Alcon, a manufacturer of solenoid valves and subsidiary of ITT Corp., has appointed Robertson Industrial Sales, Inc. to represent Alcon valves in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and northern Florida. Robinson’s primary focus is serving industrial equipment manufacturers and distributors in a variety of end-markets, including mining, water and wastewater, chemical processing and transportation. ?
Norit Filtrix, part of the Norit Group, recently received the Water Quality Association (WQA) Gold Seal certification for both the US EPA Standard for Microbiological Water Purifiers and NSF P231 on its H2OK WaterPurifier POU product line. ?
Carbon Resources has received NSF-61 certification on their sabre series® granular and powder activated carbon for municipali- ties, and won a performance-based bid for the Washington County Water Conservancy District, Utah. ?
Membrana’s Liqui-Cel® high-purity 10 x 28 and 14 x 28 membrane contractors, both with the facility to a MIOX on-site generator, tor X-40 and X-50 membrane, have successfully passed all testing requirements and document reviews to achieve NSF Standard 61 certification.?
North America
Watts rep website honored
Watts announced at its recent National Sales Meeting that Hollabaugh Brothers & Associates was the recipient of its inaugural Best Rep Website Award, based on overall design, usability, content and branding. The award was designed to promote the use of technology to grow business, especially in these hard economic times. The Hollabaugh site was selected because of its clean look, easy navigation and straightforward information and presentation. It can be found at www.hbarep.com.
MIOX to supply Washington facility
MIOX Corporation has been selected by Lakehaven Utility District to supply its RIO™ M3 on-site mixed oxidant generator in King County, Washington. The unit has a 180-pound-per-day capacity to treat the 10 mgd (37,854,117.84 L/d) facility. The Lakehaven District is responsible for 350 miles (563.27 km) of mainline, 27 pump stations and two secondary wastewater treatment plants. The new unit will be in- stalled at the Lakota Plant in spring 2010, replacing the gas chlorine and bulk bleach currently employed. The Lakehaven Board of Commissioners voted to upgrade the facility to a MIOX on-site generator, based on safety and cost efficiencies.
Severn Trent honored
For the second consecutive year, Severn Trent Services received Environmental Business Journal’s Technology Merit Award in the water/wastewater category as part of the publication’s Business Achievement Awards. Severn Trent was recognized “for the introduction of several new products that advance the state of the art in water and wastewater treatment.” Firms are recognized for strong financial performance and growth, as well as for specific projects or other business achievements, which are significant in the advancement of the environmental industry.
GE manufacturing center created
GE announced the creation of a world-class Center of Excellence (COE) for manufacturing RO, nanofiltration and UF spiral-wound membranes in its Minnetonka, MN facility. The center will bring together the company’s most advanced capabilities and expertise to focus on a key technology sector, integrating technology development, manufacturing capacity and quality control for membrane production, all under one roof.
Mazzei reactor chosen by water agency
The Mazzei Injector Company, LLC announced its unique Pipeline Flash Reactor™ for ozone contacting was selected and installed by California’s Castaic Lake Water Agency. The agency’s facilities include two plants that treat water supplied from the California State Water Project. Both plants recently underwent major expansion to increase capacity.
ProProducts website updated
Pro Products introduced an improved website that will provide better information to customers in a more organized fashion. New features include a ‘toolkit’ and a Vendor Locator option. Feedback to assist the company make additional enhancements is requested and should be sent to [email protected].
Increased NSPF education demand reported
Economic challenges and greater focus on risks have caused an increase in global demand for educational programs, according to the National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®). The organization reported a 3.7-percent increase in CPO® certifications in 2009, and a record 1,340 certification courses currently scheduled. NSPF also reported a significant increase in international adoption and use of its programs. The Spanish-language course has been approved by Antioquia Goberment, the Colombian Health Department, to train and certify operators. In addition, NSPF finalized a contract with Water World Windows to translate the certification program in the Ukraine and Russia, and to teach in the Commonwealth of Independent States in Europe and western Asia.
Danfoss product compliance announced
Danfoss Flomatic Corporation announced it is compliant with California and Vermont lead-free legislation for all valve products, and has been for years. As a result, there is no need for new part numbers or special order unleaded valves that are compliant. The company introduced the industry’s first unleaded bronze ENVIRO-CHECK® in 1996, which has been recognized as an acceptable material under California’s Proposition 65.
