights, and spark plug cleaning kits.

Purchasing quality European spares from a UK distributor such as Gen-C brings none of the hassle of importing from the EU – no red tape, no border delays, no additional fees, no currency or exchange issues, and no language barrier. And with free technical support and same-day dispatch for orders placed by noon, your CHP can continue to run smoothly no matter what’s happening at the border.

To order your CHP spare parts minus the delays, fees and red tape, call James on 01709 718002 or go to www.gen-c.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

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.

The Red Book – Lump Sum Contract The Green Book – Reimbursable Contract The Burgundy Book – Target Cost Contract The Yellow Book – Subcontract The Brown Book – Subcontract for Civil Engineering Works The Orange Book – Minor Works The Silver Book – Professional Services Contract Available in PDF and editable Word document formats.

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Online training courses These courses are ideal for anyone involved with engineering and construction contracts.

What Engineers Need to Know About Contracts

10% discount on these courses with code WIJ10

Modules start 9 August Examine contract law for engineering and construction contracts and learn how it is used to help deliver successful projects. www.icheme.org/live-contracts

MB0281_21

IChemE Forms of Contract Modules start 2 November You will 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/live-foc

Chemical Dosing

Chemical dosing systems: repair or replace?

Is it time to scrap your malfunctioning or broken-down chemical dosing system, or should you carry on repairing it? In fact, there are more options than just those two, and with proper maintenance you can leave that end-of-life decision to the distant future.

If water and wastewater treatment operations are to be cost-effective, safe and compliant with regulations, their dosing systems must be reliable and efficient. Judging by the Environment Agency’s latest annual report on environmental performance, which shows four out of England’s nine water and sewerage companies falling short of the expected standards, there is room for improvement.

Corporations have traditionally used the ‘50 per cent rule’ to guide decisions on whether to repair or replace equipment. When breakdown and repair expenses amount to more than half the cost of replacing it, replacement is deemed the best option. Today, however, the drive toward reducing waste and creating a circular economy is shifting that 50:50 approach.

More sustainable alternatives include reconfiguring, upgrading and even remanufacturing existing systems. For maximum sustainability, this should be accompanied by improved maintenance which will benefit both your business and the environment by increasing the equipment’s longevity, reliability and efficiency.

Reconfigure and upgrade

As well as routinely checking and maintaining dosing systems, you should have them audited regularly to make sure they still meet your application’s needs. The volume or quality of wastewater being treated may have changed, for example, or you may be using different chemicals.

Adjusting a system’s configuration to suit the new conditions can make it more effective and economical, while extending its service life.

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An audit may conclude that your system no longer meets current standards, especially if it hasn’t been reviewed for a long time.

Upgrading certain components may be enough to remedy this. Any damage and wear revealed by the survey can be addressed by timely component replacement to enhance performance and avoid breakdowns.

In some cases, these enhancements may go so far as to constitute remanufacturing of the system.

If all possibilities for reviving a system have been considered and replacement still seems the only way forward, there is one further avenue to explore: dosing system hire. A hired system can be rapidly deployed in an emergency and will give you time to think before you invest in new equipment.

Companies increasingly see it as a longerterm solution too, with benefits including conservation of capital budgets and greater flexibility for future changes.

Make maintenance a priority

Whatever you decide, you should never be tempted into the false economy of skimping on maintenance. Breakdowns are much more likely if your dosing system is poorly maintained. Unplanned downtime is expensive in terms of lost productivity, repair bills and replacement part costs. A well-maintained system keeps on working reliably, lowers operating expenditure and adds resilience to your operation.

Other ongoing expenses related to inadequate maintenance may include inefficient energy

consumption, inaccurate and wasteful chemical doses, and costs related to damage or injury arising from a deteriorating system that leaks chemicals. In the longer term, failing to maintain your asset shortens its lifespan and puts pressure on your company’s capital expenditure budget to replace it.

From an environmental protection perspective, a malfunctioning system which doses too little or too much chemical is a serious threat. Low dosing may lead to discharge of insufficiently treated wastewater. Excessive dosing may make discharges chemically toxic. Significant chemical leakage or untreated discharges due to faulty equipment can be harmful to rivers, streams and other natural habitats.

The resulting impacts on your business could include large fines, enforcement undertakings, remedial works and a damaged reputation.

In summary, investment in regular maintenance will bring about the best environmental and commercial outcomes. In addition, you should schedule periodic system audits to ensure your equipment remains fit for purpose and identify actions needed to keep it healthy, efficient and reliable over an extended lifetime. When it comes to end-of-life decisions, the options have now been expanded way beyond a straight choice between repair or replace.

For further information, visit www.wes.ltd.uk Contact WES to explore your options, including our Gold, Silver & Bronze Planned Maintenance packages for assured peace of mind

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Design Build Maintain Hire Your chemical. Our know-how.

WES is the UK’s leading chemical dosing systems provider From design and manufacture to service and support - WES builds, installs and maintains chemical dosing systems.

From small packaged systems to large and bespoke installations, our expertise means you can effectively add chemicals to your process.

In an emergency, hiring equipment is the fastest and most cost-effective option. We operate a dedicated fleet that’s ideal in emergencies or to cover planned maintenance.

Talk to our team today for technical advice or discuss our planned preventative maintenance packages to ensure your operation stays safe and avoids unplanned downtime.

For more information or to discuss a project contact: Graham Ward Email: Graham.Ward@wes.ltd.uk Main office: +44 (0)1256 819 777 Website: www.wes.ltd.uk

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Chemical Dosing

Elektra – the remote pump-management solution for water-treatment applications Operators working in modern water and wastewater treatment sites face the dual challenges of processing water to the appropriate local or national standards while simultaneously working to budget and minimizing environmental impact.

This means that, for chemical-dosing processes as varied as flocculation and desalination, innovative technological solutions are usually required to achieve the delicate balance between performance and sustainability.

One of the major global players in this area is SEKO, a renowned designer and manufacturer of chemical dosing pumps and control systems with a reputation for constantly pushing the envelope to facilitate demanding processes within the water and wastewater-treatment sectors.

One of SEKO’s latest innovations is the Elektra digital pump controller, which allows operators to unlock multiple benefits including precise digital dosing, process optimization and cost control – setting a new standard in operational efficiency.

Elektra combines a built-in Wi-Fi hub, the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology and SEKO’s unique SekoWeb portal to connect operators to their dosing pumps at any time, no matter where they are in the world, via PC, laptop or smart device.

By accessing their pump equipment locally or remotely via SekoWeb, the operator can view live and historical data on demand relating to values such as pH, flow rate and pressure, using the information to make immediate parameter adjustments.

SekoWeb offers a single online platform from which users can manage their entire installed base of SEKO devices, and because all compatible systems exchange information with the same server, users can browse related data and modify programmes or parameters through the portal.

With the power to make instant changes that improve efficiency, optimize chemical consumption and reduce environmental impact, this 24/7 connectivity makes Elektra an invaluable tool for operators working from home or for those responsible for multiple sites.

This is especially true as we look forward to a post-COVID future, where home working is expected to remain as prevalent as it has become since the spring of 2020. With Elektra at the heart of their chemical dosing system, managers can spend less time on the move, helping to increase their productivity while significantly reducing travel and accommodation costs – yielding both financial and environmental benefits.

Meanwhile, Elektra’s scheduled reporting means the right data gets to the right people,

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with graphical visualizations allowing for quick interpretation and comparison of information to enable informed decisions to be made swiftly.

and manages flow rates as high as 1,000 l/h – with parameters accessed and controlled locally via an intuitive multi-language programming interface.

The ability to manage equipment with such flexibility unlocks key benefits including precise digital dosing, process optimization and cost control for applications as varied as agricultural, potable and wastewater treatment. Meanwhile, alarm reporting via smartphone notifications means that faults can be identified early and maintenance arranged in advance, helping to minimize costly unplanned downtime and productivity losses which in turn improves operational efficiency.

Installation and use is facilitated by flexible mounting options, while the system’s colourcoded display signifies the current operating function for a universal solution that’s accessible by all.

The Elektra unit itself offers multiple operating modes including manual, batch, analogue, timed and pulse, while the system enables dosing at up to 60,000 ppm (parts per million)

Elektra is currently available for use with Spring series of motor-driven dosing pumps, with compatibility planned for devices across the SEKO range going forward as part of the company’s strategy of constant product evolution. SekoWeb is available both online and as a smartphone app, compatible with the latest iPhone and Android devices.

For more information on Elektra, SekoWeb and the entire SEKO water-treatment range, visit www.seko.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Elektra

Connecting you to your chemical dosing pumps, wherever you are

SekoWeb

Data on demand • Unlock multiple benefits including precise digital dosing, process optimization and cost control • Make informed decisions swiftly with quick interpretation and comparison of data • Identify faults early and minimize costly unplanned downtime

The smart choice for motorpowered dosing The Elektra digital dosing pump controller from SEKO allows you to monitor and manage your dosing equipment 24/7 via smartphone for a new standard in operational efficiency and accessibility in water-treatment applications.

• Achieve the delicate balance between performance and sustainability • Local and remote access to your equipment via smartphone

www.seko.com

Chemical Dosing

Bradford-on-Avon STW – Ferric Chloride Chemical Dosing Case Study

GRP Kiosk c/w Ferric Chloride Dosing & Integral Chemical Storage

Ferric Chloride POA Catchpot

Complete Installation of GRP Kiosk

Background

Remedial civils works were carried out to provide additional ducts and access around the new Dosing Kiosk as the footprint increase to comply with current specifications and standards.

bund, with integrated bund leak detection, providing 110% capacity of the chemical storage tank’s total volume. Ultrasonic level instrumentation was also provided to monitor the level within each chemical storage tank, along with a Cat and Mouse visual indicator available at the Tanker Reception point with a local alarm and monitoring panel.

In west Wiltshire, close to the border with Somerset, the town of Bradford on Avon until 1876 was served in the form of sewers that ran from various locations directly into the River Avon. It was not until around 1907 that these discharges were connected to a purpose-built sewage treatment works, together with large earth-covered holding tanks next to the river, downstream from the town.

A new modern and larger sewage treatment works, operated by Wessex Water, was built later in the 20th century on the other side of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Ferric dosing is deployed on the site for Phosphorous removal.

Existing Works & Project Objectives

The Bradford on Avon Ferric twin storage system was near to its end of service life and required replacement. As the replacement unit was to be positioned in the same location as the existing plant and Ross-Shire Engineering (RSE) were approached to provide a proposal for the replacement works.

Our proposal included for the design, supply, delivery, offloading, installation & commissioning of a replacement 18m3 compact dosing system.

The modular, built-offsite approach RSE proposed allowed the existing unit to continue dosing for as long as possible, resulting in lower intervention time and a lower cost as the requirement for temporary works was reduced to a much shorter period.

Access constraints onto site were an added challenge with a narrow bridge across the canal and a tree canopy immediately prior to the site entrance. Detailed design within BIM platform allowed accurate engineering to focus on meeting both access restrictions, whilst maintaining operational access and lifting requirements of the unit.

As a result of the constraints, the tanks were designed rectangular to provide the best utilisation of space within the new kiosk footprint.

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Temporary Dosing was deployed for the decommissioning and commissioning phase to allow the site to meet discharge consents whilst the unit was replaced.

The Project

RSE were engaged in late 2019 to provide a mechanical and electrical design & build package. The project was completed and handed over in early 2021 following lengthy delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to contract award, RSE worked collaboratively with the client to develop an agreeable solution to meet the site specific challenges faced. This results in the following scope of works: A non-walk-in, self-bunded kiosk arrangement to house a fully off-site assembled solution. The kiosk offered was to be of a GRP construction.

A key driver for the project was to ensure the system was able to be retrofitted into the same footprint available onsite to avoid increasing the civils scope of works and resulting in longer periods of temporary dosing.

The kiosk was to be provided with an integral base to provide a suitable design for single piece lifting and transportation. Several double access doors were provided for the MCC Control Section, Tanker Reception point, a pair of Duty/Standby Dosing Skids along with a bund access hatch. The roof was provided with an integral handrailing, antislip finish and two tank inspection hatches for infrequent maintenance access. A rain canopy was provided, to be finally assembled once the unit was safely offloaded.

All heating, lighting and ventilation were included during the build, with additional service connections provided for site interfaces such as trace heating and emergency washdown facilities.

The modular system incorporated an integral

The two dosing skids each comprised of duty/ standby dosing pumps per dosing stream, utilising the Watson Marlow Q Dos Universal+ range of digital peristaltic pumps.

RSE carried out the off-site Factory Acceptance Test and onsite installation of the GRP dosing kiosk, including two weatherproof point of application (POA) catchpots which were installed locally to each injection point over each process channel.

The project marked the first chemical dosing system RSE had supplied directly to Wessex Water, who contributed to a truly collaborative project, providing 360 degree involvement as part of an integrated, one-team delivery.

“The available area for the dosing system was quite restricted but RSE were able to provide a compact solution that met Wessex Waters design standards and requirements but not compromising on quality or performance,” said Matthew Ormerod, Project Manager, Wessex Water.

Summary

RSE are specialists in off-site construction methods for multiple water treatment equipment, including chemical dosing. The RSE group of companies allow us to provide specialist, high quality offerings in every area.

Our Chemical Dosing projects range from maintenance and repair, service & breakdown cover, product supply and full turn-key projects. We specialise in design, manufacture, installation and commissioning across the UK for water authorities, Tier 1 delivery partners and alternate sectors.

For all enquiries, including chemical dosing, please contact enquiry mailbox: rse.info@ross-eng.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Experts in Chemical Dosing Solutions RSE are specialists in off-site construction methods of water treatment equipment, including chemical dosing.

RSE’s Chemical Dosing Division deliver specialist and high quality products and solutions across the UK. Our dedicated team, complimented by wider RSE group of companies, provide access to technical expertise across all disciplines providing a one-stopshop for all chemical dosing solutions including specialist fabrications and bespoke builds.

We specialise in design, manufacture, installation and commissioning fully inhouse, delivering for water authorities and Tier 1 delivery partners across the UK.

Our Chemical Dosing capabilities range from: Maintenance and Repair Service and Breakdown Cover Product Supply Full Turn-key Projects Product Hire

For more information on RSE Chemical Dosing products and services visit

ross-eng.com

For all Chemical Dosing enquiries please email

rse.info@ross-eng.com

Chemical Dosing

The chemical treatment solution targeting borehole contamination

Residue and biofilm can build-up due to iron bacteria, leading to thick sludge on pipes

A close-up of the thick sludge which can be eliminated with a thorough cleaning and treatment programme

Official figures show that April 2021 was both one of the driest Aprils on record for the UK – and the sunniest.

Changing climate patterns and the paucity of regular rainfall is just one reason why many businesses, other organisations – and private individuals with large estates or gardens – choose to invest in a borehole.

of water declines. We’ve seen cases where the water has literally turned orange because of the problems caused by iron bacteria. The good news is these problems can be easily fixed by applying a chemical cleaning solution.”

services, who used a downhole camera to help identify the presence of residue and biofilm caused by the build-up of IRB, leading to the pipes and borehole casings becoming blocked and preventing the flow of water.

Having their own borehole saves money on mains water costs and provides complete control over supplies, avoiding the potential of being left high and dry due to a burst pipe or the introduction of water restrictions.

