Water Industry Journal 7 by Distinctive Media Group Ltd

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INDUSTRY JOURNAL

JUNE 2018

Advances in Leak Detection technology

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

WELCOME z

Welcome

How the industry is rising to meet the challenges ahead Welcome to the latest issue of the Water Industry Journal, turn the page to read features that illustrate the great strides being made by the industry. Ofwat has been clear that they expect to see real improvements in the services customers receive, so we look at what is being done to deliver a better customer experience, from improving timeliness, friendliness and technology, to understanding what lessons can be learnt from customers and employees. Better employee engagement is crucial to delivering better customer service.

Editor Ellen Rossiter

Ofwat has also tasked the industry with showing greater ‘resilience’ in all aspects of their operations from corporate governance to protection of the environment, from the supply of water to the recovery of that supply when things go wrong. Leaks are one factor repeatedly threatening the resilience of our water supply, so accurate and effective leak detection and repair are key priorities for the industry. In this edition of the magazine, we learn how water companies are tackling this most pressing of issues. ‘Innovation’ is another area where Ofwat finds the water industry falling short, but in this issue, we learn how new technology has been embraced and more could be adopted, to improve leak detection and repairs. Underground, overground and even in space, big investments and improvements are being made to lessen the impact of leaks, so emerging problems can be identified and resolved, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Hand-in-hand with leak detection and repair comes trenchless technology, with the aim of reducing the disruption and downtime caused by maintenance work, think of it as akin to keyhole surgery as opposed to more invasive types of surgery. Trenchless technology assists the industry in installing new pipes or repairing them, with minimal excavation required and

less disruption caused to customers. We gain an insight into a landmark £1million project to complete structural repairs and the refurbishment of 200m of tunnel in the Bournemouth area. Another area in which the water industry must be more resilient is in the sphere of cyber security. The advent of GDPR means more is being done to protect personal data, wherever it is stored and rightly so. For any company supplying an essential part of the infrastructure, however, cyber security goes far beyond the protection of data, for a security breach could potentially threaten the safe operation of that critical infrastructure. We simply can’t survive without a safe, plentiful supply of water, so learn more about what the industry is doing to protect their operations and how they could do more to improve their cyber security. Flooding has never been far from our minds in recent years and in this issue, we hear about huge investments, and innovative methods that are being used, to reduce the flood risk, including a new £9.5 million scheme completed by the Environment Agency, that is providing better protection for more than 500 homes and businesses in Cumbria. We also learn how restoring an ancient landscape will bring huge benefits, both restoring the ecosystem as well as potentially reducing the risk of flooding. The project to restore 1,680 hectares of damaged peatland on Bodmin Moor will bring benefits for visitors, the local community, the wildlife and the environment. Another project making a splash is the environmentally-friendly solution to wastewater treatment to be found at the Castle Archdale site in Northern Ireland, where wetlands are helping one water company to be more climate resilient. Turn the page to find out how the industry is rising to meet the challenges ahead.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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Contents 68

4-5

Contents

6-15

News

20-35 Leak Detection & Repair 38-42 Sludge Management 44-57 Wastewater Treatment & Technology 60-66 Improving Drinking Water Quality 68-77 Improving Customer Experience 78-87 Trenchless Technology

88-90 Cyber Security

78 Editor

Ellen Rossiter ellen.rossiter@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Design

Distinctive Publishing, 3rd Floor, Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle, NE1 6UF www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Advertising

John Neilson Commercial Director, Distinctive Group Tel: 0191 5805990 | 07813 874970 john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

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Distinctive Publishing or Water Industry Journal cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Water Industry Journal.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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Eliquo Hydrok expand their UK operation Eliquo Hydrok, the UK operation of the Eliquo Water Group GmbH; and member of the water portfolio investment company SKion GmbH; has responded to the growing market demands of the UK Water Industry by further expanding their operations across the UK. The existing head office and main manufacturing facilities, based in Cornwall, have been expanded with the addition of a new local office and factory unit within the Indian Queen’s Industrial Estate. This new dedicated factory unit will house the Electrical control panel manufacturing and workshops, the Hire Solutions business and also the newly added Maintenance and Service division. The past twelve months have also seen additional growth plans implemented with over £1million of investments within the fabrication facility for additional and replacement state of the art equipment; including a fibre laser cutting machine, CNC Brake Press and overhead cranes. These investments have accompanied the restructuring of the factory and offices to increase and maximise the existing production capability of the company, however, the need for further manufacturing capacity was also identified, which lead to the acquisition of a 10,000 sq ft fabrication unit in Tavistock, Devon. These necessary expansion and growth plans were implemented to accommodate the increasing market demands for the delivery of products and solutions from within the Eliquo Hydrok extensive product portfolio. These technologies are offered throughout the Wastewater Management, Wastewater Treatment and the newly introduced Sludge Treatment Solutions, which is an important, growing element within the Eliquo Water Group range. In the past year, the company have recruited new staff across the operation with an

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increase of 50% in employed personnel overall including the main sites in Cornwall, the new satellite manufacturing facility at Tavistock in Devon and the Barnsley operational centre in Yorkshire. Eliquo Hydrok provide water engineering solutions to all manner of complex and simple problems. The experienced in-house design teams are available to help identify and discuss the requirement and, should any of the standard products not be the perfect solution,

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New additional unit at Indian Queens Ind. Estate

JOURNAL DECEMBER

2017

INDUSTRY JOURNA L

december 2017

INDUSTRY JOURNAL

March 2018

Making business continuity a priority

to improve Embracing technology the Customer Experience Experience | Improving Customer Sludge Management Management & Technology | Asset Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater Treatmen t & Technology | Water Framewo Incident Managem rk Directive ent | Water Utility Customer Experien ce | Pipeline Technolo gy

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the in-house manufacturing facility enables the production of bespoke designs to suit a particular need. For further information contact Dave Armstrong, Managing Director, dave.armstrong@eliquohydrok.co.uk, or, Lewis O’Brien, Technical Director, lewis.obrien@eliquohydrok.co.uk, call 01726 861900 or visit the website, www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

If you would like to participate in the September edition of Water Industry Journal we shall be featuring: n Phosphorus Removal n Flow & Level Measurement n Sludge Management

n Wastewater Treatment & Technology n Clean Water Networks n Catchment Management

Contact David Lancaster on 0191 580 5476 or email david.lancaster@distinctivegroup.co.uk for more information.

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European Waste Water Management Conference 17th and 18th July, Manchester United Football Stadium There are changes to Aqua Enviro’s European Waste Water Management (EWWM) conference this year. Firstly, the event will take place on the 17th and 18th July rather than the usual October date. There is a new independent Steering Committee: Amber Bullen of Yorkshire Water, Pete Vale of Severn Trent Water, Steve Bungay, Helix ECL, Jennifer Hughes of Thames Water and Arthur Thornton of Atkins. The committee have helped develop a technical programme to stimulate debate on how to meet future challenges and the latest results of practical research into the needs of the water industry. Over the two days there will be over 45 technical presentations, plus panel discussion covering some of the of high interest environmental themes such as the dealing with flushables; priority substances and emerging contaminants. The programme includes a mix of industry leading invited speakers as well as those accepted from the abstract submission.

Conference sessions include:

n Engineering and Process Optimisation

n Phosphorus

The Plenary: ‘Why Venture Capital has spectacularly failed in the water sector … and how it is about to change’ by Dr Piers Clark, Founder and Chairman, Isle Utilities should cause a stir.

n Catchments and Networks n Flush and Forget – Whose Problem is it Anyway? n Novel and Emerging Processes n Sustainable Solutions n Priority Substances and Emerging Contaminants n Posters

If you have an interest in wastewater you will most definitely find something of value at this event. It provides the opportunity to be stimulated by new ideas, reflect, meet new and old colleagues and motivating you for the challenges ahead. Please see ewwmconference.com for more information.

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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Innovative leisure centre heat project to make a splash A swimming pool is at the forefront of a renewable energy revolution which creates heat from waste water. In the first project to be delivered by a new joint venture between Scottish Water Horizons and SHARC Energy Systems and one of the first of its kind in the UK, Campbeltown’s Aqualibrium leisure centre will be heated by the use of groundbreaking technology which places a focus on sustainability. The centre and swimming pool is operated by Argyll & Bute Council and the £1 million project will meet 95 per cent of the facility’s heating needs and use just 25 per cent of the energy it currently takes to heat it with gas. The state of the art installation will intercept waste water from Scottish Water’s adjacent Kinloch Park Pumping Station. The technology will extract the naturally occurring residual heat, amplify it and transfer it to the clean water network to provide heating to the leisure centre. The new heat recovery system will be integrated into the council’s existing heating infrastructure. The low-carbon, sustainable and environmentally-friendly energy system will heat the 25-metre swimming pool, fitness suite, steam room, sauna and library in the centre. Expected to be completed by November, Aqualibrium is the first project to be delivered by the new joint venture between Scottish Water Horizons, a subsidiary of Scottish Water, and sustainable energy firm SHARC Energy Systems. The joint venture was announced on March 20 2018 and aims to expand and accelerate waste water heat recovery systems across the country. The Campbeltown project is being funded by Scottish Water Horizons and the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP). Speaking about the forthcoming project, Donald MacBrayne, Scottish Water Horizons Business Development Manager, said: “We are actively exploring ways in which we can utilise Scottish Water assets to facilitate green technology and through the joint venture with SHARC Energy Systems delivering heat from waste water systems and the fantastic lowcarbon benefits which are generated. “We are thrilled that after months of hard work

and the launch of the joint venture we are able to bring the Campbeltown project to life. Once complete, the Aqualibrium Centre will benefit from significant carbon savings, helping Argyll & Bute Council meet their carbon reduction targets and lower their heat costs. “Every day Scottish Water treats 945 million litres of waste water. It’s a valuable resource that we can tap into to support Scottish Government in their ambitious decarbonisation targets.” Russ Burton, Chief Operating Officer of SHARC Energy Systems, said: “The Aqualibrium project is a significant step for the joint venture and SHARC, demonstrating how our technology provides a real, sustainable and renewable alternative heat service to customers in rural communities as well as urban centres. “We have long thought that leisure centres are a great opportunity for SHARC and heat pump technology and we look forward to working with Argyll and Bute council to make this scheme as successful as our first installation at Borders College in Galashiels.” Councillor Rory Colville, Policy Lead for Corporate Services at Argyll and Bute Council, said: “I would like to congratulate all involved in this innovative approach which will reduce energy costs and carbon emissions. It brings benefits for The Aqualibrium and more widely the environment we all rely upon, and I look forward to further examples of similar partnership working in the future.” Commenting on the project, Fabrice Leveque, Senior Policy Manager with Scottish Renewables said: “The Scottish Government’s new Energy Strategy contains the ambitious target that half of all energy - for heat, transport and electricity - will come from renewable sources by 2030. “To meet that target it’s crucial that we accelerate the decarbonisation of our heat sector, which makes up half of all the energy used in Scotland.

“This exciting joint venture will deliver sustainable heat from sewage projects across Scotland, using innovative heat pump systems to generate clean energy and reduce harmful carbon emissions. “Projects like this are at the forefront of low-carbon innovation and will play an increasingly important role as we transition to a new, low-carbon heat future.” Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy said: “I warmly welcome today’s announcement of the Heat Supply Agreement between Scottish Water Horizons, SHARC Energy Systems and Argyll & Bute Council, paving the way for the provision of low-carbon heat to the Aqualibrium Leisure Centre. “This project, supported by the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Innovation Transition Programme, will demonstrate innovative heat-from-wastewater technology and has the potential to reduce carbon emissions and demonstrate how we might deliver energy bill savings more widely, if replicated throughout Scotland.” He added: “The Scottish Government will continue to support the development and delivery of innovative low carbon energy solutions, as we work towards our ambitious target for 50% of Scotland’s total energy requirements to be supplied by renewable sources by 2030.” This expansion of the heat from waste water programme comes three years after the successful delivery of the UK’s inaugural Sewage Heat Recovery system at Borders College in Galashiels. The award-winning project was developed and installed by SHARC and facilitated by Scottish Water Horizons. The work also builds on Scottish Water’s £23m environmental improvement scheme in Campbeltown in 2012, which delivered a state-of-the-art waste water system and key infrastructure upgrade in the town.

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Three-year extension to framework contract Detectronic to continue monitoring partnership with Severn Trent Water Flood and pollution prevention specialists, Detectronic, have been awarded a three-year extension to their framework contract with Severn Trent Water. After supplying, installing and maintaining wastewater network level and flow monitors for the water company starting in 2010 and continuing throughout AMP5 and into AMP6, Detectronic have been instrumental in supporting Severn Trent Water to proactively reduce pollution and spills from its sewer network. “Our primary objectives were to deliver smart network monitoring for Severn Trent Water helping them to trouble-shoot their sewer networks and at the same time gain a comprehensive understanding of the frequency and duration of intermittent discharges from storm overflows,” explains Steve Woods, managing director of Detectronic.

“By continually analysing the data from the monitors and looking for trends, our software systems and skilled data centre analysts have been able to inform of any potential issues before they happen thus enabling Severn Trent Water to deal with them quickly and effectively.” Last year Severn Trent Water announced an increase in its Outcome Delivery Incentive (ODI) rewards awarded by Ofwat to £47.4 million (before tax). Continues Steve: “Since we started working with the team at Severn Trent Water we have consistently and reliably delivered high quality data and reporting that has enabled the water company to exceed several of its ODIs. “This latest extension to the framework contract will see our site crews maintain and service well over 1,000 monitors across the STW catchment areas. At the same time, our data centre will continue to deliver detailed analysis and reporting to provide early warning of any problems in the network in support of Severn Trent Water helping to further enhance its performance.”

