Fraud alert: The American Water Works Association (AWWA) warns that members and others should be aware of a false sweepstakes award naming the association. Several persons have received what appears to be a check for $4,900 or more drawn on AWWA’s account; it was not issued by the organization and is not valid. An accompanying letter invites the recipient to telephone for further information. Do not do so! If you receive the scam letter, please immediately alert local authorities and the association (800) 926-7337.?
Siemens announced that it would commit $10 million in medical diagnostic and water treatment equipment and financial support to rural communities in China as part of the company’s new affiliation with the Clinton Global Initiative.?
FilmTec Corporation partnered with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to build a five-unit home for St. Paul (Minn.) families. The company co-sponsored the construction through funding from the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, which donated $60,000 towards the effort.?
Despite weak results for pool products, Pentair reports strong performance in technical product and pump sales. In Asia, sales grew nearly 25 percent in local currencies; Europe and Middle East sales gained 10 percent.?
Culligan International (Emirates), the Dubai affiliate of Culligan International Company, has been named as contractor of choice for Burj Dubai skyscraper, the world’s soon-to-be tallest (160-story) building. Also known as the Dubai Tower, completion of the one billion dollar (US) venture is expected by the end of 2008.?
The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators recently moved to 1401 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1225, Arlington, VA 22209. New phone and fax numbers are (703) 812-9505 and (703) 812-9506 respectively.?
The Boston Globe reported that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. plans to sell five million of its Class A common shares and use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including future acquisitions. It will grant underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares to cover over-allotments, if any.?
North America
Severn Trent receives awards
The Philadelphia chapter of the British American Business Council honored Severn Trent Services with its Pioneer Award, to recognize the company’s global growth and contribution to the sustained growth of the Philadelphia, Pa. region. Additionally, the company received the Five Star Health and Safety Audit Award from the British Safety Council. Severn Trent’s Glen Cove (NY) Wastewater Treatment Works and Colmar (PA) sales and manufacturing office won the coveted accolade following a rigorous inspection.
Calgon seeking validation of UV system
Calgon Carbon Corporation’s Sentinel® 24 ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system will undergo third-party validation under US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) LT2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule guidelines. The system is designed to treat up to 20 million gpd (75 million l/d) in medium-sized treatment plants. In other company news, management and the Board of Directors Audit Committee concluded the company should restate unaudited financial results for the three-month period ending March 31, 2006; three- and six-month periods ending June 30, 2006 are also affected. The action is due to errors in the computation of the company’s estimated income taxes for those periods. The corporation froze its defined benefit pension plans for salaried employees effective December 31, 2006 and will replace those plans with an enhanced 401(k) program going forward. Calgon expects a reduction of approximately one million dollars (US) in its retirement-related expense on an annual basis.
NGWF education resources
The National Ground Water Foundation (NGWF) has announced that several new education and protection resources developed as part of various projects will be available on its website later this year. The items will be available for free download at www.groundwater.org. For more information, call (800) 858-4844 or email [email protected].
Sylvan technology certified
Sylvan Source announced that its Sylvan Source M-600 has been certified to reduce perchlorate in drinking water. In testing conducted by NSF International, the unit delivered more than six times the required reduction level, resulting in treated water with less than one part per billion (ppb) of perchlorate. The Sylvan Source M-600 is the only system to pass the NSF/ANSI Standard 62 perchlorate reduction test. Perchlorate has been detected in soil, surface water, and/or drinking water wells in 35 states and Puerto Rico. The highest concentrations were found in Southern California, west central Texas, between New Jersey and Long Island and in Massachusetts.
Flowserve honored by Frost & Sullivan
Flowserve received the Frost & Sullivan 2006 North American Growth Excellence in Customer Value Leadership award in the pumps solutions market. The accolade recognizes the company for its superior customer-centric business solutions and market-leading customer satisfaction. Frost & Sullivan noted that the company has continued to expand its customer base by consistently addressing critical customer challenges and providing a one-stop shop for a complete range of dependable, reliable and cost-effective flow control products and solutions.
Orival adds products
Orival, Inc. recently expanded its automatic self-cleaning filter line with three new ORG-Series models. Two six-inch (152.4 mm) and one eight-inch (203.2 mm) unit bring the series to eight models designed specifically to conserve rinse water. Applications for the ORG Filters include removing organic and inorganic solids from cooling (towers, chillers, HVAC, heat exchangers, etc.), wastewater, effluent, aquaculture, irrigation, descaling, quenching, process and reclaimed water, POE sources and more.
