Institute of Water Magazine - Summer 2018

SUMMER2018 ISSUE198

IN THIS ISSUE RESILIENCE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT CIRCULAR ECONOMY WATER TREATMENT

INSTITUTE OF WATER MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I’m delighted to welcome you to the 2018 Summer Edition of the Institute of Water Magazine!

As many of you will be aware we are making the final preparations for the Institute of Water’s Annual Conference which I am honoured to be hosting in the fantastic city of Glasgow. I’m very excited about this conference and the speakers we have secured for you. If you haven’t booked your place at the conference yet please do so soon as I have no doubt that this will be a very valuable and knowledgeable event for you.

Circular Economy which compliments the theme of our Conference perfectly.

On the subject of resilience, we hear from Anglian Water and Wessex Water on their ambitious major projects to ensure that they can continue to supply high quality water.

Ofwat share their views on the complexities of resilience and why customers should be at the heart of any long-term resilience plan.

We’ve called the conference ‘Shaping the Future’ and we will delve into topics including the Circular Economy, Water and the Environment, and a Digital Future, considering how we can respond to the growing expectations of our customers, communities and stakeholders. We will also have a couple of lively debates around delivering from our customers.

We also have a very interesting article from South West Water around the Circular Economy and how it is in everyone’s best interest for water companies to work closely with partners in agriculture and industry to identify how water usage can be optimised.

Fittingly we also hear from South West Water Business on their work with farmers on alternative water abstraction.

At this time of increased scrutiny and debate around our industry, the 2018 Conference in Glasgow is a great opportunity for our sector to discuss how we rise to the challenges.

The Institute of Water Annual Conference is one of the biggest and most respected events in the water industry calendar and I know will draw in some familiar faces and many new ones too. As always, our conferences strive to inspire, to provoke debate and get the sector to stop and think about the changing landscape.

In the tradition of Institute of Water conferences, we also find time to celebrate and award the great work that is happening across the Institute of Water Area Committees and we will recognise people who have made significant and meaningful contributions to the water sector.

Back to the Magazine. In this edition we have features in the magazine on Resilience and

We also have updates from Gee and Kirsty on what the Rising Stars have been up to, plus one of our CPD Assessors, Darragh Hoban, shares his views on CPD and how to make this work for you. There’s some great advice here, especially if you are new to CPD or just struggling to make time for it.

I hope you find the articles useful and insightful.

Enjoy reading.

Douglas Millican President-elect, Institute of Water Chief Executive, Scottish Water

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Features 26 Resilience 52 Incident Management

62 Circular Economy

68 Water Treatment

Regulars

4 Members Update

6 New Registrants

10 Science News

12 Engineering News 14 Environment News

16 Drilling and Tapping 2018 18 Rising Stars

20 CPD

22 Innovation Awards 82 Area News

Institute of Water HQ: 4 Carlton Court, Team Valley, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE11 0AZ Website: www.instituteofwater.org.uk President: Thomas Faulkner Chairperson: Simon Cyhanko Chief Executive: Lynn Cooper PR & Communications Manager: Lee Hansom Tel: 0191 422 0088 Fax: 0191 422 0087 Email: lee@instituteofwater.org.uk Advertising: Martin Jameson Tel: 07342 850 289 Email: martin@jimjammedia.com Designed and produced by: JimJam Media Ltd Email: sales@jimjammedia.com

The Institute of Water is the only professional body solely concerned with the UK water industry. We can support and develop your career whoever you are and whatever you do. We do this by providing a unique learning, developing and networking framework. For details on how to join visit www.instituteofwater.org.uk today.

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LICENCE TO AWARD SCIENCE REGISTRATIONS RENEWED The Institute of Water is delighted to announce that the Science Council have renewed the Institute of Water’s licence to award Chartered Scientist, Registered Scientist and Registered Science Technician, three of the professional registrations in science.

The Science Council recently undertook a detailed Licence Review, which audited and checked at the way the Institute of Water administrates, assesses and awards professional registrations on behalf of the Science Council.

great place for scientists in our industry to come and demonstrate their professionalism.

The ability to offer this opportunity to our members is at the heart of what the Institute of Water stands for.”

Robin Price CSci, Vice President Science for the Institute of Water and Head of Water Quality at Anglian Water said: “I’m really pleased that the Science Council have confirmed that we are a

“The review panel were impressed with numerous areas of good practice found during the review.

In particular the strong focus the Institute of Water has on its members, its ‘people-focused’

approach, the exemplary approach taken during the entire registration process, our new technical Journal and our championing of technicians.”

The Science Council will do an interim review of the Institute of Water’s licence in October 2020 and a further full licence review will be due on April 2023.

INSTITUTE OF WATER LAUNCHES NEW INTERNAL AWARD TO RECOGNISE VOLUNTEERS The Institute of Water is proud to launch a new award that recognises the outstanding contribution made by our Area Committee volunteers.

The ‘Committee Members of the Year Award’ will recognise outstanding Area committee members on a national scale.

to both members and non-members who may be looking for opportunities for their own professional development.

The Institute wants to thank, recognise and acknowledge the hard work and time that individual committee members invest in driving forward the Institute of Water as we work to support the careers of people working in all professions and at all levels across the UK water sector.

Simon Cyhanko, Institute of Water Chair and Sewerage Operations Manager at Northumbrian Water said; “The Committee Members of the Year Award is a great way for us to further recognise the fantastic work completed by our volunteers up and down the country. Our volunteers put a lot of time and energy into promoting the Institute’s message, organising fantastic events and providing points of contact and support for members in their local area.

I’m really looking forward to hearing about and celebrating the great work individual

By sharing the achievements from across the eight Area Committees, the award will demonstrate the key role they play within the Institute of Water and also highlight the opportunities available on Area Committees

Committee Members do.”

The nomination process will result in eight regional winners of the award which will then be narrowed down to the top three National Committee Members of the Year.

Nominations for this award closed on 31st May and we have received many high quality nominations. The winners (national and regional) will be presented with their Award at an Area Event with a special prize for the top three national winners.

To find out more about the Committee Member of the Year Award please contact Lucy Archer via lucy@instituteofwater.org.uk

UPDATED PRIVACY POLICY The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on the 25th May and is a positive step towards having more control over how your data is used. The changes are intended to help better protect your personal data.

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We are pleased to confirm that we have updated our Data Protection and Privacy Policy to reflect these changes. You can view the updated policy by going to www.instituteofwater.org.uk/legal-and-privacy

MEMBERSUPDATE

SAVE THE DATE: ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE 2018 ANNOUNCED The date and location of this year’s One Day Environment Conference has been set.

The event will take place on the 7th November 2018 at One Birdcage Walk, London, home of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The title of the Conference is ‘The Water Environment - how can we leave a legacy and not a liability?’ and will explore and discuss emerging problems such as micro-plastics and pharmaceuticals and how we can manage these new challenges; the increasing pressures on the environment; and what it will take to ensure that we don’t run out of water, and what skills we will need in the future water sector.

More details about the Conference will come out as we move closer to the date and refine the programme and speakers. In the meantime, save the date!

APPLY TODAY FOR PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION Professional Registration recognises competence and expertise in a subject area and demonstrates an understanding and knowledge of this expertise.

The Institute of Water is licensed to register Chartered

“Gaining Professional Registration has cemented my

Engineers, Incorporated Engineers, Engineering Technicians,

position and gives my employer and the people I work

Chartered Environmentalists, Registered Environmental

with confidence and trust in my abilities.”

Technicians, Chartered Scientists, Registered Scientists and Registered Science Technicians.

“I would encourage anyone to look at becoming professionally registered and move their career forward.”

For guidance and advice contact Sarah, our Professional Registration Coordinator, 0191 422 0088 or

Warren Bradshaw IEng,

sarah@instituteofwater.org.uk

CDM Management Officer, Highland Council

Please note, you must be a member of the Institute of Water to apply.

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SCIENCE In 2006, I graduated with an MSc (Distinction) in Environmental Technology and joined WatStech Ltd to begin my career in the water industry.

After 12 years working in Research and Development and managing a variety of projects for the same company across the UK, I decided to apply for Chartered Scientist status. It has always been my aspiration to be a Chartered Scientist in the water industry as in my opinion, this professional qualification recognises my expertise and technical ability in the field.

The application process is simple but can be daunting. I would like to thank Sarah Dunn, Professional Registration Coordinator from the Institute of Water who has been very supportive throughout the application process.

Lovina Kulkarni

Senior Process Technologist, WatStech Ltd Chartered Scientist

It is a great achievement to be a Chartered Scientist as this recognition enhances my credibility in the water industry and will allow me to network with other professionals in the same field which will unlock new opportunities for my future career. I would definitely recommend anyone to apply. It will not only help to reflect on your achievements but also identify key skills or knowledge that have to be reinforced to better yourself.

I applied for Registered Scientist status as a way to demonstrate how I’ve developed and progressed in my career since joining Anglian Water in 2014.

I enjoyed the process of applying as it was a great way to be able to look back and reflect on previous projects that I have been involved with and the experience I gained from these. Holding this professional status is important to me because it not only recognises my scientific knowledge but also my ability to apply this knowledge to my work. It also shows my interpersonal skills and also my commitment to professional standards.

I would definitely recommend members to apply for registration. The application requires some effort but it is well worth the reward. It also encouraged me to keep up to date with my CPD log and has also inspired me to focus on working towards Chartership.

Andrew Christophi

Water Quality Scientist, Anglian Water Registered Scientist I had been working in laboratory environments for many years, much of this involved in the analysis of water samples.

I joined Welsh Water in 2011 as a Quality Assurance Officer and it was at this time that I first encountered CPD. By documenting my learning and achievements in a formal way, it became a useful diary, which was invaluable when completing the competency report for becoming a registered scientist.

Suzanne Jones

Quality Assurance Officer, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Registered Scientist

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My line manager encouraged me to apply for formal recognition of my experience and knowledge.

I have to say I had been putting it off for a while, feeling apprehensive about the process. I can see now that my fears were totally unfounded, once I started I found that I had many examples to use in my application. My two assessors put me at ease during the interview, which felt more like a discussion around my report and experiences in science. My line manager and the Institute of Water encouraged me throughout the process, for which I am grateful, and I am delighted with my RSci award. I would urge others to waste no time in applying.

NEWREGISTRANTS

I’m employed by Anglian Water as a Works Technician Process Optimiser.

I don’t have any formal qualifications in the sciences, such as a degree, but what I do have is an inquisitive mind when it comes to anything science based and with the main treatment process in water recycling being biological it gave me the opportunity to research, understand and apply what I had been learning externally to my role.

Richard Baines

Works Technician Process Optimiser, Anglian Water Registered Science Technician

I attended a Science Council workshop and the opening presentation gave me confidence that I’d be able to meet the competencies required to gain RSciTech status. At the workshop I spoke to a number of Chartered Scientists who reassured me I would be able to meet the required competencies. One of the Chartered Scientists agreed to mentor me through the process. So I joined the Institute of Water and began my application. I found the application process really interesting, it felt good to be able to show the knowledge I had been developing and actually put it into my own words. The process also encouraged me to return to some of the studies I’d read previously and with the extra knowledge I’d developed since initially reading them - was able to understand the studies in more detail.

The RSciTech status has given me a fantastic sense of achievement, extra confidence and I feel it shows that I have a sound knowledge base when it comes to my area of work and there’s validity to my opinions.

The CPD has also inspired me to continue my learning and have recently completed another qualification.

I’d wholeheartedly recommend anyone considering applying to give it a go.

ENVIRONMENT Within RPS there has been a movement to encourage all employees to look at professional development to further their careers and skills.

I looked to attain Chartered status as both an additional qualification in my professional career and as a constructive step to open new job opportunities to achieve my career goals.

All along this journey I have been supported through mentoring from Rob Bradley. This support has been in many different forms, some of which have challenged my view on what I want to achieve in my career. From the beginning it was outlined that mentoring isn’t about hand holding, instead changing perception of your working career and how this relates to the competencies. This is a difficult step to take as it requires career reflection which then highlights strengths and weaknesses against the competency framework.

Andrew Ritchie

Senior Project Engineer, RPS Chartered Environmentalist

Once I took this initial step and allowed myself to slip into this way of thinking, I found it much easier to apply my previous work to competencies. Mentor support helped greatly as it questioned some of my views on experiences leading me to refine my application, report and interview. The nature of professional registration means that you need to think for yourself and mentoring is to point you in roughly the right direction.

I believe the process, journey and achieving Chartered status has been beneficial to me in my analysis of my career and career goals.

Achieving Chartered Environmentalist has also proven to myself that my work is at an internationally recognised standard which I will use to achieve my next set of goals and develop my existing skill sets.

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ENVIRONMENT CONTINUED Attaining Registered Environmental Technician was a great way to demonstrate my skills, competencies and experience within the sector.

The process also provided a framework to my development, allowing me to focus on what I have achieved to date and also what I would like to accomplish in the future.

Since starting my current role I have been lucky enough to work with colleagues who have always been a great support and source of encouragement, some of who have already been successful in achieving professional recognition. I felt I was at the right stage in my career to work towards this professional registration not only to develop myself further but also gain professional credit and recognition within the wider industry. I frequently work with external stakeholders so the REnvTech status demonstrates an immediate understanding of my capabilities and experiences amongst other professionals.

Gemma Williams

Catchment Risk Co-ordinator, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Registered Environmental Technician

If you would like more information about my journey to REnvTech I have created a series of Vlogs for the Institute of Water. If I can do it, you can too- Good luck!

ENGINEERING Obtaining professional registration with the Institute of Water is a milestone in my career, both as a demonstration of what I have accomplished, and the recognition of fellow professionals.

I believe having an overarching structure in the water industry is what encourages stable and collaborative progress.

Having worked across the UK for various clients on behalf of Veolia, I have gained experience in line management, process engineering and operations. As Lead Optimisation Engineer this experience helps me prepare clients for the new TOTEX world. My current role is fulfilling as it allows me to use my interpersonal and problem solving skills continuously.

James Foley

Optimisation Delivery Engineer, Veolia Water UK Chartered Engineer

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Taking knowledge and techniques from the UK and forming global collaborations could help to reduce drought, protect health services, protect the natural environment and build more sustainable, circular systems. This is a passion of mine and hopefully my registration will help me to realise this in the coming years.

BECOME PROFESSIONALLY REGISTERED

The Institute of Water is licensed to register Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers, Engineering Technicians, Chartered Environmentalists, Registered Environmental Technicians, Chartered Scientists, Registered Scientists and Science Technicians.

Find out more at WWW.INSTITUTEOFWATER.ORG.UK

Professional registration recognises competence and expertise in a subject

instituteofwater.org.uk

area and demonstrates an understanding and knowledge of this expertise. Having a professional accreditation brings high self-esteem, higher earnings potential and improved career prospects. Becoming professionally registered is a great example of Continuing Professional Development and is often recommended or preferred by certain industry bodies and regulators.

SHAPING THE

FUTURE

IDEAS DISCUSSION & DEBATE The future of the water industry | Glasgow Caledonian University | 21-22 June 2018 Institute of Water Annual Conference Chaired by Douglas Millican, CEO, Scottish Water

Book Now www.InstituteOfWater.org.uk instituteofwater.org.uk

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SCIENCENEWS

A REVIEW OF THE ONE DAY SCIENCE CONFERENCE 2018 On the 3rd May, we held our second One Day Science Conference at the National STEM Centre in York. The Conference was a great success and received great feedback from delegates.

Don’t take our word for it, Thomas Kelly, Operations Manager at Northern Ireland Water Alpha Limited has kindly given us a review of the day: ‘It’s not often that you get to attend an industry-leading technical conference free-ofcharge, which is why the Institute of Water One Day Science Conference is such a fantastic opportunity for Institute of Water members.

Delegates at the second conference enjoyed a thought-provoking group of speakers and exhibitors at the STEM Centre in York on Thursday 3rd May 2018. The conference theme was “Application of the Sciences Across the World of Water”, and the wide ranging subject matter reflected the vast contribution made by scientists throughout the industry.

The significance of the venue was reinforced during an inspiring Keynote Address from Frances Dainty (Head of Content and STEM Expertise, STEM Centre) who described how challenges relating to the uptake of STEM subjects are being addressed, and what professionals within the Water Industry can do individually and collectively to encourage the next generation of scientists to succeed. This was followed by two insightful presentations relating to Process & Catchment Science. Professor Elise Cartmell (Chief Scientist, Scottish Water) enlightened the conference with her thoughts on what the future in water may look like, and how water companies can be better equipped to adapt. Rebecca Allen (SCaMP Officer, Northern Ireland Water) then provided an insight into some of the novel scientific and catchment management approaches that Northern Ireland Water have been employing to control pesticide concentration in potable drinking water.

The Analytical & Data Science session began with Dr Charmain Abbott (Chief Scientist, United Utilities) providing an introduction to some innovations within United Utilities, that are improving Water Quality and reliability of testing, including a custom-fitted clean room at their laboratory. This was followed by a vision of the future of predictive technologies in action, from Mark Farrow-Smith (Principle Data and AI Lead Manufacturing and Utilities) and Dr Matthew Smith (Director for Business Development) from Microsoft.

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Professor Rachel Chalmers (Consultant Clinical Scientist/Honorary Professor and Head of Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales) began the Life Science session, with an informative presentation regarding developments in cryptosporidium detection, identification of species and improvements in response capability.

Professor John Fawell (Visiting Professor, Cranfield University and Member of Expert Committee for WHO Guidelines) spoke about the risk of viruses within the water cycle, what the WHO approach to managing risk from viruses suggested areas that the Industry and Academia could research to better understand the risk and prevalence of viruses in drinking water. The session was then concluded by Thomas Andrade (Catchment Customer Acceptability Scientist, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water) who discussed management of taste and odour, through root cause analysis.

In addition to the quality presentations, there was a great array of exhibitors, including the Science Council, who were helping the Institute of Water promote professional registration.

The STEM centre also accommodated a number of tours to enable delegates to see the great facilities available at the STEM centre, which are used to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics amongst young people.

The concluding Behavioural Science session provided an intriguing introduction to how customers and colleagues can be influenced to optimise resources. Dr Vittoria Danino (Head of Anglian Centre for Water Studies, University of Anglia Water) explained how customers’ behaviour can be influenced using pricing mechanisms, as well as encouraging sustainable decisions consciously and sub-consciously.

Gaining an appreciation for the potential power of this applied science to change demand, was a real highlight of the event and emphasised how the success or failure of a project can hinge on the way communications are worded. Alan Brown (Scientific Support Manager, Northumbrian Water) concluded the conference with an example of a Continuous Improvement philosophy being utilised in Northumbrian Water.

Following the conference, I certainly feel a renewed enthusiasm for rising to the technical challenges presented by my role and I also hope that the conference inspired delegates to pursue professional registration as the next stage in their personal development.’

The conference was a superb opportunity to understand the methods that experts in the industry have used to approach challenges, as well as to gain personal development through enhancing knowledge of the subject matter discussed. It was also a superb opportunity to catch up with colleagues, and to meet people within the Industry with a passion for science.

THANK YOU The Institute of Water would like to thank everyone who completed the online Feedback Survey.

Your feedback will be used to further improve our One Day Specialist Conferences.

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ENGINEERINGNEWS

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAYS IMPORTANT ROLE IN YOUR CAREER All Engineering Council registrants make a commitment to maintain and enhance their competence. In practice, this means undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

So if you’re a professionally registered engineer or are thinking about becoming professionally registered, to help you the Engineering Council set out what they see as good CPD. “Continuing Professional Development (CPD) isn’t just something that crops up at appraisals and when looking for a new role; it’s the way you grow and develop as a professional.

CPD is the process through which professionals maintain and develop their competence. Starting from your learning needs, you develop a plan to achieve them, carry out development activities, record them, then reflect on what you’ve learned.

These activities can take many forms.

The overarching purpose of CPD is to maintain learning around a chosen subject related to your career and aimed at predetermined goals and objectives. The aims are purposefully chosen to enhance personal skills and experience relating to career competences and to continue growing professionally.

CPD can be a combination of e-learning, webinars, training workshops, career-related conferences, sharing of best practice techniques with colleagues or reading around the chosen subject in journals and technical publications.

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It even includes self-development such as widening your range of transferable skills in leadership or project management. It is a personal choice whether the learning is gained either through formal or informal experiences and training, however the content must focus on career-related learning.

For example, a Scientific Support Manager registered as a Chartered Engineer may find developing their knowledge of waste water treatment through nanoporous metal foams useful. Further study in DNA-based biological analytical methods may be just the boost for an Incorporated Engineer in their new role as an Environmental Engineer. Becoming a mentor to help younger engineers develop can be done at any level, such an Engineering Technician advising an apprentice. It polishes personal confidence which is a benefit in all interactions with colleagues. An additional benefit to CPD is the opportunity for increasing your professional reputation and widening career networks.

Whichever subject or method you chose, it is essential that CPD is a documented process.

After taking part in a development opportunity, it is important the you take the time to reflect on what has been gained from the activity and to record it. It is your responsibility to keep a record of the time spent participating in workrelated learning.

It is mandatory for all Engineering Council registrants to maintain their competence through CPD. This process is led by the registrant; you decide what you need to learn and the best method for you to achieve that.

PEIs vary their members’ CPD requirements and it is important to understand your institution’s policy. Well-thought-out planning of CPD around your career goals will bring a number of benefits.

Each CPD activity will introduce new ideas and expand your understanding within your present role and for the future.

A commitment to continue with professional development throughout an engineering career underpins the value of your professional title as well as enabling wider society to have continued confidence in the engineering profession. From January 2019 the Engineering Council will be requesting sampling of their registrants’ CPD from each member institution, so this is now a good time to look again at personal CPD plans and organise your activity for the next year.”

The Engineering Council have produced a new video aimed at supporting engineers in carrying out CPD and highlighting the many methods available of doing this. You can view this video by going to: www.engc.org.uk/professionaldevelopment/continuing-professionaldevelopment-cpd/

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ENVIRONMENTNEWS

TIME TO #PLEDGELESSPLASTIC The Institute of Water is supporting the Society for the Environment’s #PledgeLessPlastic campaign by raising awareness across our members.

“Together, we can achieve more!” is the message as we are collectively urged, as individuals and organisations, to “pledge less plastic” and, in doing so, help to protect our fragile environment. This initiative champions the UN’s World Environment Day 2018 theme “Beat Plastic Pollution” which took place on 5th June.

SocEnv, alongside a range of partners, are encouraging individuals and organisations to share inspiring plastic reduction case studies and protect our environment by pledging to use less plastic.

With the help of their partners and through social media and websites, the Society will be spreading the word about plastic consumption using the hashtag #PledgeLessPlastic.