A good starting point is to check water samples using a Biological Activity Reaction Test (BART) kit. This can be done on site and, over an eight-day period, a series of indicators will show not only if bacteria is present, but also what type it is, allowing correct treatment solutions to be applied quickly and effectively.

After an initial brushing and cleaning programme, the team followed up with a solution of Geoquip’s BoreSaver Ultra C Pro, specially-designed to eliminate iron bacteria.

In addition, borehole industry experts estimate that any organisation paying more than £5,000 a year on its water bills can save up to 40% by investing in a borehole.

Installation aside however, there is one very important thing to remember– and that is the need for regular maintenance checks.

Mike Deed, from Geoquip Water Solutions, which works with a number of borehole companies, says a borehole should be treated much as a car – with an annual maintenance and service programme in place.

“Monitoring for bacteria growth in a borehole is really important,” he said. “For example, if a borehole is situated in an iron-rich area, there is an increased likelihood that residue and biofilm will build-up due to the presence of iron-related bacteria (IRB).

“This becomes thick sludge which can impact on performance of the pump and pipes or block the borehole casings. Often the first the user will know is when the quantity or quality

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Mike recommends Geoquip’s range of BoreSaver borehole cleaning and well rehabilitation treatments. These include different formulas to tackle a variety of contamination issues, including iron and manganese oxide deposits or IRB, as well as a general all-purpose cleaning treatment.

The solution can be applied in situ, avoiding the additional time and expense of removing equipment from the well, while a biodegradable marker guarantees no chemical residue is left behind.

One East Anglian vegetable farmer discovered the benefits of BoreSaver when water from his two boreholes began to fall, impacting on crop irrigation. In just 12 months, the yield from the largest borehole reduced from 1.8 cubic metres a minute to less than half, at just 0.6m3 a minute.

He called in Treewaters Control Systems, experts in borehole cleaning and rehabilitation

The farmer said: “By the time treatment had finished, the borehole returned to supplying around 1.45m3 and over the last year, thanks to an ongoing maintenance dose of BoreSaver, which we are able to do ourselves, yield is now nearer 1.57m3.”

Treatment was also required at a second borehole, where output had dropped from 1.3m3 a minute to 0.62m3. As the farming calendar precluded taking this borehole out of action, a maintenance dose of BoreSaver was provided as a temporary solution.

The farmer concluded: “Being able to self-dose this borehole on a weekly basis, we were able to increase our water yield back up to 0.92m3 and I was very impressed.

“It really saved our bacon as, without the borehole working efficiently again, we would have run out of water.”

For more information, call 01473 462046 or email info@geoquipservices.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Chemical Dosing

For the latest Water Industry news...

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Water company launches podcast about its recreation sites A new podcast has been launched to lift the lid on open spaces owned by United Utilities throughout the North West - and the sometimes profound impact they have on people’s lives.

owns – making it one of England’s biggest landowners.

Each themed episode of Acres of Nature takes an in-depth look at an area through the eyes of people who love it.

The first explores how green spaces can improve our mental health and joins birdwatcher Steve Scrimgeour and wastewater controller Scott Thompson at Davyhulme Millennium Nature Reserve in Manchester who both overcame dark chapters in their lives.

Close to the Sale Sharks and Salford Red Devils, the first episode also features an interview with rugby league superstar Robbie Hunter-Paul, the mental fitness ambassador for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Over the course of the next two years, Acres

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

of Nature will feature some of the region’s best known landscapes as well as littleknown hidden oases, and the stories of the people who use them.

Each landscape - from the remote beauty of Haweswater reservoir in Cumbria to a city park in Manchester – have one thing in common. They are all owned by water company United Utilities.

Jim Spencer from United Utilities, said the idea was to raise awareness of some of the 56,000 hectares of land the company

“We maintain and own some fantastic recreational sites including beautiful country parks and reservoirs, freely open to the public. Acres of Nature is all about bringing people closer to nature. Each episode will focus on a different theme.

It might be history, nature, in the case of Davyhulme it was well-being.

“If you’ve never heard about the reserve it’s located next to the Manchester Ship canal, close to the Trafford Centre. It’s not only a site of biological importance, where you’re guaranteed to spot some wildlife, but it’s also home to walking routes and pockets of green space, perfect for a picnic,” he said.

Narrated by ITV weather presenter Kerrie Gosney, Acres of Nature is available on Spotify and all major podcast platforms or go to www.anchor.fm/acres-of-nature to listen now.

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Managing flood risk during overhaul of an Environment Agency pumping station Background

Submersible pumps converted into a hybrid end suction system which could be operate submersed in storm conditions. These flows were pumped into designated flood plains which could then be drained back to the river using further submersible drainage systems on site.

As a specialist in engineering schemes in the water and construction industries, JBA Bentley’s teams called on Selwood’s Pumping Solutions team to help with a project which involved the total refurbishment of the Environment Agency’s pumping station in Doncaster. The aim was to increase the station’s storm pumping capacity to help reduce flooding in the area.

The challenge

The works required that all existing flows to the station be bypassed around the site so that the refurbishment could be completed, and flood risks managed for the duration of the works.

Selwood worked with the main contractor and the client to design a system that would meet these challenges.

The immediate issue was to provide a system that coped with the normal flows through the drainage network to the station. The usual flows were 2m3/sec, with a further 2m3/sec to be allowed for in the event of a storm.

In extreme conditions it was agreed that site could potentially flood, so extra measures were considered to allow the overpumping electrical system to be sited at a level where no amount of storm flow could inhibit the operation.

This was achieved by placing all the control equipment in containers and setting the unit

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at a raised height above the one in a 1000-year storm event level.

The solution

The drainage through network flow of 2m/ sec was managed by four 350mm Flygt submersible pumps operating in a duty/ assist/assist/assist setting. These pumps were connected in pairs of two into two lines of 700mm HDPE lines that ran approximately 461 linear meters from the point of collection to the discharge bypassing site.

The storm system providing a further 2m3/ sec was managed by using two 500mm Flygt

The system took four weeks to install and commission and drew on the skills of the main contractor and Selwood who worked together to meet the time frame and challenges.

A specialist electrical sub-contractor was selected by the main contractor to fit the electrical control panels into a 24ft container to set the system up almost as if it was a permanent solution. Visibility of the system was then provided to the client in order that they could use the temporary solution as part of their national asset base.

The result

The period of the planned works was approximately 18 months, and other equipment was added to this during the works when needed to ensure the project stayed on time and provided the correct protection from flooding during the works construction phase. The system worked through this period, providing cover for the duration of the works. The project was delivered to the client successfully and within the planned time frames. www.selwood.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

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Facing any challenge, from rail crossings and sea outfalls, long shots to short hops, 1m in diameter and greater, we have the cost effective, environmentally sensitive solution.

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With a range of HDD rigs from 12 to 200 tonne and crews to support, you can trust in our experience.

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Can water achieve net zero?

With increasing pressure on water supply, can marginal gains move water supply closer to net zero?

As our climate changes, our population increases and our lifestyles become more leisure orientated, there is an ever-increasing demand for water. This has been exacerbated by the increase in demand generated by home workers, something we expect to see becoming part of the normal working week.

Can we improve water efficiency and reduce per capital consumption?

In the UK, our water services are cheap. For just a few pounds, domestic customers can have a tonne of high-quality drinking water delivered to their taps, then taken away and cleaned up. Although the financial cost of supplying and cleaning water is relatively low, the environmental impact isn’t - 40gm of carbon for each 1m3, whether that’s making it ready for consumption or to return it to the environment.

‘Smart metering’ and public awareness campaigns can have some impact on domestic consumption. However, aging infrastructure with multi household supplies are amongst the many factors that ensure that mandated metering – let alone ‘smart metering’ is not likely to be rolled out nationally in the short term. In addition, our attitude to water on this green, rain-soaked land means behaviour change is unlikely reduce the average personal daily consumption of 143 ltr to 110 ltr by 2050, a target set by Defra in March 20201.

Can ‘marginal gains’ get us on track?

Our water companies are regulated to provide a minimum level of water, but in many areas due to network structure and gravity fed systems supply is much greater. So run a hose for five minutes at the bottom of the hill, and your lawn will be greener that the gardener that does the same at the top. These ‘time controlled’ uses, e.g. teeth cleaning could be standardised down if all households received the same acceptable, ‘minimum’ supply. Our target is a 23% reduction, so even 7 ltr a day would achieve over a fifth of that target.

So , how can Groundbreaker Systems help?

Groundbreaker’s NRv2 Check Valve system can help modulate the level of flow entering customer premises – regardless of network pressure, meaning a reduction in the level of water used by customers when ‘variable use’ appliances (i.e. showers, taps, hosepipes) are used. As the flow of water into the premises is limited, then the amount used by the customer is also limited – but without providing a degradation of service, and more importantly not requiring any intervention or behavioural change on the part of the

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Groundbreaker’s NRv2 Check Valve system customer, leading to ‘natural’ reduction in per capital consumption.

A number of flow modulation ranges are available which enable the perfect balance between usage reduction and service provision. As an added benefit, the NRv2 Check Valve system can also provide whole site protection against contamination by back flow.

The NRv2 can be easily and simply retrofitted to any meter installation, or meter exchange when upgrading or remediating underground meter chambers. Thus, allowing Water Companies to manage demand with little or no impact on consumers and at minimal cost to the water undertakers - effectively a 3 in 1 solution.

A simple solution at approximately £20 per household, fitted on the normal meter exchange/upgrade cycle could achieve 20% of our consumption target in 10 years.

Groundbreaker products are compliant with all Regulations and 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.

Facts:

A reduction of 47% in summer rainfall is anticipated in the next 50 years.2 House building is set to accelerate, with new home targets currently at 300,000 per annum. With this increase, supply cannot be adjusted to meet demand.

Water Companies are required by Law3 to provide a supply capable of delivering minimum 10 litres/minute at 1bar pressure

to a domestic dwelling (Water Industry Act).

Many water distribution networks allow for consumers to take flow rates well in excess of this – NRv2 will allow the volumes of water taken into premises to be better controlled.4 Control of supply can NRv2 alleviate problems caused by high water pressures on individual water services, significantly reducing the risk of bursts on private pipes (BOPP’s) Based on 140 ltr per person daily usage, a 2% reduction would result in a 66.4 million m3 water saving equating to approximately 20 million tonnes CO2.

Steve Leigh FIWater, Managing Director Richard Leigh B.Eng., C.Eng., MICE, Business Development Manager Groundbreaker Systems won the HBF’s ‘Utility of the Year’ in 2018. www.groundbreaker.co.uk 1 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873100/ National_Framework_for_water_resources_summary.pdf 2 https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/ weather-and-climate/2018/ukcp18-launch-pr 3 From May 2018 a WRAS Approved (or Regulation 4 approval) for a check valve must include tests for bending, closure or verification (if two applied in series) and be appropriately marked as compliant for back flow protection or otherwise in the Water Fittings Material Directory.

4 From May 2018 a WRAS Approved (or Regulation 4 approval) for a check valve must include tests for bending, closure or verification (if two applied in series) and be appropriately marked as compliant for back flow protection or otherwise in the Water Fittings Material Directory.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

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Flow and Level Measurement

Metering the Challenges Flow data underpins many of the critical activities undertaken by the water industry including managing water resources, leakage and customer service. This means that metering is one of the most important tools the industry can use to meet future challenges. This article explores the implications of those challenges on meters and metering, and how technology is evolving. It also delves into the work going on to understand the characteristics of existing and novel metering technologies which is required if we are to get an appropriate quality of data, and use that data most effectively.

Andy Godley

Senior Consultant – Flow Measurement and Metering, Water Research Centre Absolutely critical to the water balance are the meters that measure distribution input - often very large, but few in number. One UK company estimates that 65% of its water into supply passes through just 44 meters, all of which are 500 mm in diameter or larger.

Despite their importance, we have relatively little understanding of how very large meter performance is influenced by real-world conditions and how it changes over time. The latter is important as many of these assets are aging due to the costs and disruption of replacement.

At WRc we have tested meters 300 mm diameter but most experimental work has been conducted on meters 250 mm or smaller. It has long been assumed that this can simply be extrapolated onto larger meters. However, there is evidence(1) that flows behave differently in larger pipes, with flow distortions and swirl from upstream fittings, which cause measurement errors, requiring longer distances to decay. A report from UKWIR in 2020(2) highlighted the need to improve confidence in large DI meters.

An international collaboration led by Severn Trent Water, in conjunction with TUV-NEL, WRc, Arup and the University of Utah is launching a ground-breaking project using the unique facilities at Utah to conduct tests

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

on very large meters, combining these with the capabilities of the other partners in computational fluid dynamics and uncertainty modelling. The project will deliver new installation standards for meters to optimise accuracy and tools to better assess uncertainty in installed meters and thereby increase confidence in the input side of the water balance.

Moving into the distribution network, Ofwat’s challenge to reduce leakage significantly is driving a need to detect ever smaller leaks more quickly and control networks to minimise leakage. Minimum night-flows are a key tool in this. Many companies now use rapid logging to provide better discrimination between underlying leakage and usage events. Sophisticated data analytics which help understand network behaviour and artificial intelligence to control networks are very powerful tools but these require high quality data to fulfil their promise. Previously, it has often been sufficient to look at trends in individual meters where an offset, for example, did not matter. However, the amalgamation of data by intelligent systems means that absolute meter accuracy becomes more important.

The response to the Covid pandemic changed household and non-household consumption patterns significantly. This has been a dynamic situation and is continuing to evolve as we return to more stability. There is no doubt, however, that some changes will become embedded as people enjoy greater flexibility in where and when they work. Covid therefore has led a discontinuity in those historic data trends that are often relied on for network management. The industry quickly needs to understand the “new normal” in its networks and adapt to these changes.

All these point to the need for network meters for DMAs and small areas to be accurate, sensitive to low flows and stable. They also need to interface with new options for data logging and comms to provide data swiftly.

In response, a number of new mid-sized meters (50-300mm) are entering the market, both from established and new suppliers.

Typically, these are battery powered electromagnetic or ultrasonic meters, with advanced functionality including comms, that challenge the former dominance of mechanical meters. Novel designs of flow tube claim to have good sensitive to low flow rates whilst requiring zero diameters up and downstream of straight pipe increasing installation flexibility.

Battery powered meters are desirable as they can be located anywhere in the network and at customer premises without needing mains power. However, battery life is finite and with pressure on operational budgets, long battery life is required to avoid frequent maintenance or replacement. A variety of sophisticated power management techniques are used to prolong battery life which can manifest themselves in the flow data or have implications on meter installation. This is illustrated by the following real-world examples.

Some meters conserve power by sampling the flow at intervals ranging from a few times per second to once every several seconds. This can apply to both household and network meters. Work originally carried out in the Czech Republic showed very significant errors in the consumption recorded by solid state household meters when flows were switched on and off suddenly, as might occur with a modern washing machine that has a

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Flow and Level Measurement

solenoid valve injecting short spurts of water.

Currently tests for meter approvals, such as those in ISO 4064, are carried out under steady flow conditions. The European MetroWaMet project (https://www.ptb.de/empir2018/ metrowamet/the-project/), reporting later this year, is investigating this further and developing tests for approval of meters under varying flow conditions.