EPA news
The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), under its Brownfields Initiative, is awarding grants of up to $200,000 each to non-profit organizations and local governments. A dozen communities in 10 states (Ariz., Ark., Calif., Conn., Ill., Md., Ohio, Ore., Va. and Wis.) will share more than $2.3 million in job training grants geared toward cleaning up contaminated properties and turning them into productive community assets. The grants will teach environmental assessment and cleanup job skills to individuals living in low-income areas near brownfields sites.
After considering two rounds of public comments, the agency has issued a final rule clarifying the specific circumstances under which no permits are required under the Clean Water Act: when pesticides are applied directly to water to control pests, including mosquito larvae, aquatic weeds and other pests in the water; and, when pesticides are applied to control pests that are present over or near water where a portion of the pesticide will unavoidably be deposited to the water in order to target the pests effectively.
Hanley Wood’s 3rd pool show
Hanley Wood, LLC announced the purchase of the AQUA Show from Athletic Business Publications (ABP). The show, founded in 1993, is a 100,000 net square foot event that serves the pool and spa industry. AQUA Magazine is not part of the acquisition and will continue to be owned by ABP. The AQUA Show will become part of the Pool & Spa group based in Dallas, the third event owned and managed by Hanley Wood in the pool and spa sector. The firm currently owns and manages the International Pool & Spa Expo and the Backyard Living Expo.
Dynasonics success celebrated
Dynasonics of Racine, Wis. celebrated 30 years of success recently. The company has a history of dealing with of unique requirements, engineering and manufacturing products for the flow measurement industry by focusing its efforts on developing appropriate solutions. Its product line includes non-invasive transit time ultrasonic flowmeters for clear liquid, Doppler ultrasonic for liquids with suspended solids or aeration and insertion-style magnetic flowmeters for clear liquids.
Blancett honors distributors
Blancett Flow Meters of Racine, Wis. honored three distributors with Excellence Awards for sales performance in 2005. Kimray Sales & Service, covering Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi led in sales growth for the year. Pembina Controls in Alberta, Canada and Dave’s Flow Measurement of Gillette, Wyo. were also recognized. The distributors and their sales departments experienced exceptional growth, established large market share and provided high levels of service to obtain an overall high rate of customer satisfaction.
NSPF online training started
On January 2, 2007, the National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®) began offering pool/spa operator training through its eProAcademy™ Online Training Center. Participants have the opportunity to earn a Certified Pool-Spa Operator® credential using a blended-format program. Students are encouraged to register by contacting an NSPF Certified Instructor. Locations, dates and instructor contact information for hundreds of classes are posted at www.nspf.org; visit www.eProAcademy.org for more information on the program.
Water negotiations discussed in Tucson
WC&P attended the November Arizona Water & Pollution Control Association’s (AWPCA) monthly luncheon held in Tucson, Ariz. where Dave Modeer of Tucson Water presented a review of the ongoing Seven Basin States Negotiations. The situation remains unchanged but for the notable fact that the Nevada representatives chose to return to the talks, rather than seek Supreme Court intervention as had been expected. At the end of his update, Modeer was presented with an AWPCA pin to add to his growing collection.
EWQA roadshows
EWQA plans three roadshows this year. The first will be held in Roanoake, Va. on February 22, 2007. The second will be held in the Manchester, N.H. area, tentatively scheduled for April 24. The final show, outside of Pittsburgh, Pa., is expected to take place June 7. Updates will be provided when dates are confirmed.
WorldWater announces earnings
WorldWater & Power Corp. announced results for the third quarter that ended September 30, 2006. Revenue was $6.5 million, compared with $0.6 million reported in the same quarter of 2005. Gross profit for the quarter was $1.5 million or 22.2 percent gross margin, versus a loss of $0.2 million in the prior-year period. The company posted an operating loss of $0.4 million compared with an operating loss of $1.4 million in the third quarter of 2005. Net loss was $0.8 million, or $(0.01) per share, compared to a loss of $4.8 million, or $(0.05) per share, in the prior-year period.