You can get involved and for ideas and inspiration SocEnv have useful toolkits and resources available on their website. SocEnv would like to hear what you are doing to use less plastic.

Vice Chair of the Society, Dougal Driver CEnv, said “Never has the environment been under so much pressure and so it is great to be part of the Society’s drive to reduce plastic pollution via a great mix of inspiring case studies and requests for pledges. This is an excellent opportunity to get involved and make a difference.” Dougal continued, “I look forward to highlighting some exciting examples at the SocEnv Awards and Lectures on World Environment Day.” CEO of the Society, Dr Emma Wilcox, highlights the significance of World Environment Day to Chartered Environmentalists and Registered Environmental Technicians; “It’s an opportunity to come together to focus on the issues that really matter to environmental professionals and to celebrate the great work they do every day.

The Society is proud to be associated with the day.”

Dougal Driver CEnv adds, “Of course the Society’s family are acting to improve the environment every day of the year, but World Environment Day gives us a focus around which we can get across powerful well evidenced ideas and engage the wider population in the local and global challenges we face.”

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To get involved and for ideas and inspiration, please download toolkits and resources from www.socenv.org.uk/PledgeLessPlastic and create a pledge to make a difference or inspire others with your good practice case study.

If you are an Institute of Water member and you, or your organisation, have a case study about a ‘using less plastic’ initiative or event that you would like to share to inspire others, you can send it to Lee Hansom, PR and Communications Manager at lee@instituteofwater.org.uk

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DRILLINGANDTAPPING

NORTHUMBRIAN WATER TAKES THE TALIS MEN’S TROPHY The Institute of Water’s National Drilling and Tapping competition took place in Birmingham at Utility Week Live on the 22nd and 23rd June and what an event it was!

2018 marks the 30th Anniversary of this national competition and proved again to be an exciting two days, drawing in a lively crowd, fantastic support and a lot of noise.

The crowds were anticipating the familiar battle for the men’s championship, sponsored by Talis, between returning champions Anglian Water and past champions Bournemouth Water (part of Pennon Group), however, it was underdog Northumbrian Water who took first place with a time of 2minutes 24seconds and a quality tap.

The Northumbrian Water team will go on to represent the UK in the ACE competition in Denver in June 2019, sponsored by the Institute of Water, and in the World Water Cup in Amsterdam in November 2019, sponsored

by Mueller.

There was no Women’s competition this year, however, Waternet Women’s team were recognised for their participation in the UK competition and will be competing in the Aquatech competition in Amsterdam next year.

We wish Waternet and Northumbrian Water the best of luck.

Lynn Cooper, Chief Executive of the Institute of Water said: “We’re extremely excited with this year’s outcome: the Northumbrian Water team has been competing in the event for a number of years now and to see them improve each year and finally win the championship is fantastic.

I know that the team members were thrilled with their achievement and their Chief Executive, Heidi Mottram, was too. Hopefully this will send a message to teams considering entering the competition that, with dedication and practice,

COMPETITION 2018 RESULTS 1st Place and Winner of the Talis Men’s Trophy Northumbrian Water, 2mins, 24secs

Drilling and Tapping Sponsors

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2nd Place

Bournemouth Water (part of Pennon Group), 2mins 48secs

3rd Place

Anglian Water, 2mins 49secs

it can be done and the championship title can be won.

“As it has been for the 29 previous years, the camaraderie between the teams was wonderful to witness and creates a buzz around the competition. I’d like to thank all our competing teams, sponsors and judges involved and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.”

The Institute of Water would like to thank all the teams, sponsors and judges involved in this year’s competition.

There will be a full write up of the competition in the next issue of the magazine. www.drillingandtapping.co.uk @drillandtapping

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17

OUT AND ABOUT WITH OUR RISING STARS The Institute of Water’s Rising Stars have been busy with recent visits to two of Severn Trent’s facilities and attendance at the 19th IWA Young Water Professionals Conference.

Our Rising Stars tell us a bit more about these events:

SITE VISIT TO SEVERN TRENT’S COLESHILL FOOD DIGESTION SITE AND MINWORTH THP

By Kirsty Ayres Senior Engineer, WSP

Having spent my entire career in the water industry working in clean water, I was really looking forward to learning about the waste side of things. For me, site visits are one of the best ways to understand something because you get a real sense of how something works and an appreciation of the scale of operations.

We started at Coleshill Food Digestion Site, where site manager Emma Long explained how the site operates and gave the essential H&S briefing before we donned our PPE and set off for the tour.

I think all the Rising Stars were genuinely

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shocked at the types of food that had been delivered. I had expected out of date fruit and vegetables and certainly not in plastic wrappers.

Instead, it was full of crisps, bread, cakes and sandwiches, all still in their original packaging.

It was like someone had gone to the supermarket, and emptied the shelves into their trolley and brought it here. The waste was unbelievable - it all looked perfectly fine to eat!

The message I took away from this visit was that while it was great that Severn Trent were making use of the food waste to generate biogas and energy, the waste shouldn’t really exist in the first place, at least not in the manner and quantities that we saw.

We then headed over to Minworth STW, the location of Severn Trent’s Thermo-Hydrolysis Plant (THP). After another important H&S talk,

[L2R, Tom Swain, Lydia Makin, Kirsty Ayres, Fionn Boyle and Hayley Dyson]

Dean Clarke showed us videos of the construction of the THP. As many of the components were pre-fabricated and then brought to site, it was incredible to see how quickly the pieces were built together on location. We then climbed to the top of the THP but being scared of heights, this was pretty terrifying to me at 15m up!

The view was amazing, even with the weather starting to close in, and Dean pointed out all the apparatus we had just seen on videos all around us, explaining what each part did. It gave me a real appreciation of the scale of the site, especially with the huge Minworth STW surrounding it, and what a feat of engineering to have built something so great in the timescale.

RISINGSTARS

19TH IWA YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE

By Gee Tsang

Graduate Clean Water Modeller, WSP I was very fortunate to have been able to attend this year’s IWA Young Water Professionals Conference, “Towards a resilient water future”.

As I am currently involved with the long-term resilience plan for Northern Ireland’s strategic mains infrastructure, I found that this was a great opportunity for me to gain an insight into how other similar water companies are working towards their long-term resilience plan. As well as this, I was able to share with my work about current practices adopted across the UK.

As a clean water modeller, it was interesting to hear Geoff Darch’s (Anglian Water) presentation.

In his presentation, he explained that the East of England is the driest region and will face challenges by 2060 from climate change and population growth, impacting multiple sectors reliant on water. It was different to see how Water Resource East has taken a collaborative approach with a variety of stakeholders as opposed to the traditional approach, where water companies focused on their respective areas.

Water Resource East has implemented the use of the regional simulation model which uses Robust Decision Making to better understand the vulnerabilities between sectors for 2060 and beyond.

[L2R, Lydia Makin, Kirsty Ayres, Gee Tsang and Tom Swain]

The conference provided me a great chance to network with experts and speakers of different industries and backgrounds. From attending the various sessions, I learnt about new innovative ideas and the current research being carried out to overcome difficulties including political issues, ageing infrastructure, environmental pressures and rising costs.

Many of the speakers concluded that there is a need for innovation within the water industry but through a more collaborative approach in aiming to achieve our common goal - resilience.

The Rising Stars programme will continue throughout the year as they attend a number of events geared towards professional and personal development. These include technical visits, spending time with regulators, attending the Institute of Water Annual Conference and many others.

instituteofwater.org.uk

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HOW TO MAKE CPD WORK FOR YOU Darragh Hoban is a Civil Engineer at Mott MacDonald Ltd and is passionate about Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Darragh is a member of the Institute of Water and also one of our CPD Assessors. Here Darragh shares his view on CPD, where it fits within our professional lives and his approach to managing CPD. various activities, I am reminded of how these fit in with the bigger picture - my bigger picture.

In this way, I find CPD energises and improves my professional engagement.

reflection on professional development gained, it doesn’t dwell on endless recording of past activities and instead positively promotes ongoing and future professional development.

Easy does it

And best of all, it is easy to use and onlineaccessible which means I can easily review and update without hassle. Take a look by going to www.instituteofwater.org.uk/online-cpd

We are all busy and spend our time prioritising.

Things we want to do are often (or usually) prioritised over things we ought to do.

Let’s face it, an overly onerous system for recording CPD is never going to get top priority.

by Darragh Hoban Civil Engineer Mott MacDonald Ltd

Make it easy for yourself. Find a good system which takes as little administration effort as possible. Having tried a few approaches over the years, I personally prefer the Institute of Water online-CPD portal. What I like is its forward looking approach to CPD. While it promotes

‘The environment in which we live and work is changing, rapidly, and we need to adapt to it.

CPD empowers you through awareness of how a changing world affects you and the relevance of your skills and gives you control over how you should develop accordingly.

I find reviewing and updating my CPD gives me a renewed focus on my day to day tasks.

By reflecting on the benefits I have gained from

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I find the Institute of Water online-CPD portal to be well set up in helping me achieve this with minimal administrative effort.

Where am I now?

Where do I want to be?

What are my strengths and weaknesses?

How do my needs compare with those of my employer?

Don’t judge CPD by its cover

The essence of CPD is you, thinking about where you really want to get to next and instigating plans to get you there proficiently. CPD shouldn’t be about endless spreadsheets documenting your professional past for the benefit of others; it should be about you, your future and primarily for your benefit.

The following diagram illustrates the approach I take to try and achieve strategic, ongoing and reflective CPD.

Evaluation

CPD puts you in charge of steering your own future rather than being dragged along unwillingly by a changing world or worse still, left behind.

Thinking about tasks is often worse than actually doing them and I think most will agree updating CPD is one of those tasks. However, I would argue that while your employer and professional institution may encourage you to keep your CPD updated, you shouldn’t look on it as a chore imposed upon you by them. CPD is your chance to take control over what you want to achieve.

Cyclical nature of CPD

Recording & Reflecting Planned versus Actual?

Unplanned opportunities?

Learning outcomes?

Contribution to goals What could I do better next time?

Planning What activities can help me achieve my goals?

Short, medium and long-term goals and dates?

What do I need to do to get there?

How I fit in CPD Like most of us, I have a busy life. For me, this includes a full time job and raising a young family. At times, my busy life can feel a bit like firefighting; with few opportunities to lift up my head and think about the bigger picture.

However, I realise the importance in doing so.

Below are examples of ways I have found to make time for CPD, but everyone’s approach to CPD must be tailored to their own preferences and lifestyle.

I receive emails from the Institute of Water on events such as webinars and Lunch Byte learning opportunities. I also receive similar emails from other organisations in my field. I try not to miss opportunities to attend relevant activities in my area. I usually add the activity to my relevant goal within the online-CPD Portal as soon as I sign up to attend.

The best time I find to evaluate a CPD activity is shortly after completing it. This way it is fresh in mind and when it is particularly relevant to my long term goals it can give a sense of having strived forward and achieved tangible and recordable development.

Another thing I do is set a quarterly CPD reminder in my Outlook calendar. I have to admit, I often snooze the reminder when it pops up, but at least the reminder nags me and doesn’t allow me to put CPD on the back burner for too long. I find this ‘nagging’ particularly important when I’m busy.

When I am very busy and struggling to make time for CPD, the minimum I do is review my list of goals. My goals are generally quite long-term and wide-ranging which means in total, I only have ten or so goals at any one time. Reviewing these doesn’t take long but does require thought to ensure my development is taking the path I want it to take. This is effectively the big picture, so I want to get it right.

the dishes, etc. Once I have given them some thought, I open the list and update it as required.

When I return to my CPD (possibly the next quarter if I am busy), my goals should still be up-to-date as these are generally quite long-term goals. I then review activities which I have listed as being important to the achievement of my goals. Some activities will be particular events which happen to be planned in my area and I have signed up to. Others activities will be more strategic where I have identified them as important to achieving a goal, but I have had to make them happen. I evaluate any activities which I didn’t previously evaluate, but I find it is much easier to do this very soon after the activity.

I open the online-CPD Portal and ask myself; ■■

Does my list of goals accurately reflect where I want to be in the short- and long-term?

■■

Do I need to add any new goals?

■■

Which goals should be prioritised?

I then sometimes close the online-CPD Portal and take these questions away as something to reflect on while cycling home, washing

The above is the minimum I do on a quarterly basis and I find it easy to accommodate even during periods of hectic demands on my time.

Keeping my goals up-to-date ensures I keep the big picture fresh in my mind. For me, this is the most crucial aspect of CPD as this gives me the impetus to undertake and evaluate purposely selected activities.

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INSTITUTE OF WATER INNOVATION AWARD 2018 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED The Institute of Water are delighted to announce the finalists for their National Innovation Award 2018, sponsored by Veolia Water.

Each year the Institute of Water’s National Innovation Awards celebrates some of the most innovative individuals and companies from within the UK water and sewerage sector and highlights the leading role the Institute plays in developing talent and cultivating innovation across the sector.

The National Award is the culmination of the regional Innovation Awards, led by each of the Institute of Water’s Area Committees, where the winner from their region is put forward to the National Innovation Award.

The deserving finalists and their innovations are: ■■

Scottish Water Sewer Response Team Improving High Pressure Water Jetting Safety

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Yorkshire Water - Retrofit Splash Guards for Secondary Chlorination Units

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Dwr Cymru Welsh Water - Mobile Working Vehicle Fit

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Lanes Group plc - Wellbeing App and Practitioner Programme

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South West Water - Love Your Loo Campaign

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Disruptive Technologies AS - Sensor Solution

A judging panel of water sector experts will assess the applications and jointly select an overall winner. On the panel are: Nicci Russell, Managing Director of Waterwise, Trevor Bishop, Director at Ofwat, Professor Tom Stephenson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation at Cranfield University and Mark Wilson, Director, Northern Region at Veolia Water. Chairing the panel is Sir Brian Bender, independent Chair of Water UK. The overall winner will be announced at the Institute of Water’s President’s Dinner and Awards which will take place at the prestigious setting of Glasgow City Chambers on the 21st June. The Dinner will be hosted by the incoming President of the Institute of Water and Chief Executive of Scottish Water, Douglas Millican.

Mark Wilson, Director, Northern Region at Veolia Water, said: “Innovation is central to how we drive Veolia Water forward and to sponsor the Institute of Water’s Innovation Award is a

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[The 2017 National Innovation Award, sponsored by MWH, was won by Dan Green and the Wessex Water team with their entry ‘Innovative Catchment Management Approaches’. The runners up were Welsh Water’s Catchment Team with their entry ‘Deep Rooted Solutions: Growing Landscape Resilience’.]

fantastic way to demonstrate our commitment to supporting and recognising innovation across the water sector and to ultimately improve the service we all provide to the customer.”

The National Innovation Award is a spotlight for the many innovative individuals and companies within the water sector who are demonstrating excellence through innovation and is part of the commitment the Institute of Water is making to promote the right cultural environment and encourage pride in the sector.

The award will be presented alongside the Institute’s other awards such as the Allen Bolton Award, President’s Cup, annual CPD Award plus special awards from WaterAid, Energy and Utility Skills and the Certification and Assessment Board for the Water Industry (CABWI).

The President’s Dinner and Awards is part of the Institute of Water’s National Conference which will take place on the 21st-22nd June at Glasgow Caledonian University. Titled ‘Shaping the Future’, water sector experts from across the UK will come together at the conference to discuss and share their views on topics including the circular economy, water and the environment, and a digital future, considering how we can respond to the growing expectations of our customers, communities and stakeholders.

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LANGHAM INDUSTRIAL CONTROLS

A NEW GENERATION OF HYDRANT FLOW METERS Flow, pressure and GPS location data direct from meter to desktop now allows water companies better knowledge and control to assist in maintaining their networks and assets.

HYDRANT HYDRANT FLOW FLOW METERS METERS

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The battery poweredset electromagnetic sensors have no moving parts offering Langham Industrial Controls’ Hydrant Flow Meters the standard for portable flowreliable readings on

a clear, light-activated LCD display. The integrated data logger records flow and pressure even Mains conditioning, meter verification and flowaccuracies of ±0.5% it’s paces in a real world scenario during an when the within display is off,aensuring recordings. metering withstandpipe unrivalled widereliable flow range. continuous supply incidents are three of the meter, the LHM222 incident caused by a burst water main in The battery powered electromagnetic sensors have no moving parts offering reliable readings on Horizontal Hydrant Flow Meter many uses of Langham Industrial Controls LHM offers live on site Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. a clear, light-activated LCD display. The integrated data logger records flow and pressure even LHM100 - Pictured Right range of portable hydrant flow meters. The monitoring of the when the display is off, ensuring reliable recordings. The Horizontal Hydrant Flow Meter is compact, benefits of ±0.5% accuracy over a wide flow flow, pressure and The LHM111 ‘S2D’ lightweight and can to be attached to the outlet of a standard standpipe or pillar style hydrant. range and simple functionality have now been turbidity data (straight to desktop) The swan neck design ensures that the further improved with the addition of an integral streams whilst Portablesensor Hydrant electromagnetic is always full making it to record low flow rates. Where higher LHM100 - Pictured Right suitable GSM data logger. This allows the data, results simultaneously Meter was fitted to Hydrant Flow flows are required the Horizontal The Horizontal Hydrant Flow Meter is compact, Meter can be fitted to hose runs on the ground. and location of each operation to be transmitted logging and the hydrant to record lightweight and can to be attached to the and stored for future reference and comparison transmitting the the flow andoutlet pressure of a standard standpipe or pillar style hydrant. Accessories against other sensors across a wide water same data to a data of the water Vertical Standpipe The swan neck design ensures that the LHM010 : USB Comms Cable distribution network. secure website being The USB Comms Cable enables the user to download and electromagneticFlow sensorMeter is always fullinjected making itinto program based database. the network from the the integrated data logger. Display settings can also be suitable toLHM200 record low flow - Pictured Left rates. Where higher configured using the USB Comms cable.

Vertical Standpipe Flow Meter is ideal fortanker, With water companies facing larger fines for emergency flows are The required the Horizontal Hydrant Flow LHM020 : Pulse Output Cable applications where high flow rates are required Meter candirectly be fitted hose runs on the ground. customer complaints, mains conditioning and Each reporting whilst the sectionThe ofPulsed Output Cable enables 3rd party loggers and telemetry out to to atmosphere.

For example mains systems to be connected to the meter for logging and monitoring. flushing or hydrant testing. The London round flushing programmes are being implemented to interval also records pipe containing the fittings and long flow tube make this meter LHM030 : Pressure Transducer improve and ensure consistent water quality. the GPS location of burst was isolated.By attaching an external Pressure Transducer. Pressure can be suitable for use with UK underground hydrants. recorded simultaneously on the integrated data logger & display.

Accessories the standpipe flow This data was then transmitted via GSM and In the past flushing teams and network managers meter, allowing available to view and analyse in the Severn Trent +44 (0) 1536 724391 Langham Industrial Controls Ltd LHM010 : USB Comms Cable info@langhamcontrols.com Alexandra Burton LatimerOperational The USB Comms Cable enables to download and had the unenviable task of disseminating and for greater insight into each48site acrossStreet, a large Control Centrethe inuser Coventry within program the integrated data Display settings can also be Visit us on thelogger. web: www.langhamcontrols.com Northamptonshire, NN15 5SF overlaying flow, pressure and turbidity data in andLHM200 comprehensive flushing thirty minutes of USB the Comms operation - Pictured Left program. This also configured using the cable.starting.

Langham Industrial Controls reserve the right to change specifications without notice. Please confirm before placing your order . order to review the effectiveness of a flush and proves accountability whenLtdincidents The useful VerticalforStandpipe Flow Meter is ideal for LHM020 : Pulse Output Cable applications flow rates required to demonstrate the value of the operation. occur elsewherewhere on thehigh network at theare same Whilst maintaining the familiar functionality, The Pulsed Output Cable enables 3rd party loggers and telemetry directly out to atmosphere.

Forshowing examplehow mains time as a conditioning operation, ease of touse accuracy it’s for predecessor, the systems be and connected to theof meter logging and monitoring. flushing hydrantand testing. round This could often be from handwritten notes and valves wereor operated flow The ratesLondon adjusted new LHM111 ‘S2D’ Portable Hydrant Meter also fittings and long flow tube make this meter LHM030remote : Pressure Transducer accurate reports taken from analogue pressure gauges and in accordance with the water companies calm features GSM communications, By attaching an external Pressure Transducer. Pressure can be suitable for use with UK underground hydrants.

LCD displays during operations that usually take network policy.

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December 2017 the final +44 (0) 1536 724391 LanghamInIndustrial Controls Ltdprototype of our Building on the success of the LHM200 vertical latest Portable Hydrant Meter was put through info@langhamcontrols.com 48 Alexandra Street, Burton Latimer Visit us on the web: www.langhamcontrols.com Northamptonshire, NN15 5SF

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THINK BIGGER TO DELIVER THE RESILIENCE WATER CUSTOMERS NEED [Having the right infrastructure in the right places is vitally important] Credit United Utilities

Resilient, reliable and sustainable water and wastewater services are essential for people, the economy and the environment. But the world in which we live is becoming more complex and less predictable.

by Trevor Bishop & Stephen St Pier Directors, Ofwat

This is borne out in the recent National Infrastructure Commission report on water, which found that resilience to drought should be increased. So the water sector, and water companies in particular, will need to make a step change in their ambitions on resilience, bringing together all of its aspects - corporate, financial and operation - to put customers at the heart of the services they provide.

Water is delivered to homes, businesses, schools and hospitals and then taken away again by a complex mix of infrastructure-based assets.

This means that having the right infrastructure in the right places is vitally important for delivering resilience. That’s why there are a number of

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major infrastructure projects currently being completed in the sector, such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel, Severn Trent’s Birmingham Resilience Project and Bristol Water’s Southern Resilience Scheme. These schemes will help enable a more resilient water and wastewater service for customers and the environment.

And we are introducing a new approach - direct procurement for customers - for water companies to finance and procure large schemes where there are benefits to customers. Maintaining infrastructure, by, for example, repairing leaks and managing assets, also matters. That’s why we expect water companies to make stretching common performance commitments to reduce leakage, mains bursts, unplanned outages and sewer collapses at our next price review and then deliver on those commitments.

But infrastructure alone cannot deliver resilience.

Our September 2017 report ‘Resilience in the round’ reiterated the point that water and wastewater services are made up of a complex set of operational, corporate, and financial systems, sitting within wider environmental, economic, and social systems. The resilience of water and wastewater services as a whole rests on the resilience of those systems. We recognise that water companies’ internal culture and systems are the foundation for the overall resilience customers receive. That’s why our report, in setting out ways water companies might respond to the resilience challenge, included case studies on systems thinking.