Other meters limit instantaneous power consumption by inhibiting certain functions when others are occurring. This has been observed to result in an uneven pulse train under steady flow conditions. The meter gives the correct number of pulses over time but the spacing of the pulses is irregular. This has implications when using data from fast loggers for night flow analysis.

Some electromagnetic meter manufacturers have reduced the power consumption by reducing the current supplied to the magnetic coils. This reduces the strength of the field generated and consequently the signal voltage.

This makes the meter more susceptible to interference and offsets caused by stray voltages or nearby electrical fields. To counter this, much greater care is required with the electrical grounding.

As metering assets typically have a life of 10 – 15 years getting the right meter installed, and installed correctly, for these critical duties is more important than ever. Water companies need to be innovative in their approach to metering, considering what benefits the new meters have, but also being aware that they may behave differently to their conventional meters and seeking independent evidence to support the claims made by suppliers.

So far, we haven’t considered customer metering, but this is another area where meter technology is advancing – again with solid state meters challenging traditional

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(top image) Metering is a crucial tool in the drive to reduce leakage on our networks

(above) Over half of water supplied passes through a small number of very large meters mechanical devices and hybrid meters combining mechanical measurement with electronic registers, all offering a high level of functionality. These meters are opening new opportunities for tackling customer-side leakage and improving customer service.

The developments in metering technology link to another challenge – that of sustainability and zero carbon. We are installing more, and more sophisticated, meters. These are often sealed units with large proportion of plastic parts and non-replaceable batteries.

This is a step change from traditional metal bodied mechanical meters visually read or linked to standalone loggers. The end-of-life management for these new meter assets needs to be planned for now. The waste and recycling industry is not yet familiar with these devices and, with a typical 10 year lifespan there could be 2 million plus meters being replaced per year. WRc’s unique mix of

experts in metering and waste resources are developing work to explore this further and finding the solutions the industry needs in the near future.

In conclusion, the requirement for both more, and more accurate, meter data from source to tap has never been greater if the industry is to meet the challenges it faces. The industry needs to get confidence in the new products the suppliers are offering, learn how to get the best out of them whilst also improving its understanding of its installed meter base. www.wrcplc.co.uk References

1. Furness R, Phatnani S. Experimental and Theoretical Studies in Large Water Supply Lines. Flowday 2003 2. Best Practice For Trunk Main Flow Monitoring Areas. UKWIR ref 20/WM/08/74.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

RADAR IS THE BETTER

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

APPROVED

All advantages of the radar technology:

www.vega.com/vegapuls

Flow and Level Measurement

An expert opinion: MCERTS Radar offers a new way to help the environment According to recently published figures from the Environment Agency, water companies discharged raw sewage into rivers in England more than 400,000 times in 2020. It’s reasons like these that make the reliable and accurate monitoring of all discharges into the environment so important. And why the Environment Agency places so much emphasis on schemes like MCERTS, because they ensure this monitoring is done correctly, regularly inspected and properly verified.

To make this more accessible to all waterindustry users, VEGA are delighted to announce a first for their 80 GHz compact radar: MCERTS Class 1 approval. The world’s largest radar level sensor manufacturer developed their own special FMCW level radar chip to make the low-cost, high-performance yet compact level radar sensors available at such an affordable price point.

But why use radar for applications as ‘simple’ as water level? It offers measurement unaffected by the everyday challenges ambient temperature changes, more robust against condensation, foaming surfaces and build up on the sensor; as well as being an inherently more accurate all-conditions technology. For example, the currently used legacy technologies - based on ultrasonic level sensing - require protection from solar gain/air temperature, as any undetected air temperature variations will cause a measurement error. This could mean that multiple sunshades, additional external temperature sensors or even dual measuring heads are needed to achieve the equivalent accuracy to a radar.

In a unique first for an MCERTS open channel flow measurement system, there is now the option to use the radars as a ‘standalone’ 2-wire loop powered radar transmitter. With no need for a local controller, making it ideal to use with telemetry systems, the 80GHz compact radar removes the cost, complexity and power needs for installing a remote controller/transmitter box. A choice of digital communication using HART or current output also adds to the application versatility and accuracy – with local controllers optionally used for additional local display, datalogging, relay and pulse outputs for level alarms, for flow and triggering volume based samplers.

Another unique capability is the single or twin channel measurement, which could be used to measure both flow through a structure and storm water spill level, for example.

Bluetooth set up and retrieval of measurement without the need for a local display can be done via an App making it safer and more

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Matthew Westgate Water Industry Manager for VEGA Controls proud to achieve MCERTS Class 1 for radar convenient to use. ATEX approvals are also available on both sensors and controllers.

We asked Water Industry specialist, Matt Westgate, about the significance of MCERTS for this radar based sensor, the second VEGA radar system to get this approval.

MCERTS: why is it so important for radar level sensors?

We believe this is an exciting ‘coming of age’ for radar in the water industry, showing that it’s got the credibility of class one certification.

The performance and instrument cost also has the commercial benefits often associated with ultrasonic level systems. We really feel we can outperform ultrasonic level systems headto-head, proving its superior accuracy and

resilience across a range of applications, which would include EDM related measurements, as well as more conventional open channel flow inlet and discharge measurement.

Another big first for us is the unique MCERTS certification that enables just the sensor to be the transmitter of the flow data, which means no extra controller or box on the wall is needed, saving time cost and complexity and offering a much better solution for telemetry data loggers and the like.

Why is it so interesting for radar technology?

Maintaining an accurate level measurement in direct sunlight and varying ambient temperatures is incredibly important when

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Flow and Level Measurement

it comes to EDM and open channel flow measurements. Accuracy fluctuations occur when technologies affected by ‘solar gain’ or undetected temperature gradients in the air above the surface cause errors in the level measurement, which are then exponentially calculated through flow curves associated with flow structures. There has also been the argument that the flow structures themselves have inherently low accuracy, therefore the ultrasonic based level and flow measurement does not show up its fallibility. However we believe you should get the best data you can, to minimise errors and maximise data accuracy and therefore exploit its value.

What applications do you see it being most useful for?

As a non-contact technology it is extremely flexible in how and where it can be applied, a level sensor that fits in the palm of your hand, has no dead-band and can measure up to 15m really covers a vast array of applications.

The radars have a number of ATEX approval options to choose from, so there really are no restrictions as to where it can be mounted.

We feel that radar can play the key role in both underground assets and normal open channel flow measurements both in and out of treatment works, but of course the flexibility and capability of radar doesn’t stop there, it extends to sludge tanks and hoppers, digester level monitoring, chemical tanks and dosing systems, gravity blet thickeners, as well as clean water distribution. We see the MCERTS certification being a foundation stone in that wall of applications and the final stamp of approval confirming its accuracy.

Radar sensing isn’t it more expensive and complicated to set up?

Actually this is a popular misconception. I have been working with and applying radar level sensors for the last 13 years, and it is great to see that the resilience and accuracy

A first for MCERTS level devices – loop powered standalone radars with no controller needed can be now used on MCERTS flow applications

of this technology can now be enjoyed by the water industry at such an affordable price and compact design. The robust nature of radar technology means there is typically less that can go wrong and cause you problems.

They are easy to install, need less engineering input, really quick to setup and don’t need a regular maintenance regime to ensure they are working correctly. With regards to setup, we have the award winning VEGA TOOLS App using Bluetooth communication, which is provided with all our new radars and controllers as standard. This offers quick, simple and safe connection to the instruments via an intuitive App with application based setup. For example, when you need to verify

the instruments current level reading, the App is the perfect platform for carrying out this task, especially on instruments with no inhead display or local controller/flow computer or the location is difficult to access.

We see this as particularly useful in relation to EDM UMON3 measurement points, as the current draft product standards state that the sensor status, in relation to the spill point, must be accessible and verifiable by an MCERTS inspector or Environment Agency officer. The document states that viewing the level doesn’t have to be by a physical display but may also be viewed via an App. Feedback from the engineers and operators in the field is that the app is easy to use, intuitive and most of all, timesaving. We feel that getting a better more accurate setup first time around is crucial for data quality and saving time and money.

Why should organisations consider this technology change?

With the continuing development of radar chip technology and the lowering cost, we see radar sensors becoming the standard level sensing technology in the water sector in years to come. When you combine that with performance gains, even marginal ones, lower engineering costs to install and easier set up, multiply that by hundreds of sites in the water network, it all adds up to a big potential operational and cost savings, including CO2 though reduced site visits, and materials. info.uk@vega.com www.vega.com/vegapuls MCERTS VEGAMET 861/862 Controllers enable single or dual monitoring of MCERTS applications

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Flow and Level Measurement

1

Sewage Pumping, WwTW and MCERTS Metering On the 29th March 2021, the UK Government announced measures to put into law new duties on water companies to reduce sewage discharged into waterways.

Quoting from UK Government site www.gov. uk/government/news/measures-to-reduceharm-from-storm-overflows-to-be-made-law: “During wet weather, storm overflows act to prevent sewers becoming overloaded with a combination of sewage and rain and release diluted wastewater into rivers. However, their use has increased in recent years as climate change has led to greater rainfall and water infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth.” The announcement goes on to outline three key duties which it aims to put into law: a duty on government to publish a plan

by September 2022 to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows; a duty on government to report to Parliament on progress on implementing the plan; and a duty on water companies to publish data on storm overflow operation on an annual basis.

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The data required by government is only going to come from one source – dynamic flow measurement of wastewater, whether existing or new.

Past convention has generally held that ultrasonic wastewater flow measurement in closed-pipes is the domain of doppler ultrasonic technology, a technique first promoted in the 1980’s that is 100% reliant upon ultrasound reflected from suspended solids within the flow stream. However, in practice doppler technology frequently fails to deliver the expected levels of real-world performance required for accurate wastewater monitoring.

However, Transit Time (or Time of Flight) ultrasonic metering from FLEXIM provides optimum levels of flow measurement performance and repeatability for wastewater flows of up to at least 10% solids (or gas breakout) by volume and has been proven to work with substantially superior performance in countless wastewater applications. Factory calibrated to +/-0.3% flow measurement uncertainty, installed

performance can be as good as +/-1% if provided with sufficient straight lengths. Naturally, straight lengths are frequently unavailable within the confines of SPS buildings, but when required, optimum measurement uncertainty can be achieved by adding a second ultrasound channel for greater flow profile averaging.

Whatever the arrangement implemented, FLEXIM’s repeatability of +/-0.15% can be relied upon for wastewater monitoring and trending confidence.

Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) Rising Mains

It is widely acknowledged that rising mains have the highest failure rate per unit length of any type of water industry pipeline asset.

Rising main failures will frequently result in loss of service and pollution events or sewer flooding, particularly in larger mains where there is no possibility of tanker use to divert all the flow. Reactive repair of rising main bursts will also come with the likely additional cost

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Flow and Level Measurement

2

3 4

5 of pollution fines and is substantially more expensive than a planned outage.

measurement of compliance with pass forward flow (PFF) to WwTW.

Rather than waiting for the inevitable alarms from multiple SPS sites after heavy inundation, installing and monitoring dynamic flow meter data provides early warning of flow outside consent limits and directs operatives to the most critical sites before costly overspills occur.

WwTW designed and built > 30 years ago are frequently expected to perform to the same design specifications decades later, despite population growth and the continuously expanding conurbations and more frequent extreme weather events.

Despite the challenges of minimum space available within SPS buildings in dry or wet wells, it is rare that a FLEXIM WD Series meter cannot be fitted to an acceptable section of pipe. Where space within the pumping station building is simply too cramped, it is often possible to excavate a section of pipe beyond the SPS walls. FLEXIM meters supplied with IP68 transducers are simply attached to the pipe and then backfilled with pea-shingle, then topped off as appropriate to each site’s local requirements.

WwTW FFT, PFF and MCERTS Metering

FLEXIM meters can assist in meeting one of the key challenges of PR19/AMP7, namely

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But upgrade investment plans cannot be developed without real time, reliable flow data upon which to base new plant designs.

Implementation of inline closed-pipe Flow to Full Treatment (FFT) and Pass Forward Flow (PFF) monitoring can often be costly and only achieved during planned outages (with associated customer service interruptions).

However, this can be avoided if utilising FLUXUS WD Series clamp-on metering from FLEXIM. WD Series clamp-on meters can easily be installed without any process interruption or outages and assist with the prevention of premature discharges from storm water retention tanks, reducing the number of discharges into local watercourses.

All FLEXIM WD Series meters are MCERTS certified and are also available with IP68

6 1 Installing an IP68 buried flowmeter 2

3

4

Typical MCERTS IP68 flooded chamber installations plus FLUXUS WD transmitter in kiosk 5

6

Typical SPS meter installations on very short rising main pipe lengths

transducers for full submersion in flooded chambers.

For further information on how FLEXIM can deliver highly accurate wastewater, or even RAS or SAS metering at optimum cost, and without any supply interruption, contact: sales@flexim.co.uk 01606 781 420

www.flexim.co.uk

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Contact FLEXIM to discuss solutions to achieve your AMP 7 objectives: FLEXIM Instruments UK Ltd Theatre Court, London Road Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 5HB

Tel: 01606 781 420 sales@flexim.co.uk www.flexim.co.uk

Flow and Level Measurement

80GHz technology puts Continuous Level Measurement on SICK’s radar An innovative non-contact radar sensing technology from SICK is opening up the prospect of robust and reliable real-time monitoring of fluid levels in demanding water industry applications.

SICK LFR SicWave is a fluid level sensor with maximum range of 30m that represents a breakthrough in technology for continuous measurement of levels in water and wastewater treatment tanks and vessels.

Non-Contact Breakthrough

The SICK SicWave uses higher-frequency 80 gigahertz free-space radar to overcome the limitations of lower-frequency radar sensors or mechanical devices to achieve precision continuous level measurement.

Where previously operators have settled for switch point level indication or have been defeated by the challenges of using noncontact sensors in harsh environments, the narrowly-focused microwave pulses of the SICK SicWave sensors penetrate through vapour and material build-up to output highlyaccurate results.

Darren Pratt, SICK’s UK product manager for industrial instrumentation explains: “Anyone who needs to measure the levels of liquids in storage tanks will understand the frustrations that can be caused when trying to achieve a reliable level measurement using a non-contact optical or radar principle when the signal is disrupted by the presence of vapour or build-up of residue, or by other obstructions in the vessel.

“When positioned at the top of a tank, a SICK SicWave sensor sends a highly-focused narrow beam of microwave radar pulses and uses the time-of-flight principle to return a high-quality signal even at exceptionally long ranges or extreme temperatures and pressures.”

High Availability

The SICK LFR SicWave 80 GHz free-space radar sensors are a thousand times more sensitive than previous-generation 26 GHz radar technologies, ensuring high availability in even the most challenging environments with minimal maintenance requirements. The narrow field of view also avoids the potential for false signals caused by deposits on walls or by other obstructions inside the vessel and ensures focused alignment to enable simple and rapid set-up.

Remote set-up and interrogation of the sensors is straightforward, either using the on-board WPAN interface to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth or through standard HART communication, which also enables easy integration with higher level controls and diagnostic systems. The sensors have a standard 4 – 20 mA output, enabling signals to

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

H20 Metering LFR SicWave

be monitored and displayed on a dashboard in a cloud environment using IIoT gateways such as SICK’s Telematic Data Collector.