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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£9.5 million Ulverston flood scheme officially opened by the Environment Agency Raised flood defence walls, new floodgates and a maze of underground culverts will better protect homes, businesses and tourism infrastructure. The new £9.5 million Ulverston Town Beck flood scheme includes raised flood walls and a maze of underground culverts More than 500 homes and businesses in Cumbria will be better protected from flooding thanks to a new £9.5 million scheme completed by the Environment Agency. The Town Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme in Ulverston, Cumbria, will reduce flood risk to more than 400 homes and more than 100 businesses, as well as critical tourism infrastructure. A maze of underground water channels (culverts) under the houses, roads and carparks in the town centre have been repaired and/or replaced using innovative techniques and flood defences have been constructed. Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, officially opened the scheme, and said: Cumbrian communities know well the devastation that flooding can cause. The Town Beck flood defence will better protect 500 homes and businesses in Ulverston and support England’s tourist economy by improving protection for the railway that leads to the Lake District. To achieve this, the Environment Agency has worked closely with local residents, Network Rail, United Utilities and the Council. It’s a brilliant example of how partnership working benefits people, the national economy and the natural environment. Town Beck lies within a steep catchment and predominantly runs underground through

the town centre. The new scheme consists of a number of sections throughout the town centre including raising existing flood defence walls, installing new floodgates, repairing and refurbishing the underground water channels (culverts), and building a swale in the natural flood plain to ensure that there is no increase to flood risk in South Ulverston. A new wildflower meadow has also been created as part of the scheme, boosting biodiversity and improving the local environment. Much of the scheme is underground, so different construction techniques known as ‘trenchless technologies’ were used. In some cases Environment Agency contractors installed reinforced plastic sleeves to repair pipes – or worked underground wearing specialist breathing apparatus to spray concrete on the inside of the culvert for extra strength. While this means some of the work isn’t visible, it avoided diverting major services – such as gas, water and electric – and allowed construction without having to dig up the road, avoiding unnecessary disruption to residents while the scheme was underway. Alternative repair techniques were also used to speed up the completion of the project and to reduce disruption to the town. The potential option for the construction of a flood storage reservoir was replaced with an additional large pipe which runs through the railway embankment and a drainage channel to connect to the flood plain.

The scheme will provide a significant improvement in the standard of protection for the area, which has been affected by flooding several times in recent years – most recently in 2009 and in 2012. Led by the Environment Agency, the project received strong support from partner organisations including Cumbria County Council, South Lakeland District Council, Network Rail and United Utilities, who provided more than £1 million of contributions towards the development. Similarly, close links to Ulverston Town Council and local community groups have been vital to minimising the disruption to the Cumbrian town, which has many small to medium businesses and is heavily reliant on the tourist economy. Adrian Lythgo, Chair of the North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee said: The Town Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme is a great example of how such important work can be completed with little disruption to a town so heavily reliant on the tourist trade. Often people don’t know a river is running beneath their feet or property and could cause such devastating results if flooded. This project has delivered a value for money, quality scheme which I am delighted that the North West Flood and Coastal Committee has supported. The project was shortlisted for its innovative ways of working at the 2018 ICE North West Civil Engineers Awards.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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New recruits bid to cut off fatberg food supply Thames Water has quadrupled its aboveground fatberg fighting team in a bid to slash the number of sewer blockages caused by restaurants and takeaways. The team of door-to-door investigators has been expanded to 12 people and includes a former police officer, experienced drainage engineers and an ex-sewer flusher. The boost follows a 2017 trial which found more than 90 per cent of food outlets visited were contributing to fatbergs by not having effective equipment and processes in place for disposing of fat, oil and grease. In Whitechapel, where the world-famous 130 tonne fatberg was discovered last September, none of the food outlets visited had the right equipment in place.

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Thames Water’s fatberg fighting boss Stephen Pattenden said: “In the last 12 months the team has visited more than 1,500 food outlets and other businesses, and found the majority don’t have the right equipment in place to stop fat getting into sewers and mixing with wet wipes and other unflushables.

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“All of this is feeding the fatberg, which cause sewer blockages potentially leading to sewage flooding out onto the streets and into people’s homes.

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“It’s therefore vital we keep up our presence on the streets to reinforce our messages and encourage people to do the right thing and not put fat down their sinks and drains. We’ve had a lot of success already but there’s still much more to do.”

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During targeted visits to food outlets in sewer blockage hotspots, which also include schools, hospitals and care homes, engineers arrive unannounced to look at what’s in place to capture fat, oil, grease and food waste.

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In most cases, where there is nothing, free advice packs – including posters for display near sinks and drains – are handed out. Thames Water also offers an interpretation service that can be used at the time of the visit where engineers will speak to the food outlet staff and managers via a translator.

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Outlets identified as needing improvement are then visited again in the following weeks, and this continues until they take the necessary fat-trapping action, with the prospect of prosecution if they fail to make the changes and continue to allow fats, oils and greases into the sewer. Since the start of 2017, in areas where outlets have installed fat and grease management equipment, it has already led to a reduction in blockages. The company’s hard-hitting ‘Bin it – don’t block it’ campaign targeting domestic customers also continues to reach thousands of homes reminding them to not put fat down their sinks and not to flush wet wipes, which combine with congealed fat in the sewers to form blockages.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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£2million funding boost for ambitious Three Moors project An ambitious three-year project to restore peatland on the South West’s iconic moors has been awarded £2million. A partnership of regional and local organisations including South West Water successfully applied for funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to restore 1,680 hectares of damaged peatland on Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor. Partnerships have been formed on all three moors including landowners, commoners and other interested parties to develop the proposals and this will continue through the delivery of the restoration. The project is being led by Morag Angus, South West Water’s Exmoor Mires Partnership Manager, and will complement the company’s award-winning Upstream Thinking catchment management programme. It also aligns with Defra’s recently published 25-year Environment Plan which specifically mentions peatland restoration. Morag explained: “This is an incredible partnership delivering peatland restoration. The peatlands of south-west England are very important for water quality, carbon storage, biodiversity, cultural history, recreation and farming but they are the most vulnerable in the UK to the impacts of climate change, due to their southerly position. “For this reason they need to be prioritised nationally and restored for the benefit of all and future generations. The £2million from Defra presents a real opportunity to make a significant difference and to deliver sustainable management in these upland river catchments.” Colette Beckham, Cornwall AONB Partnership Manager said: “We’re really delighted to be part of such an ambitious project which will make a significant improvement to the health of our South West peatlands. I’m particularly delighted for Bodmin Moor which, being the smallest moor of the three, has really benefited from a partnership approach with Exmoor and Dartmoor. We’re looking forward to getting cracking on the project and achieving some great things, working with our supportive landowners who have made this project possible.” Alison Kohler, Director of Conservation and Communities at Dartmoor National Park, said: “Dartmoor Peatland Partnership is pleased that Defra have approved the grant funding. Dartmoor’s blanket bogs are crucial to our daily lives. 45% of South West Water’s daily water supply comes from Dartmoor and with peat up to seven metres deep they can store up to 10 million tonnes of carbon, that’s equivalent to a

year’s emissions from UK industry. Visiting these iconic places can be truly uplifting and the plants and species they support are very special. “The Peatland Partnership on Dartmoor is supporting the restoration plans through financial and in kind support; we are grateful for the support of landowners and farmers and will work closely with them to ensure that restoration not only maximises environmental enhancement but fits with farming practices and public access.” Mary-Rose Lane, Biodiversity Technical Specialist at the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency is delighted to be a part of this exciting project that will help restore the south west’s unique moorlands. Many of Devon and Cornwall’s rivers rise on these moors and the condition of the peat is crucial in supporting healthy rivers and wildlife. The moorlands play a vital part in the local economy so this focus is also welcome in supporting those who live and work on them.” The moors of Bodmin, Dartmoor and Exmoor hold significant regional and national deposits of peat in the form of blanket bogs and valley mires. These wetland habitats are complex ecosystems that support diverse and unique ecology of national and international importance. Over centuries, human interventions have and still are impacting upon the overall quality and distribution of wetland mire habitats and upland moors. The demise of such wetlands across extensive swathes of the moors has resulted in changes in the moorland ecology, including the loss of iconic species such as dunlin, golden plover, and Sphagnum mosses. The challenge is to prevent further losses and halt the decline, while improving and restoring these habitats.

The project will be delivered by a partnership including government agencies, nongovernmental organisations, landowners and farmers. Restoration work will start in August 2018. Various ditch blocking techniques using sustainable materials (wood, peat, grass and heather) will be adopted on historic peat cuttings, drainage networks and eroding gullies in order to enable re-wetting of extensive areas of damaged peatlands.

Undertaking this peatland restoration will bring about multiple benefits. These include: n Increasing the peatlands’ resilience to climate change and increasing carbon storage

n Improving the hydrological function of the peatlands by improving the quality and quantity of water leaving the moors n Helping to store and slow the flow of water, potentially reducing the risk of flooding downstream n Restoring the ecosystems that support the recovery of the habitats and associated wildlife n Protecting and increasing our knowledge of our historic environment n Maintaining and improving access n Health and well-being benefits to society both locally and nationally n A greater understanding of and experience for the numerous people who work in and visit these iconic landscapes.

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Delivering asset health through Totex Innovation: the key to maximising your PR19 business planning Water companies developing their business plans around the key themes for PR19 – Asset Health and Resilience in the Round - will be familiar with the terms Totex and Innovation, both seen as key enablers for OFWAT’s next price review. Tim Farley, left, Utility Resilience Advisor at Adler & Allan explains. Whether they are seen at worst as soundbites, or better as signposts for where water companies need to focus their efforts and spending, OFWAT has included these concepts as a way to open up possibilities for increased asset lifespan, serviceability, and direct and indirect cost savings to enable water companies to meet the requirements of a 21st century service. ‘Resilience in the Round,’ can only truly happen when Totex thinking is engaged, with new ways of approaching the cost/benefits of managing assets in new and innovative ways, ensuring assets remain working and online, and reaping the regulatory rewards innovation can deliver over the longer term. Legacy capex structures and fear of change can often mean that a Totex approach meets some resistance in organisations that have historically replaced assets without considering the long term benefits of refurbishment. With the regulatory push towards long term holistic thinking about asset health, it is critical that water companies adapt their behaviour and investment decisions to ensure they can afford to keep their assets healthy and operational within budget. All good in principle, but how do you actually deliver on Totex thinking to bring cost savings and continued service and health across your assets? CEO of Bristol Water, Mel Karam’s thoughts on Totex align strongly with what we at Adler & Allan have been advocating for some time: instead of viewing Totex as merely Capex plus Opex, Mel advocates that Totex should be viewed as problem solving without solution bias. And it’s here where innovation comes in. By definition, innovation is making changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. For the water industry, innovation’s underlying benefit is cost saving, because doing what has always been done won’t enable water companies to deliver the kinds of service levels demanded now and into the future. Maintaining aging assets in the same way they’ve always been maintained simply won’t work and replacement is financially challenging at a time where everyone is expected to deliver more for less. With a slew of new technologies available to repair and maintain assets far into the next decade, it could even be said that asset replacement borders on the irresponsible.

Before

After

Refurbishment solutions to extend asset life Take a recent project Adler & Allan completed for Thames Water at Broughton. Two storage tanks - a balancing tank and primary settlement tank - with significant signs of leakage were no longer fit for purpose. The condition of each tank varied, but both required extensive work to repair lateral cracks through which raw sewage was leaking, posing a significant environmental risk to the bordering watercourse. Rather than implement the traditional approach of reconstruction or extensive civil remediation, Thames were able to make use of a new solution, the application of a resilient external coating that enabled operations on the site to continue while the work was undertaken. Factor in the guaranteed 10 year extension to the asset’s lifespan, as well as the project coming in under the traditional solution budget and you can see how a Totex and innovation approach delivers, and all at a lower cost than the traditional solution. Similar solutions have repaired a leaking Sludge Digester on the Thames Water estate, with work completed while the asset was online, offering direct and indirect cost savings over replacement or traditional civils repairs. Anglian Water has embraced a similar approach to Innovation and Totex, and Resilience in the Round with a recent program of flood mitigation works. Following the identification of a number of sites at risk of flooding, Adler & Allan was brought in to secure these sites against potential water ingress and environmental contamination to surrounding water courses in the event of a flood. By taking on Adler & Allan’s latest flood mitigation innovations, including the patented JBAR® system, sites were protected more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional

methods, securing supply and the surrounding environment, both key considerations for Anglian Water. PR19 isn’t about innovation for the sake of the new, either in practical solutions or ways of thinking. It’s about water companies employing new approaches, working methods, and the adaption of existing technologies from other sectors to enable better outcomes, in terms of asset longevity, serviceability and a financial upside. We’re seeing more water companies taking advantage of these opportunities for change and working with us to ensure they can viably meet the requirements of the next AMP cycle. New technologies provide opportunities to keep your assets compliant and working for longer, all at a lower cost than replacement or traditional methods. What it takes is an open mind to look beyond the status quo and see how innovation today can yield Totex benefits tomorrow. If you’d like to explore how you can maximize the cost benefits of Totex and innovation to improve Asset Health then please get in touch. I’m currently offering a limited number of free asset surveys where we can explore how you can maximise long term asset health and deliver real and measurable Totex savings. Tim Farley is Utility Resilience Advisor at Adler & Allan, working collaboratively with water companies, contractors and industry forums to promote innovative solutions that deliver AMP6 outcomes. For more information on our comprehensive range of Asset Resilience services and Totex contracting solutions, visit our dedicated website or email Tim – tim.farley@adlerandallan.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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Exmouth pilots new ways to reduce flooding Residents in Exmouth are playing a part in a pilot scheme to reduce the risk of flooding by participating in an innovative rainwater harvesting project funded by South West Water. Around 30 houses in Phillipps Avenue, Orchard Close, Green Close and Bassetts Gardens have had special water butts or underground tanks installed at their homes. The tanks provide free water for homeowners but also provide spare capacity to hold back rainwater during storms. Half of the water captured from the householder’s roof is available to use in the gardens and for flushing toilets and running washing machines. The other half of the tank trickles back into the sewer during dry conditions so that there is always capacity for the next rainstorm. Most of Exmouth’s homes are connected to a combined sewer, which takes both rainwater and wastewater. However, too much rainwater can cause sewers to overflow. By capturing and using the water close to where it falls, the amount of rainwater entering the sewer is reduced.

An underground RWH tank being installed in Exmouth

The tanks have been installed free-of-charge to homeowners as part of South West Water’s Downstream Thinking programme, which is exploring sustainable approaches to drainage across the region. The company has also invested approximately £4million in Exmouth’s sewerage network to improve capacity and resilience and accommodate significant growth in the town.