It’s why we’ve been supportive of the Energy & Utilities Workforce Renewal and Skills Strategy, to make sure the water sector as a whole has a workforce with the right skills for the future.

It’s why we expect companies to plan for disruptive events across their whole business - including engineering, customer service and

FEATURE: AMP7JUST PREVIEW SMALLER communications teams. And it’s why we place such importance on the level of assurance that companies provide us about their data. We know decisions can only be made on a reliable basis if the data that underpins them is robust and error-free. So we were disappointed to see that such a large number of corrections needed to be made to recent data submissions from water companies.

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Finances matter too. A company that is not financially resilient might not be able to deliver the quality or breadth of service that customers expect.

So, in order to effectively provide resilient water and wastewater services, companies must also take responsibility for their financial resilience - their ability to avoid, cope with and recover from, disruption to their finances.

That’s why, we expect water companies to produce long-term viability statements about the financial viability of the company in the future as part of demonstrating their financial resilience. It’s also why we will be setting even tighter standards in the future, to make sure companies’ financial structures are robust and that customers are protected if things go wrong.

This complex and interlinked set of systems mean that water companies need to implement an approach to planning and delivering resilience that is holistic. Their approach should enable the whole business to participate together, so that it’s joined up, rather than fragmented. It should be rooted in the real world, so that the plans will actually deliver the stretching and realistic targets companies have set and is fully costed. It should take advantage of the benefits of regional collaboration with other water companies and other organisations. And it should respond directly to the world outside companies’ walls, including society, economy and the natural environment upon which the sector depends. We should be able to see the evidence of this holistic approach to resilience planning in each company’s water resource management plan and its business plan for 2020-25. What we’ve seen so far in draft water resource management plans however, lacks either real ambition or joined up thinking. We will expect better from water companies when we assess their business plans in the autumn. And customers need and expect planning that delivers resilient services now, through to 2025, and into the long term.

And that includes putting customers at the heart of water services.

This is because customers themselves have an integral role in the creation of reliable water and wastewater systems. Firstly, what customers do affects resilience. This means that resilience includes working with customers to enable different behaviours, for example in the disposal of fats, oils and grease, or around water efficiency where our recent report shows the possibilities for really deep cuts in water use. Secondly, customers can be part of the solution to resilience through the power of co-creation and an open and collaborative approach to innovation. And finally, because the resilience of customers themselves also matters. Customers need to be able and willing to pay their bills. That’s why affordability is one of the key themes of our price review, and why although we recognise there may be upwards cost pressures we’ve highlighted the opportunities for water companies to be significantly more efficient and incur lower financing costs to deliver lower customers bills – and we think there may be potential for some companies to have bills more than 10% lower. But it’s also why the current conversations in the public arena – about value for money, and the value of water itself, and ensuring customers are at the heart of the water and wastewater services – are of fundamental importance to the whole sector. Companies can start by stepping up their level of ambition now and thinking bigger about resilience.

[Water customers themselves have an integral role to play in resilience] Credit: Transport for London

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RESILIENCE THROUGH INNOVATION: WESSEX WATER’S INTEGRATED SUPPLY GRID

Wessex Water’s vast new water supply grid forms part of a £228 million investment across several schemes that will safeguard and improve water services in the region. The improvements to the water supply grid will ensure that Wessex Water can meet current and future demands for the next 25 years.

by Drummond Modley

FICE FCIWEM FIW Programme Manager - Water Supply Grid at Wessex Water One of the key innovations of the project is ‘The Optimiser’, a pump scheduling software, which monitors demand, flows and reservoir levels. The digital technology centrally monitors and manages the flow of water throughout the grid, responding reactively to meet customer demand. The ability to redistribute surplus water to areas in deficit will provide security of supply and maintain water quality throughout the region for the foreseeable future.

The new water supply grid is the largest scheme ever undertaken by Wessex Water and will provide important new infrastructure for the South West region with resilience connections to Bournemouth Water, Bristol Water and South West Water via Wimbleball Reservoir.

It is effectively a South West area regional grid.

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FEATURE: RESILIENCE It will improve interconnectivity within the existing water supply system. This will enable water to be moved from areas of surplus to areas of need and hence and provide our customers with a secure supply of water.

The eight year £228m programme of works, has spanned two AMP periods between 2010 and 2018 and comprises more than 50 individual projects. It has also benefited the South West region’s economy by creating jobs in the design and construction stages.

The water supply grid will allow Wessex Water to: ■■

Improve the security of supply for 1.3 million customers – even in the event of a catastrophic failure;

■■

Meet reductions in abstraction licenses required by the Environment Agency to improve flows in some rivers and protect their ecology;

■■

■■

Deal with seasonal or occasional deteriorating raw water quality – particularly increasing concentrations of nitrates at some groundwater sources; Achieve the statutory duty to balance the supply of and demand for water up to the year 2035, as set out in the Water Resources Management Plan approved by Defra in 2010.

Delivery Wessex Water’s Engineering and Construction Services (WECS) has managed the overall delivery programme, with Wessex Water, Atkins, Sweco and Aecom providing engineering design, planning and environmental services.

WECS established an external project workstream in 2010, dedicated to the delivery of the programme of work. The team has had a colocated office in the centre of the Wessex Water region at Yeovil, where staff of all disciplines have worked alongside each other for part of a typical week.

Design Although the majority of the design work was completed by Atkins, WECS engaged a range of designers to carry out the optioneering studies, complete outline and detailed designs and provide construction support services to the in-house and external contractors.

[Storage tank and pumping station]

Ltd, Lewis Civil Engineering and Clancy Docwra Ltd to construct the new pipelines, pumping stations and storage tanks required.

Innovation New Optimiser Technology One of the key innovations of the supply grid project has been the development of a new “Optimiser” flow control system that will manage and optimise the transfer of water along the new 74km trunkmain.

It has been developed with Servelec Technologies and is an automatic, real time, closed loop optimisation system. It will centrally control and monitor the bulk transfers in the trunkmain in the most efficient way, whilst still operating within the constraints built into the system, to ensure security of supply, minimise any risk of water quality issues and minimise energy costs by for example, avoiding expensive triad periods.

Storage tank volumes The volumes of the new storage tanks along the transfer main have been minimised by dedicating them as transfer storage allowing the full volume to be used without compromising the existing distribution storage for local customers which are located at the same sites.

The detailed design of more than 100km of new pipelines has been undertaken by WECS own in-house pipeline design team. Aecom and Sweco have also designed specific water treatment plant refurbishment projects.

Nitrate blending The water supply grid has been designed to allow the existing nitrate removal water treatment works and low nitrate water supply sources to be fully utilised, by the targeted blending of the available low nitrate water with sources at risk of exceeding the nitrate standard.

Contractors WECS has undertaken inhouse the construction of over 50% of the new storage tanks and pumping stations and treatment plant refurbishments.

WECS also contracted with external partners such as Trant Engineering Ltd, Bartlett Contractors

Bi-directional trunkmains In order to maximise flexibility, most links within the scheme have been designed to be bi-directional. To utilise this surplus pressure, energy recovery turbines have been installed at some pumping stations.

Benefits The water supply grid has been implemented in stages over the eight year project duration. Work initially targeted individual links to eliminate stand alone sources where the solution was clear cut.

The build included pipelines, pump stations and reservoirs targeted to provide greater resilience to allow major upgrades at key treatment works to progress and to reduce operational risk in the network.

With the new infrastructure operational, far greater flexibility has been possible in taking key water treatment works out of supply for major improvements, including those not directly associated with the grid due to the distribution system now being fully integrated.

In introducing the Grid it was recognised that a major review was required in how to manage the water distribution system. The introduction of the Optimiser has changed the business culture from ‘local control and central monitoring’ to ‘central control and central monitoring’. This has significantly improved intelligence of the network transferring knowledge from the individual in the field to a fully managed 24/7 centralised team.

The Optimiser as a tool has allowed the team to look proactively at improving the system security whilst the day-to-day operation is automatically scheduled within the constraints set.

The flexibility of the grid in combination with the Optimiser has significantly improved the security of supply and system resilience with significant built in adaptability to meet changes for the foreseeable future.

The water supply grid will ensure that Wessex Water meets public water supply demand for the next 25 years.

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EGREMONT

STARTING A RESILIENCE REVOLUTION - AS EASY AS ABC?

Ofwat has a new buzz word - resilience. In 2015 they set up the independent ‘resilience task and finish group’ and published 10 recommendations to help meet the challenges of creating a resilient water/waste water sector.

by Jamie Harrison

Senior Consultant, Egremont Group Sounds good, and exciting, but what does it mean in practice and how can the water industry take on this challenge?

It is not hard to imagine that in water companies up and down the country individual resilience task forces are being set up in Boardrooms. Post It notes are being unpacked, white boards cleaned and pencils sharpened.

All good intentions, but to avoid this simply becoming a box-ticking exercise each company will need to truly embrace resilience across the whole organisation – that means starting a revolution.

What is Resilience?

Resilience is all about being ready for the unexpected, having the right systems, people and processes in place to weather the sudden storm. Being able to predict, with confidence, where future threats are likely to occur but also where future opportunities lie and knowing how to handle both.

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Where to start?

The first task is to ensure that your business is set up to succeed in developing and implementing the right resilience strategy.

Let’s break it down into manageable steps.

A – Assets Understanding your assets is key for a resilient company. Which are critical, where are your single points of failure, what are the consequences of that failure? Gaining this level of understanding can be daunting given the diverse range and scale of the asset base.

Many hands make light work, however, and this is where frontline workers become resilience planners - by mobilising the workforce in the field, you can harness their expert knowledge to plan and model future scenarios. The key here is ensuring there are clear routes of communication and escalation for those workers to communicate their findings through the company to inform central planning decisions.

Does your team understand which assets are critical to the success of the business, and does that knowledge drive the right maintenance and

investment action? There needs to be clear visual management for teams to show exactly what they are trying to achieve. Avoid the attitude of “I’m compliant so I am resilient”.

B – Bench People are vital to the future success of any company. Do you have the right people in the right jobs? How healthy is the ‘bench’? How many extra workers are you able to call on in times of crisis? Resilience planning to deal with the unexpected means having a flexible, well trained workforce who can move quickly and willingly onto different priorities when needed.

Is there a succession plan in place for the senior engineers who hold the expert knowledge of the network, treatment works, flood risk areas and leakage history? With so much information held within the business it is often hard to capture it and share it. Making sure the business has a thought through succession plan and good practices around knowledge sharing and training to filter this information down through the workforce is the only way to ensure it is not lost when senior staff retire or move on.

FEATURE: RESILIENCE C – Customers Ofwat are clear that water companies must put the customer at the heart of everything they do. But this is more than a few listening groups and a survey, the danger of leaving it here is to only plan for what the customer wants now and spend little or no time thinking and mapping behavioural trends to see what the customer will want in the future.

By spending time and resources educating customers it is possible to influence future behaviour. Creating a shared sense of responsibility for the water we use, how much we waste, what we throw down the drain and what the environmental consequences will be are positive steps to starting a change.

A well-informed customer base can make a huge contribution to resilience.

Resilience around customers goes beyond their habits and behaviours. In uncertain economic times, how well are water companies planning for a customer base that could experience increased unemployment, rising debt and a resulting inability to pay their water bills?

By providing an important, life sustaining service, water companies are not in a position where they can simply ‘shut-off’ customers that are unable to pay. Effective resilience means finding workable solutions for both the business and the customer.

D - Data Imagine you had a precious and critical asset worth hundreds of millions, operated 24/7 but without a maintenance plan or budget – would you be worried? This is how many view their data. Don’t gather/measure it just because you can, start to value it like it is a physical asset.

Look for relationships and insights in your data, use it to model customer behaviour, to predict potential flooding/pollution, improve leakage detection and water resource planning. Use HR modelling to map the workforce, to predict skills shortages and identify the skills you’ll need for a sustainable and resilient business in the future.

allowing for affective planning and investment.

By getting managers to value data and see the importance of accurate feedback, you can build a strong foundation of core data that is vital for any resilient operational business.

E – External Partnering Through effective partnering we can create resilient long-term strategies with win/win/win outcomes for water companies, customers and other stakeholders. We will only unlock the true potential of effective catchment management for example by closely collaborating with other land users and agencies with the aim of producing one mutually beneficial, joined up plan.

External partnering need not be limited to traditional partnering approaches. This is the perfect opportunity for the water industry to reach out more widely to other sectors for new insight and innovations, embracing new technologies and ways of working in order to ensure a resilient future.

F – Flow The way work flow is managed in the water industry is often set up wrongly. Corporate processes are usually geared up to fix current problems and reinforce current ways of working rather than allow for future planning, problem prevention or indeed any kind of change.

This makes it much harder for bolder ideas, fresh thinking and innovation to flow through into everyday work practices.

Do assets that haven’t yet failed or are not currently fully stressed feature in planning discussions or are the core processes led by existing failure and recovery? Is the same thinking applied to your workforce, i.e. we have the right people in place now, so we don’t need to worry about what might happen in the future.

It takes a dynamic view, and dynamic thinking to create resilience.

G – Goal Setting common goals across the whole business is required to support a resilience revolution.

Every single employee has a part to play to ensure that the company moves from a ‘fine now’ scenario to a confidently ‘fine in the future’ state. This will require a change of mind-set where everyone is united behind a common purpose and as robustly resilient and future ready as possible.

The aim is to create an environment, supported by dynamic work processes that delivers a confident and able business capable of thriving regardless of the business threats, not just one able to handle the traditional flooding, cold weather and drought conditions.

If Ofwat’s ambitions for the industry are to be achieved in an innovative and sustainable way resilience needs to be moved onto the scorecards of each and every employee. Let’s start a revolution.

Consider whether your operational ideas flow supports resilience thinking.

Using data improves it while also providing valuable insight into areas such as productivity, asset condition, reliability and performance,

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BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE DRIEST REGION IN THE COUNTRY

As water companies close the consultations on their draft Water Resource Management Plans (WRMP) for the next 25 years, Anglian Water spoke to us about why it’s put forward its most ambitious plan ever, and why schemes such as its award winning Grafham Resilience scheme are a sign of things to come.

The Anglian Water WRMP outlines over £800million of investment across a range of areas to build resilience and balance supply and demand for water supplies in the driest region in the country.

The East of England region that Anglian Water serves is dry, low-lying and vast. It covers around a quarter of the UK land mass, has one of the fastest growing populations, and receives about half the average rainfall compared to the rest of the UK.

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In Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, the counties served by its recent Grafham Resilience scheme, it is estimated that more than a quarter of a million new homes will be built and more than 380,000 jobs created by 2036.

In the face of these challenges and with significant population growth predicted over the next 25 years the company says it needs to build ever resilient systems to meet the challenges of population growth, the impact of climate

change and the need to protect the environment.

That’s led to its most ambitious WRMP ever, which brings together a three pronged approach focussing on leakage, customer usage and building further resilience across its network.

A whopping £500million has been set aside for an array of interconnector mains schemes.

Delivered over a number of years, these independent sections of new interconnecting pipeline will join up and build to form a strategic grid, covering the region and providing greater

FEATURE: RESILIENCE resilience and flexibility in how the company can move water around from areas of surplus water to areas of deficit.

At the heart of the company’s plans to further increase resilience is its exemplar Grafham Resilience scheme. Last year it was commended by the National Infrastructure Commission’s Chair, Sir John Armitt, and won both the Utility Week Capital Project Award and British Construction Industry Award, ahead of major schemes like Crossrail.

It is the latest example of how Anglian is continuing to build the essential infrastructure for sustainable growth and underpinning the regional economy.

However, what’s special about the Grafham Resilience scheme is not that it is a big concrete tank, built using modern, low-carbon construction techniques, but that it represented a wholesale change in the way the company approached the project to ensure it was delivered for half the carbon, half the cost – helping to keep bills down for customers, and with zero customer impact.

The final £28million scheme will keep taps flowing and increase the security of supply for the thousands of customers between Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and the fast growing 50 year old garden city of Milton Keynes in the west of Anglian Water’s region.

The original scheme solution put forward in 2014 was to construct a 37km long metre-wide pipeline, at a cost of around £60million. But as with any infrastructure scheme, the Anglian Water and @One Alliance engineering team needed to work to halve embodied carbon before getting agreement to proceed. So rather than following the original plan to build a major new pipeline, in a bid to reduce cost and carbon, the team turned to a more sustainable – and radical – solution.

A ground-breaking, innovative flow reversal trial challenged the status quo and saw collaboration across various teams to prove it would be possible use existing infrastructure. The new design would reverse flows through an existing water main to feed the Grafham Works from

another area, in the event of an emergency outage.

In a first for the UK water industry, the team trialled adjustments and monitoring of the pipe network and new ways of working to successfully reverse the direction of flow through one of the existing water mains. The proof of concept was born and the new scheme design was able to go ahead.

Anglian Water’s Director of Water Services, Paul Valleley described the trial as, “a real benchmark in planning of complex live pipework operations, and a meticulous approach, which resulted in a very thorough plan, expertly executed.”

This scheme demonstrated collaboration across Water Networks, Water Supply and Asset Management as well as Anglian Water’s @ One Alliance and the strong cohesion and understanding of each others roles during the live trial reaped huge rewards. They were able to rethink the original solution on design parameters for certain parts and equipment.

Networks Manager Karl Porter led the enabling project, challenging the status quo from the outset providing a fresh perspective on managing a Supply scheme.

He brought Infrastructure Modeller Kirsty Jones out into the field rather than being ‘back office’ to get a better understanding of the equipment operations in order to update the hydraulic model.

Working on site at night, Kirsty was able to take first-hand notes of the system operations.

The night testing and data recording enabled the teams to build confidence in the variable speed pump operations.

It took until 2017 for the last pipe cut-in to be completed, marking the scheme’s completion.

The results achievedwere staggering. The final scheme, made possible by the trial, came in £32 million cheaper than the initial design with 61 per cent less embodied carbon, or 26,845 tonnes less, than the original solution – a huge amount of carbon saved on one single scheme. The reduction in carbon and cost allowed £40million to be reinvested to fund more renewables, generating even further efficiencies for the business, which help keep customer bills low.

The monitoring of the variable speed pumps during the trial alone had taken 200 man hours, and during the construction period – which took a quarter of a million man hours to complete the @One Alliance and Anglian Water team made 56 connections to live water mains without any interruption to customers. Typically a regional operations team would undertake just 26 such connections in a year. The largest connection had the potential to impact 400,000 customers but thorough planning and efficient execution meant no customers were affected.

Chris Newsome, Director of Asset Management for Anglian Water said: “The Grafham Resilience scheme is not just a concrete storage reservoir or a scheme to connect existing pipes. It’s a case study in ‘can do’ attitude, challenging the status quo and collaboration across our business including Water Networks, Water Supply and Asset Management. That attitude is what delivered such a huge reduction in carbon and cost, and has ultimately allowed £40million to be reinvested to fund more renewables, generating even further efficiencies for our business. Yes it takes time and effort to pull-off, but look at the results.”

Eventually, after painstaking effort, they were able to operate the variable speed pumps at a level outside the normal design specification and still achieve the controlled, stable operations required for the scheme to be successful.

This pushed all the boundaries of what could be done with the equipment, and was made possible by breaking the mould on the traditional ways of working, by bringing Kirsty, as Infrastructure Modeller, into the field.

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PR19: Smart water companies need to re-think delivery to outperform A successful future for water companies, and their customers, will be one of innovation incentivised by a sharper reward and penalty regime.

Elisabeth Selk, Strategic Research Consultant, and SEAMS explore how the latest innovative digital technologies have provided the opportunities for water companies to rise to the challenges ahead.

It’s no secret that UK water companies are under renewed pressure to become more customer-focused and deliver better value for stakeholders.

Under the new price review - PR19 - water companies will need to demonstrate more than ever before that water bills are underpinned by a strong understanding of both lifetime costs and of their customers’ expectations. They will need to obtain a strong mandate for expenditure from their customers to back their asset management and capital delivery programmes.

PR19 requires a step-change in efficiency, bringing in more competition and lowering returns.

Achieving efficiency, productivity and customer service targets have become even more demanding.

Population growth and climate change-driven weather patterns are putting increasing pressure on an ageing asset base. Concerns about bills, transparency and corporate behaviours and the threat of nationalisation are becoming more widespread. It’s becoming imperative to bridge the growing infrastructure gap between investment and maintenance to achieve delivery against this rising backdrop of challenges, and organisations are still struggling to produce evidence based

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near – and long term – investment plans. However, at the same time, digital and new business models have opened up new avenues for water companies to rise to these challenges and put customers at the centre of their operations while boosting returns on investment.

Stepping up efficiency with smart and digital technologies: Enabling a water company to adopt more sustainable investment scenarios and achieve smarter asset management still begins with the data. Digital and smart technologies support the data value chain from data capture, establishing asset knowledge and insight through to making optimal decisions from the operational through to strategic level.

They also allow the sharing of this knowledge to influence behaviours in the supply chain and the customer base.

The need for robust decision support This is where Prescriptive Analytics and robust Decision Support come in: Ofwat requires the use of tools that allow the long term best value decision under the uncertainties of climate change and population

growth. Gartner, the world’s leading information technology research company, has forecast Prescriptive Analytics will become the ‘fastest growing’ software application internationally, with use rising from 10% to 35% over the period 20162020. Prescriptive Analytics takes information derived from data and uses it to identify specific actions to achieve strategic goals.

More information than ever before is available to strategic planners about their operations and assets.

This creates immense potential to mine data for invaluable insights.

Developing true decision-making power calls for analytics that can integrate intelligence about the past, present and future, enabling a business to move from hindsight, via insight, to foresight. Decision Support Tools (DSTs) provide this using : • Descriptive Analytics, to know what has happened, historically • Diagnostic Analytics, to understand why it happened • Predictive Analytics, to learn what will happen next • Prescriptive Analytics, to know what to do about it

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ForaaFREE FREEdemonstration demonstrationplease please For emailcontact@seamsltd.com contact@seamsltd.comor or email visit seamsltd.com visit seamsltd.com

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MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE - OPTIMISATION OF ASSETS IN WATER AND ENERGY Stantec reviews how and says the winners will be those who best adapt to an environment based on outcomes and understand how to optimise what they already have minimise energy and chemical usage, to produce good quality recyclates and to produce feedstock for energy generation systems (maintenance of compliance being taken as a prerequisite); 2. Optimisation of energy generation systems to maximise power generation and minimise parasitic power and chemicals.

by John Ord

Stantec Business Director Energy & Infrastructure There has been much talk and debate around what a TOTEX environment means for the water companies across the UK. But, there has not been the same level of discussion around TOTEX in the wider energy sector. As we move from an environment focused on outputs, to an environment based on outcomes - where the total cost of ownership is reflected - our focus needs to change and adapt.