The SICK SicWave LFR fluid level sensors come in a wide range of space-saving antenna designs, versatile flange or thread process connections, and a range of applicationspecific mounting options. The robust IP66/ IP67 plastic or aluminium housings are ready for harsh industrial environments with an IP69 stainless steel housing available for use in hygienic environments. Variants with ATEX or IEC Ex certification are also available for use in explosive environments.

The SICK LFR SicWave measures fluid levels reliability between -196°C and +200°C, and process pressures between -1 and 25 bar.

“The 80 GHz free space radar technology, when combined with the wide-ranging

application versatility of these sensors, promises to be a true gamechanger for many operators working in demanding water treatment environments,” concludes Darren Pratt. “The LFR SicWave also offers a really useful non-contact solution for measuring the level of liquids in Intermediate Bulk Containers, a common requirement in the water industry. It can even do this through the plastic material of the IBC.” The SICK LFR SicWave free space radar sensors are complemented by SICK’s range of process instrumentation for level, temperature and pressure measurement.

For more information about the Sick SicWave LFR and LBR free-space radar sensors, please contact Andrea Hornby on 01727 831121 or email andrea.hornby@sick.co.uk www.sick.co.uk

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Flow and Level Measurement

Water companies investing in ‘Early Warning System’ in fight against fatbergs and flooding In April this year, a huge fatberg weighing approximately 300 tonnes was discovered in the sewers below Birmingham.

Even with engineers working around the clock, Severn Trent does not expect to complete the removal of this huge mound of cooking oil, grease and non-biodegradable items until June at the earliest.

This most recent discovery is the latest in the growing list of examples of the challenges faced by water companies in ensuring the smooth running of their waste water networks.

In 2021 alone, high profile examples of fatbergs have been discovered in not just Birmingham, but also Plymouth, Southend-on-Sea, London and Hull.

It is estimated that UK water companies spend £100m every year clearing 300,000 fatbergs from the sewers beneath our feet! And this is vital work, because blockages in the system can have devastating effects in the form of flooding and pollution events.

In the 12 months between April 2019 and March 2020, according to data from Water UK, over 3,700 properties in the UK were internally flooded by sewage, while there were 27,127 cases of private lands or gardens that experienced sewage flooding.

Flooding, and pollution events caused by flooding, can have dramatic consequences and water companies take their responsibilities to avoiding these seriously.

Huge investments have been made into a wide range of solutions to blockages, both technical and awareness-led, and this has had a positive impact. In fact, Water UK suggests that customers are 8 times less likely to suffer

These monitors are an important tool in our armoury in the fight against sewer blockages. The data they provide gives us a picture of what’s happening in our sewers and helps us to nip blockages in the bud before they cause problems.

Anna Boyles, Thames Water Operations Manager

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sewer flooding than they were in the early 1990’s, so measurable progress has definitely been made.

However, while great strides have been taken, additional challenges such as climate change and population growth are impacting on the ability of a Victorian-era sewer system to function successfully.

With weather systems being significantly altered by climate change, already stretched sewer networks will be expected to cope with greater intensities of rainfall more frequently.

Population growth compounds this problem, particularly in England, where the government has set a target for the construction of 300,000 new homes every year.

These developments, often in already highly urbanised areas, add additional demand to already challenged sewer systems and create additional risks. After all, flooding and pollution events in highly populated areas are more likely to affect more people, costing more to fix and to compensate for.

While progress has been made, water companies are not resting on their laurels and are continuing to invest in newer, more advanced technological solutions, including NBIoT telemetry-based flow and level monitoring.

Thames Water, for example, has been proactively working on a variety of waste

water sewer monitoring projects including sewer depth monitoring (SDM) deployments and the installation of HWM’s new earlywarning SpillSens level monitoring and blockage alert system.

On average, Thames Water spends £18 million every year clearing 75,000 blockages from its complex 68,000-mile sewer network and is at the forefront of embracing digital technology to prevent flooding and pollution events.

Discussing the installation of SpillSens, Thames Water Operations Manager Anna Boyles explains that “these new sewer level monitors are the very latest bit of kit – they’ve only just come onto the market”.

“These monitors are an important tool in our armoury in the fight against sewer blockages.

The data they provide gives us a picture of what’s happening in our sewers and helps us to nip blockages in the bud before they cause problems.”

The investment that Thames Water is making, along with the other UK water companies that are also investing greatly, is paying dividends.

The more regular discovery of blockages, before flooding and pollution events occur, is evidence that early warning systems and real-time data analysis are successful methods for maintaining the smooth operations of this critical infrastructure. www.hwmglobal.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

SpillSens ATEX-Certified Digital Float Sensor

Using digital positioning technology, SpillSens monitors rising levels in waste water networks, acting as an effective early warning system for blockages and sewer overflows. www.hwmglobal.com

Custom solutions Wherever pressure sensors are needed, a solution can normally be found in the KELLER standard product catalog. However, there are often great benefits to optimising a product specifically for integration and use in existing complete systems. In addition to outwardly identifiable components such as housing parts or plugs, this also includes the inner workings of the sensor. We produce a large number of individual parts in-house and establish close working relationships with our suppliers, enabling us to make a wide variety of modifications with ease.

Shared expertise for the perfect sensor solutions

with all the applicable legal regulations and standards.

Our customers are specialists in their field: they know the requirements and operating conditions best. Since 1974, KELLER has been harnessing the potential of piezoresistive sensor technology to see numerous challenging projects through to completion.

In all of these projects, a mutual exchange of expertise was essential to their success.

Sharing our knowledge is what enables us to find the best sensor solution.

Even applications that may appear trivial at first glance can prove highly complex upon closer analysis. By taking the actual usage conditions of the sensor into consideration right from the outset, we can achieve major improvements in effectiveness and durability.

And this holds true whatever the application – from fill level sensors in rainwater tanks to ultra-precise laboratory instruments, and even rocket science.

No matter the task at hand, the expert advice from our sales engineers and developers is a vital piece of the puzzle. Whether an existing product can be used – possibly with suitable modifications – or a new development is needed depends entirely on the customer‘s project. Together, we look at the requirements to determine the properties needed for flawless measurement. Armed with many years of experience, we take a close look at all the factors involved and their various interdependencies.

Measuring ranges & performance

First of all, we define the basic sensor specifications such as overall measuring range, accuracy, calibration to specific measuring points and units of pressure, or scaling of the output signal. Products with a digital signal output have additional factors that also need to be determined, such as sampling rate or signal resolution. The values defined at this stage form the starting point for selecting components.

Perfectly tuned to the ambient conditions

Another crucial requirement is taking the ambient conditions into consideration. Not only does this increase the service life of the

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Electronics & configuration

The main function of the electronics is to prepare the measurement signal, as well as possibly to save it and output it via a suitable interface. Customers can also request that application-specific calculations be integrated in the firmware, or ask for special device and software configurations. Once again, there are other requirements that depend on the environment, such as extended lightning protection, EMC or explosion protection.

Intrinsically safe products can also be specially configured to match the parameters of the customer‘s overall system. sensor, it is also an essential prerequisite for correct measurements. If the pressurised system operates with a large overpressure or with dynamic loads, the sensor design must be optimised for these particular demands. With some applications or neighbouring system parts, there is a risk of signal distortion or component failure due to vibration or shock.

Temperature also has a major impact on all materials and their resistance. Complications can be caused not just by extreme temperature values but also by rapid changes in temperature. Another equally important factor is chemical resistance. The materials used for housings and seals must be carefully selected, otherwise they risk being damaged by aggressive measuring media. External factors such as petrol fumes, UV radiation, salt water or even microorganisms can also cause problems. It is therefore essential that all relevant factors be considered. Of course, even finely tuned designs still have limits, and additional protective measures may be needed.

Mechanical design

When designing a sensor, all the above points must be taken into consideration. A device‘s performance is heavily influenced by the sensor design, from the choice of sensor chip and coupling medium through to the materials and production techniques used.

In addition, customers may have particular requests concerning shape and size, pressure connections and so on. And of course, any specific requirements pertaining to the area of application must be complied with, along

Electrical interfaces & connections

Digital interfaces can be configured for specific communication protocols, or modified to suit the customer‘s needs. Meanwhile, analog interfaces also continue to play a vital role in sensor technology. KELLER is highly experienced in developing application-specific solutions based on both of these principles, including devices with light wave and frequency outputs. For electrical connections, the necessary plugs can be integrated into the design, while cable outlets can be specified by the customer.

Labelling

In addition to customer logos, it is also possible to have functional markings applied to the product, either by means of laser inscription or by printing information on labels. These may include part codes, serial numbers, data matrix codes or guide marks. Customers can also specify a colour-coding scheme for the connecting wires. For consumer products such as manometers, a personalised design that includes the customer‘s logo can be applied to the front panel. keller-druck.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal te-cycTM is an advanced cyclic activated sludge process for simultaneous nitrification / denitrification and enhanced biological Phosphorus removal in a single stage. Available as a modular off-site manufactured solution as well as conventional design for on site construction. ¡ Sustainable N&P Removal

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www.te-tech.co.uk

Wastewater Treatment and Technology

Morrison Water Services on site with the Trimble Catalyst system

Information Flow Straight forward, cost-effective and short-listed. Generating savings of over £20k in its first phase, a project designed and delivered by Morrison Water Services (MWS) on behalf of Yorkshire Water has achieved industry recognition and a place on the Water Industry Awards 2021 short list thanks to its simple workflow and innovative use of geospatial technology.

MWS, a part of M Group Services, is the UK’s largest, dedicated, independent utility service provider working on behalf of regulated asset owners across the electricity, gas and water sectors.

Providing end to end solutions, the company assists a number of water and sewage providers including Yorkshire Water, who MWS are currently working with on a project to digitally record and update attribute information on wastewater assets along thousands of metres of pipeline.

New ways of working

Although MWS were already familiar with digital data capture techniques, their existing system could not deliver the precise accuracies required to capture drainage levels on the Yorkshire Water project. This meant that assets collected with the existing system would lack precision resulting in disjointed information and the need for additional data checking time in the office. Additionally, MWS were aware that if real-time 1-2 centimetre accuracy was to be achieved, they could be looking at a survey grade system, which would be a heavy investment for an application of this type.

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However, through the MWS Business Improvement Platform, (a programme for the implementation of innovation and best practices), the team in the Northern Area was introduced to an innovative data collection solution that could address their aspirations.

Namely to find a simple, low-cost, accurate, integrated data capture system that would not only fulfil their needs in the field but also provide a straightforward way for the storing, viewing and reporting of the collected information.

Christopher Harris (MWS Regional Technical Manager) agreed to look at how this technology could potentially benefit the Yorkshire Water project and others like it, whilst Andrew Stephenson (MWS Design Manager) was assigned to support the technology and workflow during an initial trial.

The low-cost system in question comprised Trimble’s Catalyst GNSS, KOREC Capture data collection software running on an Android phone (in this case, Trimble’s rugged TDC600) and KOREC’s secure, cloud-based portal.

Lightweight and highly portable the field

system would be perfect for MWS surveyors who were covering up to 5km daily.

Innovative, simple workflow and automated generation of complex reports

In order to create a workflow that exactly fitted the requirements of the project, Andrew Stephenson worked in partnership with KOREC over a test period. During the trial, customised forms for data collection were set up with KOREC’s guidance and both parties reviewed the best way to report on the collected information and view it within the portal.

Once satisfied that the technology would deliver in the field and office, three systems were purchased by MWS. A typical daily workflow sees each surveyor sent the location of a stretch of pipeline to be surveyed. The surveyor then completes the compulsory fields in the form including the 1-2cm position, the type and accessibility of chamber, depth of chamber etc. A time stamped, geo-referenced photo of the asset is also added. Finally, there is a walkover to

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Wastewater Treatment and Technology

capture all the information for the ‘as built’ and Health and Safety documentation. The system then automatically generates a report for that asset in a PDF format.

The automatic generation of these complex reports is a major factor in the success of the system for MWS. All data and pictures pertaining to the asset are drawn together in a process that requires no human intervention, saving valuable time and resources which in turn, free up MWS staff to attend to other important business matters.

Once an asset is completed, all collected information is automatically sent to the portal for checking where anyone with permission and an internet connection can view real-time information on each asset. From the portal, all data can be exported and used to populate the client’s GIS, via the positional information, with a number of standard GIS formats available including SHP, KML and CSV.

Minimal hardware investment

One of the attractions of the system was that it kept hardware costs to a minimum on three levels: Trimble Catalyst – Trimble’s highly innovative GNSS is a subscription based software receiver with cost depending on usage and accuracy.

The only hardware needed is a low-cost Trimble receiver. The system supports basic Android phones and tablets.

KOREC Capture data collection software – developed by KOREC mapping, Capture runs on a range of data loggers and phones.

KOREC Portal – secure, cloud hosting providing fast access to information for stakeholders from anywhere with an internet connection, reducing impact on existing IT departments and avoiding the need for additional hardware.

By the end of phase 1 of the project, Andrew believes that not only have their three systems greatly improved the workflow but also contributed to savings of in excess of £20k.

COVID safe and reduction in emissions

A paperwork free system provides a far more COVID friendly way of working, eliminating the need to visit the office or handle physical documents. A reduction in travel for resurveys has also helped reduce the MWS operational carbon footprint by an estimated 1.43 tonnes.

Additionally, due to remote working, there

PDF of automated report

have been significant time savings cutting out 60 days of travel (around 10,000 miles) during the project.

Successful completion of Phase 1

Andrew reports that Phase 1 of the project has been completed successfully, on time and on budget, delivering real benefits to the design process of MWS’s projects. “To be able to capture data from site with 1-2cm accuracy using just a mobile app and a Trimble Catalyst is second to none! The hardware used in the field makes it perfect for staff with mixed IT experience and the ability to export data in a variety of files widens its range of potential uses adding even more value and driving significant efficiencies across the industry.”

Phase 2 of the project with Yorkshire Water is now underway.

Key benefits of the new workflow: Cost-effective – over £20k saved in the first phase of the project.

Reduction in carbon emissions – less travel for resurveys has reduced the MWS carbon footprint by an estimated 1.43 tonnes.

Additionally, remote working has cut out 60 days of travel (around 10,000 miles) during the project.

Automated reports – complex asset reports created with no human intervention saving time and resources.

Affordable 1-2cm precision data collection – minimal low-cost hardware required, just Trimble Catalyst and a phone.

Reduced rework - using the portal, ability to verify that work is correct and complete before the surveyor leaves the site.

No paperwork – reducing the need to visit the office and consequently a reduction in carbon emissions and travel time.

COVID safe workflow – no physical paperwork or visits the office required.

Single source of information – portal provides a single source for real-time asset positional and attribute information.

Trimble Catalyst DA1 Antenna

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Trimble TDC600

Many thanks to Andrew Stephenson, Design Manger, MWS, for supplying the information and pictures for this story. www.morrisonws.com

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Wastewater Treatment and Technology

Dairy wastewater treatment and design What is dairy wastewater? and how is it treated? Due to the continuing growth of milk production, wastewater from dairies is considered one of the largest sources of industrial wastewater. Much of this wastewater is derived from the cleaning and maintenance processes involved, however, water is used throughout dairy production including disinfection, heating and cooling, and more.

