North America
Team Horner honored by Cigna
Employee-owned Team Horner® was recently recognized with the annual Cigna Well-Being Award in 2020 for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of its employees through a workplace wellness program. Applicants for Cigna’s Well-Being Award are evaluated based on the core components of their wellness program, including leadership engagement, company culture, strategy and goals, implementation, and employee engagement.
Product certification announced
AquiSense Technologies has claimed Class B component certification for its PearlAqua Micro range, tested and certified by NSF International in compliance with NSF/ANSI 55-2019 for disinfection performance, materials compliance and structural integrity. Standard 55, Class B certifies ultraviolet water systems for supplemental bactericidal treatment of disinfected public drinking water and is commonly specified for drinking water products. In addition, AquiSense announced a unique version of its PearlAqua Micro product specifically for Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO). The partnership provides MELCO with AquiSense’s patented ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-C LED) water treatment technology for MELCO’s residential Eco Cute hot-water systems.
Red tide mitigation technology announced
Carbonxt and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium (Mote) were recently awarded a $134,000 (USD) grant to further develop an activated carbon-based technology that addresses red-tide events through the Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative. In partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the initiative was signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in June2019. Carbonxt is the only domestic producer of activated carbon pellets in the US.
Sustainable water program moving forward
The Pure Water San Diego program recently reached a critical milestone, paving the way for Phase 1 of the US$3-billion program to supply local, sustainable water to San Diego’s more than 1.4 million residents. The project secured a first-of-its-kind National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to add purified water to the Miramar Reservoir. Global design firm Stantec, in partnership with Brown and Caldwell, has been working with the city of San Diego since 2015 to bring this critical program to life and supply safe, high-quality water for California’s second largest city. The program is a phased, multiyear program to transform the city’s existing system to maximize the use and reuse of its own water supply and offer a cost-effective investment for San Diego’s water needs.
Washington plant honored
The wastewater treatment plant operated and maintained by Veolia North America in Cle Elum received the 2019 Outstanding Performance Award by the State of Washington Department of Ecology. The plant was recognized for its outstanding record of 100-percent compliance with federal environmental requirements under US EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The Cle Elum plant has achieved this distinction for the past 12 consecutive years; last year, it was one of only 125 out of 300 plants in the state of Washington to be fully compliant.
WQA has announced a $400,000 (USD) capital campaign to assist with its relocation to an expanded, more modern international headquarters and laboratory facility. Participating through the end of 2020 allows the water treatment industry to support its trade association with expanded and improved facilities and resources aligned with the growing needs, tremendous opportunities and expansion of the industry. For more details, or to contribute, please visit wqa.org/buildingourvision.
PWQA annually recognizes leaders in the water quality industry and has requested nominations of deserving persons. Award recipients are selected from nominations submitted by members. Nominations are accepted year-round on the website, www.pwqa.com.
Europe
Water security project funding announced
New funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) will support global research and practice to improve water security for 10 million people in Africa and Asia. The FCDO’s grant to the University of Oxford will now extend to 2024 and increase to £22.5 million ($29.8 million USD), to support the REACH program to improve water security by delivering world-class science to transform policy and practice.
Asia
Wastewater tech introduced in India
ENEXIO Water Technologies will be responsible for the design of the primary treatment stage and the side-stream treatment for the Show Case Plant India (SCPI) project, designed to help eliminate poor conditions from insufficient wastewater treatment. Experience from ENEXIO’s Mexico project will be integrated into the design of the primary treatment plant. Based on the findings of the feasibility study funded by the BMU, the equipment of an existing industrial-scale wastewater treatment plant will be implemented at a later date.
Water boost for India farmers
University of Birmingham (UK) water experts have designed a low-energy, high-efficiency means of purifying water in India’s rural farming communities, which could allow farmers to safely use high-saline groundwater and wastewater to grow crops. Working in the Gujarat region of India, scientists in the Birmingham-led INDIA-H20 project have used emerging membrane technologies that allow saline groundwater and domestic/industrial wastewaters to be safely and efficiently recycled. Based on field work in the village of Lodhwa, which confirmed the poor quality and availability of water in the region, scientists have now designed a system that can recover 80 percent of the unusable groundwater fed into it, producing usable water with low energy consumption.
Beverage trade fair recap
CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE (CBB), which took place in October in Shanghai, had a largely national focus, although 101 exhibitors were from other countries. This was Asia’s biggest trade fair in the beverage and liquid food industry and it enjoyed international participation despite restrictions due to the coronavirus. More than 500 exhibitors and 31,000 visitors were treated to 60,000 m2 of business opportunities and new product showcases.