Providing Totex Solutions to improve Asset Health

The rainwater harvesting tanks will now be monitored to assess their impact on stormwater flows. The tanks can help customers significantly reduce metered bills. College lecturer, Nathan Weston, (pictured), from Phillipps Avenue, had a 3,000 litre tank installed in his back garden last summer. Mr Weston said: “I was delighted to take part. It’s great to think that we are making use of the clean rainwater from our roof to run our washing machine and flush loos, instead of it going down the drain.” South West Water’s Flood Risk Manager, Richard Behan, said the scheme was a new way for water companies to address sewer flooding.

Getting you ready for PR19

He said: “This innovative pilot project is aimed at exploring whether we can reduce excess water entering our sewers, especially at times of high rainfall. Intense downpours can quickly overwhelm our sewers, and any water we can use at source is water we don’t have to pump to the sewage treatment works.

Through innovative Totex contracting Adler & Allan offer water companies Asset Refurbishment, Flood Mitigation, and Environmental Protection solutions that extend asset life and ensure delivery of customer outcomes.

“We are committed to reducing the number of stormwater overflows into the River Exe, and this scheme will also help to protect that sensitive estuary environment. We’re grateful to the residents we have worked with for the positive way they have embraced the project.”

To check the health of your asset, get in touch today to organise your free asset survey.

The project is now working with St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Regents Gate, Exmouth, to install rainwater harvesting and other sustainable drainage solutions.

Call our Specialist Tim Farley on 07341 503023 or email resilience@adlerandallan.co.uk quoting WJFS. Visit our website http://assetresilience.adlerandallan.co.uk/water/

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

Keeping all the customers happy – is it even possible? It’s widely recognised that some of the toughest challenges faced by today’s water utilities are the ability to prove the resilience of their operations and reduce bills whilst still ensuring their customers are satisfied. Now that the details of Ofwat’s PR19 consultation are out, it’s clear that the nation’s water utilities and boards are going to be under more pressure than ever not only to pass muster, but to prove ‘exceptional’ performance. SEAMS and Olu Eriolu, Principal Consultant, Risk and Resilience at Arcadis, look at what can be done to keep stakeholders, the regulator, investors and the customer happy. that achieving ISO 55000 accreditation can sometimes be used as an excuse to not embed decision analytics in an organisation. Corporately, organisations ought to set their goals well beyond ISO55000 and aim for asset management excellence, this will be more likely to pay back in benefits.

Best practice checklist Ahead of PR19, Ofwat introduced a new rating of ‘exceptional’ for company business plans. Anyone wishing to achieve this new status in the initial assessment will need to prove genuine best practice and cross sector innovation in their approach to understanding and addressing risk and resilience. Not necessarily an easy thing to achieve, but the rewards could be huge – even by implementing processes and systems aimed at working towards exceptional. Securing this status not only boosts confidence on the part of customers, but also those in the investment community. Those looking for stable returns are infinitely more likely to be drawn to opportunities where risk is demonstrably well managed, and value is enhanced. Take Severn Trent Water as an example of a company who is working towards outperformance. In statistics released last autumn, Severn Trent Water announced it had cut four million litres a day from its leakage figures, with a 21% reduction in supply interruption and leakages, and reducing total sewer floodings by 48%. At the same time, Severn Trent offers the lowest average combined bills in Britain to its customers - at under £1 a day. That’s £32 a year less than the next cheapest in England and Wales. This approach has led to STW being forecasted to attain approximately £50million in Outcome Delivery Incentives. Definitely showing that aiming for “exceptional” status is worth the investment. A key means of achieving innovation and best practice is by looking broadly at business operations in line with resilience. Ofwat’s

1. Get more people involved in the process

newly formed Task and Finish group has developed ten recommendations including the development of benchmarking, standards and metrics. Once risk is measured and understood, water utilities can use this information to address other recommendations, such as increasing public engagement and ensuring resilience measures are legitimately funded.

n Make it simple and repeatable

What about customer service?

Days and weeks not months

n Have a consistent planning process across assets and departments n Transparent / auditable process which captures local decision making knowledge 2. Speed up the process

It is an age-old problem, but all water utilities grapple with improving service while under pressure from the public and the government to reduce bills. Unsurprisingly, getting the balance right also features heavily in the consultation.

n Making the process easier to do means asset planning is not a special event

To truly make this work, investment must be targeted effectively and evidence needs to be given to support any claims made. Where inefficiencies are identified, money can be saved. Decision makers need to have greater evidence-based data, to enable them to meet the new PR19 goals. Innovation again is key to achieving this. The utilities and infrastructure sectors are one of the last to be digitally disrupted, and if they are to meet future customer and stakeholder demands, there is a need to move forward and embrace the latest developments in decision support technology.

n Don’t wait for perfect data - measure data quality and use what you have

Can ISO55000 help?

There’s an argument that ISO55000 is not seen as having a big impact on the way of working in the UK Water industry, due to existing levels of asset management maturity in our sector. Passing ISO55000 is a statement that an organisation is ‘competent’ – not necessarily exceptional. There’s a danger

n Enables an organisation to respond quickly when things change 3. Make best use of available data

n Relate decisions to data and understand uncertainty Truly embracing data and understanding risk and resilience can have huge dividends – be it through bringing in greater investment or proving better value to customers. PR19 presents the water industry with a big opportunity to step up and keep all the customers happy - and the benefits are there for the taking. www.seamsltd.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

‘Talking’ algae could provide new route to monitoring climate change A scientist at the University of Bath has for the first time developed a way of monitoring alterations in the aquatic system by listening in to microalgae communicating. Led by the University of Bath, the research which has been published in Nature Scientific Reports demonstrates that contrary to popular belief, microalgae do communicate with each other when under stress. The researchers have revealed that under darkness a population of Diatoms - a type of microalgae – produce electrical oscillations. This cell-to-cell communication is believed to be a feedback or survival mechanism as a result of stress due to changes in the microalgae’s physiochemical environment - such as light deprivation and temperature rises. This cell-to-cell signalling is designed to counteract these changes and could result in the formation of algal blooms. By decoding this form of communication, at the phase where the concentration of cells most increases with time (growth phase), the researchers believe this will provide vital clues

to understanding world challenges such as climate change. Algae blooms are an element of climate change where cells multiply at a face pace, which the researchers hope they will be able to better mitigate from this new understanding. For the first time, the research team were able to listen to the microalgae communicating by recording their electrical interactions extracellularly using sensitive and low resistance multi electrode arrays (MEAs). The recordings, taken over a period of hours, showed Diatom communication is cooperative and synchronized through the whole measured population. Algae occur naturally in the majority of fresh and salt water. However, climate change is causing an increase in the formation of harmful algae blooms across the world. Warmer waters, high levels of nutrients from

increased rain washing agricultural fertilisers into the water, and sufficient sunlight all contribute to the rise in algal blooms. Algae blooms can be damaging to both aquatic ecosystems and humans. Thick blooms can block sunlight and deplete oxygen levels in the water needed by fish and other organisms to survive, and certain algae can produce toxins that can damage to the human nervous system by contaminating fish which are then eaten as well as causing eye and lung irritation as well as asthma. Lead researcher and Lecturer in the University of Bath’s Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Dr Paulo Rocha, said: “Algae are the world’s most important ‘plants’. They play a crucial role in the air we breathe, food we eat and pharmacological drugs we take including for cancer. Yet there is only so much we know about these amazing plants.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

“One such reason is because there are no methods to actually decode algae behaviours. This project has opened a new page in the understanding of algae signalling and will enable novel sensing technologies to predict the development of algae blooms and of an extensive range of stress-induced alterations in the aquatic ecosystem.” Director of the Water Innovation & Research Centre at the University of Bath (WIRC @ Bath), Professor Jan Hofman commented: “This is an exciting and important discovery. Understanding how algae behave is extremely important for water security in many areas in the world. Algal blooms have significant impact on water quality and availability, but also can be used in engineered solutions to improve water quality. This project is an excellent example of how important multidisciplinary water research is.” This interdisciplinary work has strong scientific and technological implications for

probing ecological and physiological stress conditions in algae. It is anticipated that water companies will in the near future benefit from a control technology able to predict and impair harmful and toxic algae blooms by early detecting the onset of algae signals. In the longer term, this new knowledge could mean cleaner, more natural water and cheaper bills for water consumers as there will be a reduced need for water utility companies to use water treatment chemicals. The research was a result of an international collaboration between the University of Bath, Delft University of Technology (DUT) in The Netherlands, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Portugal and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, I. P. The article ‘Collective electrical oscillations of a diatom population induced by dark stress’ has been published in Nature Scientific Reports and can be viewed at www.nature.com/ articles/s41598-018-23928-9.pdf

“By decoding this form of communication, at the phase where the concentration of cells most increases with time (growth phase), the researchers believe this will provide vital clues to understanding world challenges such as climate change.”

We can help you reimagine your water R&D

Water Innovation & Research Centre

Through the Water Innovation and Research Centre at the University of Bath our experts work with industry, academia, and other stakeholders to tackle the fundamental issues surrounding sustainable water. Through WISE, our Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Informatics: Science and Engineering, we work with collaborative partners to train the next generation of skilled water scientists and engineers. To explore a partnership with water research experts and students at the University of Bath for your organisation, contact water-research@bath.ac.uk.

go.bath.ac.uk/water-research

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Yorkshire Water is making some big investments underground, overground and

even in space! Yorkshire Water has set itself a target of a 40% reduction in leakage by 2025 after customer feedback indicated it is one of the key areas they would like to see improvement on.

So with a hefty target Yorkshire Water is making some big investments underground, overground and even in space!

The firm listened to the views of over 18,000 customers with 85% describing leakage as an important issue.

Yorkshire Water is also investing in technology and has fitted over 600 ‘acoustic ears’ to the firm’s underground water pipe network in Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield.

Across Yorkshire, there are over 31,000km of mains network that deliver over one billion litres of water every day to homes and business across the region. The firm has to deal with approximately 120 leaks per day to help protect water supplies and over the last five years, the firm has had to repair on average 5,400 watermain per annum.

The firm is to hire approximately 70 new leakage inspectors. Already, 40 leakage inspectors have been employed and up to 30 more will be recruited in the coming months. Once all the vacancies have been filled, it will bring the firm’s total team of leakage inspectors to 230, who together with an additional team of 113 field technicians.

The new technology was installed one month ago and has already helped identify and fix 35 underground leaks, saving approximately 86,400 litres of water from being wasted. Across Yorkshire, 4,500 loggers are currently being installed with plans by Yorkshire Water to fit up to 40,000 within the next 12

months. It is hoped by the company that this technology will reduce its overall leakage rate by up to 10 per cent, with a target to save ten million litres of water per day by 2025. Jason Griffin, Leakage Technology Manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “Each acoustic ‘ear’, or logger, is capable of identifying a leak within a 150 meters radius, which is much more accurate than current technology allows. It will give us a much greater understanding and visibility of what is happening in some of the areas most prone to leaks in Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax and allows us to respond better and reduce disruption to our customers.” Yorkshire Water is also making investments in the air to spot those leaks. it is deploying high flying technology in the form of drones to help it identify leaks on its underground pipe network in York and Rotherham. The drones (UAVs) will fly along 30km of underground water pipes stretching from York to Rotherham. They are used to conduct

The project involves specialist sensors being installed in the pipes that are capable of remotely talking to the valves to open and close them and in doing so control water flow.

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topographical surveys and geo-locate hard to find assets such as inspection chambers, which will enable Yorkshire Water to spot leaks that it might not previously have known about. Simon Roxby, UAV Manager at Yorkshire Water said: “The use of drone technology is increasing every day throughout the business and provides great visibility of hard to reach parts of our pipe network, our reservoirs and our land. This innovation not only gives us a greater understanding regarding the condition of our infrastructure, but also allows us to inspect and survey at height in a safer and more efficient way.” Specialised sensors will be fitted into the drones with this information used to create 3D models of pipe networks to help detect leaks. Adam Tate UAV Operations Manager at Team UAV added: “The technology we’re using to deliver this project on behalf of Yorkshire Water is truly ground-breaking. By fusing together a range of high precision sensors with millimetre accuracy, flown concurrently, we’re able to deliver data that isn’t visible to the human eye.” Moving even higher and beyond the stratosphere, Yorkshire Water is also trialling space-age technology to find leaks.

response team. It was calculated by the firm that this helped save 330,000 litres of water a day escaping from its network. Eddy Segal, Vice-President of Sales at Utilis, explained how the technology works: “We use a Japanese satellite that carries a microwave RADAR, capable of penetrating into the ground to the level of the water pipes. For the trial with Yorkshire Water we specifically analysed the area of Halifax and Keighley for leakage. We are pleased to work with Yorkshire Water who are one of the leading companies when it comes to the important issue of leakage reduction.”

The company partnered with Israeli company, Utilis, represented in UK by Suez Advanced Solutions, which is a world leader in satellite water leakage detection to test out the technology on its pipes in Halifax and Keighley. Traditionally, the technology is used to look for water on other planets including Mars, but is now being tested by water companies looking to innovate to help reduce leaks from pipes. The trial in Yorkshire helped identify 44 underground pipe leaks in both town’s that were then quickly fixed by Yorkshire Water’s

The underground network of water pipes in Leeds are getting a £1.4m 21st century makeover to help cope with a huge spike in demand for water, with around 12 million litres of water consumed each day in the city centre alone.

Jason Griffin, Yorkshire Water’s Leakage Team Leader in West Yorkshire said: “Most leaks from our pipes do not come to the surface and so are hard to identify. However, this satellite was able to detect underground water leaks from our pipes within a 100m radius, which makes it much easier for our leakage inspectors to then pinpoint and repair. On the back of this, 44 leaks were repaired and this helped stop a significant volume of water escaping into the ground.” Another way of preventing water escaping is by investing in its pipes.

It will involve six ‘smart’ valves being installed across six key areas of the water pipe network in the city centre including Wellington Road, Clarendon Road, Pontefract Lane, Woodhouse Lane, Hunslet Lane and University Road.

