Acquisitions, Expansions & Partnerships
CH2M selected as design-build partner for infrastructure projects
The cities of Houston, Texas, and San Jose, California, selected CH2M as their design-build partner for major water projects, the $1.2 billion Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion (NEWPP) project and the $85 million Cogeneration Facility Project, respectively. The NEWPP project is the largest progressive design-build project of its kind in the nation and will be delivered over the next nine years by the Houston Waterworks Team, a joint venture between CH2M and CDM Smith.
CH2M also serves as design-builder for the new Cogeneration Facility at the San José Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. The facility will provide on-site power and heat, replacing aging cogeneration equipment that has been subject to breakdowns of increasing frequency and severity. This project also uses a Progressive Design-Build approach.
H2O Innovation leases proprietary technology
H2O Innovation Inc. recently secured a leasing contract of its Clearlogx proprietary technology with PGA golf course, Pebble Beach – Carmel Area Wastewater District, California. For a two-year period, the contract will control and optimize the coagulant dosing of a 2 million-gallon-per-day (7,570 m3/day) membrane filtration plant.
NGWA will collaborate with Green Builder Coalition
The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) and the Green Builder Coalition signed a two-year agreement for the promotion of sustainable groundwater practices through the Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS) program. WERS is a tool developed to help improve residential water use practices. The current NGWA long-range plan has an emphasis on groundwater sustainability, with a specific objective to help address water conservation practices.
WesTech and Cleanergy bring GasBox to U.S.
WesTech is partnering with Cleanergy to bring the Cleanergy GasBox™ Biogas Generator to the U.S. The GasBox generates electricity and heat from biogas using a Stirling engine and requires minimal-to-no gas cleaning. This allows small and mid-size wastewater treatment plants to achieve the power-generating benefits of biogas utilization. The GasBox can also run on biogas with a methane concentration as low as 18 percent, which alleviates the need at larger plants to burn off this biogas with a natural gas supplement.
UV treatment preserves purity of natural spring water
UV-Guard Australia is partnering with Nu-Pure Beverages to ensure their bottled natural spring water is of the highest quality. Nu-Pure Beverages is an Australian owned business that produces bottled spring water and other beverages. Their spring water is sourced from specially selected Australian springs and has a natural balance of minerals. UV-Guard Australia will develop ultraviolet (UV) disinfection units for Nu-Pure’s two manufacturing plants.
American Water participating in study for drinking water safety
Dr. Orren Schneider, manager of Water Technology at American Water recently participated in the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Policy’s (PCAST) new study to help inform action to ensure safe drinking water in the U.S. Schneider joined other experts as well as Federal agencies to look at how contaminants in water are detected and monitored from source to tap, how the associated risks are assessed and remediated, and how information about contaminant concentrations, risks, and remedies is communicated to officials and the public. The results of the study will help inform future action to make sure that all Americans have affordable access to high-quality water.
Photo courtesy of Veolia
Appointments
Veolia appoints Asia business leader to guide reorganization
Frédéric Théry will oversee Veolia Water Technologies’ Asia Pacific business as he serves as Asia Pacific CEO for the company. He will also guide Veolia toward a new internal structure that reorganizes its operational entities to four geographical regions. The company aims to better integrate its water and wastewater expertise and improve productivity with the move.
Pentair announces new water purification platform vice president
Tim Reckinger will succeed Sam Karge as the Water Purification platform Vice President at Pentair. Reckinger joined Pentair in 2006 as the marketing director in the Filtration Solutions platform and was promoted to Director of Business Development. In 2013, Reckinger was appointed to lead Pentair’s Foodservice business, where he grew it to be one of Pentair’s top performing platforms. After nearly 20 years with Pentair’s Water Purification platform, Vertical Vice President Sam Karge announced his departure from the company on Monday, March 7.
American Water names president of American Water Enterprises
American Water named Deborah A. Degillio as the new president of its market-based business, American Water Enterprises. Degillio will replace Sharon Cameron, who retired on May 30, 2016. Degillio previously served as the vice president and treasurer for American Water. In her new role, she will lead American Water’s Contract Services Group, Military Services Group and Homeowner Services.
Jennifer Gambol, previously the vice president of finance at American Water, will replace Degillio vice president and treasurer. Gambol, who joined American Water in 2015, has been responsible for business strategy, long-term planning and driving financial performance.