Toxin detected by paper strips
Engineers at the University of Michigan led the development of a new biosensor, a strip of paper infused with carbon nanotubes, which can quickly and inexpensively detect a toxin produced by algae in drinking water. The strips performed 28 times faster than the complicated method most commonly used today to detect microcystin-LR, a chemical compound produced by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Even in very small quantities, the compound is suspected to cause liver damage and possibly liver cancer. The substance and others like it are among the leading causes of biological water pollution.
WEF honored for publication education
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has been named to the 2010 Associations Advance America Honor Roll for its public education initiative, Water Is Life and Infrastructure Makes It Happen. Sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and The Center for Association Leadership, the national awards competition recognizes organizations whose programs and activities propel the nation forward.
California contractor tax proposal stalled
A proposal being considered by California’s Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee to require a three-percent tax withholding on payments to independent contractors has reportedly been shelved for the time being. The committee was scheduled to vote on the withholding proposal February 18, with a vote scheduled on the Floor the following week. An outpouring of opposition by California Spa and Pool Industry Education Council (SPEC) members and over 900 other businesses and associations organized by the California Chamber of Commerce gave the Committee pause. Chairwoman Denise Ducheny expressed concerns about the impact of the withholding proposal on small businesses, and decided the committee should explore some alternative options. Visit SPEC’s website (www.calspec.org) for more information.
Africa
Moringa tree seeds used for water purification
In a paper published in the American Chemical Society journal Langmuir, researchers from Uppsala University, in co-operation with the University of Botswana, describe how extracts from seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree can be used for water purification. Flocculation of particulate impurities, a common first stage in water purification, often uses the addition of either aluminium or iron salts. Aluminium, particularly, has undesirable health implications. An alternative procedure that uses a natural extract from seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree is used in Africa.
Asia
Indian water solutions provider honored
MORF INDIA LIMITED has won the 2009-10 UNESCO Water Digest Award, according to India PRwire. The award recognized the company as a distinguished, complete domestic water solutions provider, and for its outstanding contribution to India’s water treatment industry. MORF INDIA is the only south India-based company to win this award, and it also received Pentair Water’s Best OEM 2009 award recently.
AWWA standards to serve people of India
At a January ceremony in Jodhpur, India, the American Water Works Association and the Indian Water Works Association signed an historic collaboration agreement that licenses IWWA to distribute 27 AWWA standards in India. The first of its kind agreement for AWWA will assist in the development of safe and efficient water and wastewater utilities in many developing areas of India. It paves the way for broader cooperation between the two associations in the areas of publishing, products and services, and conferences. Potential activities include publishing articles in each other’s peer- reviewed journals, partnering on webcasts and other training opportunities, and collaborating on conferences.
Haitian relief efforts continue
ITT Corporation, through its partnership with Mercy Corps, has donated five portable water treatment systems in Haiti, providing enough potable water each day for up to 200,000 victims of the January 12 earthquake. The units were deployed through Mercy Corps’ large-scale humanitarian aid response. The initial assessment in Port-au-Prince identified an acute need for access to water and sanitation, and set in motion the process of delivering the life-saving equipment to Haiti. ITT has also committed to doubling its match to contributions employees make to Mercy Corps, up to $5,000 (USD) for a maximum of $10,000. To date, employee contributions and the company match total $480,000.
Parkson Corporation, working with numerous non-profits and partners, announced plans to build and install a low-maintenance treatment facility in the coming months. The plant should be designed by midyear and installed later this year or in early 2011. A Parkson engineer traveled to Haiti in mid-March to evaluate the specific needs, operating requirements and potential installation sites. The company also directed approximately 20 percent of its annual giving allocations to relief efforts via the American Red Cross, and Parkson employees are pursuing personal appeals for additional fund raising.
Discover Energy Corp., in collaboration with GenPro Energy Solutions, supplied Discover’s EV31A traction batteries for use in water purification systems headed to Haiti. The water purification system effort, spearheaded by LifeGiving Force, has collaborated with Nimbus Water Systems, Shift Power Solutions, GenPro Energy Solutions and GenPro Power Services, resulting in a world- class innovative water filtration system, designed for disaster relief and to be used off-grid with its own renewable energy system. It can turn non-potable water into clean water and produce more than 18,000 gallons (68,137.41 liters) of fresh drinking water per day.
Proctor & Gamble (P&G) has committed to providing six million packets of PUR, a technology that purifies contaminated water, to the relief effort. This quantity is enough to treat over 15 million gallons (60 million liters) of water, a three-month supply for 340,000 people. The company also reported product donations totaling more than $1.2 million (USD), with cash and donations from the company, its employees and retirees, pushing the total to over $2 million.