Green innovations
GreenSpec, a national listing of over 2,000 environmentally-responsible building products and materials, recently approved the addition of Superior Manufacturing Division’s Superior Water Conditioner®. With the current push toward green building and sustainable practices, individuals and companies have been prompted to seek cost-effective, user-friendly and environmentally safe alternatives to conventional water treatment methods.
Nanorust cleans arsenic
Scientists at Rice University’s Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) have developed a revolutionary, low-cost technology for cleaning arsenic from drinking water. Evidence points to a magnetic interaction between particles of rust that are smaller than viruses. Experiments involved suspending pure samples of uniform-sized iron oxide particles in water. A magnetic field was used to pull the particles out of solution, leaving only purified water. The technology holds promise for millions of people in developing countries where thousands of cases of arsenic poisoning each year are linked to poisoned wells.
Hydrogen-oxygen alloy made from water
Carnegie’s Geophysical Laboratory reported that water, when subjected to high pressures, can take any of more than 15 different forms. Researchers have now used x-rays to dissociate water at high pressure to form a solid mixture (an alloy) of molecular oxygen and molecular hydrogen. Although the substance is clearly a crystalline solid, more experiments are needed to determine its precise crystal structure. The work, done by a multi-institutional team at the lab, was supported by a host of research and governmental agencies.
UV market growth predicted
According to Advanced Technologies for Municipal Water Treatment (MST036B) from BCC Research, the US municipal water treatment market is estimated at about $1.3 billion in 2006, growing at a combined average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 10.7 percent to 2011 to more than $2.1 billion. Technologies include membrane filtration, ozone disinfection, UV irradiation and novel oxidation processes. A 38.6 percent AAGR is predicted to 2011 for UV disinfection, when the market will reach more than $149 million.
Distributor agreement announced
UV Pure Technologies Inc. announced that Ontor Limited has been appointed as its Canadian wholesale distributor. The company will represent the NSF/ANSI 55 Class A certified Hallett™ UV systems and the Upstream series of water purifiers. Ontor has branches in Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver.
GE honors Earth Rangers
The Earth Rangers of Ontario have received GE’s 2006 Global Ecomagination Leadership Award. The award recognizes the organization’s example of how advanced wastewater treatment technology can reduce demand on potable water supplies and preserve environmental health. Less than one percent of GE’s clients qualify to receive the award and Earth Rangers is only the second recipient in Canada this year.
Canadian Clean Water Act passed
Communities throughout Ontario will be required to identify and eliminate any significant risks to their water supplies under the terms of a new law passed in the Ontario legislature, reported CanWest News Service. Environment Minister Laurel Broten said the act delivered on 12 of the recommendations from an inquiry into the May 2000 Walkerton water tragedy when seven people died after E. coli tainted the water. The legislation lays out a formal process for identifying threats to drinking water sources and requires the establishment of local committees to address those threats.
Morale boosters by LeverEdge/ISPC
ISPC founder and President Robert Schabes’ innovative ideas have helped improve the functions and morale of salespeople and management in the water industry. When his own employees looked a little worn down from the added workload brought on by ISPC’s growth over the past year, inspiration struck. On Sunday November 5, 2006 ISPC staff members were treated to a ‘Bucs Break’ and they watched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. 
The company-sponsored outing kicked off with a Tailgate Party at 10 a.m. Employees and their families gathered under a private tent to enjoy all the ribs, baked beans, hamburgers, hotdogs, beer and soda they desired. Then they gathered in a reserved seating area and watched the Buccaneers battle the division-rival Saints. Unfortunately, the home team did not prevail, but no matter; everyone enjoyed a rejuvenating, revitalizing day thanks to Schabes! Less than a week later, the LeverEdge/ISPC 4th Annual Invitational Golf Tournament was held at Champions Gate Golf Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. 
The LeverEdge and ISPC hosted 128 golfers in a scramble style tournament with this year’s grand prize a 50-inch Plasma HDTV won by Christopher Mallalieu from Bradenton. Competition began with a shotgun start then foursomes played ‘best ball position’ throughout the course with the scores tallied for entire team. After the tournament, guests enjoyed a buffet style dinner followed by an awards ceremony and door prize raffle. The LeverEdge and ISPC would like to thank all who attended, especially the 26 contributing sponsors who helped make it such an enjoyable and memorable event. Everyone looks forward to next year’s tournament, but in the interim, images of this event are available on The LeverEdge’s website: www.theleveredge.com/golf2006.htm or contact the firm at (800) 345-4772.