The £1.4m project is being carried out to help meet the rise in demand for water due to expansion in the city centre and new leisure and retail openings such as Leeds Arena and Trinity Leeds shopping centre. Due to higher volumes of water consumed, Yorkshire Water has noticed occasional water pressure issues in its underground pipe network, particularly around the Woodhouse area when a major concert at Leeds Arena is on. However, the scheme will solve the problem by installing remotely controlled ‘smart’ valves into the water network. These valves will help control the flow of water, which will prevent pressure surges that can occasionally lead to burst pipes and supply disruptions. Jayne Blackburn, project manager at Yorkshire Water said: “This is an exciting new project for Yorkshire Water and will give us greater intelligence about how our water pipe network in the city centre operates. “One interesting location that these valves are being installed is Woodhouse Lane. The water pipe here provides water to Leeds Arena and when the arena is being used the demand for water in this area goes up significantly and so supply is crucial to ensure events can take place.” The project involves specialist sensors being installed in the pipes that are capable of remotely talking to the valves to open and close them and in doing so control water flow. Innovation is at the heart of what Yorkshire Water does and there are set to be more major investments soon, both on earth and beyond!

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Putting a lid on leakage – a new approach to leak detection The Water Industry Journal speaks to Jon Crowther of Sensor UK about why his company has made the move into designing leak detection systems for pipes and why their technology represents a breakthrough for the industry. Jon and his team at Sensor have dedicated almost 30 years’ to developing leak location technology, much of which has been spent designing monitoring systems for geomembrane installations which are utilised in 44 countries around the world in numerous different industries, including the water sector. What has perplexed Jon most in recent years, however, has been the frequency with which water industry colleagues have asked him whether he designed leak detection systems for pipes, so in late 2016, he set to work on a new project. “We’ve developed a system in which an elongated sensor is placed next to the pipes and using electromagnetic measurements can detect elevated levels of relative dielectric permittivity (RDP) in the soil caused by localised leakage, the technology is very different to existing leak detection systems, which all focus on interactions with the pipe itself.” “The sonic systems most often used by the industry have many limitations, they don’t work well in an urban setting where there is a high degree of background noise or with certain pipe materials, as such their finding don’t give definitive answers,” explains Jon. “With our technology, we can pinpoint the location of a leak precisely and understand its gravity by measuring the permittivity of the soil, in normal wet soil the permittivity level is typically 10-20 RDP, whereas a leak presents with a permittivity over 85 RDP.” “Our system provides a very cost-effective means of detecting leaks and each new pipe that goes into the ground without it is a lost opportunity, as installing this system works out at less than 2.5% of the cost of the pipe installation itself. LID is a complementary addition to existing leak monitoring technologies providing high-resolution leak location at around one linear metre, and in addition, as it also provides CAT 4 pipe location signals, its cost in real terms is therefore reduced further.” “Recently after a presentation during a Q&A session someone said that there wasn’t a problem with newly installed polyethylene pipes. The photo is of a newly installed pipe [less than 6-months old]. A catastrophic failure occurred caused by an electrofusion collar that

had been badly installed and was leaking. This caused erosion of the pipe itself until the pipe wall became thin enough to fail. The result was significant disruption and damage which we estimate cost the water supplier around £265,000. “There are around five million of these welds completed each year in the UK even if the failure rate was a low as 0.25%, this implies a cost in the region of £3.25-billion which is interesting because this would be the approximate cost of deploying our technology on all of the UKs 350-thousand kilometres of water pipe (not just the new plastic ones).” “Water companies face enough challenges with water shortages, climate change, legacy issues and regulatory pressure, and they are not going to go away. You want to be able to detect and resolve a leak before something catastrophic happens. Installing an effective leak detection system improves resilience, saving money and time.” “We’ve now developed technology that works with all types of existing pipes too, with different options for existing metal pipes and for non-conductive pipes – leaving water companies better able to deal with the problems of an ageing infrastructure.” “Whether you want to monitor new or existing pipes, a key benefit of this technology is that it can detect simultaneous leaks that are in very close proximity to each other, something other systems fail to do.” “Our system provides 100% definitive results, quickly. Unaffected by noise, low pressure, or by pipe material and diameter. The simplicity of installation and the straightforward nature of the data output removes all complexity from pipe leak location.” “Our technology represents the only truly new technology to monitor buried pipes in

20-years. It is the first time a leak detection system has been developed that works accurately with both existing and new pipe installations constructed of any material, as such it is a precise and versatile technology.” Sensor is a company that has made a breakthrough in leak detection technology, but not only are they innovative, they also have a heart, as a percentage of profits from Sensor DDS® LID will be donated to WaterAid. What could be more important than helping people to access clean water even in the most difficult of environments? “A step change is needed in the industry in terms of how leaks are detected. Our technology has the capacity to bring about that change, you just need to visit our test sites to see that’s the case. Where most existing leak detection systems infer, ours measure the leak with precision. “Bringing about innovation in the water industry is extremely difficult, stepping away from the technology the industry has traditionally used is not something with which everyone feels comfortable. Individuals can’t be criticised for employing systems they’ve always used, but making a change and introducing something new is much more difficult.” Here Jon lays down the gauntlet to both water and sewage companies, “to illustrate the benefits of our technology, we are willing to provide 300 metres of our sensing element and put it in a trench for you, then you can simulate leaks and we’ll show you where they are.” Now all you have to do is pick up the gauntlet… Email: jon@sensor.uk.com www.sensor-uk.com

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Saving water and only using what we need is important

Saving water and only using what we need is important, not just for keeping household water bills low, but also for the environment. Anglian Water’s Director of Water Services, Paul Valleley explains how the company is doing its bit to make every drop count by waging a war on leakage. Our region is the largest of any water company in England and Wales and we supply just over a billion litres of water a day along enough pipes to reach to Sydney and back. Not only this, our region is the driest in the UK. The East of England receives around half the rainfall compared to the rest of the country, and sometimes rainfall averages are lower than Jerusalem’s – although it doesn’t always feel like it when it’s still grey outside. These facts combined with being one of the fastest growing regions and the major challenges posed by climate change mean we’re in the business of resilience and saving water. Anglian Water is waging a war on leakage and is using some more unusual tools in its armoury to win the battle. And it’s working. Our innovative approach to tackling leaks has made us an industry leader, with the lowest level of leakage of any water company – half that of any other. Even though our leakage levels are already much less than the rest of the industry, in 2017 alone, we reduced leakage levels by a further five per cent, saving an additional 10 million litres of water everyday – enough to fill four Olympic sized swimming pools. But we have ambitious targets to save even more. We don’t believe it’s good enough to stop at the economic level of leakage and targets set by our regulator; not when reducing leakage is so important to customers and so vital for us in this dry part of the country. As part of our draft Water Resources Management plan we’ve committed an extra £50million to drive leakage down by a further 23% by 2025. This will take Anglian Water to a world-leading low level of leakage. Despite supplying water to over a quarter more properties than in 1989, Anglian Water puts slightly less water into supply each day now than we did back then. This has only

them before they are noticeable, and ensure we respond rapidly to any leaks which our customers report to us. It is this unwavering commitment to driving down leakage which has lead to Anglian Water being named one of the Leading Utility’s of the World in April 2018. There are only 28 water utilities in the world who have achieved this accolade and membership is by invitation only. Anglian Water is the only water company in England and Wales that has been invited to join, in recognition of its achievements and innovation in areas such as leakage.

been possible with the help of customers being more water wise and by our continued investment into tackling leakage. We hate leaks as much as our customers and by the end of this AMP we will have invested £124m to wage a war on leaks. Along with a 300-strong team of leakage technicians, on-hand throughout the year to help spot and fix leaks, we’ve been investing in the latest cutting-edge technology including sensors and drones with thermal imaging to help find the ‘below the surface leaks’ that are harder to find. A specialist Intensive Leakage Team work around the clock to find leaks that can’t be seen or heard with traditional equipment. Together, the teams discover an impressive 7,000 leaks a year – before any customer would even know they are there. Our leakage teams are serious about their craft and committed to doing a great job for customers. They’re like a dog with a bone. As a business, our aim is to prevent them ever occurring in the first place or if not, to find

Paul added: We are immensely proud to have been named one of the World’s Leading Utilities. Driving down leakage is the right thing to do for our customers and for the environment. It’s also essential for building greater resilience across our water network, given the challenges of climate change and a growing population. With extremes of weather and the risk of drought becoming more frequent innovative solutions are needed in order to establish long term, resilient water supplies.

Attack of the drones

In 2016, Anglian Water became the first water company in the UK to trial thermal imaging technology to detect leaking water pipes. With nearly 24,000 miles of water pipe to keep an eye on, much of it in rural and remote areas the aerial technology will help reduce the cost and time taken to find a leak by pinpointing its location more precisely. The thermal imaging drones work by spotting changes in soil temperature near the water pipes. Cold mornings are the best time to fly the drone, so that any leaking water is around 10 degrees Celsius warmer than the average ground temperature. They are flown in the

Despite supplying water to over a quarter more properties than in 1989, Anglian Water puts slightly less water into supply each day now than we did back then. This has only been possible with the help of customers being more water wise and by our continued investment into tackling leakage.

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Smart Meters

morning along the length of the pipe and the images can be analysed straight away. Any changes in soil temperature are then marked and investigated further by the leakage team. Another benefit of the drone technology it is helps to minimise disruption for customers, by covering large lengths of the water pipeline in a short space of time. The sensor and camera on the drone can identify differences in soil temperature. These differences are then analysed and the exact point of the temperature change is then investigated using traditional leakage approaches and by excavating the area. All this means the job can be carried out quicker and more precisely – meaning less digging, less cost to the business, less water lost and less disruption to customers. Each drone flight that detects a leak can save the company up to £7,000 in lost water, and can save tens of thousands of pounds if the leak would prove difficult to identify using traditional leak detection. The drones are just one way of helping to keep customers’ bills low and ensuring we’re running an ultra-efficient business.

Listening for leaks

Our proactive leakage detection activity aims to identify issues before customers are aware of them.

An example of this work is the mass deployment of noise loggers to identify leaks before they become visible. We are exploring a new type of noise logger that is left permanently in place on the network to continuously listen for leaks. This will tell us exactly when and where a leak occurs, allowing us to fix it as quickly as possible In addition, we kept our leakage monitoring systems operational at all times, and have a dedicated team to manage this process as well as diagnosing, designing and delivering best value solutions to issues that arise when the network doesn’t respond as we expect it to. This team also ensures future investment is targeted to where it is needed most, fixing thousands of burst pipes every year.

In addition, as part of The Smarter Drop campaign, Anglian Water has been trialling new ‘Smart Meter’ technology across thousands of properties in the Newmarket area. More than 6,000 smart meters have been installed to accurately record and analyse the water usage in these properties. The smart meters give an almost real-time breakdown of a household’s water usage, meaning any spikes in demand at unusual times of day can indicate a customerside leak. Any anomalies in data are followed up on by a member of the leakage team where we work with the customer to help them rectify the problem, ultimately helping them save water and money on their bills at the same time.

Putting it all together

We are committed to continuing to excel at leakage reduction, to going well beyond our regulatory targets, driving down leakage even further by 2020 and ultimately achieving world leading leakage levels through our ambitious Water Resource Management Plan investment. We’re also committed to sharing best practice with other utilities so they can learn from our experiences. International speaker engagements and hosting knowledgesharing days are commonplace, and essential to help the UK industry improve as a whole.

WRAS approval renewed for swing check valves T-T Flow is delighted to announce that they have been awarded accreditation from the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme Ltd for the full range of swing gate valves. WRAS contributes to the protection of public health by preventing contamination of public water supplies and encouraging the efficient use of water by promoting and facilitating compliance with the Water Supply Regulations and Scottish Byelaws. These require that a water fitting should not cause waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of the water supply, and must be ‘of an appropriate quality and standard’. WRAS approval is granted directly by representatives of the water suppliers and is accepted as evidence of compliance by every water supplier in the UK. To qualify, the full range of Swing Check Valves has undergone rigorous testing procedure for the approval. The now fully WRAS approved Swing Gate

Valves (DN50-DN300) offer epoxy coated ductile iron bodies and metal to metal seal for vertical and horizontal installation. These models are available with an optional external weighted arm. This valve is used to prevent reverse flow and is suitable for potable water, wastewater and sewage applications. Peter Hindley, Commercial Director at T-T, comments “We are pleased to gain this approval as we have worked hard to ensure that our Swing Check Valves are of the highest quality. This approval means that these valves have undergone mechanical and water quality testing to avoid contamination of the water supply.” T-T work hard to ensure all products are of the highest quality and continually work to demonstrate compliance with regulatory bodies. WRAS approved products can be identified through the WRAS logo displayed on product pages. You can also find our range of WRAS approved clean water products at www.ttpumps.com/catalog/ collection/index/a/application/v/WRAS%20 Approved

To find out more about our WRAS accreditation, our range of Swing Gate Valves or to speak to a member of the technical team, contact us on +44 (0) 1630 647200 or via email at response@ttpumps.com.

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z LEAK DETECTION & REPAIR

Are you under pressure with leakage targets? PIPA Technology has the answer! PIPA is a UK based technology company focussed on pressurised water pipe inspection and leak detection products. The basis of our technology is to offer a solution on a live water pipeline without the need for road closures, service interruption or re-chlorination of a pipeline. All products are safe to use in potable water networks, are user friendly and offer a solution for all sized pipelines irrelevant of material.

Hydrocam™

Internal acoustic technology Internal acoustic technology is fast becoming the new approach to specialist leak detection. PIPA fully understands the ‘traditional’ approach to leak detection using correlators and ground microphones along with listening sticks. Traditional leak detection methods do detect leaks but there are several factors to consider including: n Material n Pressure n Size n Length n Type of backfill n Reliability of knowledge regarding pipe material and configuration The PIPA leak detection approach uses internal acoustic sensors that listen to the sound of escaping fluids from within the pipeline. This is because some leaks make little or no top sound and as the sensor passes the leak the acoustic sound range will often increase to a peak and then reduce to total silence. The leak location will always be present at the noise centre or acoustic peak. During a recent leakage sweep on an insulated non-ferrous pipeline, the leak output was only heard over a pipe section of 300mm, and was confirmed using PIPA acoustic software prior to an excavation and subsequent repair. The benefit of this approach to leak detection is that the leak identification is accurate and more sensitive than any other methods, which in turn gives the operator more confidence prior to an excavation.