While the TOTEX discussion within the water and energy sectors respectively may have been different, there is a common thread. This is especially the case in the water sector and the relatively new, renewables sector. In particular; optimising the performance of assets to maintain and outperform business plans and business cases. So, while TOTEX may have a higher profile in the water industry, the delivery aspects of TOTEX are equally and arguably more important to the power industry. Especially as we are now moving from the construction of large numbers of renewable energy assets to their long-term operation and maintenance, as they come out of their test and guarantee periods.

Optimisation of assets can broadly be broken down into two types: 1. Optimisation of treatment systems to

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These points and principles are not new, they are known and well understood to energy managers in almost any large organisation. But as we all know - knowing about them is one thing, having the ability to make them happen while bombarded with day to day operational issues is another.

Historically, expert consultant organisations such as Stantec have been very successful at helping clients embrace TOTEX, designing the right solutions, and helping clients to understand how, sometimes complex processes, operate.

As we move to an operational focus, the role of the expert consultants needs to evolve from giving advice and writing reports on what could be done, to working with the client to identify improvements, and then developing changes to the point of implementation. They must have the ability as a single end-to-end delivery entity to implement and deliver the changes, monitor and optimise changes, and ultimately be prepared to share in the success or otherwise of changes they have proposed. Gone will be the days where the consultant sits and advises at a distance from the actual delivery risk.

Does optimisation bring treatment plants closer to non-compliance?

Discussions around the optimisation of treatment systems (be they clean water or wastewater) are almost always accompanied by operator perceptions that this means ‘sailing closer to the wind’ and bringing plants closer to noncompliance. Compliance is king and always will be. With process modelling, big data combined with predictive analytics, and intuitive operator interfaces, we can now a model in the virtual world to understand what is happening and about to happen to a system. We can provide the operator with the intelligence to know

quantitatively as well as qualitatively what can be done to improve performance while maintaining compliance.

Suffering from the wrong waste?

One of the main challenges around the ability of processes, and particularly waste and biosolid treatment systems, to meet their target operational performance, centres around the difference between the anticipated waste/feed quality and that received at the operational plant. A designer will always tell you that the plant would perform perfectly if only the feed was as it should be!

Changes in wastewater treatment plant operations and in curbside collections means that many systems suffer from “the wrong waste”.

Ultimately, we cannot dictate what is supplied to the biosolid or thermal conversation plant.

We can influence the feed to some degree, but we cannot prescribe. Given knowledge of the actual feed to sites which is gained over several years operation, the performance capabilities and limitation of sub-systems (equipment such as dewatering plant, trommels, ferrous separators etc.), and experience of operating the conversation systems (be they digestion or thermal treatment systems), we are, or should, be in a position to be able to optimise what we have, as opposed to what we would like to have.

We need to provide plant operators with fully calibrated virtual plant models of water, wastewater and waste treatment systems, such as Stantec’s Mimic, MyPlant, Optimi$e and Maximi$e systems. Then by demonstrating over time how these models accurately predict both performance and compliance, we can gain the trust of naturally skeptical plant operations. This trust-based relationship is the key to being able to deliver plant optimisation over time. Only by gaining the trust of operations will modifications and improvements be successfully implemented.

Winning over skeptical plant operators is key Having gained the trust of plant operators that changes can be made without jeopardising compliance, availability or revenue, a cost-

FEATURE: RESILIENCE effective means of delivering change needs to evolve. Using main/major contractors to make small incremental changes to plant is unlikely to work as their business models predominantly revolve around large complex capital projects and programmes. Where Consultants are good at advising, small works contractors are good at ‘doing’. However, without alignment and accountability between the advice and implementation, good ideas will fail through lack of ownership of the overall outcome. What is needed is an aligned delivery model for the delivery of optimisation services to clients.

A model that maintains continuity between the ideas generator, the implementer and the owner.

One that ensures good ideas are identified, delivered with focus on the outcome, and with post implementation monitoring and tracking which realises and maintains savings.

[Right Information in the Right Hands - Increased accountability through operational insights]

Many clients want to be master of their own destiny and aim to provide an end-to-end optimisation capability in house. The weakness of this approach is the difficulty for individual organisations to be continuously aware of the latest opportunities in the market place or to justify dedicated off line or semi offline teams to provide a continual focus on continuous optimisation and the delivery of change that is essential for success.

Making the most of what you have We are moving into the world of making the most of what you have (without breaking it), whether water or renewables. This is why focused, delivery capable consultant organisations operating across multiple sectors and who can operate in a big data environment to model and identify efficiency opportunities can make a huge impact. They can implement and monitor change and provide the intelligent client with real opportunities to optimise their assets by cost effectively applying cutting edge techniques to improve efficiency, while at the same time being quantitatively aware of risks.

For more information, visit Stantec.com or connect via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Nurture Performance Culture – Understand and implement operating best practices

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EXPECT… AVK

INCREASED DEMAND FOR AVK THROUGHBORE HYDRANTS LONG SHOOT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

[Ready for tarmacing]

[Series 29/91]

Proving collaborative partnerships work and provide benefits…!

In today’s water industry collaborative, longterm partnerships and open relationships are instrumental to the successful delivery of any contract or scheme. Listening to and understanding stakeholder objectives leads to an efficient, resilient and cost-effective solution for all. AVK UK Ltd (AVK) is committed to building such relationships with all its customers. One example of this commitment, is the company’s long-term relationship with Severn Trent Water (STW) that has led to AVK being chosen as Severn Trent’s only provider of “Throughbore” hydrants on both their frameworks and self-lay projects.

AVK UK Ltd National Sales Manager, Alex Waite said, “We are very proud of the relationship we have with STW. The whole AVK UK team has worked very hard to recognise the challenges faced by the customer, and to supply a solution that has ultimately led to our sole supply of throughbore hydrants across the region. I think it is testimony to the outstanding quality of the product, the fact that we have a local UK manufacturing capability and that every single one of our hydrants is tested for both pressure and coating quality before being delivered to the customer.”

AVK has seen a huge increase in demand across the UK for their Throughbore hydrant (Series 29/91) because of its key benefits such as significantly increased flow, uninterrupted access

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into the main and data logging point. AVK has managed to continue to service this dramatic growth effectively through a collaborative approach between the company, suppliers, contractors and the Water Companies. One example of this is the Long Shoot Housing Development for Barratt Homes located in the bustling town of Nuneaton. They are building a mixture of two, three and four bedroom luxury homes.

and good technical knowledge makes them an obvious choice for both contractor and manufacturer alike.

As an alternative to having new mains and service connections installed by the incumbent Water Provider, house builders can arrange for the work to be carried out by qualified contractors (self-lay contractors). Infrastructure Gateway Ltd are one of the largest self-lay companies in the Midlands and have long been a loyal installer of AVK valves and hydrants in both the gas and water sectors.

AVK constantly evolve their range of products and the Throughbore hydrant is no exception.

It is used with the AVK Hydrant Security System (Series 29/10), which is 100% successful securing the customer’s all-important assets against water theft and vandalism, something that STW and the local Fire Service have also agreed to adopt.

Stephen Ludlum, Operations Manager for Infrastructure Gateway Limited (IGL), said, “As a business, IGL is delighted with the quality of AVK’s products, customer service and the collaborative approach that the AVK supply chain has delivered consistently.”

IGL chose Wolseley UK, part of one of the largest merchant groups in the world, to service their material needs in what is a very reactive marketplace. Wolseley’s network of branches, extensive stock profile, high levels of service

“AVK looks forward to continuing its successful relationships with STW, IGL and Wolseley longterm. We have worked very hard to ensure that we have adopted a holistic approach, listened to all requirements and delivered the objectives of all.” Alex concluded.

Expect… AVK Expect… Quality in every step Expect… A long-term partnership For further details on the AVK UK throughbore hydrant and other products please contact: Alex Waite National Sales Manager E: awai@avuk.co.uk M: +44 (0) 7721 127751

EXPECT... LASTING INNOVATIONS

AVK SUPPORTING UK WATER INDUSTRY with solutions, not only products and lasting innovations.

THE AVK SERIES 01/79 RESILIENT SEAT GATE VALVE with SUPA PLUSTM Socket

Connections allows PE and PVC pipe to be connected directly into the valve, eliminating the need for flange kits and electrofusion joints.

Key benefits: easier and quicker installation therefore reducing overall installation costs.

THE AVK SERIES 29/91 THROUGHBORE HYDRANT

•

•

•

•

includes a full, unobstructed DN80 bore, autofost valve as standard and optional data logger.

•

THE AVK PENTOBOX SERIES 8054 WATER METER BOX

•

•

with a Grade B composite surface box able to withstand an 8 tonne load. The composite lid also allows Automated Meter Reading Technology (AMR).

•

THE AVK SERIES 701/79 WASTE WATER AIR VALVE

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is a fully chambered device for quick and easy installation, keeping the air valve safe and secure. The air valve has the additional benefit of a quick release connection for ease of maintenace, removing confined space issues.

• •

•

•

No fused joints required – full tensile resistant mechanical joints with simple torque wrench required for installation.

Installation time significantly reduced: Less time spent in trench, therefore reducing health and safety risks.

Cost savings – reduction in time and materials result in a minimum of 20% installed cost saving.

Unobstructed DN80 bore for ease of use with camera insertion within the water mains.

Easy maintenance - can be maintained in-situ.

Logger connection - integral data logger available allowing hydrant to remain operational whilst live data obtained.

Available with patented push-fit connections d20, 25 & 32mm, ½” HG and ¾” BSP Female threaded.

The surface box accommodates a 7° angle of tilt.

Telescopic with a height adjustment from 555-850mm.

Available as a fully sealed Class 1 or unsealed Class 2.

AVK

Off-site fabrication means installation time is significantly reduced on chambered air valves: Potential saving of 30% on installation time dependant on chamber type.

Enhanced performance - small orifice discharge 10 times greater than conventional units.

Integral isolator - quick shut off to the valve.

Northampton Office 8 Rushmills Northampton NN4 7YB England Tel: +44 (0) 1604 601188 Email: customerservice@avkuk.co.uk

www.avkuk.co.uk instituteofwater.org.uk 39

HWM

PERMANET+: CHANGING THE ECONOMICS OF LEAK DETECTION

Clean drinking water is the world’s most precious resource and it is becoming increasingly scarce.

Factors such as population growth, climate change and aging infrastructure are putting pressure on water suppliers.

Leak detection is a proven method of safeguarding water and at HWM we’ve developed PermaNET+ to change the economics of leak detection.

With over 3,100 million litres of water being lost per day (Water UK/Ofwat), the cost of non-revenue water to the UK’s water companies is substantial. Ofwat has demanding targets for leak reduction and investment in cost-effective leak detection equipment will support water companies in meeting these targets.

PermaNET+ is our award-winning leak detection system. Combining a leak noise sensor with our versatile telemetry technology, PermaNET+ creates a fixed leak monitoring network.

Affinity Water, Britain’s largest water-only utility servicing 3.6 million people in South East England has partnered with HWM to target a significant reduction in leakage rates using PermaNET+ fixed network telemetry.

Drew Richie, Managing Director of Wholesale Operations at Affinity Water explained that “by using the HWM PermaNET+ solution we can continuously monitor 25 percent of our network, identifying leaks in a matter of hours, rather than the days it takes using conventional techniques and technologies”.

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PermaNET+ represents the next stage in the development of noise logging. Data generated by the noise logger is automatically sent to the user, removing the need to visit sites to carry out data collection. Data transmission is achieved through a combination of 3G, GPRS or SMS cellular communication.

The unit also sends an audio file for remote monitoring and correlation to localise the leak position. PermaNET+ is located entirely below ground, making it less intrusive and more practical for large-scale deployments.

Working in conjunction with Google Maps, PermaNET Web provides live on-screen tracking, allowing leakage teams to respond quickly to problem areas and bring them under control.

Fully waterproof and designed with the latest mobile technology to maximise dial in and minimise cost, PermaNET+ is a cost-effective remote leakage monitoring solution.

While many of the UK’s water companies including Affinity Water, Yorkshire Water and Thames Water are reaping the benefits, it is not just in the UK where PermaNET+ is helping to save customers money and water.

Danish specialist Leif Kock A/S has used

PermaNET+ to save millions of krone for Denmark’s largest utility company.

A project consisting of an initial deployment of 185 permanent data loggers was established in Copenhagen to detect leaks.

On just the second day of the project the leak detection team identified a leak. When the team dug down they discovered that the water from the leak was running directly into the sewer.

“If we had conducted a study of this particular area using our old method a week before the leak began” explains Kim Roar, team leader at HOFAR “it would have been three years before returning to this area and discovering the leak”.

“In other words, the leak would have been continuously running into the sewer for three years. By our rough calculations, this leak alone would have cost us 1.2 million kroner (approx. £116,000)”.

This project illustrates one of the many benefits of PermaNET+, as PermaNET+ drastically reduces leak run time. PermaNET+ is an effective leakage monitoring solution developed specifically to reduce non-revenue water, saving water companies time, water and money.

- Global leaders in leak detection

PermaNet+ • Fixed network monitoring continually scans for leaks • Full underground installation with remote cellular communication • Auto-correlation functionality automatically locates leak position

NEW from

DXmic • Best in class sound quality • Colour touch screen • Wireless capability (connects headphone/App) • Dedicated App allows sound, GPS & image files to be transferred remotely, along with site reports • Sound frequency display

For more information visit:

www.hwmglobal.com MONITORING ASSETS, DELIVERING DATA, BRINGING CONTROL instituteofwater.org.uk

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AQUAM

ANGLIAN WATER AWARDS STANDPIPE MANAGEMENT Anglian Water has awarded the management of its third party standpipes to Aquam, a global provider of risk mitigation technologies for water and energy transmission and distribution assets.

The agreement began on 1 April 2018 and will initially operate for a three-year period.

The award includes provision of high quality branded standpipes and bespoke calm network keys to companies and organisations authorised to operate within Anglian Water’s network.

Aquam will also ensure all network operators in the region are aware of regulatory requirements and undertake the company’s e-learning course on safe operation of water hydrants.

Aquam’s Calm Network Training is accredited by the Institute of Water and is designed to educate operators on safe hydrant use, valves and pumps are operated. Research shows that incorrect operation of the network is a major cause of the surge effects that can cause leaks and bursts.

Malcolm Holmes, restoration innovation & development manager at Anglian Water comments: “We are looking forward to working

with Aquam, to train existing and new operators, reduce the risk of illegal standpipe use and to continue to provide an uninterrupted water supply to our customers.”

Tim Bowen, Aquam’s managing director said, “I’m delighted that we have the opportunity to partner with Anglian Water in this critical area.

Aquam brings a focussed approach to standpipe management which greatly benefits the many utilities using the service.”

“We can help tackle illegal use of the network and water theft, improve hydrant operation technique and reduce the number of pipe bursts and water discoloration events. This means much less disruption to customers and communities and a lower risk of regulatory penalties for our utility clients.”

Anglian Water is the largest water and wastewater company in England and Wales

by geographic area. Aquam will provide hydrant and standpipe services to over 1,000 companies operating the utility’s potable water network assets in the north and east of England.

Aquam, which has its UK headquarters in Manchester, currently provides standpipe and management services to 12 water companies in England and Wales.

SEVERN TRENT PROSECUTES COMPANY FOR ILLEGAL HYDRANT USE Severn Trent Water has successfully prosecuted a Warwickshirebased company for illegal hydrant use. Wilkinson Environmental pleaded guilty to five offences of illegal hydrant use after being caught by a member of the public taking water illegally in Shifnal, Kidderminster, Leamington Spa and Redditch.

The company has now been ordered to pay a total of £4,782, made up of a £1,742 fine, £3,000 in costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Water Services. This now means all of our authorised standpipes are painted bright green and feature the Severn Trent and Aquam logos.

Dan Littlewood from Severn Trent said, “Since the start of 2016 Severn Trent has successfully prosecuted over 50 companies and written more than 160 warning letters to firms that have been caught illegally using hydrants.

“If anyone sees our hydrants being used by someone using anything other than a bright green standpipe, please let us know. Not only did this company illegally use our hydrants, they also removed a locking cap that stops people from using them, so they knew they shouldn’t be doing it. Hopefully after landing in court, they won’t be doing it again.”

“We’ve made it easy to spot those using our hydrants illegally by teaming up with Aquam

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[Severn Trent authorised standpipes are painted bright green and feature both companies’ logos.]

AQUAM PIPE DIAGNOSTICS Assess condition Identify corrosion Find leaks

Technologies enable more accurate targeting and prioritising of repair and maintenance work and provide better quality data than laboratory testing.

Insertion through valves and hydrants minimises excavation and streetworks. Operation under live mains pressure means zero impact on customer water supply.

Our skilled technicians can deliver live inspection and complete analysis of all pipeline infrastructure, employing a comprehensive range of proven technologies.

Your trusted partner for intelligent pipeline assessment, cleaning and rehabilitation

Contact us:

0844 543 3540 WATER

WASTEWATER

INDUSTRIAL

GAS

www.aquamcorp.co.uk instituteofwater.org.uk

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BRITISH WATER ENGINEERING COLLEGE

GREAT MANAGERS: THE KEY TO RIDING THE WAVE OF CHANGE The UK water industry is facing climate change effects, reducing resources and increasing demands from customers and regulators. These challenges require new, some as-yet unknown, ways of working and problem solving. Without great managers the industry risks being swamped by change rather than reaping its benefits.

The challenges The challenges are well known: meeting rising demand from limited licences and increasing regulatory standards while losing over half of the technical workforce in a 5-10 year period This gives you an industry that needs to make a step change in operational agility and performance just to stand still. Yes, a step change just to stand still. Scary, isn’t it?

Managing the challenges OK, here is the key idea: The better your managers the better your organisational will perform, up to 25% better according to the Institute of Management.

I used this theme in my article “Emotional Intelligence – the missing link to superior business performance” for the Engineering UK 2010 annual report. The article included a model of overlapping technical and personal qualities (figure 1). My concern was that managers are often promoted technical experts who lack management skills or good non-industry managers who lack the technical skills to understand and direct the work of their teams.

Would either of these be “great managers”?

Step changes and ongoing incremental improvements require individuals and teams who think and act across boundaries, challenging the status quo by setting unreasonable goals.

While a company vision require Board commitment managers make it happen. They require sound technical skills to understand the issues and solutions and great people skills to run the “teams of many talents” needed to solve complex problems.

And the solutions...

There is no magic bullet. In 2017 I reported on a management development programme (MDP) of a major utility service provider. Their MDP objective was at least one credible internal candidate per senior level vacancy.

I noted the challenges of replacing staff with decades of experience and the fears of candidates. Candidates felt comfortable with

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the higher level technical challenges but were concerned about managing multi-disciplinary departments.

Solutions included MPD participants working towards an MBA or CEng, participating in cross functional projects, job shadowing and undertaking secondments. Activities were to be delivered under an apprenticeship framework and, critically, progress reported to the Board quarterly.

Apprenticeships: Learning by doing A key requirement is that apprentices must spend 20% of their work time on development outside of their substantive role.

Reasonable for already busy staff? Maybe not.

But as Peter Simpson, COO of Anglian Water noted at the 2016 Institute of Water conference in Cambridge “You do not achieve step change by setting reasonable targets”, and now talks about setting “Big Hairy Ambitious Goals (BHAGs)”.

And remember the prize: 25% better productivity.

With such a gain we could all have Fridays off.

Or use the time to upskill managers even further.

Perhaps now is the tine for the water industry to be ambitious, setting BHAGs for the personal and professional development of its managers.

Bob Windmill Recently appointed Academic Director of the British Water Engineering College, Bob’s role will be to help water and other utility organisations implement effective Workforce Development Programmes (WDPs), supporting employer WDPs with experienced industry professional tutors who normally hold a higher-level degree.

WDPs will typically mix academic and vocational elements with real-world interdisciplinary projects across all levels of an organisation to ensure a sustainable skills pipeline.

Contact Details W www.bwec.org.uk E bob@bwec.prg.uk M 07554 994855

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Surge vessels are important assets in the water treatment process, though incorrect maintenance and management can lead to issues in the supply of drinking water The main purpose of the surge vessel is to maintain the correct pressure whilst water is transmitted to the mains networks.

A potable water surge vessel is connected to the mains outlet pipework, pressurised with compressed air, the vessel conserves the water pressure by absorbing any spikes or drops, maintaining the flow and velocity of the water.

Uncontrolled surges can cause several issues to water companies, from leakages and water quality issues to infrastructure and network failures.

Existing Surge Vessel Problems Many carbon steel surge vessels have been in service for decades, with some of the very old surge vessels manufactured to the ‘Factory Act’, some to the old vessel code BS1515 and some to the current PD5500. In some cases, older surge vessels do not hold any drawings or manufacturing details of information relating to the

construction or thickness of the steel used.

From the old vessel code, it was common for these assets to only hold a small entry hatch for viewing purposes. Where there is inaccessibility from the hatch size being too small, many surge vessel internal linings have been neglected in terms of maintenance. This can often lead to the breakdown of existing linings and eventually lead to corrosion and contamination of the potable water.

Under the requirements of the water company insurance for surge vessels, inspection of these assets on a regular basis is mandatory. If access to the surge vessel is considered safe and fully compliant, inspection of the internal surfaces is undertaken to assess the condition of the surfaces. If the inspection has found that the existing coating is no longer acceptable, then the existing coating must be removed and reapplied with a DWI approved coating system.

If the hatch entry is not in accordance to current requirements, the solutions often falls to the installation of a new access hatch to ensure current confined requirements are met, complete with full refurbishment works to the vessel.