This wastewater contains contaminants that need to be treated effectively. Ineffective trade effluent treatment methods lead to harmful environmental effects. For example, dairy wastewater has a high level of milk constituents which raise BOD levels in natural environments.

Enduramaxx provides its customers with the most reliable and effective wastewater treatment options available anywhere.

What are the characteristics of dairy wastewater?

Dairy wastewater contains high levels of BOD (biological oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), TSS (total suspended solids), sulphates, grease, chlorides. Unsurprisingly, dairy wastewater is also composed of milk constituents like casein, inorganic salts.

Detergents and sanitisers from cleaning processes are also present.

These contaminants also contribute to an increased BOD and COD levels which have a drastic impact on the environment if it’s not treated properly. Various treatment methods are available including anaerobic and aerobic treatments or a combination of both.

Environmental Impact of Dairy Wastewater

The dairy industry is one of the biggest sources of industrial wastewater in the world. It is also one of the biggest polluters. On average, around 2.5 litres of wastewater is generated for every litre of milk processed. The volume and flow rate of this trade effluent, however, varies depending on the particular dairy product.

Untreated wastewater with significantly high levels of BOD or COD, for example, will reduce

the dissolved oxygen (DO) in water. This causes stress and harm to the natural organisms present in the water. It’s necessary to have a trade effluent treatment method that lowers BOD, COD, pH levels, and other contaminants that are a risk to the environment.

Aside from being environmentally negligent, failure to adequately treat wastewater can result in severe legal penalties and loss of reputation for a business.

Treatment Methods – Dairy Wastewater

There is no one size fits all approach to the treatment of dairy wastewater. This is because of the varied composition and volume as well as the complexity of its biodegradability. Dairy trade effluent contains carbohydrates which can biodegrade far easier than the fats and proteins that are also present.

Screening As a pre-treatment, screening is always recommended for wastewater treatment. This

removes large particles and solids at an early stage, reducing BOD levels and preventing the risk of blockages in the pipes.

DAF Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) is a preferable chemical treatment for dairy wastewater as it removes soluble contaminants and colloids.

Enduramaxx stocks a range of DAF Sludge Storage tanks which can be used as part of an effective DAF treatment system.

Biological Treatments Following pre-treatments, biological treatments are necessary to remove any remaining impurities with the use of microorganisms. Anaerobic treatments use microorganisms without the use of oxygen, while aerobic treatments do use oxygen. These microorganisms then help break down the biodegradable materials in the wastewater, reducing the risk of harmful effects on the environment.

One of the most popular aerobic methods for this type of wastewater is SBR (sequencing batch reactor) because of its loading capabilities and wastewater flexibility. Both Effluent Sludge Storage Tanks and Settlement tanks working in conjunction with this process.

Enduramaxx – Dairy Wastewater Processing

Enduramaxx stocks everything required for a complete wastewater treatment process for dairy industries. By installing a functional, on-site wastewater treatment system you can save your business time and money. Contact Enduramaxx today and one of our staff experts will be glad to advise you on your options. www.enduramaxx.co.uk

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

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ANIMAL WATERING BOWSER 400 LITRE

SEEPEX back mixing technology increases sludge throughput SEEPEX engineered solution encompassing progressive cavity pumps for dewatered sludge back mixing has increased sludge throughput at Anglian Water’s Cotton Valley cake import facility by 50%, enabling the site to generate more biogas, and delivering significant savings in logistics and cake storage costs.

Anglian Water is the largest water company in England and Wales by geographic area, supplying water and recycling services to over six million domestic customers, processing over 142,000 tonnes of dry solid sewage sludge in 2020-21 to generate 115GWh of bioenergy.

The Cotton Valley Sludge Treatment Centre (STC) is one of Anglian Water’s ten main STCs where sludge is dewatered and treated anaerobically to produce bioenergy. In 2008 an advanced digestion Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP) was commissioned to speed up the anaerobic digestion process. As part of an upgrade a sludge handling facility was designed to handle approx. 160 tonne a day of imported dewatered sludge from satellite works.

Long standing problematic application

Progressive cavity (PC) pumps (not SEEPEX) were installed to back mix the dewatered sludge and pump it into the THP. The two pumps were costing overall circa £100K per annum due to rotors and stators change every 3-6 months. Their inability to transfer no more than 3.5m3/h (bottleneck and limiting gas production) meant the site was not able to meet the design criteria limiting the amount of imported raw cake being handled to only 120 tonne per day. Additionally, prior to maintenance, the silo had to be emptied to allow the pumps to be worked on, but also cake imports from satellite sites had to be diverted whilst work was carried out resulting in substantial logistical costs.

SEEPEX was invited to survey the site based on their vast experience in pumping and mixing dewatered sludge within Anglian Water’s water recycling treatment sites and sludge treatment centres. Leigh Thornley, Engineer Pumps from SEEPEX BTES range handle highly viscous to semi-solid products from silos

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SEEPEX’s custom made 5m long pumps installed under existing silo. for SEEPEX, says: “We took pride in Anglian Water coming to SEEPEX with the opportunity to resolve a long standing problematic application.”

Custom-made

SEEPEX was asked for a complete turnkey package which included the removal of the existing pumps which were installed under a 7m high silo. The new pumps required custom made hoppers which were 5m long to fit under the existing silo, and being able to handle 5.5m3/hr of 16% DS sludge which had been back mixed within the pump from 25% DS and transfer this approx. 60m. Part of the SEEPEX solution was to offer standardisation of pump size with other sludge treatment centres within Anglian Water resulting in commonality of spare parts.

Productivity increased

SEEPEX supplied and installed two custommade pumps from their BTES range with a dimensionally identical hopper to fit within the same footprint of the original pumps whilst delivering over 55% increased throughput capacity from 3.5m3/hr to 5.5m3/hr.

SEEPEX BTES range pumps are designed to fit under silos, have custom made hoppers to suit the application and additionally incorporate an isolation devise to enable maintenance of the pumps to take place whilst sludge is left in the silo.

First-time fit

Due to the complexities of replacing the existing pumps and the restricted space, the SEEPEX Service Team carried out 3D modelling

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Due to the reliability and performance of the new SEEPEX pumps there is an increase in uptime of the cake import facility at Cotton Valley.

Luke Fish, Production Manager at Anglian Water

of the working area to ensure the pumps would fit first time. Over a two week period, the old pumps were removed and the new pumps installed all within the agreed project timeline.

Flexibility to meet production demands

Prior to the installation of the new pumps, Anglian Water were processing approx. 120 tonne per day of imported sludge cake with both pumps running. With the new pumps installed, the customer is now able to exceed this by 50% (from 120 tonne up to 180 tonne) whilst maintaining the same footprint and motor size.

The new SEEPEX pumps offer ample flexibility to meet the site’s production demands at lower speeds, which has a direct impact on reducing spare parts consumption. Since the pumps have been installed, no spare parts have been used and the service life has considerably exceeded that of the previous pumps.

A happy ending

“Due to the reliability and performance of the new SEEPEX pumps there is an increase in uptime of the cake import facility at Cotton Valley,” explains Luke Fish, Production Manager at Anglian Water. “This has not only allowed us to increase the sludge throughput on site and therefore generate more biogas but has also given us significant savings in logistics and raw cake storage costs.”

“Thanks to the capabilities and proven expertise of SEEPEX in cake pumping, installation and management of turnkey projects, we were able to deliver a complete engineered solution for Anglian Water from the initial consultation, site survey, start up and commissioning to continued after sales and service support”, continues Leigh.

SEPPEX Rotor Joint Access technology provides quick and easy access to the rotor-side joint

SEEPEX Big Pumps with Maintain-in-Place Technology Smart Maintenance. Fast and Simple.

SEEPEX, global leader in design, manufacture and applications of progressive cavity (PC) pumps, macerators and digital technology, continues to extend its world class portfolio of maintain-inplace pump technologies.

The suction casing and pressure branch remain in place, eliminating the need for pipework dismantling. The pump drive can then be quickly removed complete with mechanical seal, drive side universal joint and coupling rod.

The new patented BNM range of pumps with capacities up to 300 m3/hr and discharge pressures up to 48 bar can handle flowable to highly viscous products with a high dry solids content. The design features a suction casing that enables quick and easy access for rotor and stator removal without having to dismantle the rotor side joint. As a result, maintenance time can be reduced by up to 80% with a significant reduction in maintenance costs.

Unique Patented Solution

SEEPEX new ease of maintenance solution for big pumps complements our Smart Conveying Technology (SCT), launched in 2008 and still setting standards in the maintenance of smaller standard progressive cavity pumps, and Drive Joint Access (DJA) technology for open hopper pumps. All of these patented solutions increase uptime and plant availability.

www.seepex.com

With SEEPEX Drive Joint Access, the complete drive and coupling rod assembly can be easily removed from the back of the suction casing to service the mechanical seal or joints

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

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Phosphorus Removal

MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF PHOSPHORUS The financial constraints of Ofwat’s final determinations for PR19 now mean that water companies not only have to reduce phosphorus discharge levels but also ensure that this is achieved as cost effectively as possible. Here, Daniel Parry, Head of Sales Municipal and Industrial, at Veolia Water Technologies UK (VWT UK), looks at this, along with other key challenges facing the industry and explores some of the potential solutions.

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Phosphorus Removal

Phosphorus is a key issue in wastewater management due to the impact it has on the environment and the related targets that must be met to minimise this harm. Phosphorus can enter watercourses from a variety of sources such as excess fertilisers being washed into rivers as well as discharges from sewage treatment. If large quantities of phosphorus reach streams, rivers and lakes it can cause the water to become too nutrient rich and trigger algae blooms. This can deplete the oxygen in the water, resulting in the death of fish and other aquatic wildlife, and also block sunlight from reaching water based plants.

However, it is important to consider that phosphorus is a finite, valuable resource. It is a key ingredient in agricultural fertiliser and animal feed, and it is primarily obtained from mining. None of these mines are located in the UK or even Europe, meaning there is a significant environmental impact when importing from countries such as Morocco, China or the United States. Therefore, improving how it is used and managed in the UK will have wider positive effects for the environment.

For UK water companies, the current Asset Management Period (AMP7), which runs up to the end of 2024, presents a move away from ‘business as usual’ as they must meet stringent new targets set by Ofwat. This includes making water supplies more resilient, reducing leaks and striving for carbon neutrality by 2030.

However, these targets must also be met while reducing customers’ bills by 12% before inflation and providing financial support for those who struggle to pay.

Alongside this is the Government’s ambitious Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), a programme of investment that the Environment Agency expects all 20 water companies operating in England to complete by the end of 2024. This includes the implementation of approximately 1000 new final effluent phosphorus (P) consents as part of efforts to protect and improve at least 6000 km of watercourses, bathing waters, shellfish sites, nature conservation sites, as well as enhancing the biodiversity of nearly 900 km of river. As such, the scale of the work required in this AMP is significant and water companies will invest as much as £5 billion into the protection of the natural environment in the five year period up to the end of 2024.

Meeting the new P consent standards

There are a number of approaches that water companies can take to ensure they meet the required targets in the most cost effective way.

However, there is no single solution, and an integrated and holistic approach may be the most appropriate way to reap the benefits.

Firstly, water companies can engage with local landowners and farmers to limit the amount of fertiliser runoff from fields into the water network. However, farming is not the only source of phosphorus, and as a key part of agriculture it cannot be eliminated completely.

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Hydrotech Discfilter

In terms of making the best use of the existing treatment assets and resources, it may be possible for water companies to optimise their processes to increase their effectiveness and achieve higher levels of treatment.

Advances in technology have made it easier to monitor and improve the performance of wastewater treatment plants, and even the wider wastewater network. The growth of connected technologies means it is possible to use sensors to collect real-time data about the system’s performance. In partnership with a specialist, this information can be used to identify where improvements can be made.

Sophisticated algorithm-based optimisation such as that provided by Veolia Water Technologies’ Hubgrade digital management system can constantly monitor the technology and wastewater characteristics to maximise efficiency, reduce OPEX and allow the performance to remain at an optimal level.

However, where existing processes or plants cannot meet the new standards, there are a range of small footprint retrofit options, including enhanced tertiary treatments. By choosing a retrofit approach to make use of existing assets water companies can make capital expenditure (CAPEX) savings on installation and, with the right technology, reduce operational expenditure (OPEX) going forward.

There are a number of solutions on the market that are ideal for phosphorus removal and offer flexibility and space efficiency. Two of the most common approaches are a ballasted flocculation process or a woven cloth filter system.

For example, our Actiflo process offers a very high flow rate and a compact footprint. In fact, the footprint is four to eight times smaller than lamella or dissolved air flotation (DAF) clarifiers and up to 50 times smaller than conventional clarification systems. Similarly, our Hydrotech Discfilter is typically 50 to 75% smaller than traditional filtration processes but provides two to three times more filter area

compared to alternative technologies of the same external dimensions. Both technologies are proven to meet very tight phosphorus discharge levels.

Alternatively, for water companies looking to reduce costs further, phosphorus recovery offers a way to meet the stringent targets while reducing waste disposal costs and creating a new revenue stream.

This technology allows the phosphorus to be extracted from the wastewater as the phosphate mineral struvite. This can then be sold for reuse in fertiliser production, creating a circular economy in the use of this valuable resource. The added revenue also helps offset the initial capital cost, so the payback period of this technology is shorter. Implementing a recovery process also helps reduce costs further and lowers the environmental impact through reduced sludge production.

Future of phosphorus

It is important that water companies take a long term view when investing in new plant and equipment to ensure the chosen solutions will allow easy and cost effective upgrades to meet future demands. Although it can be tempting to focus on the immediate obligations, selecting the lowest cost solution that meets those requirements is not always the best solution. Higher quality systems that offer greater flexibility or capacity can also provide greater long term value.

With so many challenges currently facing water companies – it can be incredibly valuable to partner with a water treatment specialist. Collaborating with a team that has the knowledge and technical insight as well as a wide range of solutions to draw upon will mean companies are in the best possible position to formulate a strategy that benefits both the environment and its own operations.

For more information on VWT UK’s technologies and services, please visit www.veoliawatertechnologies.co.uk

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Phosphorus Removal

Combined expertise brings an innovative approach to phosphorus removal in AMP7 The Trant Group is pleased to announce the launch of Te-Tech Process Solutions.

Building on Trant’s success as an EPC contractor in the water industry, the new company will be providing innovative products for water and wastewater treatment using advanced process technologies.

Te-Tech’s products are designed, manufactured and assembled offsite for rapid delivery, installation and commissioning. With in-house capability including process, mechanical and electrical design, digital engineering, operational optimisation and real-time control, Te-Tech has the flexibility to engineer bespoke systems from standard packages to meet the exacting needs of clients in the municipal, industrial and commercial water and wastewater sectors. Business Development Director, Mike Froom, says “Our strategic partnership with Austrian environmental engineering group SFC Umwelttechnik allows us to offer some novel technologies including advanced biological treatment, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and membrane bioreactors.”