Flowrider™ PIPA Technology is also beneficial in dealing with dry dig excavations. Typically a dry dig can occur when unknown data is put into a correlator and leak location is close but incorrect. The solution that PIPA can offer is to use the existing excavation and install a pressurised fitting, and then pinpoint the leak thus turning a dry dig into a wet dig. Note: Recent statistics supplied by a UK client put dry dig figures between 25-35% in 2017.

PIPA products can be divided into the following categories:

Small diameter service pipes: The Pipepod S™ is a unique leak detection product that enters a pipeline via a metered boundary box outlet (subject to make and model). The 50 metre system is fully portable with battery powered supply and offers accurate leak identification and location within pressurised potable water service pipelines from 10mm diameter and above. DMA sized mains: The Hydrocam™ is a pressure rated camera and acoustic sensor for condition assessment of potable water mains. The unique system can cover a survey distance of 200 metres through bends and fittings, and successfully identifies leaks and pipe condition issues in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths. Trunk mains: The Flowrider™ is a long range pressurised CCTV and leak detection survey tool for water mains. The unique system can cover a survey distance of 1km using the water flow through bends and fittings, it successfully identifies leaks and confirms pipe condition in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths.

Pipepod Hydrostatic™ New main installations: The Pipepod Hydrostatic™ system is an industry changing approach to leak detection on all new pipe installations. The unique product can cover a survey distance of 2km through bends and fittings, and successfully identifies leaks in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths. The system can be built into a new pipe scheme or installed after the pipe is constructed using a tethered swab approach. There is no single tool in the approach to leak detection. Instead a specialist tool box of equipment is required to accurately identify, locate and repair leaks within the global water industry. PIPA Technology has an excellent success rate on detecting leaks on all sized pipes and all types of materials. All PIPA Technology products are now available for global sale, lease or service. For more information on product sales please contact: sales@pipa-uk.com For more information on product services please contact: info@api-uk.com

PIPA Pipepod Hydrostatic™

PIPA Hydrocam™

PIPA Introduces the Pipepod Hydrostatic™

PIPA Introduces the Hydrocam™

An industry changing approach to leak detection on all new pipe installations. The unique system can cover a survey distance of 2km through bends and fittings, and successfully identifies and locates leaks in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths. The Pipepod Hydrostatic is now available for global sale, lease or service.

A pressure rated camera system for condition assessment of potable water mains. The unique system can cover a survey distance of 200 metres through bends and fittings, and successfully identifies leaks, pipe issues and can confirm configuration in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths. The Hydrocam is now available for global sale, lease or service.

PIPA Hydrocam S™

PIPA Flowrider

PIPA Introduces the Hydrocam S™

PIPA Introduces the Flowrider™

A pressure rated camera system for condition assessment of potable water mains via traditional style fire hydrants.

Long range pressurised CCTV and leak detection of water mains. The unique system can cover a survey distance of 1km through bends and fittings, and successfully identifies and locates leaks in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths.

The unique system can cover a survey distance of 200 metres through bends and fittings, and successfully identifies pipe issues and can confirm configuration in all pipe materials irrelevant of back fill or bury depths. The Hydrocam S is now available for global sale, lease or service.

The Flowrider is now available for global sale, lease or service.

PIPA LJK

PIPA Hydrantclear

PIPA Introduces the LJK™

PIPA Introduces the Hydrantclear™

An industry changing approach when back feeding a water network.

An industry changing approach when back feeding a water network, or operating fire hydrants.

The PIPA LJK™ or loose jumper key is a unique hydrant entry system for loose jumper style fire hydrants. The LJK™ is a unique lifting device that ensures that a loose jumper fire hydrant can be fixed in the open position after initial operation. The system is designed for a reliable approach for utility companies to inject water back into a pipeline in the case of a temporary water feed. The LJK is now available for global sale.

The Hydrantclear™ is a hydrant cleaning system for all styles of fire hydrants. The Hydrantclear™ is a unique cleaning device that ensures that a fire hydrant is cleared and sanitised prior to opening of the main valve, removing any possible dirt ingress or debris. The system is designed for a reliable approach for utility companies to guarantee hydrant sanitisation prior to operation, especially useful during temporary back feeding of a network. The Hydrantclear is now available for global sale.

For more information please contact:

sales@pipa-uk.com

• pressurised water pipe inspection • specialist leak detection • unique commissioning leak location • water technology and innovation

www.pipa-uk.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z LEAK DETECTION & REPAIR

The AT-PROBE-TS water sensing probe, suitable for harsh / difficult environments where a sensing cable is not appropriate

Updating leak detection at Southern Water HQ

Maintaining an ageing leak detection system can be difficult, particularly when other electrical equipment is upgraded and internal building layouts are changed over time. When Southern Water Services first installed the TraceTek leak detection system at their HQ, it was integrated into the original building design and installed as part of the mechanical and electrical services. The leak detection system was intended to monitor the office and technical area, and had done so effectively since its installation in 1990, with regular maintenance from the in-house facilities and maintenance team. However, due to the high volume of IT cabling that had been added in the areas over the years, maintenance had become much more difficult. There were now thousands of optical and electrical cables densely packed within the area and, with IT cabling infrastructure and server facilities being the nerve centres for most modern businesses, water leaks posed a major risk - the most likely cause for a leak being water accumulating on the floor from a leaking heating system or water dripping from overhead pipework. Water leaks are of particular concern when situated beneath raised floor facilities, where they can go undetected for a period of time and cause further damage. In a worst case scenario, the leak may not be detected until shut down of a critical system or until the leak appears on the ceiling of the floor below. Fast detection and subsequent corrective action is paramount in the prevention / minimising of damage. Appreciating the importance and value of efficient leak detection, Southern Water

It integrates seamlessly into TraceTek and AquiTronTM water detection systems, either with or without sensor cable, providing a truly versatile sensor system.

TraceTek TTDM-128 recently decided to upgrade and update their building’s ageing system, once again choosing TraceTek products for their longevity and quality. The new leak detection system was designed and supplied by Aquilar, who have been providing leak detection solutions for nearly 20 years. The pre-existing leak detection system included 800 meters of TT1000; a small but rugged water sensing cable that is extremely resistant to abrasion and corrosion, with the ability to detect water at any point along its length. However, as the original location of the TT1000 water sensing cable was no longer easily accessible or appropriate, due to the number of other cables occupying the space, Aquilar advised that this be replaced with 210 AT-PROBE-TS water sensing probes instead. The AT-PROBE-TS is specifically designed to allow for the monitoring of leaks in areas where sensing cables are difficult to install.

The new probes continue to be monitored by four existing TTB-MA panel monitors, one per floor of the building. This is due to the fact that, having assessed Southern Water’s requirements and satisfaction with the existing system, Aquilar suggested that an upgrade to the TTDM-128 digital and addressable panel was not necessary. Despite its age, the TTB-MA was in perfect working order, and is still compatible and appropriate for use with the new elements of the leak detection system. Over the past 25 years, thousands of clients have chosen TraceTek products as part of their leak detection solutions because of their reputation for reliability, high performance and maximum durability. The new system was installed by Southern Water’s in-house facilities maintenance team. Its modular assembly allowed for bespoke configuration for their current needs whilst also enabling future expansions. www.aquilar.co.uk

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LEAK DETECTION & REPAIR z

UNDETECTED WATER LEAKS CAN CAUSE MORE DAMAGE THAN FIRES Detect a leak early using a proven system and minimise the cost and disruption www.aquilar.co.uk

01403 216100

Watertrain forges ahead, creating new job opportunities Watertrain is building on their success, securing more contracts with water companies to deliver training and creating new job opportunities as a result.

their knowledge and skills to industry colleagues and new entrants to the sector, so we would encourage suitable candidates to get in touch.”

Watertrain provides a range of specialist training programmes to the water sector across the UK, including the new Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard – Water Process Technician, which is proving particularly popular.

Watertrain is also on the lookout for trainers with expertise in delivering Functional Skills qualifications in English and Maths – a key element of the apprenticeship programmes.

As a result of the increasing demand for their services, Watertrain is expanding their team of tutors and assessors in the North East and across Southern England. The majority of the new job opportunities require a good operational knowledge in areas such as water treatment, waste water treatment, water distribution, leakage and wastewater network. Candidates with some experience in training too are of particular interest. However, Watertrain will support the right candidates in acquiring the relevant teaching and assessment qualifications, so

for industry professionals seeking a fresh challenge there are exciting opportunities with Watertrain. “We have created a number of new roles ideal for people with operational experience of the water industry to assist us in delivering training, enabling them to make a step change in their career” explains Watertrain founder Neil Davies. “We are searching for people with a passion for what they do and are keen to pass on

Water industry personnel and trainers looking to take their careers in a new direction should submit their CV and contact details to opportunities@watertrain.co.uk. For more information about Watertrain log on to their new website at www.watertrain. co.uk and view the opportunities on their vacancies page.

z LEAK DETECTION

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

Pipeline leak detection (Water Industry)

With over 342,000Km (source Water UK) of water pipes in the UK, it is no surprise that these pipes and pipelines leak. These leaks have various causes, including, corrosion, freezing weather, aging joints and welds, thirdparty strikes and natural disasters.

Several low-cost, hardware, solutions such as the Atmos Guardian line have appeared that pack non-intrusive, flow, pressure and acoustic technology, and communications in a single compact device. This technology allows instrumentation installation on sections of pipelines that were previously very challenging. Flow balance systems and pressure based systems (negative pressure wave) have greatly improved in sensitivity (smallest leak size), leak location accuracy and detection time. Independent rupture systems are now available to immediately alert operators to major leaks. This combination of technology and improvements has allowed for reliable and robust systems to be implemented and retrofitted on far more pipelines then before.

These leak incidents can have serious consequences: •

The threat to human safety

•

Damage to the environment (especially with waste or industrial water)

•

Damage to property

•

Damage to reputation

•

Financial loss through fines and clean-up costs

Atmos has installed these advanced leak detection technologies on HCA (High consequence areas) such as river crossings in the US and a pipeline running through 100km’s of the desert in Egypt. They are detecting leaks in buried pipelines in Turkey and working in freezing and remote locations within Canada. They are an ideal crossover into the utility industry to help conserve our most precious resource, water.

Over 3,123 million liters of water leak each day (Source Water UK), so it is crucial to implement technologies that can effectively and quickly detect and locate these events to minimize the loss of this vital and scarce resource. Atmos International specializes in leak detection solutions for the energy, water, chemical, and mining industries. Our technologies work on pipelines from 2” in diameter to 72”, from pipeline lengths of a few hundred meters to networks over 1000km long. The technologies use combinations of pressure, flow, and acoustic correlation to provide sensitive, fast and accurate leak detection and location, 24/7, 365 days of the year. Providing a reliable leak detection system is not as simple as measuring pressure or flow. Pipelines are rarely designed to support leak detection systems, often, lacking sufficient instrumentation, communication, and power. Operators can be unaware of the latest solutions available for leak detection, and often research and experience is not shared between the different industries. There have been great improvements in leak detection technology over the last five years.

Atmos International – We are Pipeline technology For additional information, please contact Harry Smith harry.smith@atmosi.com, or visit the website: www.atmosi.com

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LEAK DETECTION z

Atmos Simulation Suite

Atmos Leak Detection

Atmos Rupture Detector

For more information, please contact Harry Smith: harry.smith@atmosi.com

www.atmosi.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z LEAK DETECTION & REPAIR

Transforming chemical transportation, dosing and leak detection In this issue of Water Industry Journal, we speak to Roger Attisha of FT Pipeline Systems about the challenges facing the industry in regard to the application of chemicals and how the industry is addressing them. “Chemical processes are amongst the most safety-critical in the water industry, with health, safety and environmental concerns, uppermost in our minds, as they should be. “Yet at the same time, the industry is under immense pressure to deliver better, more efficient services, that are environmentally sound and safety conscious, without passing the cost on to their customers,” explains Roger, “it is an extremely difficult balance to strike. “Water companies are tasked with bringing about innovation in the industry, making the water supply safer and getting rid of waste efficiently and effectively, whilst achieving all of this within their budgetary constraints, in the context of climate change and an increasing population.” To put things in perspective, the office of national statistics estimates that the UK population is 65.1 million, yet they project that by 2026, the population will pass the 70 million mark. More people, in turn means more housing and the supporting infrastructure and services that go hand-in hand with this, such as schools and hospitals, all of which will need a ready, safe supply of water to hand. “Like other organisations that deliver the critical infrastructure, whether in the water sector or elsewhere, the difficulty in meeting this increasing demand is made all the more difficult by legacy issues, including an ageing infrastructure, the sheer vastness of the geographic areas they cover and their budgetary pressures. “Bringing about innovation and making a change in terms of processes, technology or their infrastructure is no easy matter, their reservoirs for example remain the same size, yet some water companies are rising to the challenge and bringing about change in the industry.” observes Roger. “At Yorkshire Water’s Rivelin Water Treatment Works, the works have been upgraded and made fit to meet the increasing demand by an investment that has included installing rigid PVC dual contained pipework for the suction work and flexible dual contained hose PVC for the discharge. “Flexible dual contained hose, as the name suggests, can take a flexible route, going where ever it is needed, so the pipe work could be installed on different levels, going down into the basement and back up again, while in contrast, old pipe work relies on gravity, meaning chemicals can’t travel upwards.

Roger Attisha demonstrating PF Detect at the recent Utility Week Live show “The combination of more modern dual contained hoses at Rivelin and other water treatments works, enables them to process water more efficiently, treating more water, more quickly – which is exactly what the industry requires, helping them to meet the increased demand.

“Reducing the environmental and health and safety risks of chemical dosing projects is a priority for the industry,” explains Roger, “and we are helping to address this in an industry where chemicals such as Ferric Sulphate, Caustic Soda, Poly-electrolyte and Sodium Hypochlorite are utilised.”

“We are finding that more and more of the projects on which we work are focused on the upgrade or improvement of water treatment works – making them fit for the 21st Century, such as the Stoney Stanton treatment works in Leicestershire and the Heigham works in Norwich.”