Kingcombe Stonbury Ltd - The Cropmead Estate, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7HQ t 01460 279 200 e info@kingcombe.com www.kingcombe.com

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clean water

waste water

water courses

civils

INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THE REFURBISHMENT OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES AND ASSOCIATED ASSETS REFURB/MAINTENANCE: IMPOUNDING & SERVICE RESERVOIRS - WATER TOWERS - CLEAN & SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS DAMS - SPILLWAYS - AQUEDUCTS - PIPE BRIDGES - PIPEWORK - BUNDS - TANKS & VESSELS - WATER COURSES SERVICES: INSPECTION/SURVEY - RELINING - SPECIALIST COATINGS - CORROSION PROTECTION - WATERPROOFING CONCRETE & STEEL REPAIRS - CLEANING & CHLORINATION - FLOOD ALLEVIATION DESIGN/INSTALL: STEEL WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES - SECURITY WORKS INC LPC4 ACCESS COVERS - ACCESS LADDERS, HANDRAILS & WALKWAYS SURGE VESSELS - M&E CIVILS: NEW BUILD RESERVOIRS & TANKS - LAGOONS - DEEP EXCAVATION - STREETWORKS INTERNAL, EXTERNAL & UNDERGROUND PIPEWORK - VALVES - DRAINAGE - RETAINING WALLS - ACCESS ROADS, HARD STANDING & PARKING AREAS - CABINETS - SMALL BUILDING INSTALLATION - DEMOLITION - FLOOR SLABS & SCREEDS Head Office: Office: Chawston Chawston House, House, Chawston Chawston Lane, Chawston, Bedfordshire, MK44 3BH t 01234 750924 e enquiries@stonbury.co.uk www.stonbury.com Head

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MAKING AGRICULTURAL WATER SUPPLIES MORE RESILIENT

Extracting water from alternative sources such as disused wells, bore holes or rivers and streams can give farmers access to thousands of litres of additional water that can be used instead of or to supplement mains supplies.

by South West Water Business Disruption caused by bad weather at the start of the year combined with new rules around the use of water by farmers, which were introduced

by Defra in April, means that now is a good opportunity for the agricultural sector to review existing water supply arrangements and to consider investing in alternative supplies.

Around 20 cubic metres of water can usually be removed per day without an abstraction licence, a volume which is worth around £14,000 a year in Devon and Cornwall. As well as increasing the resilience of the water supply in the event of extreme cold weather conditions, it also means that additional water is available during periods of hot weather in the summer when animals and crops may require extra watering.

Dairy cows and other livestock need an ample supply of good, clean water to promote good health and encourage uptake of nutrients from their diet, so it is essential that water is not only supplied in sufficient quantity but also of

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good quality. Inadequate water quality can lead to reduced milk yields, growth and can impact on animal health. Whatever the weather, using alternative water sources means that savings can be made from water bills as a good quality supply can be extracted from traditional water sources. These can include boreholes, disused wells, springs, rivers, lakes or rainwater harvest to either replace or supplement mains water.

Storage tanks mean that abstraction water can be used as needed, giving additional resilience in the event of bad weather.

water would have been sourced in the past and can often re-establish this supply to provide a reliable, alternative water supply that will lower bills and give peace of mind to farmers in the event of extreme weather conditions.

Many farms will have extracted water from these sources in the past, before mains water was available, so re-establishing the supply is often a straightforward process. In most cases a private water supply can represent one of the best investments a farm can make, with dairy farms often getting a payback within 12 months.

Tips for farmers when considering an alternative supply:

Nigel Ponsford, Key Account Manager for Agriculture with South West Water Business, said: “Farms would always have been built with access to springs, wells, rivers or streams because hundreds of years ago there was no mains water supply to them. We can investigate how

“We specialise in working with farmers to help them to use water more efficiently. We can help farmers to look at how they use water and advise on how alternative water sources can reduce their consumption of resources which will reduce their bills.”

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Consider how supplies were obtained in the past – do you have wells, springs, streams, lakes or rivers that are no longer in use?

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Look at how you use mains water. Are you using it for things like washing down yards which does not require mains water quality?

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Be aware of Defra’s new ‘farming rules for water’ which came into force from April 2 2018 for all farmers in England. The rules aim to protect and improve rivers and ground water. See www.gov.uk/government/

FEATURE: RESILIENCE publications/farming-rules-for-water-fromapril-2018/farming-rules-for-water-overview ■■

Consider using water saving devices such as trigger shut offs on hoses to reduce your consumption

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Consider taking expert advice on how your site could use alternative water sources

South West Water Business has expertise in investigating and installing alternative water sources from reinstating disused wells and drilling boreholes through to sampling water and installing filtration devices to make sure that water meets the quality required.

For more information call 0330 0415567 or log onto www.swwbusiness.co.uk.

Case study

The Caerhays Estate South West Water Business is helping farm managers on the historic Caerhays Estate, in Cornwall, to save thousands of litres of water – and thousands of pounds from their water bills.

South West Water Business has been working with the estate to make the most of its nonmains water sources so that it can substantially reduce its water consumption.

Caerhays’ Home Farm manager Hamish Ross said: “We’ve been finding that the rainwater supplies dry up at times and our cows will be drinking mains water at some points. By taking water from the well we can avoid that and save resources and money. It’s an investment we reckon we’ll get payback from within three years.”

The historic estate is located in a sheltered valley overlooking Porthluney Cove on the south Cornish coast between Truro and St Austell. The property is known for its coastal location, its castle and its 120 acres of woodland gardens, including a nationallyrenowned collection of camellias. Both the castle and gardens are open to the public for part of the year and Caerhays has developed a reputation as a stunning venue for weddings.

The estate’s Home Farm has a mixture of activities with 80 Saler cattle, around 600 sheep, potatoes and arable crops which all need water. The estate already harvests rainwater in order to minimise its consumption of mains supplies but it is still finding that water levels run low at certain times of the year, meaning that it has to use mains water for its animals.

[Nigel Ponsford, from South West Water Business (L) and Hamish Ross, from the Caerhays Estate (R)] To tackle this, South West Water Business is working with the estate to bring a cliff top well back into use. This will mean that thousands of extra litres of water will be available, with a pump used to extract the water so that it can be stored in tanks on the farm until it is most needed.

South West Water Business engineers will be digging a trench across the field to connect the well to a power supply so that the water can be taken out and pumped into the storage tanks ready for use.

South West Water Business’ Key Account Manager for Agriculture Nigel Ponsford has advised Caerhays on reinstating the well. “It’s quite a straightforward process that will work well for the farm. Once it is up-and-running we can look at supplying other parts of the estate

with the well water,” he said.

Mr Ross added: “South West Water Business have always been very positive and easy to work with. They know what they’re talking about - you don’t get a lot of flannel. When Nigel came out he could see the solution straightaway.”

Many farms have disused wells or springs that can be quickly and easily brought back into use to supply additional water in this way, meaning that they could save a substantial amount on their water bills.

To find out more go to www.swwbusiness.co.uk or phone the South West Water Business Commercial Team on 0330 041 5567

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ONCE BITTEN - CAN WATER COMPANIES LEARN FROM THEIR HANDLING OF THE THAW AFTER THE BEAST FROM THE EAST?

[Photo © Gurss]

by Giles Stevens Director, Ofwat

Customers expect water 24 hours a day 7 days a week. When that doesn’t happen, they expect problems to be fixed quickly and fair, quick and hassle-free compensation. But in late February and early March 2018, ‘The Beast from the East’ and Storm Emma brought severely low temperatures and snow to much of the UK. The sudden thaw that followed resulted in many customers in England and Wales having no access to water.

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More than 200,000 customers had their water supply interrupted for more than 4 hours

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More than 60,000 customers had their water supply interrupted for more than 12 hours

To be left without a vital public service like water, in some cases for several days, is deeply distressing, particularly for those in vulnerable circumstances. It also had many knock on impacts. For example: ■■

causing schools to close and disruption to students, teachers and parents; and

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a loss of income for businesses that had to fully or partially close.

During and following the incident there was public anger that a number of water companies appeared to have fallen well short on their forward planning and the quality of support and communication they provided to their customers.

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Too many were left high and dry. Some were also flooded by burst pipes.

Reviewing what happened Once water companies got the water flowing and gave customers - in particular those in vulnerable circumstances - the support they needed, we announced that we were taking a long hard look at what happened1.

During our review we have been looking at where companies did well for their customers and where they fell short. That includes: ■■

what caused the water supply issues experienced by customers;

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how prepared water companies were in the run up to the cold weather, including whether they planned ahead sufficiently to ensure they had in place the right resources and processes;

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the quality of the support they provided to customers, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances;

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the way in which companies communicated with affected household customers and businesses; and,

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the adequacy of the compensation that companies are offering affected customers.

Our aim has been to get to the bottom of why the water supply issues happened and to identify what lessons can be learned so customers don’t have to go through this again.

What next?

We are due to publish our review in mid-June.

Obviously you’ll need to read our report to see our detailed findings.

Unsurprisingly we’ll be expecting those companies that fell short to significantly improve their performance by next winter – and watching them closely to make sure they do.

Not just because customers will expect better.

But also because each company’s response to this incident will play a part in rebuilding public trust in the sector and bringing companies’ relationship with their customers back in balance2.

At the same time, our findings also touch on many of the issues that we have raised with companies in preparing their business plans for 2020-25. So we’ll be very interested to see what all companies have learned when they submit their plans by 3 September 20183. We know many people will also be keen to learn what companies plan to do now and over the next five years to make sure that customers continue to receive safe, reliable and sustainable supplies now and in the future.

1. PN 11/18: Ofwat to review water sector’s handling of recent supply interruptions, Ofwat, 11 March 2018 2. PN 16/18: Ofwat sets out agenda of reforms to bring water sector back in balance, Ofwat, 10 April 2018 3. 2019 price review, webpage, Ofwat

FEATURE: INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

SLD INITIATES NATIONAL MOBILISATION FOLLOWING MAJOR PIPE FAILURE AT WATER TREATMENT PLANT

[SLD pumps and generators at work at the waste treatment site]

In one of its largest ever projects, pump and power hire specialist SLD mobilised its national network to respond to an emergency call-out following failure of the main supply pipe at a major water treatment plant.

Failure of the 2.5m diameter pipe, which handles some 15,000 to 20,000 litres per second of waste water, resulted in large quantities of untreated material flooding onto the site and an adjoining nature reserve.

tanks and 5km of pipe. SLD equipment was delivered to site from across the UK by 19 articulated lorries and included Hush-Pac quiet-running pumps and generators, equipped with automatic float and flow controls.

SLD’s rapid response specialists evaluated the problem and quickly devised a plan to tackle the problem. The objective was to divert, capture and manage the flowing waste stream to enable the treatment works to continue operating and prevent further damage.

SLD staff worked throughout the Christmas period, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, to ensure the project was completed successfully. Following installation, SLD specialists remained at the site around-the-clock to provide technical support to the operator and its site contractor.

Kevin Breytenbach, SLD’s area manager who led the project, said: “It is one of largest single deployments of pumps and related equipment SLD has made. The response required coordination across our UK network to meet the significant equipment requirements in a timely manner.”

Breytenbach said: “The timing of the emergency – over the Christmas period – required SLD staff to make particular sacrifices to deliver for our client. It is testimony to their professionalism and dedication that we were able to rise to the challenge, and quickly get the situation under control.”

SLD harnessed its national branch network to deliver specialized high capacity pumps and remote power systems to manage the high volume flow. The first batch of pumps was onsite and running within three hours of the initial call-out.

SLD provides specialist pump and generator rental solutions 24/7, 365 days a year from its network of branches across the UK.

[Effluent is discharged into the holding reservoir for subsequent treatment]

For more information about SLD, visit ww.sldpumpspower.co.uk

A total of 21 high-tolerance SLD pumps were delivered to the treatment works, supported by power generation systems, 17 fuel

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ELIQUO HYDROK

ELIQUO HYDROK EXPAND THEIR UK OPERATION

New fabrication factory at Tavistock, Devon

Head Office and manufacturing factory at Indian Queens Ind. Estate, Cornwall

New additional unit at Indian Queens Ind. Estate

Eliquo Hydrok, the UK operation of the Eliquo Water Group GmbH; and member of the water portfolio investment company SKion GmbH; has responded to the growing market demands of the UK Water Industry by further expanding their operations across the UK. The existing head office and main manufacturing facilities, based in Cornwall, have been expanded with the addition of a new local office and factory unit within the Indian Queen’s Industrial Estate. This new dedicated factory unit will house the Electrical control panel manufacturing and workshops, the Hire Solutions business and also the newly added Maintenance and Service division.

The past twelve months have also seen additional growth plans implemented with over £1million of investments within the fabrication facility for additional and replacement state of the art equipment; including a fibre laser cutting machine, CNC Brake Press and overhead cranes. These investments have accompanied the restructuring of the factory and offices to increase and maximise the existing production capability of the company, however, the need for further manufacturing capacity was also identified, which lead to the acquisition of a 10,000 sq ft fabrication unit in Tavistock, Devon.

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These necessary expansion and growth plans were implemented to accommodate the increasing market demands for the delivery of products and solutions from within the Eliquo Hydrok extensive product portfolio.

the requirement and, should any of the standard products not be the perfect solution, the in-house manufacturing facility enables the production of bespoke designs to suit a particular need.

These technologies are offered throughout the Wastewater Management, Wastewater Treatment and the newly introduced Sludge Treatment Solutions, which is an important, growing element within the Eliquo Water Group range.

For further information call 01726 861900 or contact:

In the past year, the company have recruited new staff across the operation with an increase of 50% in employed personnel overall including the main sites in Cornwall, the new satellite manufacturing facility at Tavistock in Devon and the Barnsley operational centre in Yorkshire.

Eliquo Hydrok provide water engineering solutions to all manner of complex and simple problems. The experienced in-house design teams are available to help identify and discuss

Dave Armstrong Managing Director dave.armstrong@eliquohydrok.co.uk, Lewis O’Brien Technical Director, lewis.obrien@eliquohydrok.co.uk www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

HIRE SOLUTIONS A range of solutions designed for rental to help in emergency situations where existing plant problems require a rapid solution.

Effective temporary help when…

Solutions to hire

Mecana PCMF tank on hire

HyER Liftout Grids readied for installation

Peak season overload is forecast

Mecana Pile Cloth Media Filtration (PCMF) Stainless steel units for flows ranging from 3 to 250 l/sec

Planned maintenance creates a demand Extended plant capacity is required A pilot or test of new technology in an active situation is needed Rapid emergency cover is a requirement

HyER Diffuser Liftout Grids Specifically designed for rental where an existing plant problem requires a rapid aeration solution HY-SAF (Hybrid Submerged Aerated Filter) Efficient, robust, small footprint biological wastewater treatment stainless steel tanks Hire units are manufactured in our own factory and transported to the required location

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

CLEAN WATER MANAGEMENT

SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT

ELIQUO HYDROK LTD I T 01726 861 900 I sales@eliquohydrok.co.uk

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

SLUDGE TREATMENT

www.eliquohydrok.co.uk instituteofwater.org.uk

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LEARNING FROM MAJOR INCIDENTS Through 2015 and 2016 United Utilities experienced a number of major incidents which caused us to radically review our approach to incidents from policies and procedures through training and exercising. This article highlights some of what we have done.

by Niall Clarke

Resilience Manager, United Utilities Multiagency response, working with Resilience Forums For many years, United Utilities has been an active an active member of the five Local Resilience Forums which map onto the majority of our region. We are fortunate in that regard, as five is a manageable number for a small Resilience Team to keep in close contact with, supporting planning and training activities as well as attending LRF executive meetings.

During a response phase for a north-west regional incident such as a major weather event, working with four or five Strategic Coordination Groups is again not only manageable but brings considerable benefits.

For example joined up communications upwards to central government, sharing of data around surface water management assets and developing and communicating public health advice to household and non-household customers.

In our experience a good check list of challenges to a Civil Contingencies Act responding organisation might be:

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How do you work with your Civil Contingencies Act partners in planning and exercising to ensure efficiency, trust and capability for major incidents?

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Do your Local Resilience Forums have multiagency water emergency plans and how open are you about your vulnerabilities and risks?

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How flexible are your incident management procedures to operate as a leading organisation in a major multi-agency incident with you as the focal point?

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What formal training do your senior managers and executives have on your own incident processes and on best practice, externally recognised incident management?

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Looking internally The incidents stretched United Utilities and have driven changes in operational and engineering practices, how we deal with the media and our corporate approach to risk management.

However, article is focused on incident management capability.

Systems We undertook a complete rewrite of our incident management procedures. Introducing additional levels of escalation aligned to different levels of command and control. We introduced more

prescription and more detailed role profiles building in a defined distinction between strategic and tactical command and response.

A major change was the adoption of JESIP as the core of our procedures. Initially JESIP (Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles) was about improving the way the Police, Fire & Rescue and Ambulance services work together when responding to major multiagency incidents. What JESIP produced was practical guidance to help improve multi-agency response. The Joint Doctrine: the interoperability

Revised Incident and Crisis Management Procedure Seperate policy, incident management and crisis management procedures

Incidents categorised as

Type 1, 2, 3 or 4

Action cards

Task teams

Forward incident control

Extendibility

Managing customer impacts

Learning from best practice

FEATURE: INCIDENT MANAGEMENT framework sets out a standard approach to multi-agency working, along with training and awareness products for organisations to train their staff. Whilst the initial focus was on improving the response to major blue light incidents, JESIP is scalable.

exercising sessions. On reflection after the incidents of 2015 and 2016 we realised this training had quite a narrow base and for an incident of significant scale and duration we rapidly exhausted our pool of trained managers.

We worked with the Emergency Planning College

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Making justifiable and appropriate decisions as part of a multi-agency team in a variety of exercises.

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Being able to represent us and be an effective member of a Strategic Co-ordinating Group.

It includes group work around a testing regionwide water loss scenario.

Gather information & intelligence

Take action & review what happened

Working together

Identify options & contingencies

The five joint working principles and models can be applied to any type of multi-agency incident and any organisation. We are finding it can be applied within our organisation where different teams with differing priorities can use it to develop a simple joined up response. Over time the language of JESIP is gaining traction in our organisation, in particular with senior leaders in major incidents.

Situational awareness is key to timely and effective response. We have developed an inhouse version of the JESIP app and this summer will be rolling it out to front line field based responders so our control room duty managers will receive more complete and consistent situation reports at the outset of an incident.

Training In common with most Civil Contingencies Act responders we regularly run training and

Assess risks & develop a working strategy

Consider powers, policies & procedures

to develop strategic and tactical incident management training packages and have rolled this out to c 200 middle managers across our operational organisation. This training is now part of an annual cycle to ensure new managers coming into operational roles are trained.

The one-day course, run by EPC tutors but in our training centre covers: ■■

How the multi-agency emergency management and response is directed and co-ordinated at strategic / government level (UK CONOPS).

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Analysing emergencies and identify the strategic challenges, priorities and issues.

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Creating and maintaining shared situational awareness in order to define the strategy, strategic aim and the objectives of the multiagency response.

Maintaining a strategic level response over days or weeks including maintaining a presence at Strategic Coordination Group drew very heavily on a few individuals and identified the need to have pool of senior managers match-fit to lead a genuine strategic level response. A team of a dozen directors and senior managers have been selected to fulfil this role. They have a personalised continuous development plan to ensure they receive both the training and experience required depending on where they come from within the organisation. We have already drawn on this pool with some success in recent major incidents.

Having focused on strategic and tactical leadership over the past eighteen months or so we are now turning towards training for front line responders. Training for operational incident management, or forward incident control as we call it, will build on our experience to date. It won’t be a ‘sheep dipping exercise’ or a ‘one size fits all approach’. We are developing a suite of tools with the idea that individuals will utilise the tools that match their approach to training (on line/bite size/ class room or tool box talk/ interested in the theoretical basis or not etc.

In addition it will recognise that many will have experience already and it is a matter of topping that up and in many instances sharing experience with others.

In summary it isn’t how the training is delivered but the objective with forward incident control is the same as that for strategic managers: a consistent and sustainable response, appropriate to the circumstances, which is to a common standard.

If you would like to discuss this story in more detail, please contact the author at Niall.Clarke@uuplc.co.uk

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PREPARE, PREPARE, THEN ESCALATE. THINK FAST. THINK BIG!

There are many hazards that can challenge us from severe weather to pandemic influenza, but no matter what the cause, the focus has to remain on continuity of service and customer experience. The best incidents are those that the customer didn’t even know happened!

by Amy Southward

Business Continuity and Emergency Planning Strategy Manager at Anglian Water Severe Weather events are a growing challenge; from high winds, snowfall, freeze thaw events, wet weather, flooding to the ever looming drought. All these require meticulous resilience planning, but more than ever early escalations and responses are required to minimise their effects on the public and other agencies.

Anglian Water has well-rehearsed Policies, Plans and Procedures for dealing with all manner of incidents both internal and external including many severe weather specific plans to respond to these hazards.

Severe Weather Resilience As well as physical severe weather preparedness (such as holding grit stocks, additional fuel and chemicals) Anglian Water maintains a Severe Weather Matrix which brings together all severe weather related procedures, systems and plans to provide a one-stop shop for incident teams responding to events. This document details all the specific tasks throughout the year that are required to ensure the business stays resilience to all forms of Severe Weather. Examples include

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increased monitoring of storage points, reviewing workloads and planned work, to issuing weather communications based on weather warnings and the forecast and undertaking High Water Demand Planning before the summer months.

The matrix has specific pages related to weather types and includes actions, procedures and resources related to each. This allows an incident team to quickly get access to all information they require in an incident.

FEATURE: INCIDENT MANAGEMENT The matrix also contains an escalation tool.

This balances the number of predicted days out an event is against the severity of the severe weather warnings. Incident Managers and our tactical operations staff are trained in how to undertake these actions.

Anglian Water Force People are key to any incident response and ensuring we have enough staff available when required is crucial to quickly resolving incidents.

In addition to the operatives on the ground a large number of other roles are required during incident response, keeping customers up to date, staffing incident control rooms, liaising with external agencies and handing out warning cards or bottled water to name but a few. All of this requires a large amount of additional people.

Anglian Water Force is an initiative to get as many of our staff involved in incident response as possible.

The initiative provides open days for staff to learn about incident roles, training, information on past incidents and identification of those who and can undertake specialist roles in an incident.

To date we have over 750 employees across the business signed up to Anglian Water Force (not including those already in operations focused roles).

Multi-Agency Support Group (East)

MASG works with all different types of agencies and responders to practice ahead of hazard impacts. Crucially it is also there to facilitate the sharing of information, especially amongst regional agencies that cover multiple LRF areas and find it difficult to resource all multi-agency meetings. Other members include power companies, the Military, the Met Office and a number of Local Resilience Forums. MHCLG’s RED team also attends and supports.

MASG has run several exercises to practice our combined response and has been instigated in a number of region wide events mainly relating to severe weather.

We are not alone in the challenges of responding to incidents, and more than ever it is important there is a multi-agency response to large scale events.

Anglian Water is one of the founding members of the Multi-Agency Support Group - East (MASG).

All of the work is in place to ensure we are able to quickly and effectively respond to incidents and events, ensuring our services are resilient and our customers are unaffected in all but the most serious incidents.

But it all comes back to PREPARE, PREPARE THEN ESCALATE – THINK FAST, THINK BIG!!

Case study

Freeze Thaw Event The 2018 Freeze-Thaw event put significant strain on infrastructure across the UK. In the water sector the rapidity of the thaw following an extended freeze caused unavoidable problems with burst mains and leaks from customer pipes and company networks. The combination of freeze and rapid thaw also caused substantial ground movements and resultant mains bursts, particularly in the Fens.