To address key AMP 7 demands, Te-Tech has introduced te-cycTM cyclic activated sludge, a technology well suited for wastewater treatment works required to meet 1 mg/l P phosphorus residuals without chemical dosing. “The process achieves 0.3 mg/l P with a small dose of chemicals”, says Froom, “and 0.1 mg/l P with the addition of tertiary filtration.” The process is an enhanced sequencing batch reactor (SBR), where primary treatment, secondary biological treatment and tertiary settling are combined in a single process step.

The te-cycTM is configured with two or more batch tanks installed in parallel with their sequences out of phase with each other allowing for a continuous flow through the system . Therefore, the te-cycTM can be regarded as a cyclic activated sludge process.

Unlike traditional SBR systems, no upstream buffer tank is required for the system, which ultimately reduces the overall site footprint by approximately 50% compared to conventional continuous flow technologies. The unique features of te-cycTM include simultaneous nitrification/denitrification during the aeration

Typical te-cycTM Arrangement

phase and the selector zone for biomass conditioning, which distinguish the process from other traditional SBR type processes.

The anaerobic selector zone and internal recycle of the te-cycTM system allows for the formation of so-called “macroflocs” in which extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by the floc-forming microorganisms under stress conditions act as a “glue” between them. They also provide perfect conditions for the growth of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs). These organisms release polyphosphates contained within them in the selector zone and then take up a greater amount of phosphate from the surrounding bulk liquor within the aerated zone. The phosphate-rich organisms are then periodically removed with the settled sludge during the period of sludge wasting

“Our strategic partnership with Austrian environmental engineering group SFC Umwelttechnik allows us to offer some novel technologies including advanced biological treatment, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and membrane bioreactors.”

Mike Froom, Business Development Director

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in the decant phase. Each macrofloc particle contains an external aerobic zone and an internal anoxic zone even during the aeration phase, and this means that both nitrification and denitrification occur simultaneously within the same reactor zone and cycle phase, reducing both the required reactor volume and overall cycle time when compared to traditional ASP or SBR processes.

Whilst the te-cycTM process is well established with over 600 reference plants with capacities ranging from 200 to 1.2 million population equivalents, Te-Tech Process Solutions have developed a range of off-site manufactured standard modular plants in response to a growing demand for a more sustainable solution to achieve tightening phosphorus consents on small to medium sized treatment works.

The in-house manufacture and assembly of the package plants drives quality, programme reductions, cost efficiencies and minimisation of exposure to risks associated with onsite installation activities. As a single stage modular treatment solution, te-cycTM provides a compact and resilient solution for small treatment works in AMP 7. mike.froom@te-tech.co.uk Tel: 023 8235 1600

www.te-tech.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Phosphorus Removal

Alkaline Chemical Phosphorous Removal with Magmex from OMEX Environmental friendly magnesium hydroxide suspensions.

The primary functions of Magmex include increasing the pH to neutral/alkaline zones, while additionally increasing the alkalinity in the effluent treatment plant. Magmex is easy to control operationally and produces lower metal hydroxide sludge volumes. Magmex can also be used to effectively precipitate phosphate.

Many industrial manufacturing processes will result in the production of acidic waste streams. Where these undergo on site treatment, they are likely to require neutralisation before discharge, in order to comply with a discharge consent. Many of these on site processes taking place include the treatment of effluents, which are the source of high phosphate concentrations.

Relevant local authority discharge levels are becoming more stringent following recent changes in environmental legislation, with the control of phosphate in wastewaters being a key factor in controlling and preventing the eutrophication of surface waters. Phosphorous is a key element for all living systems, however global supplies are gradually being exhausted and hence there is a continuously growing demand for the extraction of phosphorus from wastewater effluents and sludges to allow for its recovery and re-use. To capture the phosphorus certain chemical conditions are required, which will be affected by pH and settling time.

OMEX Environmental Ltd manufacture and supply Magmex, which is a range of non- hazardous, user- and environmentally-

By correcting to higher pH values, using Magmex 1060, the waste stream will achieve acceptable discharge pH, and with allowing sufficient settling time, Magmex can also remove up to 90% of the Total and Soluble Phosphates.

OMEX Environmental Ltd manufacture and supply Magmex 740, a magnesium hydroxide only suspension and Magmex 1060 which is a specialised mix consisting of magnesium and calcium hydroxides engineered and developed

by OMEX Environmental.

Depending on the concentrations of the influent phosphate, Chemical Oxygen Demand

(COD), nitrate (NO3-N) and ammonium (NH4-N) levels, either Magmex 740 or Magmex 1060 can be utilised in order to minimise the concentrations of COD, nitrates, and phosphorus in the discharge effluent.

Due to the nature of Magmex and its buffering capability, it can achieve stable pH values as well as significant phosphate removal at low consumption. Assuming average temperatures and pressures, the solubility limits are not exceeded and crystallisation conditions are not achieved. Therefore, the formation of Struvite is kept to minimum levels. This is because the concentrations of soluble magnesium, ammonium and orthophosphate remain at low levels.

OMEX offer support with the product during application by analysing samples throughout the process in their fully equipped laboratory, in order to recommend process optimisation solutions.

Visit www.omex.co.uk or email environmental@omex.co.uk

Case Study – Removal of Total and Soluble phosphates from a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

A municipal wastewater having a pH of 7.6, total phosphate concentration of 22.07 ppm and a soluble phosphate concentration of 0.24 ppm underwent phosphate removal using Magmex by increasing the pH to a value of 10 in a non-biological environment.

After 1 hour of settling time, the total phosphate removal was more than 90%. When the samples were allowed to settle for 24 hours, a further 42% was removed from the remaining total phosphate concentrations. The overall removal rate of soluble phosphate over the 24 hours was approximately 80%. A reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was also noticed during the 24 hours, measuring approximately 76%. A reduction in nitrate content (NO3-N) was also observed with some change in ammonium concentrations (NH4-N) over the same period.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Nutrients & Neutralisers For all types of wastewater treatment

Reduce Operational Costs Comply with Trade Effluent Discharge Regulations Improve Overall Plant Performance

@OMEXCompanies

01553 770092 www.omex.co.uk Email: environmental@omex.com

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

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Phosphorus Removal

Removal of Phosphorus in off-mains decentralized wastewater treatment plants (<50 people equivalent (PE)) Humans, as all living creatures, require nutrients (i.e. nitrogen and phosphorus) to maintain vital functions. When the appropriate facilities are not present and/or are inadequate to treat our metabolic nutrient-based by-products, in the form of sewage, environmental problems such as deterioration of aquatic systems and poor quality of water occurs (i.e. Eutrophication). Premier Tech Water and Environment has a moral obligation to improve the state of the heavily eutrophicated waters of Great Britain.

By Dr Evangelos Petropoulos Technical Manager, Premier Tech Water and Environment

Today, there is no exact regulation that defines the level of nutrients from wastewater effluents to characterise them contaminated.

Thus, contamination becomes a qualitative parameter that varies as per the state of the discharge water body.

Wastewater is rich in nutrients, mainly in the form of ammonia-N and phosphorus.

Currently, Environmental Agencies in Great Britain regulate mainly against the former (typically <20mgNH3/4-N/L) but rarely for the latter. These treatment levels, especially for small installations (<50 People Equivalent (PE)), are not adequate to nullify the probability of environmental deterioration.

This leads to Eutrophication, a result from the excess phosphorus (TP) by-products in the water that occurs when these nutrients reach to a level where the aqueous ecosystem cannot ‘purify’ itself. As per the OECD, “Eutrophication is the nutrients’ enrichment of water causing structural changes to the ecosystem such as increased algae production and aquatic flora, depletion of fish species (due to hypoxia), deterioration of water quality and other effects that render water impossible to use”.

Only minor phosphorus concentration is required in the presence of light and oxygen to lead to eutrophication (<0.1mgTP/L after dilution with the water body). Hence, to deplete such likelihood, effluents with concentrations of less than 1.0mgTP/L need to be considered.

Typically, phosphorus from wastewater is removed biologically, or via chemical precipitation.

In large installations, such removal takes place using SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) technology. Biological phosphorus removal in SBR-based systems is dictated by the uptake of phosphorus by bacteria known as polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAO). This is typically achieved by alternating anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic conditions (switching electron acceptors) in the presence of easily-degradable organic carbon (usually in the form of volatile fatty acids for wastewater).

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The carbon is stored in the PAO cells as intracellular polymer (polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)) to be later processed under anoxic and/ or aerobic conditions. In the subsequent stage, PAO oxidize the stored PHA to gain energy, glycogen replenishment, and phosphorus uptake.

Apart from bioaccumulation, chemical precipitation of poorly soluble compounds is required for better phosphorus-removal efficiency. Typically, Alum and/or Iron salts are introduced for the precipitation of phosphorus.

At Premier Tech Water and Environment, we scaled down conventional SBR technologies and optimized the timed phases to achieve biological removal of phosphorus. Specifically, after trialing we found that total phosphorus can drop from 9mg/L to 2.3mg/L as an average from a test that lasted for a year.

Although this efficiency is quite good, reaching approximately 75%, is still not ideal considering that lower concentrations are essential to prevent from Eutrophication.

To improve efficiency, we introduced dosing of a polyelectrolyte (PAC). Co-precipitation not only improves effluent phosphate levels, but also removes biological oxygen demand,

heavy metals, organic micropollutants and viruses. The minimised dose, due to the major biological phosphorus removal, reduces the likelihood for environmental pollution from the polyelectrolyte itself and nullifies the likelihood for bacterial inhibition. This method resulted to an effluent that could consistently deliver an effluent with less than 0.7mgTP/L. The findings demonstrate that co-precipitation could enhance phosphorus removal, which is especially efficient for influents with a low C:P ratio (i.e. domestic wastewater).

This is a revolutionary approach for the decentralized off-mains wastewater treatment. Today, we estimate more than 800,000 properties in the UK are off-mains.

With an average of 3 PE per property and an average phosphorus production per PE at 1.5gTP per PE per day, we estimate that the British waters (surface and underground) receive an average of 3,600 kgTP per day!

Using combined biological/chemical systems we can reduce this load by ≈90% making a significant difference in the water quality of our country.

PT-WaterEnvironment.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

15th & 16th Sept 2021 The NEC, Birmingham, UK PRE-REGISTER FOR FREE ENTRY!

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ChemUK 2021 Preview

CHEMUK BACK IN 2021 – BIGGER AND BETTER The CHEMUK 2021 supply-chain expo and speaker programme returns on the 15th & 16th September 2021 at the NEC in Birmingham.

CHEMUK 2021 will bring together the UK’s chemicals, chemical processing and chemical product formulation industries, providing an intensive 2-day supply chain sourcing, business networking, intelligence gathering, best-practice and strategy development experience.

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300+ specialist supply chain exhibitors spanning 10,000+ sqm of floor, more than 40 hours of free expert conference programmes, panel & feature programmes, unique sector wide networking opportunities and lots more await 2021 attendees, over TWO packed days.

NEW FOR 2021 will be the ‘CHEMSOURCE’ Zone that will see an expansion of the exhibits space and speaker programme coverage, relating to Specialty Chemicals, Ingredients & Raw Materials supply chain & sourcing.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

ChemUK 2021 Preview

2-DAY CHEMICALS INDUSTRY SUPPLY CHAIN EXPO CHEMUK 2021 will provide visitor groups with a diverse and impressive showcase of 300+ specialist exhibitors showcasing latest plant, equipment, materials and services supporting the chemicals industries, driving product innovation, plant & process performance, future-proofing, supply-chain fulfilment, safety, compliance and more.

Key exhibition focus streams, featuring latest industry solutions, technology, innovations, partners and specialist services include: Plant, Process, Flow & Control

Including: Process Plant & Equipment / Process Engineering / Process Control / Process Automation/ Flow Management / Plant & Asset Mgmt / Plant Optimisation / Process Intensification/ Digitalisation & QC

Chemicals, Ingredients, Raw Materials

Including: Industrial & Supply Chain Chemicals / Chemical & Formulation ingredients & additives / Raw Materials – for Chemicals processing & product formulation sectors/Green Chemistry

Heath, Safety, Environment, Regulatory

Including: HSE/ Process Safety / Hazard Management / Environment Compliance & Regulatory Management / Responsible Care/Risk & Asset Mgmt / Security

Logistics, Storage, Handling & Fulfilment

Including: Logistics & Transport / Supply Chain Mgmt / Warehousing & Storage / Loading & Handling / Industrial Packaging /Contract Processing& Fulfilment Services

Laboratory, Research & Development

Including: Laboratory chemicals / Lab Equipment, Apparatus & Instrumentation / Lab Testing/ Research & Development Services, Sector Innovation

Business & Operations Management

Including: Engineering & Technical Services / Business Support Services / Trade & Business Performance / Operational & Asset Mgmt / Brexit & Regulatory Mgmt

Skills, Training, HR & Recruitment

Including: Chemical /Process sector Careers, Skills, Training & recruitment

More than 150 ‘brand new exhibitors’ join the show floor for 2021 Major industry players through to niche solutions & services suppliers, from all sides of the sector, have joined into the packed exhibitor line up for the CHEMUK 2021 Supply Chain Expo, benefitting from new bigger venue of the NEC, Birmingham.

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Improving Drinking Water Quality

£20M IT UPGRADE FUTURE-PROOFS LONDON WATER SUPPLY The complex computer systems which control London’s drinking water supplies have been upgraded while keeping the taps running in a “monumental” £20 million project by Thames Water.

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Improving Drinking Water Quality

Moving from the 25-year-old RTAP system to the new ClearSCADA platform saw the replacement of multiple legacy and obsolete systems, while keeping customers in supply across the capital.

One of the largest of its type in Europe, the technology monitors output from the five big treatment works in London – Hampton, Coppermills, Walton, Ashford and Kempton – as well as more than 200 service reservoirs, pumping stations and boreholes, many of which are unmanned and need to be operated remotely.

Carly Bradburn, Thames Water’s head of digital operations, said: “The computer system oversees the production, treatment and delivery of up to 2.2 billion litres of drinking water every day. Replacing it has been a very complex and challenging project.”

The previous system had been more than 25 years old and software updates no longer available. Replacing it needed the engagement of multiple stakeholder groups, external suppliers and companies, something that been a vast undertaking.

The commissioning of the new system required checking and validating more than 700,000 data points, and around 100,000 functional, mimic, alarm and

user tests to ensure minimal operational disruption and risk.

“This has been a monumental achievement,” she said. “What once seemed impossible has been done.”

It took several months to migrate over to the new system, supplied by Schneider Electric, which ran alongside the old system to resolve any problems, before taking full control of the whole estate.

Mark Grimshaw, Thames Water’s head of London water production, said: “Investing in resilient systems and assets is one of our key priorities. There can’t be many more important projects than updating the technology that ensures a reliable water supply for one of the world’s major cities.

“Keeping the old system up and running while launching the new system alongside it has been a monumental effort by everyone involved – a great example of teamwork at its very best.”

Thames Water is the UK’s biggest water and wastewater services provider. Its key workers provide essential services around the clock to 15 million customers across London, the Thames Valley and surrounding areas.

For an average of just over £1 a day for each

household, it provides 2.6 billion litres of drinking water and safely remove 4.6 billion litres of wastewater every day.

It invested more than £1 billion again in 2019/20, leading to a total of £16 billion in the past 16 years.