“Flexible dual containment systems such as PF-Detect are supple and light, yet endure,” explains Roger. “The system has far fewer joints than traditional pipes, with runs of up to 500 metres without a joint.

Roger is well placed to advise on improvements to water treatment works, having over 30 years’ experience in the sector and being instrumental in setting up the Water Treatment division of FT Pipeline systems (FTPS). FTPS itself has over 35 years’ experience working with the water industry, providing pipes, field joint protection sleeves and stop tap replacement locking lids. Their water treatment division specialises in dual containment systems for chemical dosing processes utilised in the water, waste water, sewage industries and elsewhere. One such product is PF-Detect, believed to be the first flexible dual contained hose with an integrated chemical leak detection system, giving water companies complete control in the rare event of a chemical leak, vastly reducing the risk to humans and the environment of chemical exposure.

Colex International, a UK company based in Market Harborough, developed PF-Detect in close consultation with utility companies, listening to their market requirements and addressing them. Though PF-Detect has been available to the market for a mere 18 months it is currently under consideration, adopted, specified or in use by water companies including Severn Trent, Yorkshire, Thames, Anglia, Wessex and Southern Water, and it is now being rolled out globally, with customers in the US, Brazil and Australia, amongst other countries. “For water companies wanting to upgrade their treatment works, yet reduce the whole project cost, a flexible dual containment system like PF-Detect, is an effective choice, reducing the carbon footprint, environmental risk and operator risk.” rattisha@ftpipelinesystems.co.uk www.ftpipelinesystems.co.uk

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Southern Water tests super-intelligent ‘bowling ball’ to battle leaks Southern Water is testing the revolutionary SmartBall device which travels along water pipes and can detect weakened pipes before they become bursts. Supported by partners Pure Technologies and Water Research Centre Limited (“WRc”), Southern Water’s technology team are applying the bowling ball-like device developed for use in the oil and gas industry in the 13,000 km of pipe line that make up its water network. The brains of the ball are housed in a small hardened globe which contains acoustic sensors which can ‘hear’ a leak of as little as 0.11 litres/min. Other detectors can spot unevenness in pipes and pockets of air in a pipe. The data is transmitted to surface stations placed along the pipe’s path or downloaded when the ball is recovered. The brains are covered with a bright blue

“We are really pleased with how smoothly the SmartBall project went for Southern Water, and in collaboration with our partners Pure Technologies. The combination of SmartBall and Sahara - a tethered tool for inspecting pipes - means we can inspect rising mains of any length with minimal disruption to service. In-pipe inspection provides the confidence to target replacement and maintenance activity most efficiently, and we look forward to supporting Southern Water in the future now we’ve got the ‘ball rolling’,” said Keith Walker – Head of Infrastructure at WRc protective sponge layer making SmartBall look like a bowling ball from a distance. ‘We have worked very hard on finding new ways of finding and fixing leaks with a goal of eventually reducing wasted water from our vast network to zero,’ said Sarah Elliman, research and development project manager, ‘Innovation and collaboration go hand in hand at Southern Water - we look for the best technology and the best partners and work together to deliver the best solutions to the challenges we face’.

Leak detection has long relied on simple techniques. Hand held listening tubes held against pipes in the hands of a skilled operative are still used. More modern acoustic logging devices perform a similar role with sensitive digital technology. Finding where to look relies on metering the inputs to sectors of the network and comparing with meters at outputs. And Southern Water also welcomes reports from customers who spot ground water when a major burst takes place.

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z LEAK DETECTION & REPAIR

PermaNET+: Changing the economics of leak detection Clean drinking water is the world’s most precious resource and it is becoming increasingly scarce. Factors such as population growth, climate change and aging infrastructure are putting pressure on water suppliers. Leak detection is a proven method of safeguarding water and at HWM we’ve developed PermaNET+ to change the economics of leak detection. With over 3,100 million litres of water being lost per day (Water UK/Ofwat), the cost of nonrevenue water to the UK’s water companies is substantial. Ofwat has demanding targets for leak reduction and investment in cost-effective leak detection equipment will support water companies in meeting these targets. PermaNET+ is our award-winning leak detection system. Combining a leak noise sensor with our versatile telemetry technology, PermaNET+ creates a fixed leak monitoring network.

If we had conducted a study of this particular area using our old method a week before the leak began, it would have been three years before returning to this area and discovering the leak.

Affinity Water, Britain’s largest water-only utility servicing 3.6 million people in South East England has partnered with HWM to target a significant reduction in leakage rates using PermaNET+ fixed network telemetry.

While many of the UK’s water companies including Affinity Water, Yorkshire Water and Thames Water are reaping the benefits, it is not just in the UK where PermaNET+ is helping to save customers money and water.

Drew Richie, Managing Director of Wholesale Operations at Affinity Water explained that “by using the HWM PermaNET+ solution we can continuously monitor 25 percent of our network, identifying leaks in a matter of hours, rather than the days it takes using conventional techniques and technologies”.

Danish specialist Leif Kock A/S has used PermaNET+ to save millions of krone for Denmark’s largest utility company.

PermaNET+ represents the next stage in the development of noise logging. Data generated by the noise logger is automatically sent to the user, removing the need to visit sites to carry out data collection. Data transmission is achieved through a combination of 3G, GPRS or SMS cellular communication. The unit also sends an audio file for remote monitoring and correlation to localise the leak position. PermaNET+ is located entirely below ground, making it less intrusive and more practical for large-scale deployments. Working in conjunction with Google Maps, PermaNET Web provides live on-screen tracking, allowing leakage teams to respond quickly to problem areas and bring them under control. Fully waterproof and designed with the latest mobile technology to maximise dial in and minimise cost, PermaNET+ is a cost-effective remote leakage monitoring solution.

A project consisting of an initial deployment of 185 permanent data loggers was established in Copenhagen to detect leaks. On just the second day of the project the leak detection team identified a leak. When the team dug down they discovered that the water from the leak was running directly into the sewer. “If we had conducted a study of this particular area using our old method a week before the leak began” explains Kim Roar, team leader at HOFAR “it would have been three years before returning to this area and discovering the leak”. “In other words, the leak would have been continuously running into the sewer for three years. By our rough calculations, this leak alone would have cost us 1.2 million kroner (approx. £116,000)”. This project illustrates one of the many benefits of PermaNET+, as PermaNET+ drastically reduces leak run time. PermaNET+ is an effective leakage monitoring solution developed specifically to reduce non-revenue water, saving water companies time, water and money.

- Global leaders in leak detection

PermaNet+ • Fixed network monitoring continually scans for leaks • Full underground installation with remote cellular communication • Auto-correlation functionality automatically locates leak position

NEW from

DXmic • Best in class sound quality • Colour touch screen • Wireless capability (connects headphone/App) • Dedicated App allows sound, GPS & image files to be transferred remotely, along with site reports • Sound frequency display

For more information visit:

www.hwmglobal.com MONITORING ASSETS, DELIVERING DATA, BRINGING CONTROL

Surge vessels are important assets in the water treatment process, though incorrect maintenance and management can lead to issues in the supply of drinking water The main purpose of the surge vessel is to maintain the correct pressure whilst water is transmitted to the mains networks. A potable water surge vessel is connected to the mains outlet pipework, pressurised with compressed air, the vessel conserves the water pressure by absorbing any spikes or drops, maintaining the flow and velocity of the water. Uncontrolled surges can cause several issues to water companies, from leakages and water quality issues to infrastructure and network failures. Existing Surge Vessel Problems Many carbon steel surge vessels have been in service for decades, with some of the very old surge vessels manufactured to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Factory Actâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, some to the old vessel code BS1515 and some to the current PD5500. In some cases, older surge vessels do not hold any drawings or manufacturing details of information relating to the

construction or thickness of the steel used. From the old vessel code, it was common for these assets to only hold a small entry hatch for viewing purposes. Where there is inaccessibility from the hatch size being too small, many surge vessel internal linings have been neglected in terms of maintenance. This can often lead to the breakdown of existing linings and eventually lead to corrosion and contamination of the potable water. Under the requirements of the water company insurance for surge vessels, inspection of these assets on a regular basis is mandatory. If access to the surge vessel is considered safe and fully compliant, inspection of the internal surfaces is undertaken to assess the condition of the surfaces. If the inspection has found that the existing coating is no longer acceptable, then the existing coating must be removed and reapplied with a DWI approved coating system. If the hatch entry is not in accordance to current requirements, the solutions often falls to the installation of a new access hatch to ensure current confined requirements are met, complete with full refurbishment works to the vessel.

Kingcombe Stonbury Ltd - The Cropmead Estate, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7HQ t 01460 279 200 e info@kingcombe.com www.kingcombe.com

clean water

waste water

water courses

civils

INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THE REFURBISHMENT OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES AND ASSOCIATED ASSETS REFURB/MAINTENANCE: IMPOUNDING & SERVICE RESERVOIRS - WATER TOWERS - CLEAN & SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS DAMS - SPILLWAYS - AQUEDUCTS - PIPE BRIDGES - PIPEWORK - BUNDS - TANKS & VESSELS - WATER COURSES SERVICES: INSPECTION/SURVEY - RELINING - SPECIALIST COATINGS - CORROSION PROTECTION - WATERPROOFING CONCRETE & STEEL REPAIRS - CLEANING & CHLORINATION - FLOOD ALLEVIATION DESIGN/INSTALL: STEEL WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES - SECURITY WORKS INC LPC4 ACCESS COVERS - ACCESS LADDERS, HANDRAILS & WALKWAYS SURGE VESSELS - M&E CIVILS: NEW BUILD RESERVOIRS & TANKS - LAGOONS - DEEP EXCAVATION - STREETWORKS INTERNAL, EXTERNAL & UNDERGROUND PIPEWORK - VALVES - DRAINAGE - RETAINING WALLS - ACCESS ROADS, HARD STANDING & PARKING AREAS - CABINETS - SMALL BUILDING INSTALLATION - DEMOLITION - FLOOR SLABS & SCREEDS Head Office: Chawston House, Chawston Lane, Chawston, Bedfordshire, MK44 3BH t 01234 750924 e enquiries@stonbury.co.uk www.stonbury.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z SLUDGE MANAGEMENT

Scottish Water offers soil sampling and recycling services which are provided through Scottish Water’s technical specialist staff and contractors, supplied to suit a farmer’s requirements

Management of Biosolids Recycling Scottish Water produces sewage sludge (Biosolids) as a natural by-product of the biological waste water treatment process. This sludge is then further treated to produce a biosolids product using various complex treatments such as thickening, dewatering, digestion, drying and lime pasteurisation. Within Scottish Water, there are a number of sludge treatment centres (STC`s) employing various treatment techniques and manufacturing different biosolids products. The schematic illustrates where these treatment centres are located (see fig 1). In addition, a number of assets are operated by Private Finance Investment (PFI) concessionaires - nine schemes in total. PFI concessions treat 80% of sewage sludge (biosolids) generated in Scotland. The Daldowie facility treats 40% of the national total. A schematic illustrates the Scottish Water and PFI operated assets (see fig 2). In 2017/18 the quantity of sludge generated was 120, 032 tonne dry solids(tds), the majority of which came from the PFI assets - 106,292 tds - and Scottish Water’s figure of 13740 tds. The majority of the bio solids generated is recycled to agricultural land for beneficial re-use as illustrated in the pie chart (see fig 3). Equally Scottish Water continues to support

the restoration of land, in particular former open cast coal mines, with a both wastewater and water sludge cake. These sludges are blended together with other materials to produce a soil that is used to rejuvenate the land for use as public amenity areas, forestry and agriculture. Biosolids have been recycled to agricultural land for many decades in the UK, Europe and the US, and such recycling is regarded as a safe and sustainable practice. This process is recognised as the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) in most circumstances, and this forms the cornerstone of Scottish Water’s sludge strategy. Biosolids are rich in organic matter, and contain nitrogen and phosphate together with other important nutrients such as valuable trace elements that are useful in supporting crop growth and livestock nutrition. Biosolids are ideal soil conditioners owing to its humus forming and fertilising properties. In some cases significant savings on the cost

of manufactured fertilisers can be realised. Regular applications of biosolid materials can improve water-holding capacity, drought resistance and structural stability, as well as the biological activity of soils. The greatest benefits are likely to be observed on soils where organic matter levels are low. Biosolids should be spread in rotation on all suitable land throughout the farm where agricultural benefit is likely, rather than on land which is conveniently situated in relation to steadings or roads. Care should be taken not to cause soil compaction, which will have a detrimental effect on crop growth and health, and may increase the risk of surface run-off. Biosolids are not classified as waste. The application of biosolids to agricultural land is regulated by The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) (Amendment) Regulations 1990. The purpose of these regulations is to limit the build-up of heavy metals in soil and to restrict the planting, grazing and harvesting of certain crops following application. The regulations

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SLUDGE MANAGEMENT z

3% 19%

0% 41%

36% 1%

Digester

Lime Dewatering

(figure 2)

(figure 1)

state that the sludge shall be used in such a way that account is taken of the nutrient needs of the plants and that the quality of the soil and of the surface and ground water is not impaired. Biosolids producers, like Scottish Water, are required to analyse field soils and sludge prior to application and to maintain records of applications of all sludge to agricultural land. Prior to storing biosolids, SEPA must be notified through the registration of a Paragraph 8 waste management licence exemption under WMLR. Clear guidance on the safe use of biosolids in agriculture and registration requirements is provided in the “Safe Sludge Matrix.” More recently, The Biosolids Assurance Scheme (BAS) Standard, which is based on regulations and best practice, is audited by a third-party Certification Body to demonstrate that members of the scheme are conforming to its requirements. The resulting BAS Certified Biosolids should provide reassurance to food chain stakeholders and the public that these biosolids are safely and sustainably recycled to agricultural land. Scottish Water successfully gained certification to the BAS Scheme Standard in June 2017 for its mainstream sludge management operations. Scottish Water offers soil sampling and recycling services which are provided through Scottish Water`s technical specialist staff and contractors, supplied to suit a farmer’s requirements.