Our emergency response and incident management meant that the majority of our customers experienced no impact from this event (a small number of customers in the Fens and on the Norfolk coast were affected).

Our success in minimising the impact on customers stemmed from a number of factors, including: ■■

Putting innovation at the heart of what we do: ensuring optimal use of our Dashboard Information System, Telemetry System (IRIS), and Integrated Pressure and Leakage Management System (ILPM), which drove our operational response and

ensured we targeted our resources to the areas of greatest need.

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Our proactive approach to leakage.

This means we lose less water from our networks, and so are better placed to cope with spikes in demand that flow from an event like this.

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We are certified to ISO22301 for Business Continuity Management. This international standard is additional assurance for customers and key stakeholders that we are prepared for and can respond to keep our business running during, and recover following, any disruption event.

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Our customer-centric approach of ‘restore, repair, recharge’ to focus first on meeting customer needs rather than fault repairs.

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The quality of our customer and stakeholder communications, both proactive and reactive, across all channels to try to reach all of our customers and key stakeholders.

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The collaborative approach we have pioneered with our unique alliance model which saw us quickly deploy 119 gangs

and over 400 people to address problems.

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Investment in resilience schemes, which has reduced the numbers of customers dependent on a single source of supply.

This gave us more options to minimise customer impacts.

We initiated our incident response before the event to ensure we were prepared. Our incident rooms and incident teams worked 24/7 for 10 consecutive days to respond and recover from this event. An Incident Director was also appointed throughout to ensure strong leadership and direction.

Our operational teams alongside our Anglian Water Force volunteers worked tirelessly in challenging situations to ensure we could minimise any disruption to water supplies and provide excellent customer service.

All of these were combined with strong preparation across the company, to ready ourselves operationally, ensure proactive communications with customers, and execute our resilience planning systems.

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Z-TECH

INTRODUCING Z-FEST, Z-TECH’S FREE ANNUAL FAMILY FUN DAY This year Z-Tech’s traditional staff family fun day is opening up to the Institute of Water, incorporating the Eastern Area Presidents Day, on Saturday 21st July at Milton Country Park.

The event will start at noon on Saturday 21st July, and include lots of family friendly activities, as well as being a great opportunity to network with IoW colleagues till late into the evening.

BOOK NOW Book online by 2nd July for this FREE event at www.instituteofwater.org.uk/events

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FEATURE: L

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PR19 AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

[Meldon Reservoir on Dartmoor. Credit: Dan Jones]

In September this year, water companies will submit their 2020-25 business plans to Ofwat as part of the 2019 Price Review (PR19). In the wake of a paradigm shift away from the linear ‘make-use-dispose of’ model of consumerist-driven industry towards a new circular economy under the mantra ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’, this presents a broad range of opportunities for the sector as it looks to 2025 and beyond.

by Bob Taylor

Operations Director (drinking water), South West Water

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By enabling people and businesses to go about their activities using safe and reliable water supplies, water companies play a critical role in supporting the economies of their respective regions, and indeed, the UK as a whole.

Naturally, as businesses seek to maximise their use of resources and minimise waste, they are looking to their utility providers to be applying similar behaviours through their own business models and to be providing leadership, guidance and, perhaps most importantly, solutions.

for water treatment (such as the ceramic membrane technologies being used at the new Mayflower Water Treatment Works in Plymouth), advanced network monitoring capabilities and more holistic catchment-based approaches to water and wastewater management are just some of the more recent areas of development in this regard. Furthermore, the opening of new markets in areas such as bioresources offers additional scope and incentives to minimise waste and draw value from by-products.

In many ways we are already ahead of other sectors in this regard. The water sector is already closely attuned to its environmental responsibilities and continually challenged to find ever more efficient and sustainable ways of working in order to deliver value for money services which protect multiple interests. At South West Water innovative new technologies

Clearly, we must continue to reduce. Reduce the amount required for human and industrial needs in order to reduce the amount extracted. Reduce the amount of materials and energy required for water treatment and the amount of water lost through leaks or bursts. Reduce pollution and carbon emissions. We can also help to reduce the amount of plastic waste from bottled water

FEATURE: CIRCULAR ECONOMY by supporting initiatives such as the ReFill tap water campaign.

It is in everyone’s best interest for us to work closely with partners in agriculture and industry to identify how water usage can be optimised. Improved measures to prevent wastage, supporting the use of water efficient equipment and the identification of less waterintensive industrial processes will all be part of our defining role in the circular economy going forward. Meanwhile, at domestic level it is imperative we do everything in our power to reduce consumer demand. The importance of encouraging water efficiency and water re-use within homes and gardens and the provision of knowledge and expertise to help implement societal change cannot be underestimated.

In the wastewater side of the industry there is still a long way to go in order to achieve environmental sustainability while extracting full value from both the process and by-products of wastewater management. This includes everything from the adoption of ‘grey water’ re-use (through which non-potable water is deployed elsewhere) through to nutrient and heat recovery from sewerage and sewer systems.

Across water and wastewater operations the move towards the circular economy brings with it an increased need and motive to re-examine current modes of operation and, in doing so,

[Kennick Reservoir. Credit: Dan Jones]

challenge ourselves to find even better ways of working for PR19 and thereafter. Supported by regulation this includes the pursuit of innovative new techniques and technologies, developed in partnership with our respective supply chains.

Without human interference, and in its most basic form, the water cycle is just that; a circular process in which a finite resource is

endlessly transformed from one state to the next. Evaporate, fall, repeat. The challenge to water companies is to find ways to operate that minimise the impacts, knock-on environmental effects and by-products of our interference in the natural cycle. Only by pursuing this as an end goal can we seek to fully close the loop.

come and see us at the

Institute of Water National Conference june 21|22

find out about our exciting new initiatives, including; n new digital interactive ROV surveys n a fantastic new environmental initiative n and how our ‘outside the fence’ treatment in distribution is helping water quality for customers.

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UNIVERSITY OF BATH

TALKING’ ALGAE COULD PROVIDE NEW ROUTE TO MONITORING CLIMATE CHANGE

A scientist at the University of Bath has for the first time developed a way of monitoring alterations in the aquatic system by listening in to microalgae communicating.

Led by the University of Bath, the research which has been published in Nature Scientific Reports demonstrates that contrary to popular belief, microalgae do communicate with each other when under stress.

The researchers have revealed that under darkness a population of Diatoms - a type of microalgae – produce electrical oscillations.

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This cell-to-cell communication is believed to be a feedback or survival mechanism as a result of stress due to changes in the microalgae’s physiochemical environment - such as light deprivation and temperature rises. This cell-tocell signalling is designed to counteract these changes and could result in the formation of algal blooms.

By decoding this form of communication, at the phase where the concentration of cells most increases with time (growth phase), the researchers believe this will provide vital clues to understanding world challenges such as climate change. Algae blooms are an element of climate change where cells multiply at a face pace, which the researchers hope they will be able to better mitigate from this new understanding.

FEATURE: CIRCULAR ECONOMY For the first time, the research team were able to listen to the microalgae communicating by recording their electrical interactions extracellularly using sensitive and low resistance multi electrode arrays (MEAs). The recordings, taken over a period of hours, showed Diatom communication is cooperative and synchronized through the whole measured population.

Algae occur naturally in the majority of fresh and salt water. However, climate change is causing an increase in the formation of harmful algae blooms across the world. Warmer waters, high levels of nutrients from increased rain washing agricultural fertilisers into the water, and sufficient sunlight all contribute to the rise in algal blooms.

Algae blooms can be damaging to both aquatic ecosystems and humans. Thick blooms can block sunlight and deplete oxygen levels in the water needed by fish and other organisms to survive, and certain algae can produce toxins that can damage to the human nervous system by contaminating fish which are then eaten as well as causing eye and lung irritation as well as asthma.

the world’s most important ‘plants’. They play a crucial role in the air we breathe, food we eat and pharmacological drugs we take including for cancer. Yet there is only so much we know about these amazing plants.

“One such reason is because there are no methods to actually decode algae behaviours.

This project has opened a new page in the understanding of algae signalling and will enable novel sensing technologies to predict the development of algae blooms and of an extensive range of stress-induced alterations in the aquatic ecosystem.”

Director of the Water Innovation & Research Centre at the University of Bath (WIRC @ Bath), Professor Jan Hofman commented: “This is an exciting and important discovery. Understanding how algae behave is extremely important for water security in many areas in the world.

Algal blooms have significant impact on water quality and availability, but also can be used in engineered solutions to improve water quality.

This project is an excellent example of how important multi-disciplinary water research is.”

will in the near future benefit from a control technology able to predict and impair harmful and toxic algae blooms by early detecting the onset of algae signals.

In the longer term, this new knowledge could mean cleaner, more natural water and cheaper bills for water consumers as there will be a reduced need for water utility companies to use water treatment chemicals.

The research was a result of an international collaboration between the University of Bath, Delft University of Technology (DUT) in The Netherlands, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Portugal and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, I. P. The article ‘Collective electrical oscillations of a diatom population induced by dark stress’ has been published in Nature Scientific Reports and can be viewed at https://www.nature.com/ articles/s41598-018-23928-9.pdf

We can help you reimagine your water R&D Lead researcher and Lecturer in the University of Bath’s Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Dr Paulo Rocha, said: “Algae are

This interdisciplinary work has strong scientific Water Innovation and technological implications for probing ecological and physiological stress conditions & Research Centre in algae. It is anticipated that water companies

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

We can help you reimagine your water R&D

Through the Water Innovation and Research Centre at the University of Bath our experts work with industry, academia, other stakeholders To explore a partnership with water research experts andand students at the to tackle the fundamental issues surrounding sustainable water. Through University of Bath for your organisation, contact water-research@bath.ac.uk.

WISE, our Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Informatics: Science and Engineering, we work with collaborative partners to train the next go.bath.ac.uk/water-research generation of skilled water scientists and engineers.

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

go.bath.ac.uk/water-research

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WATERAID JOINS FORCES WITH ANGLIAN WATER AND ENGINEERING SPECIALISTS TO HELP TACKLE WATER POVERTY IN NEPAL

Credits: WaterAid/Nishant Gurung

[Gauri, 15, a pupil at Sagarmatha Secondary School, Lahan, demonstrating handwashing to Andy Gibbons, Managing Director at Claret Engineering and Institute of Water member.]

ABOUT NEPAL

[Unprotected pump in poorly drained surroundings, Dinabhadri Tole, Ward No 2, Lahan]

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1 in 10 people live without access to safe water close to home.

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Almost 50% of people don’t have a decent toilet.

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Over 700 children under five die every year from diarrhoea caused by dirty water and poor toilets.

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This situation has a big impact on health, education and livelihoods.

In the first project of its kind, international charity WaterAid has joined forces with Anglian Water, and its supply chain partners, to help bring safe water supplies to the people of Lahan, Nepal, as they embark on first stage of the ‘Beacon Project’.

Representatives from Anglian Water and its supply chain alliances have recently returned from an enlightening trip to Nepal, where they saw first-hand how lives are being transformed thanks to their support for WaterAid.

“It’s our goal to share our knowledge and experience of the UK water industry so we can add value, enhance capacity and enable Nepal’s systems to be more sustainable across the country.”

Today, one in ten people in Nepal don’t have clean water close to home, and almost half the population live without a decent toilet.

Inevitably this scenario, combined with poor hygiene, impacts seriously on daily life, causing diarrhoeal diseases that keep children out of school, prevent parents from earning a living, and hold whole communities back from reaching their potential.

Around the world, 844 million people lack access to clean water close to home, and 2.3 billion live without decent toilets, and within those figures are the people of Lahan. The UK group listened attentively as families shared their stories of how their daily lives are shaped by the lack of these basic human rights.

Through the ‘Beacon Project’, the water company, along with representatives from its unique supply chain partnerships, is helping to fund WaterAid’s water and sanitation projects in Lahan, a medium-sized town in the Siraha district of south-eastern Nepal.

Caroline Wakelin, WaterAid’s Senior Water Industry Partnership Manager said: “This is not only a unique partnership for WaterAid and Anglian Water, it’s also the first time we’ve developed a collaborative partnership with a water company, their supply chain and government bodies to deliver a municipal wide approach to the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene. It’s already making a vital difference to communities, with whom we’re building deep trust and lasting relationships.

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Chris Newsome, Asset Management Director at Anglian Water, said: “These marginalised communities in Lahan are the poorest of the poor and you could see just how difficult their situation is. The places we visited, the communities we met, the children we engaged with, all helped in developing an emotional attachment that will last a lifetime. Everyone is bought in. The goals we set, the intention to commit resources, the development opportunities for staff, it’s all absolutely on the table.”

During the visit, the team not only met community and school groups, they also shaped future plans to work alongside the Nepali government and local water suppliers at different stages of involvement with WaterAid. They saw the challenges but also solutions and found it an inspiring experience. Part of their interaction involved teaching local staff how to monitor

water quality by taking samples and using testing kits.

Reflecting on the visit, Robin Price, Head of Water Quality at Anglian Water and Institute of Water Board Member, said: “It was genuinely one of the most fulfilling weeks in my working life. I feel that I was able to make a huge difference in a short period of time, which was really very rewarding.

“I met some amazing people who were hugely hospitable. They’re so enthusiastic and keen to move things forward. I feel part of a team that includes the community, the local utility, WaterAid Anglian Water, and some fantastic supply chain partners.”

Anglian Water employees, customers and supply chain partners have supported WaterAid since it was established by the UK water industry in 1981, donating thousands of volunteering hours and raising millions of pounds. Over the last ten years, Anglian Water has raised over £4.5million to help transform the lives of people in Nepal and across the developing world. Just this month the company and its seven Alliance partners raised more than £600,000 at its annual WaterAid Ball.

WaterAid’s work is essential to support the provision of safe water facilities that will last for generations.

Find out more at www.wateraid.org

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67

BACK TO BASICS WITH VISUAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO SUPPORT OUR FOOD FACTORY VISION IN WATER TREATMENT

by David Bruce

Water Supply Area Manager Northumbrian Water The Water Supply department is responsible for the daily operation of over 60 Water Treatment Works, with the capability of producing 2000 million litres of drinking water every day to 5 million customers in the North East, Essex and Suffolk regions.

Following a restructure, aimed at supporting the department to standardise and align working practices across all regions, the department leadership team started by developing a Food Factory Vision (FFV). Like many visions, this was our identity to challenge ourselves and each other, to aspire to be better in the way we work and in the decisions we make.

At the heart of this was our people; safety, engagement and empowerment, building strong associations with the product we produce, alignment and a drive for improving performance through continuous improvement.

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Visual management was born Like many companies technology plays a major role in the daily workplace. On reflection there were lots of systems, graphs, trends and statistics. All the information anyone could need, although not always in the right place, format or structure to achieve our FFV and continuous improvement.

A key change in the last 12-18 months has been the rollout of Visual Management through the use of our Walk Boards. The purpose was to create an area at each of our treatment facilities, to promote daily conversations with the site team, supervisor and manager, covering; Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People.

FEATURE: WATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS The process is very simple and described as ‘back to basics’ by many of our employees, referring to similar methods they had once used in years gone by, as it really involves a marker pen and paper. The power comes from the conversation and the ability to focus on a theme. To then make adjustments to the process based on the agreed output, and react quickly at the front line of the business to achieve an improved performance in that metric.

Each individual takes ownership and mark their own safety status on the safety cross.

The rollout started at one of our treatment works, and such was the success that it has continued to grow and now every treatment site has the same setup and approach.

Perhaps the most informative is our safety learning shares. Accidents, incidents or near miss occurrences are reviewed as part of the discussion, which are shared by all sites using a safety flash within five days. The purpose is to provide immediate learning whether behavioural or standardised, to prevent a repeat event occurring on any other site.

Many readers will associate this method as those used and championed by car giant Toyota and more than 100 years ago Henry Ford established an early workflow that utilised some of its principles.

We’ve spent a lot of time learning from the likes of Nissan and Nestle, brought in people from other companies, such as SCA and Nestle, and mined knowledge from manufacturing and process organisations and forums to help us establish this method of working. The Visual Walk Board always starts with a discussion on our most important theme, which is Safety.

Discussions follow, covering areas of improvement, tasks that will be undertaken throughout the shift; including visitors or contractors, and all safety considerations to ensure everyone on site remain safe. All actions are recorded on the countermeasure sheet and closed out on completion.

Proactive safety ‘Spot-Its’ raised on our countermeasure sheets by our teams have increased ten-fold, demonstrating the focus everyone is applying to being safe at work.

Quality and Cost themes cover a review of the plants compliance against the operational targets versus chemical usage. Employees are able to articulate the plants quality in relation to the opportunities or deviations in chemical usage.

This has led to a reduction in coagulant chemical

usage. As an example, on one site coagulant reduced by 15ppm in its first half year of using the walk board. A further 13ppm reduction was realised the following year and 2018 shows further performance gains. In the 17-18 financial year the practical saving was £25,000, equivalent to 7 tanker loads of chemical that was not required.

Learning and rewards to date Reviewing where we are today, the success of the walk boards is evident as the focus and performance has realised tangible gains in both quality and quantity metrics.

Likewise, it has supported each individual site to follow a common practice, which has also leant itself to aiding alignment and standardisation throughout the regions.

Teams are participating and showing a drive to be involved and to improve. The engagement, responsibility and ownership have been fantastic to see.

On reflection and with hindsight, the speed of travel at the start was a little too quick.

Consideration should be given to change management, as it can be very different from what teams are currently used to.

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ARVIA

ANGLIAN WATER SUCCESSFULLY TRIALS ARVIA TECHNOLOGY Trials of an advanced tertiary water and wastewater treatment system have proven its effectiveness in removing several trace substances from wastewater final effluent.

[External view]

A laboratory-scale version of Arvia Technology’s Nyex treatment system was initially tested in partnership with Anglian Water at Arvia’s in-house facility. The capabilities proven by Arvia’s Nyex 1-20a resulted in the project being scaled-up, with the construction of a Nyex 7-50a pilot system on the site of 16,000 population equivalent wastewater treatment plant owned and operated by Anglian Water.

process alongside water companies trialing a variety of other technologies.

The onsite trial aimed to assess the system’s performance in treating a sidestream of real effluent containing a range of 60 selected trace substances over a 12-month period in 2016-17.

Anglian Water carried out analysis on water samples pre- and post- treatment throughout the demonstration period.

Arvia’s Nyex treatment systems combine adsorption with advanced oxidation in a single, scalable unit. Trace organics are concentrated on the surface of Arvia’s proprietary media, which is non-porous with high electrical conductivity.

This patented adsorbent media allows for targeted and continuous oxidation.

As part of the UK water industry’s undertaking to achieve tighter water quality targets, a UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) collaborative programme of work is underway. The Chemicals Investigation Programme 2 is being led by the water utilities and environmental regulators and seeks to investigate the sources of trace substances, where they occur and their removal from final wastewater effluents.

Unlike granular activated carbon, Nyex media is effectively regenerated in situ and the process can continue without interruption or replacement. Results are achieved without chemical dosing or the generation of sludge, reducing costs in terms of transport of chemicals and specialist waste disposal.

One part of the investigation was to assess - at pilot and full scale - technologies capable of removing trace substances such as pharmaceuticals and natural hormones. Anglian Water took the opportunity to trial Arvia’s Nyex

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Targeted solution Arvia chief executive Mike Lodge said: “Nyex treatment offers a targeted and cost-effective solution against persistent micropollutants in wastewater – which is an increasingly important issue for utilities.”

Mike Lodge says, “Nyex has fully demonstrated its usefulness for the removal of micropollutants in tertiary treatment.

“Results from the technology trials have already been used to cost a range of full-size systems from 2,000 to 500,000 PE as part of the utility’s

[Internal view of the full-scale Nyex 7-50a system]

preparations for PR19 - the regulatory price controls for water companies in England and Wales which come into play in 2020.”

Water industry partnerships Arvia co-founder Nigel Brown said: “Arvia is continuing to build partnerships with utilities and industrial companies and we are delighted with the success of this project. Analytical techniques are becoming more sophiscated and compounds that it was not possible to detect previously are now easily identifiable.

“Wherever stricter regulation is introduced, the aim is to clean up the environment and reduce the pain and pressure on the utilities. Arvia’s Nyex technology is one of very few tertriary treatments that can target and remove trace level organic compounds successfully, making it possible to treat contaminants before they enter the water cycle.

“Our proven technology is practical, cost-efficient and scientifically sound. There are no internal moving parts and although electricity is part of the process, it uses comparatively little energy.”

Arvia will be presenting a paper about the onsite trial with Anglian Water at the European Waste Water Management (EWWM) conference.

The event takes place on 17-18 July at Manchester United’s football stadium, visit ewwmconference.com for more information.

Arvia Technology FEATURE: WATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS Advanced water and wastewater treatment for the modern world.

Arvia’s Nyex™ solution allows for effective treatment of organics (COD), micropollutants and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) as well as colour from water and wastewater streams.

The system works as a stand-alone solution or to complement existing treatment processes to reduce costs, preserve resources and comply with strict regulation.

The Nyex™ process can be adapted and optimised to treat:

Contaminated raw or inlet water

Process water for recovery and reuse

Final wastewater effluent

Get in touch with one of our application experts to discuss your treatment requirements today.

Arvia Technology Ltd

Call: 01928 515 310 Email: info@arviatechnology.com arviatechnology.com

TM

An Arvia Solution

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ELECTROLYSED WATER TECHNOLOGY John Ware, director at Envirolyte ECA UK Ltd, (EECA) a specialist in water purification, sterilisation, and disinfection, describes the benefits of the company’s electrolysed water technology to help Portsmouth Aqua.

Anolyte ANK (AANK) is our Green, Safe environmentally-friendly, and fully biodegradable Hypochlorous acid (HA) disinfection liquid, which provides ongoing and consistent disinfection of water systems in any type of workplace or manufacturing environment.

Our manufacturer Envirolyte is the market leader in Electrolysed Water ECA technology and has circa 6,000 machines around the world for disinfection and water purification.

EECA recently became involved in a challenging water project, where Portsmouth Aqua (PA) wanted to take water from a pond, lake, river, borehole, or a non-potable water supply, then filter it to produce potable drinking water that met the WHO water guidelines, whilst using the minimum of electrical energy to produce 1,000 litres per hour.

So, a water purification system was designed to fit within a predefined framework size, that had a small enough footprint to fit within a 20-foot

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shipping container, to allow the machine to be sent to any area of the world, where water requires treatment, or for UK applications.