Mark said: “We will continue to spend wisely on improving resilience, service and efficiency, as well as provide more support for customers in vulnerable circumstances.

“We also have additional responsibilities to society and the natural environment. What we do and how we do it delivers significant public value, which is why we have ambitious plans to self-generate more of our own power, reduce our carbon emissions and increase biodiversity across our sites.”

Keeping the old system up and running while launching the new system alongside it has been a monumental effort by everyone involved – a great example of teamwork at its very best.

Mark Grimshaw, Thames Water’s head of London water production

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

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Improving Drinking Water Quality

Welsh Water’s smarter catchment management Esri builds the world’s most powerful mapping and spatial analytics software. In the process, this global market leader in geographic information systems harnesses the concept of location, location, location to drive both efficiency and digital transformation for its clients.

Welsh Water covers more than half of Wales and manages 136 drinking water catchments that feed 61 water treatment works and as such, its catchment spatial risk analyst play an important role in delivering potable water to over three million customers.

The catchment risk analysis team, which sits within the wider Water Services Science department, has traditionally relied on huge amounts of data from raw water sampling, along with spot samples and field observations.

However, in recent years, it has also gathered intelligence from farmers and landowners and earth observation to better understand the root causes of deteriorating or changing raw water quality.

The analyst was keen to demonstrate how a spatial and more collaborative approach to managing data from a variety of sources could transform their provision of scientific evidence and advice to the wider water services team.

Catchment spatial risk analyst Jamie Phillips said: “Water from catchment areas reaching our treatment works needs to be of manageable and expected quality. Where situations are often unpredictable, new means and ways of working with spatial data is critical for us in our work, so we can produce tailored web and mobile apps within hours.”

The solution

Esri’s ArcGIS has historically been used by Welsh Water primarily to consolidate its network and asset-related data.

The catchment spatial risk analysts identified that, as a system of engagement, the ArcGIS platform could also be used to share and manage data both internally and externally, allowing them to work more collaboratively with stakeholders right across catchments.

The team duly set to, building what they have christened the WaterSource Portal, utilising out-of-the box functionality with no additional software licensing costs. It collates, analyses, records and manages spatial data to identify and predict issues affecting raw water quality.

Trialled in late 2018, the portal was quickly adopted as a business-critical system. “The WaterSource Portal now acts as a one-stop shop for the whole team,” said Jamie. “It underpins

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much of our daily work, allowing us to create, use and share maps and apps not only with each other, but with external stakeholders too.

“Our original aim was to try to make complex data more easily accessible and understood. It has certainly done that.”

The integral Survey123 function helps the team to work off-line in often remote and isolated environments, aiding data capture and the identification of specific areas of water deterioration, for example where soil erosion has resulted in extra silt in rivers and reservoirs, thereby requiring more treatment.

Field data is now quickly visualised and summarised using the portal’s Operations Dashboard, in effect highlighting potential causes of water deterioration and providing the business intelligence the Water Services Science team needs to identify solutions for smarter catchment management.

As business demands evolve and conditions change, such as the impact of adverse weather conditions, the catchment team can tailor the collection and visualisation apps with speed and ease, thanks to the configurable templates in ArcGIS Enterprise.

Dr Phillippa Pearson, head of Water Services Science at Welsh Water, said: “Encouraging innovation is extremely important to Welsh Water as it allows us to remain industryleading and keeps us relevant in an everchanging environment.

“The success of the WaterSource Portal demonstrates just how much people can achieve when given the time and flexibility to innovate and challenge the status quo.”

The solution supported Welsh Water’s business and environmental objectives by allowing it to work more collaboratively with external stakeholders, she added.

Sharing subjects of potential concern led to better land management and as water quality improved across the board, fewer chemicals were required, which in turn reduced operating costs while at the same time helping to safeguard the environment.

To find out how ArcGIS enables organisations to collaborate more effectively with stakeholders in the water industry, visit esriuk. com/water or contact Craig Hayes, Head of Critical National Infrastructure at Esri UK on 01296 745599 or sales@esriuk.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

SMART WATER MANAGEMENT BEGINS WITH LOCATION INTELLIGENCE. Where infrastructure, assets, customers and suppliers are, is fundamental to all aspects of managing water - from protecting a sustainable water supply to delivering safe drinking water.

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Learn more: esriuk.com/water or contact sales@esriuk.com 01296 745599

Improving Drinking Water Quality

VICTORIAN KATRINE AQUEDUCT UPGRADE COMPLETED A major upgrade to the Katrine Aqueduct, which was built in Victorian times and serves more than 1.3 million people in parts of Greater Glasgow and the central belt, has been completed.

The £20 million project to improve and refurbish parts of the two aqueducts, the first 34 miles long and the second 23.5 miles long, which take water from Loch Katrine to two of Scotland’s biggest water treatment works, will help improve the security of the water supply to customers for generations to come.

The investment was the latest phase of the biggest upgrade to the megastructure since the first aqueduct was built in 1859, when it was hailed as one of the world’s greatest engineering feats of its day.

A total of 17 miles of tunnel sections had concrete and masonry repairs and 10 bridge sections had masonry and metalwork repairs carried out by a team of about 35 workers over the past two years, with a three-month break due to the Covid pandemic.

The aqueduct takes raw water by gravity, with no need for pumping, along its two routes from the south shore of Loch Katrine to the Milngavie and Balmore Water Treatment Works (WTW), just north of Glasgow, which treat about 550m litres of water every day, enough to fill more than 275 Olympic swimming pools or more than six million baths.

The original aqueduct includes tunnels through mountainous terrain in the shadow of Ben Lomond and bridges over the valleys of the Duchray, Endrick and Blane watercourses.

It was built to provide Glasgow with its first proper water supply.

A second aqueduct was constructed to accommodate the rapid expansion of Glasgow in the late 19th century. They are as much as six miles apart on some stretches, just five metres apart on others.

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Milngavie WTW serves more than 700,000 people across much of the Glasgow area and Balmore WTW serves about 600,000 customers in areas from Bishopbriggs, Lennoxtown and Torrance in the west to parts of north east Glasgow and Cumbernauld, north Motherwell and Linlithgow, Bo’ness and parts of Grangemouth in the east.

One of the most challenging parts of the project, which was carried out for Scottish Water by contractors George Leslie, was work to stabilise exposed rock sections, during which the project team used an unusual technique that involved drilling into the rock,

inserting steel anchor bolts up to two metres long, attaching steel mesh reinforcements and then spraying concrete until structural integrity was established.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Improving Drinking Water Quality

The Katrine aqueducts, which were part of a scheme opened by Queen Victoria in 1859 to provide Glasgow with its first proper water supply and help tackle disease, were a remarkable feat of engineering of their day and remain an outstanding example of sustainable civil engineering public works construction.

David Wilkinson, Scottish Water’s senior project manager

Complex drilling rigs had to be set up within the tunnels to install the stabilising rock anchors.

Given that some of this work was more than half a mile along the aqueduct from entry chambers, electric buggies were used to move equipment, materials and workers.

The entire length of the ‘new’ and ‘old’ aqueducts were closed at different times during the project. But, through the use of cross-connections in our system and by pumping water from elsewhere on our network, we were able to maintain normal water supplies to customers.

Strict adherence to constraints and restrictions were necessary to ensure that the character of the historic structure was preserved.

Reconstructed areas of masonry on every part of the structure had to be matched with the existing stonework in terms of appearance and painting and protective coating systems

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

were chosen carefully to blend with the surrounding structure.

example of sustainable civil engineering public works construction.

We liaised with Historic Environment Scotland about our work, including refurbishment of the Duchray Old Truss Bridge and the Kinlochard and Castleburn bridges, which are listed structures.

“They have stood the test of time and are still performing very well but, despite some improvement work over the years, they required substantial improvement and refurbishment to ensure they continue to operate efficiently.

As well as upgrade work to both aqueducts, the project included a survey to improve our understanding and feed into a 25-year management plan for the aqueducts.

This is the first time in living memory where we have carried out a full internal survey of the new aqueduct.

David Wilkinson, Scottish Water’s senior project manager, said: “The Katrine aqueducts, which were part of a scheme opened by Queen Victoria in 1859 to provide Glasgow with its first proper water supply and help tackle disease, were a remarkable feat of engineering of their day and remain an outstanding

“This investment by Scottish Water will help ensure we continue to provide a first-class service to a massive number of customers for many years to come and will help maintain the legacy of our Victorian forefathers who built them a more than 160 years ago “All of the team feel privileged to have been involved in such a unique project. We all felt a degree of responsibility for making sure that the full scope of remedial work was delivered, and that it was done to the high standards set by the Victorian engineers.”

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Improving Drinking Water Quality

Makeover of the century for Lancashire water works A water works built to quench the thirst of Lancastrians during the roaring 1920s is getting a major makeover in the 2020s.

Hodder, built near Slaidburn village in the Forest of Bowland in 1927, contributes to the tap water enjoyed by people from Longridge, through Preston to Blackpool.

Now water company United Utilities is spending £23m upgrading the site to make sure the works continues to meet rising standards and the challenges of climate change.

Water Production Manager Chris Baker said 147 stacked Bells pressure filters which had served the population for almost 94 years were being removed, to make way for eight new state-ofthe-art rapid gravity filters.

“The works was built at the same time as Stocks Reservoir because the quality of water up here in the north Pennines is so good.

Over the years most of the site has been modernised, but the Bells Filters have been here since day one! They’ve done well but the time has come to replace them to carry on providing great quality drinking water to our customers,” he said.

Building work involves squeezing the huge new 5m deep filters onto the cramped site while the existing filters are still in place, continuing their 90-year-job of treating Stocks water right to the very end.

Aerial view of work taking place at Lancashire’s Hodder Water Treatment Works, next to Stocks Reservoir in the Forest of Bowland To make things even more complicated, strict COVID hygiene processes have to be adhered to by everyone working on site.

Added Chris: “Myself and the team are really

excited and privileged to be a part of this major landmark project in the life of this historic and fascinating place, which will guarantee our customers many more decades of reliable service.”

Plans for southern section of region’s biggest plumbing job posted online Customers in Hyndburn, Rossendale and Bury can now check out the final plans for a new section of the Haweswater Aqueduct that United Utilities will be laying in their area as part of the region’s biggest ever plumbing job.

The water firm is refurbishing the giant Haweswater Aqueduct which has been bringing drinking water from Cumbria, through Lancashire and into Greater Manchester since 1955. Time has taken its toll on the pipeline and work is needed to minimise water disruptions and maintain water quality. This mammoth programme of works proposes replacing six sections of the 110km pipeline.

After its innovative virtual public exhibition, launched due to Covid restrictions, United Utilities is now publishing online its final plans for the southern section of the pipeline

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which will run from Huncoat in Hynburn through Rossendale and into Bury.

Over 12,000 people took part in last years’ face to face public exhibitions or visited the virtual site to check out proposals, with many people taking the opportunity to have their say and providing more than 2,000 pieces of valuable feedback.

The final proposals for this section of the pipeline can be viewed at www.harpconsultation.co.uk and will be submitted as planning applications to Hyndburn Borough Council, Rossendale Borough Council and Bury Council.

The online plans follow the same format as the virtual exhibition site and show details of each working area. They also include an interactive map and a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document.

Stakeholder manager, Jemma Parkinson, commented: “We want to say a big thank you to everyone who took part in our consultation process and especially to all those that sent us their views and comments.

“We have been busy consulting with communities, customers, businesses and stakeholders to help develop this programme.

“Thousands of people have had their say, helping us to deliver one of the biggest consultation exercises we have ever undertaken.

“Their input has assisted in the creation of the final programme of works which will secure vital water services for generations to come,” she added.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

...from • • • • •

Prevents contamination Restores drinking water quality Retains pipe capacity without the need for replacement No-dig installation Same day return to service

Before

After

#Zeroleakage For more information contact us on t: +44 (0)1773 811112 e: sales@radius-systems.com www.radius-systems.com

Managing Sewer Networks

AI successfully detects blockage formations for Wessex Water Machine-learning technology trialled on part of Wessex Water’s sewerage network has identified early forming sewer blockages in real-time with a 92% accuracy rate, whilst also enabling an operational shift to condition-based maintenance approach, says Brian Moloney, managing director, StormHarvester.

The potential of artificial technology (AI) to transform sewer network management has been demonstrated during a three-month trial of StormHarvester’s Intelligent Sewer Suite with Wessex Water in the city of Bath.

The technology quickly demonstrated its value, with over 60 early blockage formations detected in real-time and control room alerts reduced by a staggering 97 per cent.

Managing sewer blockages represents a significant operational challenge for water and wastewater utilities. As well as problems arising from the blockages themselves, heavy rainfall events often trigger hundreds of alarms simply because of high levels within the sewer network caused by rainfall runoff.

The volume of these alarms during wet weather periods can be overwhelming for operational and maintenance teams.

The incumbent rules-based alarm system operating in the Wessex Water control room generated some 4,500 alarms during the trial period, yet StormHarvester’s Intelligent Sewer Suite of AI tools was able to mute alarms where the high sewer levels were predicted by the AI software due to rainfall, reducing the total to 138, of which 124 were genuine blockage formations or sensor faults. This gave the utility’s operational and maintenance crews capacity to respond rapidly to each alarm, even during periods of heavy rainfall.

The initiative started in Spring 2020 when Wessex Water invited 16 technology companies from around the world to demonstrate the value of applying artificial intelligence to the wastewater network. As a finalist, Belfast-based StormHarvester was invited to run a three-month trial to carry out proof of concept.

The trial took place from June to August 2020 in the wastewater catchment of the historic city of Bath, Somerset, which comprises 3,500km of sewerage, representing 10% of Wessex’s total. Intelligent Sewer Suite was

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Rainy day in Bath – hyperlocal rainfall was a major input into creating dynamic thresholds used to achieve such accurate forecasting applied to an array of 98 level sensors already present in the network - 89 at combined sewer overflow (CSO) sites and the remainder at pumping lift stations.

Machine-learning

Intelligent Sewer Suite uses machinelearning, an AI application that enables systems to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed to do so. The StormHarvester system’s smart machine-learning algorithms and predictive analysis tools were applied to catchment sensor data and corresponding hyperlocal rain forecasts to predict the wastewater flow levels and detect potential early blockage formations in real-time.

Wessex Water wanted to test the ability of machine-learning to: Predict blockage formations in sewer pipes and pumping stations early and intervene before they became service failures

Better separate genuine control room alarms from alarms triggered because of high volume rainfall during wet weather Dramatically improve the response time to service failures Blockages can lead to costly service failures including pollution or flooding events, but if spotted early enough, they can be quickly remedied. Wet weather makes it difficult to differentiate expected high sewer levels caused by heavy rainfall volumes from those arising from restrictions such as partial or total blockages.

By deploying AI with the capacity to differentiate between these different events, both an improvement in alarm quality and alarm rationalisation is made possible.

Easy set-up

Intelligent Sewer Suite took only three weeks to set-up before it started providing usable

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Managing Sewer Networks

results and did not require any hydraulic models.

The process included the extraction of historic sewer-level data and rainfall levels within a 1.5km2 grid for each of the 98 monitored assets.