Year 2017 Farmland Conventional

Year 2017 Incineration

Year 2017 Farmland Advanced

Year 2017 Composted

Year 2017 Landfill

Year 2017 Land Reclamation

(figure 3) – Outlets Utilised for Biosolids - 2017

Biosolids applications will be determined following soil sampling and analysis on individual fields, taking account of the soil pH, soil P and K status and the nutrient requirements of the following crops. Risk assessments will be completed to take account of the suitability of the area in terms of distance from watercourses, gradient of land and possible weather impacts, distances to domestic water supplies and dwellings and if any protected or conserved natural or historical features are nearby. If the land is within a NVZ other factors also need to be considered.

and biosolids produced. Additionally, strict controls on industrial effluents discharged to the sewerage network have ensured that the quality of sludge meets all UK and European standards.

Changes in biosolids production technologies, in particular enhanced phosphate removal from waste water, and advanced chemical and thermal digestion processes may impact on the nutrient content of biosolids. There is a continuing need to ensure that the figures for the nutrient content of biosolids are up to date and representative of current practise at the farm gate. It is always advisable for the farmer/ land owner to request an analysis report on a regular basis when receiving any type of biosolids product for on-farm use. Scottish Water maintains technical specification data sheets for each material that is beneficially recycled to agricultural land.

Innovation will be a key theme for many aspects of this strategy across the whole bioresource journey from production, transport, treatment and recycling. The geography of Scotland is diverse and will require Scottish Water to look at both large scale technology solutions and small scale rural solutions that will consider the local communities that we serve.

Scottish Water has been working on a longer term Bioresource Strategy which will consider the horizon to when all PFI concessions ends. The strategy will have a clear focus on customer value, maximising renewable energy opportunities and strengthening relationships with local communities, farmers and key stakeholders.

The application of biosolids to agricultural land will continue to provide the best sustainable environmental option for Scottish Water through the implementation of the national strategy.

Scottish Water’s investment in waste water and sludge treatment has continued to increase, with a resulting improvement in the quality of the treated waste water

Biosolids have been recycled to agricultural land for many decades in the UK, Europe and the US, and such recycling is regarded as a safe and sustainable practice. This process is recognised as the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) in most circumstances, and this forms the cornerstone of Scottish Water’s sludge strategy.

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z SLUDGE MANAGEMENT

S:MAX solutions bring many benefits As water companies face more demands than ever before, the production of high-quality bioresources will play a huge role in managing these challenges. Population growth, climate change and the pressure to remain affordable are three of the largest pressures that water companies must deal with in 2018. Affordability is a particularly significant barrier to overcome as, without the money, the chances of coping with the other issues are remote, if not non-existent. The view that sludge is a waste product is changing- and fast. Water companies will need to get on board quickly and realise that soon there will be a market that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just aim to dispose of sludge for the cheapest possible price. Ofwat plans to open up the sludge market by 2020 means. This means what was once a cost can soon be an asset with the right policies, procedures and equipment in place. The regulator wants to see maximum benefits for customers, the environment and the sewage treatment companies. Wastewater operations need to be as efficient as possible to deal with these growing pressures. This means that rag and grit should be removed as early as possible from incoming sludge so that the damage it can cause can be minimised.

S:MAX G sludge screen uses vibrating screen technology and density separation to remove rag and grit at every stage of the downstream process. Marshmallow screen mounts ensure the maximum transfer of energy to the material on the screen and by processing at the fastest rate possible, tanker assets are optimised and transportation costs minimised. There are many other benefits to removing rag and grit at this stage of the wastewater treatment process. If these materials are removed before sludge reaches a digester, grit will not be able to settle in the tank which significantly reduces, or even eliminates the need for tank cleanouts. In addition, removing

rag and grit protects other assets such as pumps and decanter separators from abrasion and wear. Grit can decrease the expected life of these assets and increase maintenance requirements, as well as eventually impacting on dewatering effectiveness. The screened and dewatered bioresource recovered by the S:MAX G can be reused in a variety of applications, further reducing disposal costs. There is value in sludge, and the most powerful sludge screenings systems are available to create this value. For more information on sludge screening technology visit our website www.cdenviro.com

Maximise Sludge Quality Create your most valuable resource using the most powerful sludge screening system available. Speak to us about S:MAX G today.

cdenviro.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

SLUDGE MANAGEMENT z

SLUDGE INTERFACE DETECTION Sludge Finder 2 reliably measures primary, secondary and tertiary interface levels in treatment and process applications. • Self-cleaning and maintenance-free • Automatic desludging • Continous blanket level output for compliance and efficiency

® Malvern, Worcs, WR14 1JJ, UK T: +44 (0) 1684 891 371 E: info@pulsar-pm.com

www.pulsar-pm.com

ASSUMING

RESPONSIBILITY MEANS SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE In everything we do, we never lose sight of what is essential to you: efficient technology and easy handling Using our knowledge and experience in sewerage networks and sewage treatment plants, we are here to assist our customers with economical and easy to service pump, grinding and disintegration technologies and individual consulting services. vogelsang.co.uk ENGINEERED TO WORK

VOG 180267 Anzeige Abwasser 180x130mm.indd 1

14.05.18 12:05

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z SLUDGE MANAGEMENT

The C-TECH Process – Phosphorus removal made simple Ben Hazard Process Engineer

What’s the Problem?

Biological phosphorus removal is the phrase on everyone’s lips in the UK water industry at the moment, and achieving Bio-P removal with a low site footprint is the goal. Phosphorus and other nutrients that enter water courses through wastewater effluent discharge cause eutrophication in sensitive areas which drastically harms aquatic life. Therefore there are limits put into place for these sensitive areas on the concentration of nutrients that water companies are allowed to discharge – for phosphorus this currently stands at 2 mg/l for small sites and 1 mg/l for large sites, but this is expected to tighten to 0.1 mg/l in the coming AMP period. The number of sensitive areas is also expected to increase and both these factors highlight the need for water companies to invest in nutrient removal treatment processes to ensure they remain compliant in the years to come. A scarcity of available land for construction and financial constraints from Ofwat also calls for low footprint and low TOTEX solutions to be implemented for nutrient removal.

Parameter

Design Influent Load (kg/d)

DWF

3,440 m3/d

WWF

9,900 m3/d

Average Influent Concentration (mg/l)

6,480

218.6

4.7

5.7

14,200

574.6

30.8

36.0

4,400

347.8

5.23

6.90

Total P

150

7.0

0.84

0.88

Total N

1,100

46.6

6.63

6.70

treatment and tertiary settling are combined in a single basin. However, with the C-TECH, two or more batch basin are installed in parallel with their sequences out of phase with each other allowing for a continuous flow through the system. Thus no upstream buffer tank is required, unlike traditional SBR systems. Such a process is known as a cyclic activated sludge process.

What’s the Solution?

The C-TECH cyclic activated sludge process from SFC Umwelttechnik and delivered by Trant Engineering provides the perfect conditions for the growth of PAOs and therefore biological phosphorus removal, with treated effluent concentrations of < 1 mg/l.

As well as phosphorus removal, the C-TECH design allows for the formation of so-called Macroflocs. The enhanced size of these Macroflocs means that each floc contains an external aerobic zone and an internal anoxic/ anaerobic zone even during the aeration phase of the C-TECH process cycle. This means that both nitrification and denitrification occurs simultaneously within the same reactor zone and cycle phase, therefore reducing the required reactor volume/overall cycle time when compared to traditional AS or SBR processes.

The C-TECH process is fundamentally an adaption of the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process, whereby secondary biological

Typical C-TECH Arrangement

January 2014 Effluent Concentration (mg/l)

COD

BOD5

The phases of the C-TECH process are: Fill/ Aerate, Settle, and Decant, and within these three phases, COD/BOD5, total nitrogen, bio-P, and solids removal all happen within a single tank with no mechanical mixing equipment or complex valving arrangements necessary. This really highlights the operation simplicity of the process and by eliminating the need for primary and tertiary settling tanks, buffer tanks, and anoxic zones, the overall site footprint reduction becomes clear.

Bio-P removal is typically achieved by creating the perfect conditions for the growth of phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs) within an activated sludge processes (ASP). These PAOs uptake phosphorus when aerated and are then removed from the treated effluent during sludge removal.

Average Effluent Concentration (mg/l)

Case Study

The Grossarl plant in Austria gives a good indication of what the latest C-TECH design can achieve in UK conditions. The 18,000 PE, 3,440 m3/d (DWF) plant was built in 2004 as an upgrade to an existing two-lane activated sludge plant. Two new C-TECH lanes were built and brought online either side of the existing lanes, and then the two existing activated sludge lanes were converted into two further C-TECH lanes, creating a four lane system all whilst keeping the site operational. The total volume of the four reactor basins is 5,200 m3 with a footprint of 1130 m2. Grossarl’s influent consists of a mixture of domestic and industrial wastewater with typical water quality values shown above. Also shown in the table are the design influent

Grossarl WWTW, Austria, 18,000 PE

and average effluent qualities for 2014. Even during the coldest month, January, when the water temperature is below 8°C, high levels of biological nutrient and BOD5/COD removal are still achieved.

Summary

The C-TECH has had great success worldwide with over 400 installations and is now a fitting technology to meet the rising needs of the UK wastewater industry. C-TECH Advantages: n Continuous throughput allowing for elimination of buffer tank leading to ca. 50% reduction of plant footprint compared to conventional SBRs. n Excellent effluent quality guaranteed BOD5:SS:TN:TP of < 10:10:10:1 mg/l n Capital savings of around 10-20% when compared to conventional ASPs. n Energy savings of around 75-85% when compared to conventional ASPs. n Very simple operation, with optional OUR control, and DWF, WWF and maintenance cycle protocols as standard. www.trant.co.uk

We are speaking about C-TECH at the European Waste Water Management Conference in Manchester 17-18 July.

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NI Water invests £1m to upgrade watermain supplying Fermanagh Reservoirs To coincide with World Water Day which took place on the 22nd March, NI Water is pleased to announce the completion of the first section of a 3.5km watermain between Ally Hill Service Reservoir (SR), on the outskirts of Lough Bradan and Doochrock SR near Ederney, as part of a million pound investment to improve and safeguard the local water supply. The new upsized watermain will replace the old cast iron pipe which runs through Lough Bradan Forest and along Glen Road and Mweelbane Road. The first section in the forest – which to improve future access is being laid along a cleared fire break away from the overgrown path of the old pipe – is now complete. Work on the roads is due to get underway after Easter followed by a final short section in the forest in May. To ensure that pipelaying is undertaken in the safest possible manner along the roads, NI Water’s contractor, BSG Civil Engineering will need to implement temporary road closures. Martin Gillen, NI Water Project Manager said: “This larger diameter watermain is being laid to provide a more robust means of transporting water from Lough Bradan Water Treatment Works to a number of storage reservoirs in the area, including Doochrock, Drumkeeran, Largy and Drumharvey, which in turn supply much of the North/North West and East of Fermanagh. “Unfortunately due to the narrowness of local roads, it will be necessary for our contractor to implement short road closures to ensure the highest levels of health and safety for both workers and the general public.

Stephen Glackin BSG Civil Engineering, Martin Gillen NI Water, Councillor Stephen McCann Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Ricky Bratton NI Water, Willie Dornan, Alvin Edwards McAdam Design and Justin Donaghey from NI Water NI Water and BSG Civil Engineering would take this opportunity to thank residents and the wider public for their patience and cooperation while we undertake this work which will accommodate future water supply demands and provide resilience during difficult operating conditions. Customer queries should be directed to Waterline on 03457 440088.

As proud partners of NI Year of Infrastructure 2018, NI Water is helping to raise awareness of how infrastructure underpins our lives. This £1 million investment, which will benefit the water supply infrastructure in the Fermanagh area is an excellent example of the importance of our infrastructure to help reduce the risk of flooding and protect the environment. For further information log on to Infra2018.org

Eliquo Hydrok demonstrate their low P Schemes at Slade Hooton STW Eliquo Hydrok approached Severn Trent Water and NMC Nomenca to request a site visit at the Slade Hooton STW to demonstrate an Eliquo Hydrok Mecana Filter installation to Yorkshire Water and their supply chain. Severn Trent Water and NMC Nomenca are leading the way with new low P schemes and Slade Hooton STW was selected as this is one of the first low P schemes with dual stream filters and single flash/Floc mixing chambers to be installed in the region.

of the infrastructure and the installation of the plant, impressed the visiting delegation and supplied an insight into the highly efficient Eliquo Hydrok - Mecana technology for the removal of phosphorus within the wastewater treatment process.

Denys Wickens from Severn Trent with Simon Wilson & Chris Coleman from NMCNomenca hosted 15 individuals from Yorkshire Water and their supply chain partners.

“Many of the design issues we are facing have already been thought about and solved by NMCN”.

The Mecana Tertiary Filtration technology for low P removal, along with the manufacturing

Comments from the attendees included: “Great to see an Eliquo Hydrok installation and learn from NMCN’s experience, many thanks for offering this support.”

“The access steelwork was excellent quality and provided suitable access for operational and maintenance activities.”

For further information on P removal technology through tertiary filtration contact: Jason Howe, jason.howe@eliquohydrok.co.uk, 01726 861900 or visit the website: www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Leading the way in renewable energy

NI Water’s CEO Sara Venning with Leo Martin, Civil Engineering Managing Director at GRAHAM Construction at the Dunore Solar Farm.

Every aspect of life in Northern Ireland depends on the services NI Water provides. By supplying clean, fresh water and safely managing wastewater, it safeguards people’s health, underpins economic growth and protects the environment. It’s fundamental role underpinning everyday life in Northern Ireland along with the ambition to build on its track record & deliver against targets, means NI Water has had to become increasingly innovative and creative in finding new solutions and better ways of working. It was this thinking that drove the company to invest in major projects which not only saw them open a spectacular solar farm consisting of 24,000 solar panels, but also two large constructed wetlands; all with the aim of becoming a more environmentally friendly and ‘greener’ company. NI Water is the province’s largest user of electricity and operates nearly £3 billion worth of assets, all working to provide 570 million litres of clean drinking water and recycling 340 million litres of used water safely back to the environment. The company is therefore very aware of the impact on the environment, the contact with nature is 24/7, much like the business. With the world’s focus on the increasing risks to our environment, NI Water believes that its’ role starts with providing energy neutral solutions that will form an important part of future operations. Some of the flagship projects consist of:

Stoneyford Constructed Wetland; Castle Archdale Constructed Wetland; and Dunore Solar Farm in Antrim to power an entire water treatment plant. While these are not the only green solutions the company has implemented, they are prime examples of the efforts and lengths the company is willing to go to reduce carbon footprint. Their commitment is to operate as efficiently and cleanly as possible, safeguarding the environment for future generations.

