Water-Right, Inc. announced that it con- tinues to round out the company’s product offerings by bringing Pro Products into the fold. Pro Products manufactures chemicals and products with a wide variety of uses in the water treatment market. Information and pricing for the Pro Products line is available through their sales representatives.
In Ken Schaeffer’s June article, The Activated Carbon Market 2012 Supply and Pricing Update or the Carbon Continuum, the next plant opening was noted for a Pennsylva nia location. That plant will open in West Virginia.
North America
Dialysis system certified
AmeriWater Corporation announced it has received a Medical Device License from Canada’s Therapeutic Products Directorate, officially certifying the single-patient unit for use in all Canadian medical facilities or at home. Unlike other dialysis water treatment systems, the integrated heat disinfection design of the company’s Centurion 1500+ disinfects the entire unit in a single step. This highly effective and environmentally friendly heat disinfection process saves valuable staff time, reduces chemical costs and ensures all parts of the system are properly disinfected.
EWQA conference details announced
The Eastern Water Quality Association (EWQA) Conference and Trade Show will take place October 1-3 in Lancaster, PA, at Eden Inn Resort & Suites. This year, EWQA welcomes WQA President Dar Watts, Vice President Richard Mest, Executive Director Dave Haataja and Mike Heatwole of May Supply, who will discuss the state of the industry. In addition, speakers will include experts on technology and sales/marketing, salt-free technology, POE membrane technology and a session of Ask the Experts to “enhance your overall experience and profits.” Before the presentations on October 1, there will be a golfing event as well. Contact Dean Srygley, EWQA Executive Director, at [email protected] or for more details.
AFS conference to focus on innovation
The 2012 American Filtration and Separations Society (AFS) Annual Conference will be held October 15-18 at the Embassy Suites Airport in Philadelphia, PA. The conference theme, Solid—Fluid—Separation—Innovation in Research and Applications, will cover mechanical separation processes. Key sessions will include general solid-liquid separation, gas-solids separation, membrane separation, shale gas-produced water clarification, novel separation processes, field-enhanced separation processes and many more. For registration details, visit www.afssociety.org/conferences/2012-fall-conference.
US EPA guidance on microbial risks announced
US EPA and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the first-ever Microbial Risk Assessment (MRA) Guideline. It lays out an overarching approach for conducting meaningful assessments of the risks to Americans posed by pathogens in food and water. Pathogens ingested in food and water can result in acute gastrointestinal-related illnesses, some of which can result in long-term and permanent health effects, as well as premature death. This new guideline will improve the quality of the data collected by public health scientists charged with protecting Americans from pathogen-related risks in food and water.
SBIR award for MIOX
MIOX Corporation has received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the National Science Foundation in the amount of $150,000 (USD). The MIOX Product Development team, in collaboration with Dr. Benjamin Stanford at Hazen and Sawyer, PC, will use the funding to develop electrochemical methods that eliminate inorganic disinfection byproducts, such as chlorate and perchlorate, from water.
GWT distribution network expanded
Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. formally announced the expansion of its company’s distribution network in South America, Africa and the Philippines. Its solar-powered water purification processes have provided opportunities to address issues related to providing solutions for the containment of waterborne diseases and other contaminants where there is little or no power infrastructure available.
Genesis Water Technologies and its distribution partners have conducted extensive market studies and are in the process of continual expansion of their customer bases. The company also announced it will be exhibiting at WEFTEC 2012, in Hall C, Booth #2141.
Siemens product line sold to California manufacturers
As part of an ongoing and strategic product portfolio assessment, Siemens Industry Automation Division announced that it has sold the assets, inventory and associated trademarks for certain globally marketed chemical feed, liquid-feed and flowmeter product lines to Underground Solutions, Inc. (UGSI). Headquartered in San Diego, CA, UGSI provides infrastructure technologies for water, sewer and conduit applications. The purchase price was not disclosed. Effective August 1, UGSI began accepting orders for all product lines associated with the assets and inventory included in the sale.
Funds for Sri Lanka water systems announced
For the first time since 2008, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized a sovereign transaction—a $64.9 million (USD)/ 12-year direct loan—to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to finance the design and construction of the Badulla, Haliela and Ella Integrated Water Supply System by Tetra Tech of Pasadena, CA. The transaction will support approximately 400 American jobs, according to US government estimates, including those at Tetra Tech’s design centers across the United States, particularly in Denver and Longmont, CO; Morris Plains, NJ; Langhorne, PA and Fairfax, VA. The Bank’s Environmental Export Program includes support for US goods and services to international water projects, and its enhanced financing includes repayment terms up to 18 years.
Europe
Italian certification program launched
NSF International has launched a new OQC (Origine Qualità Controllata—controlled/certified origin and quality) Product Registration Program to verify and attest to the quality and origin of products produced in Italy via documentation review and facility audits. Many manufacturers have met the requirements of the OQC Product Registration Program, including the first to be registered, Fratelli Pettinaroli. These companies appear in NSF’s online listings.
West Europe cooler market growth reported
The West European water cooler market increased by 1.2 percent at the end of 2011, according to new research from leading drinks consultancy Zenith International. In a number of countries across the region, cooler companies believe that the worst of the economic downturn is over and report stabilization of the market. The number of mains-supplied POU units, which had been showing double-digit rises before the economic downturn, slowed to eight-percent growth in 2011. POU continued to encroach on bottled coolers’ share to reach 40 percent of the total market. Bottled cooler placements continued to decline, although losses eased compared with 2009 and 2010. The UK remains the leading national market within West Europe, followed by Italy. Together they hold a share of over 41 percent. The Netherlands, Finland and Greece saw the largest overall declines, mainly driven by significant erosion in bottled cooler locations. From a low base, Greece achieved the biggest increase in POU units in the region, but penetration is still a long way from the average of 2.67 units per 1,000 people. For bottled coolers, Austria reported the largest growth in 2011.