Photo courtesy of Aquabio
New sales manager at Aquabio
Aquabio, the UK’s market leader in the reuse of industrial water, has appointed Ian Grant as its new Sales Manager covering the north region of the UK. Grant is experienced in the water and waste water industries and has worked for major blue chip companies including Suez Water Conditioning Services, Hydro International and Plasson UK.
Photo courtesy of Aquionics
Aquionics names new sales administrator
UV disinfection specialist Aquionics has named Michelle Buckman as its new sales administrator. Buckman will provide support to the sales team to ensure customers continue to receive on-time sales and service. She has 10 years of experience in sales support and customer service from previous positions with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, MAG Industrial Automation and Pomeroy IT Solutions.
Awards, Milestones & Celebrations
Bell & Gossett selected as a finalist for 2016 Product of the Year
Xylem Inc. and its Bell & Gossett brand is a 2016 Product of the Year finalist for their Suction Diffuser Plus by Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine. The Suction Diffuser Plus is a flow-straightening centrifugal pump accessory that helps maintain efficiency, improve flow conditions and eliminate recirculation zones to reduce energy waste. Bell & Gossett has won six Product of the Year awards since 2010, including the top award, Most Valuable Product, in 2014 for its e-1510 base mounted end suction centrifugal pump.
Photo courtesy of H2M architects+engineers
NYSAWWA Young Professional of the Year Award goes to H2M engineer
The New York State AWWA (NYSAWWA) presented Tim McGuire, project engineer at H2M architects + engineers, with the Young Professional of the Year Award at the NYSAWWA Water Event that took place in May. The award is designed to recognize the finest young professionals with outstanding and creative approaches in the water community. McGuire displayed these qualities through several experiences with H2M, including groundwater well construction; rehabilitation and permit applications; and potable water treatment technologies.
New Midwest City Water Resources Recovery Facility recently opened
Construction was recently completed on the Midwest City Water Resources Recovery Facility in Oklahoma. The system is an upgrade of an old rotating biological contactor (RBC) system to a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system. In January 2012, the city engaged Black & Veatch, a global engineering, consulting and construction company, to lead project design. Black & Veatch collaborated on all aspects of the installation. This included new systems feeding into the MBBR; a new headwork’s building for screening of influent, a grit building upgrade for more efficient grit removal, and new clarifier equipment and primary sludge pumps. The system is now fully operational.
Australian water treatment plant named Industrial Water Project of the Year
Part of BG Group, the QGC water treatment plant at its northern coal seam gas fields near Wandoan in Queensland, Australia, was named Industrial Water Project of the Year at the annual Global Water Awards. Commissioned in May 2015, the plant purifies 100,000 cubic meters per day of produced water from the coal seam gas fields. The treated water is reused by the local communities and farmers. An alliance between GE and Laing O’Rourke Australia designed and built the water treatment plant. The plant uses GE’s advanced water treatment technologies including ZeeWeed submerged ultrafiltration, ion exchange and three-stage reverse osmosis followed by brine concentration.
AZ Water Association awards Water Project of the Year for Phoenix facility
The AZ Water Association recognized EPCOR Water USA with its Water Project of the Year and Operator of the Year awards. The company also won 19 other awards acknowledging a commitment to operational excellence and safety. The Water Project of the Year award honored the company’s work on a $1.9 million, mile-long pipeline project that transports water from a treatment plant to the Agua Fria district. Tim Williams won Operations Supervisor of the Year and Jacob Rogers was named Operator of the Year.
Students receive NGWA Farvolden Awards
The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation awarded four Farvolden Awards of $1,000 each to students who presented their papers or posters at the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) Groundwater Summit in April.
The award winners were:
- Joshua W. Brownlow of Baylor University, Waco, Texas, for the paper "Influence of Hydraulic Fracturing on Leaky Abandoned Wells"
- Matthew Hiebing of the University of Texas at El Paso, for the poster "Combining Geochemisty and Geophysics to Pinpoint Sources of Salinity in the Rio Grande and the Relationship to Faults"
- Katelyn Kane of Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, for the paper "Water Quality Impacts of Tourism in Quintana Roo, Mexico"
- Cynthia Kanno of the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, for the poster "Quantifying Potential for Spills at Unconventional Gas Well Sites to Impact the South Platte Aquifer."