Tens of millions of iterative machine-learning calculations were then undertaken in order to ‘learn’ sewer asset behaviour in both dry and wet weather periods.

Accurate threshold forecasting

Safe operating windows for assets in the network were predicated based on a number of factors including time-of-day, day-of-week, hyperlocal rainfall and local river levels. These dynamic thresholds are predicted for six hours into the future and are updated every 15 minutes, at asset level, which is one of the keys to such accurate forecasting.

The real-time predictions and blockage alerts are used to identify potential non-compliant, out-of-sewer pollution events before they occur. Maintenance crews can be proactively directed to these locations to remedy issues before they arise or worsen, mitigating service failures.

Edmund Willatts, asset reliability engineer, Wessex Water said, “The StormHarvester system used machine-learning to set safe operating windows or thresholds for each asset. Each time these had a significant breach, we received alerts, which in turn were passed to the operations team so that they could respond.”

Pollution reduction

The Environment Agency is seeking a zero level of pollution incidents for the water industry in England and puts incidents into four categories, with Category 4 being the least serious and having no impact on company performance. Category 3 incidents can impact on performance commitments and risk breaches of environmental protection and water industry legislation. They can also lead to significant costs, including emergency response charges and penalties from regulators.

Results from the three-month trial showed significant alarm rationalisation and a high degree of accuracy in blockage detection.

Over 60 early blockage formations were detected in real-time, at least two of which were likely to have caused pollution incidents – Environment Agency Category 3 or worse. Over 60 telemetry and sensor faults were also detected.

Jody Knight, asset technology manager at Wessex Water said, “The StormHarvester team identified sewer blockages that using our normal working processes we may not have spotted until they had resulted in unwanted sewer overflow events.”

Deployment of StormHarvester’s AI approach was shown to be 92% accurate, with no blockages missed. Additionally, a 97% reduction in control alarms was achieved with only 138 in total – little more than one-a-day over the period.

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Intelligent Sewer Suite visualisation of Bath wastewater catchment divided into 1.5km2 squares showing sewer assets aligned with hyperlocal weather forecasting grid Wessex Water considered the alerts provided

by StormHarvester to be a major improvement on the status quo, where operational staff were regularly overwhelmed by the large number of high-level and overflow alarms occurring during periods of heavy rainfall. It also makes the potential for predictive maintenance very realistic in the near future.

Willatts said, “This condition-based sewer maintenance versus the scheduled cleaning regime will be key to making operational teams more productive and efficient going forward.”

Multiple capabilities

The Wessex pilot revealed that StormHarvester technology has the capability for: High blockage prediction accuracy – 92% of alerts were relevant and required and not a single blockage resulting in a pollution incident was missed Few false positives – 8% of alerts were false positives Long-range blockage prediction - early blockage formations identified up to eight weeks before they would have resulted in service failures Condition-based maintenance - the threemonth trial has enabled a shift in approach.

Control room alarm rationalisation - a 97% reduction in control room alerts was achieved versus business as usual Knight said, “One of the biggest problems we have serving our customers is not knowing where and when blockages will occur, or are likely to occur, in the wastewater network.

During the three-month trial, StormHarvester

identified at least two incidents that we are fairly confident would have resulted in Category 3 spillages, or worse, if it was not for the early blockage detection alerts received and the subsequent action taken by Wessex operational staff.”

Neil Macdonald, co-founder of StormHarvester said, “The results have been excellent. Wessex Water have been great to work with and this trial has proven that Intelligent Sewer Suite is effective at scale.

“This is further endorsement of our fiveyear journey and multimillion pound investment to build an effective AI solution combining machine-learning, predictive analytics and hyperlocal rainfall forecasting leading to intelligent sewers that serve customers, communities and the environment.”

Predictive maintenance

He added, “Our technology proves that predictive maintenance is possible, with early blockage detection occurring from hours to weeks in advance. This represents a significant increase in the available time for operational crews to recover and repair assets.

“StormHarvester sees this as a real gamechanger, with a clear route to achieving efficiencies for wastewater utilities, reducing wastewater pollution and both internal and curtilage flooding.”

Based on the value brought by the StormHarvester alerts during the proof-ofconcept trial, Wessex Water has maintained the solution running on the Bath wastewater catchment into 2021. www.stormharvester.com

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Managing Sewer Networks

Polypipe’s Permavoid can be used to manage rainwater as well as irrigate trees and plants above

Green Urbanisation solutions help create a more biodiverse solution to conventional SuDS 2

Sewer Sector Guidance – a platform for innovation and creativity

Over 12 months on from the introduction of the new Sewerage Sector Guidance (SSG), Jon Stewart, Business Development Director for Drainage at Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation, explains why now is the time for the industry to prioritise the next generation of sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS).

Thanks to the changes brought in by SSG, water and sewerage companies are now able to adopt a wider range of sewer types, including those that go way beyond traditional SuDS to benefit individuals, communities and the environment. The guidance has broadened options to enable more creative, holistic sewer design as part of green urbanisation – looking at how water can be managed to fuel green assets and prevent future flooding – key to meeting the country’s biodiversity agenda and help tackle the impact of climate change.

However, optimal outcomes can only be achieved through proactive collaboration and by including water management solution manufacturers to share their knowledge at the very earliest planning stages.

whatever is selected must equally satisfy both developers looking to create cost effective schemes that meet government criteria, and water authorities that need the developments to have a positive impact on the performance of their sewer network.

A bespoke approach to individual networks

To achieve this, breakthrough stormwater attenuation and re-use technologies, which have given rise to a new generation of enhanced, net-zero sustainable drainage solutions, offer a creative way forward. Key to achieving optimal outcomes is choosing manufacturers that develop holistic water management and green urbanisation solutions, engaging them in the development designs at the very outset of sewer network upgrade plans, or on developments which will go on to have a direct impact on adopted sewer systems.

Striking a perfect balance between the needs of water companies, planning authorities and developers can make upgrading or adding to sewer networks a complex process.

Developers are increasingly encouraged to integrate tree pits, raingardens, swales, blue/ green roofs and retention ponds into their site plans to meet the biodiversity targets of local authority planning teams. But until this becomes the norm, water companies may have uncertainties about how such installations affect water flows throughout their catchment areas.

Every sewer network scheme is different and requires a tailored design and specification to ensure the most suitable solutions are in place above and below ground to meet both regional and national requirements. But

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As such, there is a responsibility on drainage system manufacturers to create solutions that can be seamlessly plugged into residential, commercial and urban realm developments to improve the management of how much water is entering a sewer network at any given time, while optimising the use of the rainfall captured through reuse to support natural landscapes such as amenity spaces, pocket parks and active travel green corridors.

A one-stop-shop of next generation solutions At Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation, this means offering a one-stop-shop for design, installation and optimisation of next generation sustainable water management solutions that complement existing sewer

networks, and which deliver a wide range of additional multi-functional benefits. Our role is to inspire developers with solutions that not only meet planning conditions and are simple to install, but also help them deliver schemes that are futureproofed against climate change and support a greener future. Simultaneously, we want to encourage water companies to see integrated surface water managed green assets as the new norm, ensuring sewer networks are adaptive and resilient, protecting against the risk of floods and encouraging biodiversity to flourish. Additionally, we can ensure individual drainage and green assets can be maintained exactly as required – pipes must be cared for differently to a tree pit or raingarden, so designs have to ensure this can be achieved efficiently while at the same time delivering consistent, optimal performance.

Dialogue must increase – particularly in the early planning stages – between water management solution manufacturers and contractors, planners, water authorities and local authorities. A collaborative way of working will ensure that adoptable and non-adoptable assets are working in tandem, in line with SSG, but also to the benefit of the communities they serve. Any existing or future development can be overlayed with adaptive drainage solutions which reduce burden on both developer and water companies by putting green urbanisation experts central to delivery and maintenance. Doing so will bring better engineering capabilities to the fore, enabling the new generation of sewer networks to contribute more directly to the environments we all aspire to live in. www.polypipe.com/watershed

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

WATERSHED

MOMENT. Green Urbanisation • • • • •

Utilises surface water to introduce and sustain urban green assets Promotes biodiversity and ecological regeneration Reduces potable water demand and energy consumption Delivers multi-functional environmental, health and wellbeing benefits Enhances resilience to flooding, drought and population expansion

Unlock the future at polypipe.com/watershed

Meeting Carbon Net Zero and the wider challenges of climate change needs innovation, vision and a fundamental change to urban development.

A breakthrough in water management will help unlock the solution - Green Urbanisation.

Managing Sewer Networks

Collaborative summit to explore future of FOG A collaborative event will bring together water, wastewater and sustainability experts to explore new ways of tackling fat, oil and grease (FOG) in sewers and pave the way for a blockage-free future.

Now in its third year, the European FOG Summit is set to take place in the UK for the first time, in Brighton, East Sussex, on 14 October 2021. The event will be hosted by technology company SwiftComply, trade association British Water and UK utility Southern Water.

Organisers will follow all government Covid-19 safety guidelines and will monitor the global situation closely, putting contingencies in place should any travel restrictions apply.

Every year, FOG-related sewer blockages and spills cost global water authorities billions to clear and can have devastating impacts on the environment. The European FOG Summit will gather renowned experts to examine the current status of the challenge and what the future might hold, with conversations focusing on proactive mitigation, technological solutions, international research and the role FOG can play in local authorities’ circular initiatives and sustainability goals.

Participants will also have an opportunity to join networking events on 13 October, the day

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before the summit. These will include a tour of Southern Water’s wastewater treatment works in nearby Peacehaven and a networking lunch and dinner.

Laura Su, UK director, SwiftComply, said: “We are proud to be co-hosting the 2021 European FOG Summit in the coastal city of Brighton and look forward to welcoming experts from the UK and European water companies, the supply chain and governmental, environmental and circular economy groups.

“We are passionate about industry collaboration and using thought-leadership as a catalyst for change, which is why the summit will not only facilitate these conversations but encourage positive action.

“While we are very much looking forward to hosting a face-to-face event, we will of course be monitoring global travel restrictions closely to ensure it can be held safely and be inclusive to all who wish to join us.”

Mar Batista, head of programmes, British Water, said: “It is a great opportunity for us to be part of the 2021 European FOG Summit.

British Water has hosted a FOG conference since 2015 and we are happy to now be partnering with SwiftComply and Southern Water in bringing the conversation to an even wider audience. Only by combining collaboration, education and innovation will we successfully fight the fatberg globally.”

Steve Williams, network protection officer, Southern Water, said: “Southern Water looks forward to jointly hosting the European FOG Summit in Brighton in 2021. Having spoken at both the 2019 and 2020 summits, I know how valuable the event is in bringing together international experts to share best practice and the latest developments in FOG management. Viewing FOG as a resource for conversion to energy or fuel, thereby creating a circular economy, is a conversation that needs to be had globally.”

Event details

The European FOG Summit will take place on 14 October 2021 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, near Brighton Pier. To book your place www.swiftcomply.co.uk/fogsummit

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

MAINTENANCE AND REFURBISHMENT Complete managed solutions for process upgrades, reliability centred maintenance, reactive maintenance and asset optimisation.

RCM and reactive maintenance

Asset refurbishment

Diffuser refurbishment and/ or replacement

Mecana Filter segments being cleaned

Helps to extend asset life

Tank and lane cleaning

Prevent unplanned outages

Full or partial refurbishment

Helps to ensure consent compliance

Acid dosing

Fully managed PPM service available

Process equipment relocation

Rapid availability of spare parts minimises downtime

Diffuser replacement programmes Pipework and manifold replacement

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

CLEAN WATER MANAGEMENT

SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT

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The Solution for the Third-Party Cyber Security Risk Management Challenge On average, UK Water companies rely on over 300 third parties to deliver their water and sewage services. Even the esteemed readers of the Water Industry Journal who work in the industry or the supply chain would find it difficult to identify all the different third parties involved. Telecommunications providers, credit ratings agencies, billing and payment service providers, payroll management software and HR systems are just a few examples of the third parties who are essential to the delivery of this crucial service. They all have one thing in common - privileged access to their clients’ networks, systems, and the personal data of customers and staff.

Using innovation to secure the water industry supply chain

The Risk Ledger platform gives organisations all the tools to run a cyber security-led, thirdparty risk management programme at speed and at scale for a low, per-supplier cost. It has been adopted by Northumbrian Water, Welsh Water, Affinity Water and South East Water and many others in the past year to address this challenge. Both Information Security and Procurement teams at these water companies are getting value from the platform.

their suppliers in one place, while suppliers are able to share a single risk control profile with multiple clients to reduce their burden of work - in a ‘do once, use many model’. Every time a supplier connects with a new client, their risk control profile is reviewed again, creating a continuous, commercial incentive for suppliers to maintain and improve their risk management regime over time.

Third parties who complete the Risk Ledger supplier assessment do so for free and get access to a range of support options to help them easily and efficiently respond to all future client due diligence requests.

UK water companies face a double challenge of limited internal security resources because of price regulation and hundreds of third parties to review – both legacy suppliers and those onboarding every week. Our clients are reducing the time and cost spent assessing the cyber security maturity of their suppliers by up to 80% compared to traditional spreadsheet and email-based programmes. More importantly, we have redefined the process by moving away from point-in-time assessments to a continuous monitoring model, allowing organisations to quickly identify, measure and mitigate risks once and then reap compounded benefits year after year as the platform eliminates the need for repeat reviews.

The real innovation of the platform is that every organisation can be both a supplier, responding to due diligence requests, and a client, running a third-party risk management programme, at the same time. This allows our clients to gain visibility of their supply chain risks beyond third parties to fourth, fifth and sixth parties. In practice, this means a supplier to one of our water clients, like a payment services provider, can run their own thirdparty risk management programme on the Risk Ledger platform, providing visibility of supply chain risks beyond third parties to their clients, and pushing good cyber hygiene down the supply chain - making the entire water industry more resilient to cyber breaches.

We put clients and their suppliers at the centre of what we do

Our innovative approach to the supply chain risk management challenge has consistently been recognised with awards and competition wins including recently being a finalist in the ‘Most Innovative New Technology of the Year’ category at the 2021 Water Industry Awards.

Over 60% of organisations have experienced a breach caused by a third party and supply chain cybersecurity and data protection risks are such a big issue for authorities that active management of the risks is a requirement in two major pieces of regulation applicable in the water industry the GDPR and the NIS Directive as operators of an essential service. The Risk Ledger platform enable clients to comprehensively comply with both pieces of regulation and provides an auditable trail to be able to show regulators in the case of an incident.

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Traditional methods for managing supply chain security risks are slow and costly for all parties involved, including third parties, so they are not scalable beyond a small percentage of the supply chain or easy to implement for many organisations beyond those with large security budgets. To combat this scale issue, the Risk Ledger platform operates like a network providing the data pipe for clients and suppliers to share risk data securely. Clients can connect with all

The Risk Ledger platform is industry agnostic so whether you work for one of the few water companies who aren’t already considering the platform, or you work in the water industry supply chain and recognise the need to better manage third-party risks, visit riskledger. com to find out more about what we do or contact Alex Lyma-Young on 020 3488 5800 or alex@riskledger.com to organise a short demonstration of the Risk Ledger platform in action.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2021

Securing National Infrastructure

CONTAIN • PROTECT • SECURE

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