Europe
Spain bottled water market growing
The 2006 Zenith Report on West Europe Bottled Water reported the market returned to growth in 2005, with a 1.5 percent increase of 643 million liters (169.8 million gallons) to reach 42.7 billion liters (1.1 billion gallons). Spain accounted for most of the advance, with Germany and the UK also seeing solid progress. A good early summer in 2006 has further lifted sales, with many companies reporting record or near record volumes. It should remain a robust growth market, driven by increasing awareness of hydration and well being. Over the next five years, Zenith expects average annual growth of 2.6 percent across Western Europe. Volumes are anticipated to rise by 13.5 percent to pass 48 billion liters (nearly 1.3 billion gallons) by 2010.
Award, contract for ALLDOS
ALLDOS Ltd. was presented with the Pump Industry Technical Innovation of the Year Award for their digital dosing pump with integrated flowmeter at a ceremony held at the Royal Court Hotel in Coventry. Managing Director Tosh Singh commented “This award is a testament to the forward and innovative thinking of Klaus Mueller and his R&D engineering team in Germany, with additional thanks to the manufacturing plant headed by Walter Schwald.” In other news, the company has secured a three-year dosing pump framework with Severn Trent Water.
Aquaterra notes early booking success
Over half of the exhibition space at Aquaterra 2007 has been sold and available exhibition space will be completely blocked soon. According to product manager Xander de Bruine, the early bookings are all the more remarkable because it is the first edition of the three-day congress and exhibition. It will focus on managing risks and creating opportunities for delta and coastal regions at all levels, from economic and financial issues to safety and planning matters. It will take place from February 7- 9 2007 at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Congress Center.
LANXESS increases investment
LANXESS is set to invest €6 million ($7.7 million US) in the expansion of its Lewatit® ion exchange resin production facility in Bitterfeld, Germany. The latest capital infusion far exceeds the firm’s original commitment of €1.8 million ($2.3 million US). The goal is to further improve cost efficiency by optimizing the production process and expand production capacity. The facility is one of the largest in the world.
Greece builds floating desal platform
The Athens News Agency reported the first autonomous floating desalination platform in the world was built by Greece and deployed to the Agean Sea. The mobile platform features a wind generator that produces energy necessary to turn seawater into drinking water, reducing unfavorable environmental consequences to zero. Built to operate in the most adverse weather conditions, floating wind farms may be a solution in the Mediterranean or deep-sea areas near Japan or the US.
Africa
GWF completes first project
The Global Water Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean water and adequate sanitation to developing countries, completed its pilot project in eastern Uganda. The agency worked with skilled contractors and community members to drill a borehole and install a solar power pumping system with a 2,600-gallon (98420.7- liter) tank. The project delivered clean drinking water to the 983-student Ndolwa Parents School and ultimately expects to deliver to over 5,000 in a surrounding community.
Asia
Pionetics establishes Indian subsidiary
Pionetics® announced it has established Pionetics Water Treatment (India) Private Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary based in Bangalore, India. The company plans to set up a research and development center, manufacturing facility and global distribution hub for its LINX™ Drinking Water System. “The formation of our subsidiary is the first step in a long-term commitment to the Indian market,” said Pionetics CEO Dr. Gordon Mitchard.
Summerhill technology approved
Newly developed rubber molding material for o-rings, seals and shapes by Summerhill Technologies was recently tested and approved to ASTM 6284 for chloramine/chlorine compatibility. The compounds and products, certified to NSF61, KTW (German), WRc (English) and ACS (French) standards for potable water applications, are manufactured in TS16949-approved factories in China and soon, North Vietnam.
Australia
Live membrane developed
Dr. Tony Taylor, a microbiologist from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO), has developed an eating and breathing membrane that cleans wastewater and sewage. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the membrane bioreactor acts like gills, using bacteria to operate as lungs and a stomach. Recently patented by ANSTO, the organization is seeking business partners to help further develop and manufacture various sized units that could be used in homes, apartment complexes or municipal treatment plants.
Bicycle-powered purification
Christchurch, New Zealand inventor Russell Kelly has developed a water purification device that can operate without electricity. The bicycle-powered unit can produce six to eight liters per minute and could bring widespread benefits around the world, reported the New Zealand Herald.