The design & build requirements were met, with a water purification system being built on a purpose made framework. The pipe work system included prefiltration and additional filtering through a set of UF membranes.

A disinfection protocol was applied to the water using AANK, within a pre and post dosing regimen, this includes an automated backwashing maintenance regimen to clean the membranes when the pre-set pressure differential set point is reached. This regimen was designed to prevent a reduction in the flow rate by eliminating Biofilm, scale or a build-up of microscopic waterborne debris, whilst also eradicating any microorganisms or pathogens that might be contained within the water being treated.

Using an Envirolyte ELA standard machine, the

PA Purification machine was tested and achieved the WHO standard.

For a cost of circa ÂŁ5 our Standard ELA machines will produce 1,000 litres of AANK, the cost is dependent on the price paid for the salt and the kWh electricity and water charges. This low production cost challenges the high prices being charged for the other types of disinfection chemicals.

Our Standard ELA in-situ machines produce 90 to 95% HA within a pH range of 6 to 6.5 and at a strength of 500 to 700 ppm. Envirolyte ELA HD machines produce a Safe high strength AANK up to 8,000 ppm, it replaces harsh chemicals like Lime, Sodium Hypochlorite & other Caustic products for various applications.

For more information visit, www.envirolyte.co.uk, call John on 07719 795626 or 0151 203 6530, or email: john@envirolyte.co.uk

FEATURE: WATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS

PORTSMOUTH AQUA IS PROUD TO LAUNCH THEIR LATEST WATER PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY Portsmouth Aqua are based in the South East of England, they are excited to announce their new water purification range of products.

[Front of Machine]

[Dirty to Clean Water]

“This is both an exciting and rewarding accomplishment,“ said Simon Escott MD “We have monitored the increasing clean water shortage around the world, so within Portsmouth Aqua we knew that it was time to create a product that could enable the people of the world to have the basic human right of gaining access at any time, to clean safe drinking water!

system for small scale first responder teams in humanitarian or disaster crisis areas, these lightweight robust systems are a must!” said Nick Scott the Portsmouth Aqua Project Manager.

Our Water Purification system not only supplies clean drinking water, but it offers the agricultural world the ability to combat microbial contamination within irrigation water used for crop production purposes, thus ensuring that there will be more healthy crops making it onto the supermarket shelves, than ever before.

With the ability to adapt and provide this

Portsmouth Aqua designs and produces small, easy to operate automated water purification machines that produce drinking water to meet the world health organization guidelines, which can be utilised to serve the masses, wherever disinfected drinking water is paramount.

This cost-effective option can also provide sterilisation for frontline medical field

“The versatility and convenience of our water purification units will help us to provide better water options and services to our customers.”

[Rear of Machine ]

applications, as implementation of the system is quick and easy to install.

The team at Portsmouth Aqua are proud to be supporting Team Rubicon (TRUK) with its ongoing humanitarian mission, to provide clean water in disaster or relief work areas, anywhere in the world.

For more information, visit www.Portsmouthaqua.com or email: n.scott@portsmouthaqua.com tel: 02392 621704

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SELWOOD

SELWOOD LAUNCHES NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY S160ECO PUMP Selwood, the UK’s leading pump rental solutions provider, has unveiled its new S160Eco solids handling pump which delivers increased performance and near-silent operation from an environmentally-friendly engine.

The S160Eco was developed by Selwood to complement its market-leading S range of solids handling pumps, in response to market demand for a unit that reduces emissions without sacrificing performance.

The S160Eco, housed in Selwood’s renowned Super Silent canopies, is the quietest pump on the market as tested against EU directive 2000/14/EC and is designed to meet stringent EU Stage IIIB emissions regulations.

The S160Eco utilises Selprime technology for fast, environmentally-friendly priming. Driven by an Isuzu diesel engine, the six-inch S160Eco is offered as an upgrade over Selwood’s current S150 model, offering a 28.5% increase in pressure, resulting in an extra 5m head.

The new unit recently went on display at the prestigious Pump Centre Conference in Telford.

Chris Garrett, CEO of Selwood, said: “Customers in the water and wastewater sector are increasingly seeking to reduce emissions, and ever more stringent regulations make it paramount that Selwood remains at the forefront of environmentally-friendly technology.

“It is also important to us that customers achieve this without sacrificing performance.

Our engineers have developed the S160Eco specifically in response to these demands – and it is a credit to them that they have produced a unit that meets emissions demands and offers improved performance when compared to our benchmark S150 model.

“Our customers expect quality, performance and innovation, and we are very proud of this new addition which offers more choice from Selwood’s

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market-leading solids handling range.

“As a long-standing and trusted provider of quality pumps to the water industry, we have already seen significant interest in this pump for both rental and sale.”

The S160Eco is ideal for both rental and sales solutions and is suitable for a full range of sewage, sewer bypass, overpumping, water and wastewater applications. It is designed to handle large solids including raw sewage and fibrous solids without blocking.

The pump is built into an improved canopy with removable panel sections for ease of maintenance. The emissions compliance ensures the S160Eco can be used in inner cities where the most stringent regulations apply.

The S160Eco is just one of a series of new additions to the solids handling range amid a period of significant investment in continued research and development. The renowned Selwood S150 pump is now available in a fully electric drive version, featuring a highly-efficient and environmentally-friendly 30KW IE3 electric motor. The electric drive Selwood S150 Super Silent is capable of the same superb performance as Selwood’s 1800rpm diesel-powered model, providing 100mm solids handling, 310m3/h capacity and 27m total head. Selwood has introduced 50 of the new units into its pump rental fleet and is also offering them through its sales operation.

Super Silent electric drive configurations of Selwood’s S100 and S200 pumps are also available. Specialists are also developing an electric model of the company’s industry-leading Drainer “D” range, which are renowned for their versatility and performance and are ideally suited to dewatering across a wide range of applications.

As with all Selwood products, the pumps come with the company’s pedigree for delivering bespoke installation, site surveys and exceptional customer service from their rental branches across the UK. Selwood offers site visits, installation and maintenance services backed by a 24/7, 365 days-a-year emergency callout system. It offers customers a first-class total sales package with a fully trained, professional sales team offering ‘on the ground’ expertise and after sales service, backed up by centrally coordinated facilities such as parts distribution and technical advice.

Selwood has delivered thousands of installations to customers including Southern Water, Anglian Water, the Canal and River Trust, Wessex Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water.

For more information visit www.selwood.co.uk

FEATURE: WATER TREATMENT SOLUTIONS

Trust

60 years of disinfection & oxidation experience.

WATER MADE EASY

Capital Controls®

Capital Controls®

Capital Controls®

ClorTec®

Gas feed chlorination

Chlorine dioxide generation

Ozone disinfection

On-site hypochlorite generation

Disinfection and oxidation technologies since 1960 The Capital Controls® original gas chlorination system introduced groundbreaking chlorination safety in 1960. Now, with thousands of installations around the world and continuous product innovation, Capital Controls remains the unparalleled standard.

De Nora continues to apply this extensive experience across a growing range of reliable disinfection technologies, including on-site hypochlorite generation, chlorine dioxide, and advanced oxidation.

From engineering design expertise to complete aftercare support, you can trust De Nora’s decades of experience for your disinfection and oxidation needs.

De Nora Water Technologies

info.dnwt@denora.com • www.denora.com instituteofwater.org.uk

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ELIQUO HYDROK

EUROBY

DEMONSTRATING LOW P SCHEMES AT SLADE HOOTON STW Eliquo Hydrok approached Severn Trent Water and NMC Nomenca to request a site visit at the Slade Hooton STW to demonstrate an Eliquo Hydrok Mecana Filter installation to Yorkshire Water and their supply chain.

Severn Trent Water and NMC Nomenca are leading the way with new low P schemes and Slade Hooton STW was selected as this is one of the first low P schemes with dual stream filters and single flash/Floc mixing chambers to be installed in the region.

Denys Wickens from Severn Trent with Simon Wilson & Chris Coleman from NMCNomenca hosted 15 individuals from Yorkshire Water and their supply chain partners.

infrastructure and the installation of the plant, impressed the visiting delegation and supplied an insight into the highly efficient Eliquo Hydrok - Mecana technology for the removal of phosphorus within the wastewater treatment process.

Comments from the attendees included: ■■

The Mecana Tertiary Filtration technology for low P removal, along with the manufacturing of the

“Great to see an Eliquo Hydrok installation and learn from NMCN’s experience, many thanks for offering this support”.

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“Many of the design issues we are facing have already been thought about and solved

by NMCN”.

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“The access steelwork was excellent quality and provided suitable access for operational and maintenance activities”.

For further information on P removal technology through tertiary filtration contact: Jason Howe, jason.howe@eliquohydrok.co.uk 01726 861900 or visit www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

EUROBY INCREASES SERVICE CAPACITY AND REDUCES ENERGY CONSUMPTION Euroby have been quietly expanding their service business over the past 18 months to increase their service capacity for both decanter and disk stack centrifuges.

The service department existed originally to service their hire fleet and new machines sold mainly into the Municipal market. However, demand has increased for sales and servicing of more and more industrial sector machines coupled with a healthy market for used equipment.

To cope with this demand Euroby have taken on and trained more engineering staff and expanded into the premises adjacent to the current workshop - effectively doubling the working capacity.

The capabilities of the service department range from the supply of spares for all Flottweg machines and those of other manufacturers

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together with on-site optimisation, servicing of machines and complete in-house refurbishment of individual machines and entire mobile systems.

Fabrication facilities allow the construction of complete new turnkey systems from skid-mounted units to large 40’ containers fitted with the latest Flottweg technology.

This includes the new ground breaking “Xelletor” range which provides the ultimate in low energy, high performance sludge dewatering due to its unique open scroll body. This innovation allows ultra-deep pond performance with corresponding increase in bowl capacity and reduced energy losses.

The Xelletor delivers an increase in performance over a standard Flottweg C4E unit operating at 20m3/hr is typically: _ Up to 2 % w/w higher cake dryness - and/or – _ Up 2.5 kgAM/tonD.S. less polymer demand _ 24% less energy demand without Recuvane™ _ 34% less energy demand with Recuvane™ Note: The Recuvane™ is a Flottweg innovation which harnesses the energy of the centrate discharge providing additional thrust to the bowl rotation and reduction in energy consumption. www.euroby.com

HUBER TECHNOLOGY

WATER INDUSTRY FINALIST 2018 The Finalists have been announced for the Water Industry Awards 2018 and HUBER Technology are delighted to have been shortlisted as finalists in two categories; Most Innovative Use of an Existing Technology and Sludge & Resource Recovery of the Year HUBER put forward a very strong entry in both categories on the successful Stratford Milcote Sludge DISC Thickener Packaged Plant project.

Part of the outcome solution for the Stratford Milcote Capital Maintenance and Growth Project was the requirement for a single Surplus Activated Sludge Mechanical Thickener.

This project used collaboration, challenge and off-site manufacture to develop an innovative technology into a standard product for Severn Trent Water and the wider industry.

The solution saved Severn Trent water 40% capital cost as well as reducing their operational costs by over 20%.

For more information please contact us on Tel. 01249 765000 or visit our website www.huber.co.uk

[Sludge DISC Thickener Installation at Stratford Milcote STW]

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DE NORA

REVOLUTIONARY GOLD EXTRACTION METHOD REPLACES CYANIDE WITH NON-HAZARDOUS HYPOCHLORITE Cyanide has been used in the process of mining gold since 1887.

But when a dam burst at a gold mine in northwestern Romania in 2000, contaminated wastewater poured into tributaries of a major waterway in Hungary, threatening the people, animals and environment of Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania.

The historic catastrophe and subsequent ban of cyanide in parts of the U.S., Europe, and South America, prompted the mining industry to begin researching alternative solutions to the use of cyanide when mining gold and other metals.

Chlorine has emerged as a safe, effective, and environmentally sound solution to the problem.

Dr. Jean-Marc Lalancette is co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Dundee Sustainable Technologies (DST), which focuses on the development and commercialization of environmental-friendly technologies for the treatment of materials in the mining industry.

Dr. Lalancette leveraged his significant industry experience to transform standard extraction methods, developing and testing a groundbreaking hydrometallurgical process for the extraction of base and precious metals from ores, concentrates, and residues. Key to this revolutionary approach is the use of chlorine and bromine as hypohalides, and the introduction of hypochlorite, an ion composed of chlorine and oxygen, most commonly used as the active ingredient in household bleach. Chlorine and a catalytic amount of bromine combined as oxidizing agents deliver a particularly fast reaction with gold, with only a small concentration of bromine required in the brine.

Chlorination also emerged as an ideal option based on the relatively low temperature of the reaction with a wide variety of minerals.

A closed-loop circuit is an important feature of DST’s design, preventing the generation of liquid effluents and eliminating the need for expensive tailings ponds. The tailings from the process are inert from toxic substances, free of sulphide, and do not produce acid leach, making it an extremely environmentally-safe process. It only requires a brief contact time of about one hour to give high gold recovery.

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DST set up a demonstration plant at Thetford Mines in Quebec, Canada in 2013. Using gold concentrate provided by its partner in Chile, DST was able to evaluate the effectiveness of its technology in a live setting. The company requested proposals from a number of suppliers for on-site sodium hypochlorite generation (OSHG) systems to produce the hypochlorite that is so critical to the process. De Nora, a leading designer of safe, innovative, and sustainable water disinfection, oxidation and filtration technologies, was among those considered.

“De Nora stood out to us among the field of vendors because the company was truly interested in partnering with us, not simply acting as a vendor,” said Dr. Lalancette. “They recognized the innovation we were creating, especially through the use of bromine, and wanted to be part of it.”

De Nora delivered and installed two of its ClorTec® OSHG systems to the demonstration site, working through Canadian-based service provider Provan. Each system included a hypochlorite generation capacity of 600 pounds per day, along with the related storage tanks. In the on-site generation process, salt is combined with water to produce a saturated brine solution which is mixed with softened water and fed to an electrolyzer. A dc electrical current is applied to the electrolytic cells to generate the hypochlorite solution. Unlike typical installations, the two units were used in a series in order to produce the hypochlorite at the key 2% level, rather than the usual .8-1% level. A service representative travelled and stayed on site for three days to ensure the proper operation of the systems and make any adjustments needed.

“Our requirements demanded modifications to the instrumentation and automation in order to function in a series, and still keep important

safety features intact,” said Dr. Lalancette. “The De Nora team was excellent to work with and adapted to our very specific needs perfectly.”

The demo plant consistently produces positive results in the efficient extraction of a variety of materials. Working at a rate of 15 tons per day of mineral concentrate, the plant demonstrates the following yields: ■■

Sulfide: 99.4%

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Mercury: 98.7%

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Copper: 95%

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Gold: 94.9%

The environmental advantages of this revolutionary process are significant; not only does the process avoid the hazards of cyanide, but it also eliminates the need for tailings ponds and reduces water usage and overall process footprint. In fact, DST achieved third-party certification through Environment Canada’s Environmental Technology Validation (ETV) program for this cyanide-free gold extraction process. After testing on more than 200 types of ore, DST is confident in the cost and time benefits of its innovative use of chlorination for extraction, including in the recovery of base metal in gold ores.

QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SUPPLIERS OF LIQUID & SOLID SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES TO THE WATER & INDUSTRIAL MARKETS

Flottweg centrifuge technology

Filter press technology and spares

Mobile/contract dewatering

SALES RENTAL MAINTENANCE REFURBISHMENT SPARE PARTS

Euroby Ltd New Dawn House, Gorse Lane, High Salvington, Worthing, Sussex BN13 3BX T - 01903 69 44 00 F - 01903 69 44 77 E - sales@euroby.com www.euroby.com instituteofwater.org.uk

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WAGO

TT PUMPS

SELECTING THE RIGHT TERMINAL BLOCK FOR HIGH CURRENT APPLICATIONS With all the talk of Big Data and the Internet of Things, it can sometimes be easy to forget that the vast majority of electrical connections in water industry processes are still hard-wired.

Safe, reliable termination of cabling is critical to ensure resilience.

The humble terminal block has been used on DIN rails in control cabinets for terminating wires for many decades now, and yet even such a ubiquitous technology is still constantly evolving and improving. Engineers who have used the same type or brand of terminal block for years may therefore be surprised to find that there are new, more effective options entering the market all the time.

Screwless terminal blocks are increasingly considered to be the most reliable option for wire terminations in industrial processes. Rather than securing connections with screws, these use a spring pressure mechanism to apply the optimum level of force to hold the wire in place. Screwless connections are up to 50 percent quicker to make, and unlike screws are immune to loosening

over time due to temperature cycling. They are also more resistant to vibration and overcurrent, while zero maintenance requirements remove the need to periodically check and tighten loose connections while improving overall reliability.

For larger conductor cross sections, such as for higher voltage applications, it takes an enormous amount of sheer force to hold a conductor securely. For instance, a conductor with a cross section of 185 mm2 can require spring forces of up to 1000 N to hold it in place. Until recently this was difficult to achieve within the limited dimensions of a terminal block, and such a large conductor would therefore traditionally require a bolt-type terminal block. However there are now options available that overcome this challenge, and provide the benefits of screwless connection

in larger conductor sizes.

High current spring clamp terminal blocks are now available that are designed for nominal currents of up to 353 A, and a rated of voltage of up to 1,000 VAC and 1,500 VDC. A simple hex wrench is used to open the clamp for safe, hands-free wiring. As well as variants for conductors up to 185 mm2, smaller terminal blocks are also available for conductors up to 35, 50 and 95 mm2. No ferrules or crimp ring terminals are required, further saving installation time since the clamp mechanism can hold all copper conductor types.

Visit: www.wago.com/gb Telephone: 01788 568008 Email: ukmarketing@wago.com

WRAS APPROVAL RENEWED FOR SWING CHECK VALVES TT Flow is delighted to announce that they have been awarded accreditation from the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme Ltd for the full range of swing gate valves.

WRAS contributes to the protection of public health by preventing contamination of public water supplies and encouraging the efficient use of water by promoting and facilitating compliance with the Water Supply Regulations and Scottish Byelaws. These require that a water fitting should not cause waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of the water supply, and must be ‘of an appropriate quality and standard’.

WRAS approval is granted directly by representatives of the water suppliers and is accepted as evidence of compliance by every water supplier in the UK. To qualify, the full range of Swing Check Valves has undergone rigorous testing procedure for the approval.

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The now fully WRAS approved Swing Gate Valves (DN50-DN300) offer epoxy coated ductile iron bodies and metal to metal seal for vertical and horizontal installation. These models are available with an optional external weighted arm. This valve is used to prevent reverse flow and is suitable for potable water, wastewater and sewage applications.

the highest quality and continually work to demonstrate compliance with regulatory bodies.

WRAS approved products can be identified through the WRAS logo displayed on product pages. You can also find our range of WRAS approved clean water products here. (Linkhttps://www.ttpumps.com/catalog/collection/ index/a/application/v/WRAS%20Approved/)

Peter Hindley, Commercial Director at T-T, comments “We are pleased to gain this approval as we have worked hard to ensure that our Swing Check Valves are of the highest quality.

This approval means that these valves have undergone mechanical and water quality testing to avoid contamination of the water supply.”

T-T work hard to ensure all products are of

To find out more about our WRAS accreditation, our range of Swing Gate Valves or to speak to a member of the technical team, contact us on +44 (0) 1630 647200 or via email at response@ttpumps.com.

BUSINESSCARDDIRECTORY MaNuFacTuRERs & suppliERs OF valvEs, FiTTiNgs & siTE sOluTiONs FOR ThE uk & glOBal waTER, wasTE waTER & gas iNdusTRiEs

PO BOX 5, Birds Royd Lane, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 3UD www.gavalves.co.uk

GA Valves are manufacturers and distributors of valves to the water & sewage industries. Including gates, checks, air valves & miscellaneous valves.

Northampton Office 8 Rushmills, Northampton, NN4 7YB, England T: +44 (0) 1604 601188 F: +44 (0) 1604 604818 E: customerservice@avkuk.co.uk

www.avkuk.co.uk

Tel: 07884 004 802 E-mail: u.d.s@live.co.uk Web: utilitydesignservices.com Web: utilitydesignservices.co.uk Proactive and professional civil engineering design consultancy services.

We have extensive experience and expertise within the design of water network distribution & water network trunk mains. From initial overview through to detail civil design, while also equipped to provide planning, project management and construction support services.

We would welcome the opportunity to visit you for an initial consultation to discuss your aims and needs. We would endeavour to incorporate our design and engineering solutions to match your business requirements.

UK distributors and Technical Support of Dorot Flowcontrol valves.

Surge control systems and compressed air engineering from Quantum Engineering Developments Ltd

Tel: 01527 577888

www.surgevessels.co.uk

Unrivalled service, unrivalled product offering

EK Business Centre, 14 Stroud Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 0YA T: 01355 246235 E: info@mccraetraining.co.uk www.mccraetraining.co.uk

As experts in procurement with single-source capability, FWB provides an expansive range of products to suit water industry requirements.

CABWI / SQA / EUSR Accredited Centre offering a comprehensive range of training services: • Water Industry Registration Scheme (WIRS) - Training Packages • Network Construction Operations (Water) • SW DOMS (Modules 1-13) National Water Hygiene • Utility SHEA (Water & Waste Management & Core) • Safe Control of Mains Connections (Water) • NRSWA Street Works Courses for Supervisors and Operatives • Water Industry Modern Apprenticeships

Whatever your requirements, we offer a suitable & competitive solution with the very best product and technical expertise.

Whieldon Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4JE Tel: 01782 744333 Fax: 01782 744577 www.fwb.co.uk email: sales@fwb.co.uk

AUTUMN EDITION - PUBLISHED SEPT

JimJam Media is a specialist contract publishing company with particular expertise in compiling and publishing industry specific journals, magazines and other publications for professional industry bodies as well as industry and business support organisations.

Martin Jameson Tel: 07342 850 289 Email: martin@jimjammedia.com www.jimjammedia.com

Publisher to the

■■

Innovation

■■

Capital Investment Projects

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Mains Cleaning Techniques

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Catchment Management

To advertise your company contact Martin Jameson on 07342 850289 or martin@jimjammedia.com

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MIDLANDSAREANEWS

CUSTOMERS OF THE FUTURE – EVENING SEMINAR

By Tom Swain On the 27th March, we welcomed members of the Midlands area of the Institute of Water to Severn Trent Centre in Coventry for our ‘Serving Our Customers’ event.

The event was well supported and we were fortunate enough to have Heather Nunnerley and Leah Fry from Severn Trent, as well as Philip Marshall from the Consumer Council for Water join us on the evening.

We started the evening with Leah and Heather taking us through how our customers have changed over the past 40 years, in terms of the technology they use, but also their expectations from us a large supplier. It was fascinating to see how the advent of social media, especially Twitter, has changed the way that our customers interact with Severn Trent Water and how the culture and expectation of immediate response is now common from customers. Another piece of work that was showcased by Severn Trent Water was how we can group our customers moving

TOUR OF SEEDY MILL WATER TREATMENT WORKS How can new technologies be used and integrated into the old world of water treatment works?

On 25th April, South Staffs Water (SSW) demonstrated how this can be done with a tour of their new ultra violet disinfection process at Seedy Mill water treatment works.

Presenting on the evening was Pete Aspley, Wholesale Director at SSW, supported by the SSW Investment Delivery Team and the Integrated Water Services M&E representatives, who discussed the challenges with the project and how they were overcome.

This was followed by a tour of the treatment work by technicians who explained the processes undertaken on the site.

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forward in terms of how they will look to interact with us. Understanding the difference between ‘Resolute Realists’ and ‘Smart Savers’ and how each group expects something different was really eye opening.

Finally, Heather and Leah took us through how customer relationships are changing with the advent of Amazon, comparison sites, and products like Hive from British Gas. A really interesting view of how people’s perceptions of companies are changing and how difficult it is becoming to directly influence our customers.

In contrast to Heather and Leah’s presentation, Philip’s slot was completely unscripted, with Philip posing questions to the audience for a group discussion on topics ranging from what customers actually expect from their water companies, to brand visibility in the industry.

Overall, the Serving Our Customers event was a fantastic evening and very well supported from the membership. The midlands members would like to extend their thanks to Philip, Heather and Leah for both their time and insight into a fast changing area.

MIDLANDS DEVELOPMENT DAY On the 18th May the Midlands Area held their annual development day Lilleshall Hall National Sports Centre.

Around 50 people attended the event, which focused on key skills, including team work, communication and leadership. The group was split into four teams to undertake different physical activities followed by reflection time to understand how they could bring their learnings back into their day job.

As well as it being a productive day, including lots of networking opportunities and time to

RISING STARS VISIT TO SEVERN TRENT

focus on personal development, the teams also got to have some fun in the sun.

The event was organised by Ben Hawkins at Amey and delivered by Pro-Noctis. Andy Smith, Managing Director at Pro-Noctis said “we had a very exciting day with a great bunch, who were very willing to learn whilst also having a bit of fun.”

In April, Tom Swain, the Rising Star for the Midlands Area, hosted a day for his fellow Rising Stars at Severn Trent’s Minworth Sewage Treatment works. The day included a tour of some of Severn Trent’s renewable assets – including their new THP plant at Minworth and their food digester at Coleshill.

NORTHERN IRELANDAREANEWS

A LUNCHTIME EVENT WITH NIGEL OWENS MBE Institute of Water members, Keith Hunt and Ronan O’Doherty, recently spent an extended lunch with Nigel Owens MBE, national and international rugby referee.

Keith Hunt tells us a bit about their meeting with him:

questions on, what the obvious Ulster fans in the room considered, ‘dubious’ decisions of late.

“The NI Area sponsored our visit to the Institute of Directors’ Lunch ‘n’ Learn at the home of Ulster Rugby, the Kingspan Stadium. Ulster Rugby may be in a bit of a mess at the moment but there’s no doubt Nigel is on form – cool calm and collected in the face of some very challenging

Rugby aside, we should always take the opportunity to learn from peoples’ experience no matter what their calling. Nigel had a lot to offer the directors and managers in the room that could apply equally in the boardroom and team meetings of industry as to the field of his chosen

sport. The key messages I took from meeting him – his absolute respect for people and their right to an opinion; his focus on integrity on and off the field of play, whatever that may be; and his indomitable belief that you should always be yourself rather than try to be someone else to please others.”

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE On the 9th of March, 14 members of the Institute of Water attended the annual Women in Leadership Conference hosted by the Institute of Directors The theme this year was Innovation and the event was attended by more than 400 (mostly women) delegates from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Event delegate and Institute of Water member, Edel O’Neill, tells us a bit about the event: “The keynote speaker was Liz Earle MBE and the other speakers included Flybe CEO Christine Ourmieres-Widender, Vice President and General Manager for Dell EMC and Alice Charles, Project Lead, Cities, World Economic Forum Geneva. flexibility and the ability to listen.

The speakers spoke candidly about their struggles to balance personal and professional lives, the challenges at the top levels of management and strategies for communication, adapting to and embracing change. Each speaker brought a different twist from their own experience but the common thread throughout the day was that a successful leader needs diversity, passion, imagination,

To get to where they were they all had to take a risk at the right time in their career and spoke of the need to believe the risk is worth taking.

During the morning session five women embarking in a broad range of start-ups were given the chance to pitch their ideas with the

ultimate winner, Becca Hume who developed TapSOS, an app which allows users to contact emergency services, taking away £4,000 to put into her business.

Overall the day provided a positive forum for IW delegates to step away from their often male dominated workplaces to reflect, learn and draw inspiration from other women leaders.”

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SOUTHWESTAREANEWS

RICHARD BARTON FELLOWSHIP AWARD Recently the South West Area held their President’s Dinner and this was the perfect moment to present longstanding Institute of Water member with his well-deserved Fellowship Award.

South West Area Committee Member, Barrie Light, tells us more about Richard’s career in water and his involvement with the Institute of Water: “Richard joined Bournemouth Water back in July 1990 as a young Project Engineer and it wasn’t long before Tony Cooke had directed him to the Institute of Water, what was then known as the IWO. By 1992 he was sat on the South West Committee. Over the years Richard has carried out many roles for the Institute such as South West Chair, Area Forum representative and also organised many events including Weekend Schools (both in the UK and abroad), the 2006 and 2012 National Conferences and many Golf events.

All this hard work was recognised by HQ and Richard was invited to take on the role of National Chairperson in 2013.

Richard has attended many National Conferences over the years and fully involved himself in them. I’m sure most people who have come in to contact with Richard will have a story or two to tell!

Richard has been involved in the institute in many other ways including Drilling & Tapping, he has competed in the Nationals in Birmingham, He’s Coached in Amsterdam and has also competed in the World Water cup in the UK where he came 1st & the USA, But his biggest achievement is never being beaten in the Managers competition in Birmingham “Well to be honest we have never had another one!”

During all this time Richard has progressed through Bournemouth Water from that young Project Engineer to be the Network Maintenance Manager in 2000; then in 2003 he became the Operations Manager for Supply; in 2012 he changed tact and became the Customer Services Manager; and then by 2013 he was the Revenue Services Manager.

And then in 2016 Richard left to help build the non-household side of Bournemouth Water to what is now called Pennon Water Services where he is currently working as the Operations Manager. We can see he has built on his CPD to good effect.”

[L2R: Richard Barton receives Fellowship Award from Barrie Light] Simon Bennett, former National Chair of the Institute of Water also has some great words to say about his colleague: “Richard is all that we enjoy about this great Institute of ours, his enthusiasm, his sense of fun and his drive inspires those around him. I have really enjoyed working with him on Institute of Water matters and he has become a very good friend.”

Z-TECH BECOME NEW SPONSOR FOR SOUTH WEST AREA The South West Region are delighted to announce Z-Tech Control Systems as a new regional sponsor for 2018.

Z-Tech have been working with the South West Region for a number of years: supporting individual events and activities. We are delighted they have offered more formal longterm support as well as continuing to offer assistance to individual events.

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Phillip Mills, South West’s Business Relationship Manager said: “Due to their extended presence in the South West Area, we offered Z-Tech the opportunity to extend the relationship by becoming regional sponsors. We have a good relationship with Luke Stanbridge, Z-Tech’s Commercial Director, who attends many events in the region, as well as helping to facilitate membership growth. We’re looking forward to Z-Tech helping to develop and support activities in the region for the coming year.”

Luke Stanbridge, Z-Tech’s Commercial Director said: “I’m delighted that the South West Area approached Z-Tech to become an area sponsor – the commitment to develop and engage with members from key stakeholders in this area is truly excellent. We’ve sponsored and attended some really engaging events for the last 4 or 5 years, with a great mix of professional and social occasions. I’m personally looking forward to getting more involved in the area throughout 2018.”

NORTHERNAREANEWS

NORTHERN AREA INNOVATION AWARDS Ahead of the National Innovation Awards being held at the Institute of Water’s Annual Conference in Glasgow, the Northern Area are delighted to announce the winner and runners up for the regional competition.

With a varied list of entries, the top three were all very close in the opinion of the judging panel.

Winner Yorkshire Water, Water Quality Team – Retrofit Splash Guards for Secondary Chlorination Units

CHANGE AT THE TOP After two years in the role, we would like to thank our outgoing Area President Alan Brown for being a fantastic supporter for the Northern Area committee.

Alan, who is Head of Scientific Support at Northumbrian Water, has provided great support and leadership, and it was truly appreciated how much of his time he made available at events and during committee meetings.

It has been a pleasure to get to know you Alan, and we hope you will stay involved at events.

We would also like to welcome Alex Bolton to the Northern Area committee as our new President. Alex is a Network Business Manager at United Utilities and has already started supporting the committee and has made his first critical decision, the fancy dress theme for the Presidents Dinner!

We look forward to working with Alex over the next two years.

Runners Up Northumbrian Water - Sewers near Watercourses Model - A Proactive Approach to Pollution

We would like to thanks all of the entrants and our judges for taking the time to support our awards.

Northumbrian Water & Newcastle University - BE:WISE Waste Water Engineering at Scale

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT MATT The Northern Area committee would like to share their gratitude to Matt Summers for his time as Communications Officer.

Matt who is currently an asset planner at Northumbrian Water joined the committee shortly after moving back to his native North East from Scotland in 2016.

and I am very thankful for that, I will be maintaining my membership of the Institute and hope to support a number of events as a “customer” in the coming years.”

During his time working as a Graduate within Strategic Customer Service Planning at Scottish Water Matt also supported the Scottish Area in a similar role but with recent changes in circumstances Matt has decided to stand down.

We wish Matt all the best for the future and thank him for the great work and support completed over the past 4 years as a committee member on both the Northern and Scottish area committees.

Matt explains, “The Institute has provided me with a number of opportunities to date

If anyone is interested in supporting the Northern Area committee please express your interest to northern@instituteofwater.org.uk

NORTHERN AREA SPONSORSHIP The Northern Area have a number of sponsorship / partnership opportunities available for organisations looking to increase their exposure in the Northern region.

If you would like to find out more contact Paul Henderson via paul@waternow.co.uk

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SCOTTISHAREANEWS

CLIMATE CHANGE LUNCH BYTE MARCH 2018 A review by Kerry Relf On 28th March 2018, Kirstin Watt and Dr Kerry Relf presented a Lunch Byte seminar on Climate Change: It’s Personal. Kirstin is an Asset Planner in Risk and Lifecycle Planning for Wastewater and Kerry is a Strategic Planner for the Water Asset Capability Team. Both currently work for Scottish Water, Kirstin’s background is in Geography and Kerry’s is in Chemistry. Neither presenter is an expert in climate change but both are passionate and enthusiastic supporters who wanted to share their knowledge with others.

The Presentation began by introducing climate change and explaining some of the changes that have taken place on the Earth over the last few decades. Evidence was presented on the influence of human activity on climate change.

Next, the presentation went on to discuss the

average carbon footprint of a UK citizen and where to measure your personal carbon footprint.

where power tools can be rented, rather than bought.

Kerry and Kirstin then covered several areas which can contribute to a higher carbon footprint and explained some of the strategies and alternatives for lowering a carbon footprint in these areas. Topics covered included: Energy, Travel, Food & Drink, Cosmetics, Technology and Clothing.

Finally, the concept of DoNation was shared.

This innovative website allows people to sponsor others in various activities by pledging to make carbon saving lifestyle changes, rather than pledging a monetary donation.

The presentation then explained the differences between a linear product lifecycle and a circular economy model and highlighted the issues with a linear product lifecycle and the benefits of a circular economy. The relatively new concept of a sharing economy was also detailed along with tool library locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow,

The overall aim of the presentation was to encourage individuals to make changes to their lifestyles to enable future climate change goals to be met more easily. Individual changes will not achieve these goals alone, but they can help make targets more achievable as many small changes make a large overall difference.

FELLOW AWARD

RETIREMENT

Paul Maxwell, outgoing Scottish Area Chair was presented with a Fellow award during the Scottish Area President’s Dinner.

The Scottish Area would like to thank Alex Rae for his dedicated long service to the Institute of Water.

Kathy Auld, previous Scottish Area and National Chair presented the award to a very surprised Paul. Paul very nearly missed his presentation as he had left the room for a few minutes but was back just in time!

Paul has worked for Scottish Water and its predecessors in the West of Scotland since 5th June 1989 when he started as a Graduate Engineer, and is held in high regard for his operational experience and organisational management.

Paul joined the Institute in 2005 and he has held the roles of Scottish Area Vice President and President (2011 – 2013) and latterly Scottish Area Chair, for the past five years.

He has served the Area with the same energy and organisational flare as his day job, ensuring meetings are run effectively and to the constitution. He has stepped down from Committee but remains a supporter of the Institute.

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Alex remained on the Scottish Area Committee as a retired member to primarily organise the highly successful study tours with Claire Chapman and to keep the retired members in touch by organising meetings. He has seen the committee and the institute change in many ways and always strived to make sure we kept our values and member benefits at the heart of our decisions both at committee level and National Level as Area Forum Rep. We wish Alex the very best for the future and hope to see him on a few events.

SOUTH EASTAREANEWS

INNOVATION AWARDS The South Eastern Area Innovation Awards was held on 22nd February at the Z-Tech Offices in Canning Town, East London.

The event was chaired by Anna Boyles, Regional Manager at Thames Water and the judging panel included; Luke Stanbridge, Z-Tech; Sarah Murray, Affinity Water; Ian Limb and Jamie Jones, Portsmouth Water The winners were Lanes Group PLC with their innovative solution to providing a wellbeing app and practitioner programme. Lanes Group will go on to represent the South Eastern Area at the National Innovation Awards held at the Institute of Water President’s Dinner in Glasgow on the 21st June.

Lanes Utilities has put in place a process to measure the happiness of its workforce, and to support individual colleagues if they say they are unhappy. They have done this by creating a bespoke wellbeing app that they have added to their digital operational platform.

Ben said; “During 2017, we introduced a wellbeing programme that we believe is a UK first, and possibly a world first for our industry. It allows us to continuously assess

the emotional health of our organisation, while offering professional wellbeing support to more than 1,200 staff. We expect the impact on our business will be profound: it is on course to save £1m a year in recruitment and training costs; it provides support for dozens of colleagues with serious and complex personal problems; and it is making us fitter and more capable of delivering exceptional service to our 15 million customers.”

The finalists were: ■■

Fat, Oil, Greases (FOG) and Unflushables Project by Southern Water

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Metaldehyde in Water Systems using Innovative Modelling by Southern Water

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IQ booster for water meters by Southern Water

Lockwood Reservoir: Multi-benefit Innovative design of Reservoir Crest Road and Reservoir Embankment Protection by eight2O The South East Area innovation day was one of important networking, eye-opening interest and amazing innovation. A big thank you from the area committee to all of the entries and

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[Ben Draycott from Lanes Group PLC presented with the award by Anna Boyles from the South East Committee] finalists, it was great to see such a diverse field of submissions. Finally, many thanks to Z-Tech Control Systems who hosted and sponsored the event.

RETAIL COMPETITION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE WATER INDUSTRY? (PART III) From April 2017 every business water customer in England has been able to choose who they pay for their retail services, in what was described as one of the biggest changes to the water industry since privatisation.

In January the South East Area held the last of its trilogy of Retail Competition events at Portsmouth Waters Head Office. Part III focused on the reflections of wholesalers, retailers, new entrants, OFWAT and the market operator, MOSL, on market operations over the first 10 months, what has gone well, the additional challenges faced and also where they think the market is going.

The audience heard from the following speakers: ■■

Rebecca Mottram, Market Design Lead, MOSL

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Stephen Beddoes, Principle in Market Outcomes and Enforcement, OFWAT

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Mark Holloway, Head of Wholesale Market Services, Thames Water

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Neville Smith, MD Portsmouth Water

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John Reynolds, CEO, Castle Water

The event concluded with an interesting Panel question and answer session, which it was safe to say, could have sparked another event in itself!

All presentations are available via the Institute’s website.

Our thanks to Portsmouth Water for hosting and for the five speakers for sharing their thoughts on the day.

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LUNCH AND LEARN Feedback from 8th IWA Young Water Professional International Conference and Cape Town drought discussion.

The Institute of Water kindly sponsored three young water professionals (Vyvyan Evans -Dŵr Cymru Waste Water, Kirstin Watt - Scottish Water and Josh Graver - Anglian Water) to attend the 8th IWA Young Water Professional International Conference held on the 11-13th December 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa. Vyvyan Evans recently hosted a Lunch and Learn event to feedback on this experience. The presentation covered an overview of the topics discussed at the conference, the background to the South African water sector, and then moved on to look at the current drought, which has been documented as a 1 in 384 year occurrence. Vyvyan reviewed the causes of the drought from a hydrological perspective as well as a political and anthropological standpoint.

The event was well received, with good attendance in the room and online demand outstripping the total spaces available. Attendees were actively engaged with discussions including topics such as emergency desalination, waste water recycling and how water is politicised and used as a bargaining tool in some countries.

Due to the success of the event we will look to host more events that approach critical water topics from a social/political or anthropological perspective, to complement the established engineering and technical discussions.

CPD FOR ALL - ON THE PATH TO CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The speakers for this event were Thomaz Andrade, Welsh Water Catchment Customer Acceptability Scientist and current holder of the Institute of Water’s CPD Award, and Ashley Moule, Welsh Water Waste Asset Engineer.

Ashley is a Chartered Environmentalist and engineer who assesses Chartership applications for Institute of Water.

The take home message from both speakers was that CPD requires ownership and a personal appetite to develop and reflect upon your own development.

Thomaz created a model and explained CPD as a cyclic process in which a key part of the process, which is often missed, is to ensure that you plan, reflect and evaluate and to always tie in your learning and actions with

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your objectives. Attending events isn’t CDP if you haven’t thought about why you are attending and reflect on the learning gained from that event.

The take home messages from Thomaz were: ■■

CPD is simple and intuitive

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It helps you to achieve what you want

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It makes your life easy

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CPD is your own!

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Key points: Planning and Evaluation!

Ashley, having gone through the process himself and is now assessing applications, has great insight into Chartership routes and focused his presentation on this element.

He asked questions to find out about each attendee’s route into their profession and discussed their individual options for Chartership. Both Thomaz and Ashley offered their assistance at the end of the session and in the future, and are great advocates for CPD and assisting individuals to follow the most appropriate Chartership route.

WELSHAREANEWS

AN INTRODUCTION TO RAINSCAPE This very well attended lunchtime talk, created by Rachael Ng from Arup, and Michelle Russ from Morgan Sindall, was delivered by Michelle and demonstrated the truly collaborative nature of the RainScape work.

RainScape is a method that complies with the Flood and Prevention Act. The work to date has mainly been for waste water schemes run

by Arup and Morgan Sindall. This work started in AMP4 and since then 75 RainScape projects have/will be carried out.

Many of the schemes have been delivered in Llanelli, and the first part of the presentation detailed the successes that the project has had in the area, including the Cambrian North Swale.

This project is particularly notable due to the emphasis on public engagement through both

design and construction, a feature that has continued throughout the whole project, and has been instrumental in its success due the visible nature of the work.

The benefits of the schemes are many, principally reducing the need to accommodate surface run off in the sewers, removing the need to treat and pump it. This eases the stress on infrastructure, accommodating growth in the area, as well as saving both money and energy.

Further case study examples were also presented to illustrate the wide range of strategies

that can be used to approach this problem, including Station Road Storm Water Tunnel and its pioneering pilot of private roof drainage disconnections, named the Halfway Houses Pilot.

The audience were also given an insight in to the challenges of RainScape, ranging from working outside of legal powers to media interest. Whilst it can be a very powerful means of reducing operational pressures, it may not always be the right solution and the process by which schemes were decided upon was also introduced to help inform any future potential uses of this strategy.

WEHOLITE SITE VISITS The Welsh Area Committee organised two site visits to the Weholite Factory in Newport.

Asset International Limited has been manufacturing Weholite HDPE Structured Wall products for over two decades. In that time the company has changed from a pipe manufacturer to a solutions provider and are now seen as one of the leading pioneers in the new world of offsite build. Using Weholite presents many opportunities for originality, innovation, and health and safety benefits.

The visits started with a presentation about a few of Weholite’s case study sites, including many from all around the UK. They showcased their capabilities for not only producing large pipes, but also flow control manholes, CSO chambers, rectangular wastewater treatment tanks, river outfalls which they floated down a river into place, and a number of other

applications. During the factory tour, we were shown the entire process from how the plastic box sections are made to how they are extruded and coiled into circular pipes, all the way to the final stages of welding and machine cutting. After assembly, pipes are pre-hung with lifting ties and stored in the yard, ready to be delivered to site, easily lifted into place, and installed.

Despite heavy snowfall just before both site visits, the tour was attended by staff from

DCWW, Arup, MMB, and one from Severn Trent Water. It was very well received and so popular it even required two separate visits since numbers were limited to 10 each trip.

Some apprehension still remains in the water industry about constructing with plastic, however the many benefits shown on the tour prove that plastic is a reliable, innovative material going forward: lightweight with over 100 years design life and fit for a range of applications.

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EASTERNAREANEWS

EASTERN AREA AGM The 63rd AGM of the Eastern Area of the Institute of Water took place on 17 April 2018 in Peterborough. Paul Valleley the former President of the Eastern area was pleased to hand over to our new Area President, Jason Tucker, Director of Alliances & ISC at Anglian Water.

[R2L: Paul Valleley hands over Area Presidency to Jason Tucker]

COMMITTEE CHANGES

There were also a number of other changes to the Committee.

Ben Tam and Paul Valente have stepped down and the new Chairman is Lucinda Gilfoyle with Jenny Cooper as Vice Chairman, both from Anglian Water.

The Area Committee wishes to thank Paul Valleley, Ben Tam and Paul Valente for their hard work.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION‌ Luke Stanbridge and Martin Bowes continue in their roles as Area Forum Rep and Treasurer respectively with Kara Sadler and Catherine Fearon covering the Secretary and Membership roles.

Ben Tam and Paul Valente have stepped down and the new Chairman is Lucinda Gilfoyle with Jenny Cooper as Vice Chairman, both from Anglian Water.

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The Area Committee wishes to thank Paul Valleley, Ben Tam and Paul Valente for their hard work.

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