Wetlands

Wetlands are nature’s infrastructure and in the Year of Infrastructure 2018, it is easy to think of cement and steel, but nature has its own way of producing cleaner water and wastewater and this comes in the form of a wetland. NI Water maintains and manages many wetlands from fully functioning Integrated Construction Wetlands (ICW) in Stoneyford and Castle Archdale to the pond at Duncrue that forms part of its educational programme for children visiting the Belfast Wastewater Treatment Works.

ICWs are designed, built and operated by man but are based on processes that occur naturally within indigenous wetlands providing an environment where the interaction of the wetland and the plants cleanse the wastewater. They were developed to treat wastewater from many sources and have been used throughout the UK and Ireland for many years. They have a well proven, track record and have shown to lower cost, have a very low energy requirement & lower maintenance against the alternative treatment processes. This is set against a large footprint and effectively a population limit where the scale of footprint is no longer practical to procure. NI Water encourages its engineers to think outside the box and to integrate wetlands into it’s water and wastewater processes. In 2014, the company set out to build an ICW. This £1.3 million project was at Stoneyford in County Antrim and was to be a flagship project for the company in the hope to produce an industryleading example of how wastewater treatment can be integrated into and complement the local ecosystem.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY z

This environmentally-friendly solution was required as the current treatment works in the village was nearing the end of its useful life and needed to be replaced. Completed in 2014, it was particularly suited to this rural area and built to accommodate the future development needs of the Stoneyford village, while promoting flora and fauna in a natural ecosystem. This was the first time this method had been used in Northern Ireland and a muchanticipated solution for NI Water, as well as its stakeholders. It was an important step towards the development of more environmentally sustainable solutions and they developed this particular site into an asset for the local community. Turning focus on the Castle Archdale site, the second ICW by NI Water, it marked an important and significant step towards the development of more environmentallyfriendly solutions to wastewater treatment. It will deliver improved wastewater treatment, whilst creating an aesthetically-pleasing area, rich in biodiversity, and potentially an educational resource. The Castle Archdale ICW contains just over 13,000m2 (3.25 acres) of wetland ponds and can accommodate seasonal fluctuations in flow and is therefore ideally suited to the Castle Archdale area. Wastewater flows from the settlement pond through the densely planted treatment ponds under gravity flow. As the water progresses through each pond it becomes cleaner as pollutants are removed by natural biological processes. Altogether, the wetland planting comprises around 20,000 plants of emergent species within the treatment ponds and settlement ponds; native trees along the perimeter of the site and grass seeding, the most prominent plant species within the ponds are Iris pseudacorus (yellow iris), Glyceria maxima (reed sweetgrass), Typha latifolia (cattail) and Carex riparia (greater pond sedge). NI Water is confident that it will accommodate the future development needs of the Castle Archdale area and it is available for the public to be at one with nature, enjoying the flora and fauna as part of the beautiful surroundings.

Dunore Solar Farm

Dunore point Solar Farm is NI Water’s single largest investment in renewable energy. This successful project is the culmination of a number of years of engagement with renewable energy developers and Northern Ireland Electricity Networks. This major scheme involved work on a 33 acre site on the eastern shore of Lough Neagh and is expected to save over half a million pounds annually in energy costs for the company. As well as meeting the energy needs of the Dunore Water Treatment Works (WTW), the project will also enable the company to contribute spare capacity to the grid. Dunore is the third largest site in terms of energy consumption accounting for 7% of the company’s annual usage. The project is a major step toward reaching the company’s goal of increasing electricity consumption from renewable sources from the current 13% to 40% by 2021 and will also save around 2000 tonnes of carbon every year. Listed below are a number of facts that outline both the scale and impact of the project to NI Water and indeed the local economy:

Dunore Point WTW:

n Dunore Point consumes typically 1822,000,000 kWh of electricity per annum.

n This is the 3rd largest site by consumption in NI Water n This accounts for 7% of the company’s annual electricity usage

n Supplies potable drinking water to Antrim and Belfast. n The site is connected to the electricity grid at 33,000 volts.

Dunore Point Solar Farm:

n Located on 33 acres of land adjacent to Dunore Point Treatment Works n Total investment of circa £7 million.

n Benefit to NI Water operational costs of circa £567,000 per annum. n ROC incentive will contribute circa £360,000.

Turning focus on the Castle Archdale site, the second ICW by NI Water, it marked an important and significant step towards the development of more environmentally-friendly solutions to wastewater treatment. 45

Constructed using: n 24,000 solar panels n 136 invertors

n 3 transformers 415v to 33,000 volt. n 2 33,000 volt switchboards

n Capable of generating c5,500,000 kWhrs / year - equivalent to 1500 homes

n Est. 4,200,000 kWhrs / year will be consumed at Dunore with remaining electricity exported to grid. This equates to approx. 20-25% of the electricity consumed by Dunore Point WTW. n Reduces NI Water Carbon Footprint by 2000 Tonnes CO2e. n Land can still be used for gazing

n Biodiversity of the site has been enhanced through use of wild meadow seed mix NI Water recognises the opportunity that recent and future change in the electricity market and associated technologies represent. The Dunore Solar Farm is an important element in the company’s strategy to continue to deliver improvements for customers and the environment. As Northern Ireland’s largest electricity consumer, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions is an essential mitigation measure. The Dunore solar PV array is an important contributor to NI Water’s wider aspiration of becoming a sustainable business and takes the company towards their 40% target of power consumption from renewable sources by 2021.

Conclusion

April 2017 marked ten years since NI Water’s formation and in that time, they have transformed the organisation by driving down efficiencies and operating costs. Much of what they, and other water companies across the UK deliver, takes place underground or out of sight. In 2016/17 NI Water invested £154m to maintain and improve treatment works and networks and delivered record levels of wastewater compliance with water quality compliance remaining at near record levels. NI Water has just entered the fourth year of an ambitious six year business plan, which sets out how the company will grow value and trust by being world class. Analysis by Ulster University Business School indicates that NI Water is benefiting the local economy to the tune of £440 million per year. Over a six-year period to 2021, it is estimated that NI Water will pump £2.5 billion to the local economy, positioning NI Water as a major contributor to Northern Ireland’s Gross Value Added (GVA). The challenge for the organisation is to continue to deliver what matters for the people of Northern Ireland while also working hand in hand with the environment it operates in. Looking ahead, NI Water understands the necessity to become climate resilient. Working in partnership with customers, stakeholders and suppliers, NI Water is managing the unavoidable impacts of climate change to its business through a combination of adaptation and mitigation.

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z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Pump problems: wet wipes, sanitary products, and textiles causing trouble for operators People’s bad habits of flushing wet wipes and other unwanted items down the toilet, are causing more and more problems for waste water treatment companies. Clogged pumps and other equipment are becoming a common occurrence, and eliminating these problems is time consuming and costly. The good news is that these malfunctions can be cost effectively avoided by installing twin-shaft grinders, as three case studies demonstrate… Today’s systems for dealing with wastewater have to meet a diverse range of requirements. Many plants achieve high reliability by maximizing the effectiveness of their pumps. Operators have to be equipped to handle storm conditions. In addition the transportation of waste water needs to be energy and resource efficient. The pumps operate for relatively long periods of time, so their efficiency is extremely important. Alongside these complex factors, plant operators are faced with fundamental challenges. The public’s habits with dealing with waste are changing. For a long time wet wipes were reserved for child care. Today, they are a feature of everyday hygiene and often end up in the toilet after use. Tampons, panty liners, and sanitary napkins are also being flushed down the toilet, with few consumers being aware that it goes totally against the advice from their waste water treatment authority. Textiles too, especially clothing, find their way into sewer systems. Once they get into the sewer system, they become a problem for all the downstream equipment. Due to the fibres they contain, wet wipes do not disintegrate nearly as easily as toilet paper. Instead they form knots and gradually clog pumps and pipes. Even centrifugal pumps with a cutting device - socalled shredder pumps - are pushed beyond their limits. In pump stations and sewage treatment plants, removing the blockages has become part of the weekly routine, burdening waste water treatment plant staff with increasing costs for maintenance work. Twin-shaft grinders installed upstream of pumps are increasingly emerging as a solution for this problems. These devices offer protection for the pumps by shredding coarse solid matter, overcoming disruption to operations. Today’s advanced twin-shaft grinders use comparatively little power, and their low speeds provide high torque for cutting when needed. Precision machined monolithic shredding rotors allow high forces to be applied, making the cutting teeth powerful and efficient. At the same time wear resistant components mean further reductions in operating costs. As space is usually at a premium, twin-shaft grinders are available in various compact designs, to allow installation even in very tight spaces. Optimised designs permit high flow

XRipper XRC-SIK-pit rates and ensure a small footprint. In addition to configurations similar to dry well pump installations, there are compact inline options for space efficient retrofitting, and designs for intake structures and open sewers. Stainless steel versions are also available, as well as submersible motors.

Wet wipes don’t stand a chance

The local authority association of Wonnegau in Germany comprises the town of Osthofen and ten smaller villages. Part of the area’s wastewater is conveyed to a sewage treatment plant at Worms by a pumping station in Osthofen. Around 8,000 inhabitants are connected to it, as well as three retirement homes, three kindergartens, and there is an industrial estate.

Clogged-Pump at Wonnegau running on average for about 20 hours a day, with brief interruptions, depending on the amount of incoming water.

Wet clumps, clogged pumps

Sanitary products, especially wet wipes, repeatedly disrupted the operation of the main pump. It had to be opened an average of once or twice a week to remove clogging. This maintenance work required two employees to remove about 50 litres of knotted material from the pump and associated pipework, which took them over all two hours.

Dry well pumps are used in the pumping station to pump the wastewater up to street level. It then flows to the Worms sewage treatment plant by gravity. The pumping station has three centrifugal pumps for sewage and four additional pumps for combined sewage and stormwater.

For long term elimination of problems caused by wipes and other coarse matter, the local authority association installed a twin shaft grinder. The device had to meet three requirements: Maintenance and part replacement had to be able to be performed by the association’s own personnel. Independent control was essential, in order to limit changes to the existing control. Additionally the tight spaces in the pumping station meant that the device had to match the specific installation situation, so as to allow direct service and maintenance in the space available.

The smallest of the centrifugal pumps handles the bulk of the sewage, with a pumping capacity of 30 litres per second (approximately 108 m3/h). The pump has a 5.5 kW drive motor

The XRipper XRP from Vogelsang installed at the end of 2015 can be serviced directly on site by the own staff, who require few tools and no

An exact fit for tight spaces

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XRipper XRP

XRipper XRP at Wonnegau intensive training to do so. The drive unit can be lifted up out of the housing by a chain hoist, together with the shafts and shredding tools, for maintenance or servicing work. Parts like the XRipper rotors, seals, and gaskets are easily accessible and therefore quick to replace. Because the motor is mounted above the device, it has a small footprint, making it suitable for installation in very cramped conditions as in the pumping station in Osthofen. The grinder could be integrated easily into the existing pipework as an inline installation, requiring minimal structural work. Control of the XRipper twin-shaft grinder is provided by an accompanying control cabinet. Only minimal modifications were required to the existing control equipment.

Goodbye blockages: An investment that pays off

The grinder reduces coarse matter contained in the wastewater, such as wet wipes and sanitary products, to a manageable size. The grinder thus eliminates the strain on the waste water pump and prevents blockage induced failures and service interruptions. “Since going into operation at the start of January 2016, the pump and the XRipper have been running smoothly. There’s no more clogging at the pump,” said plant supervisor Heiko Schuch. Since installation of the twin shaft grinder, it has ensured ongoing operation of the main sewage pump without interruptions. What’s more the intervention has paid off. The extra electricity consumed by the XRipper is countered by a reduction in the power consumption of the centrifugal pump. And thanks to the trouble free operation of the pump, the association saves more than 200 hours of work for maintenance every year.

Clothing and trash versus pumps

The environment agency in Osan in South Korea operates the local sewage treatment plant and monitors the sewer system. The

waste water generated by a local village is collected in a tank and pumped to a basin situated higher up from where it then flows to the sewage treatment plant by gravity. Three submersible pumps are installed in the pumping station to do this job. Together they achieve a delivery rate of 200 m3/h. In order to prevent interruptions and malfunctions as a result of textiles, wood and plastic, twin-shaft grinder produced by a Korean manufacturer were installed. However, their performance proved disappointing and the environment agency started looking for an alternative solution. They opted for the XRipper XRP186-260Q. Due to its compact design, it could be installed without any problems. Comparing it directly with the second competitive machine still installed, the customer could immediately see the advantages gained by the Vogelsang grinder. The XRipper is quieter and can easily manage greater volumes of wastewater ... and the QuickService design of the XRipper XRP allows quick and direct servicing by their own onsite staff.

Reliable protection at reduced costs

Kelda Water Services Grampian – Kelda Water Services (KWS) have a 28 year contract to design, build, operate and maintain a number of wastewater treatment sites in the North East of Scotland. The Nigg waste water treatment site in Aberdeen serves a population of approximately 250,000 people. KWS Grampian installed twin shaft grinders at the inlet works of the Nigg site a number of years ago, in order to protect downsteam equipment and to improve the efficiency of the screening. Whilst they were happy with the general function of the twin shaft grinders, the ongoing cost of ownership was a growing concern. These grinders did not allow for easy maintenance and could not be serviced by their own engineers, resulting in frequent overhauls carried out off site

and creating expensive and time consuming repairs. “When we spoke to Vogelsang, it became clear that they had an alternative design that could help us dramatically reduce our maintenance costs. The Vogelsang XRipper is end user serviceable, enabling us to have the unit maintained on site by our own in house engineers and back in service within a few hours. The monolithic rippers on the XRipper are not only easier to change than the traditional separate blades and spacers, they also give added robustness to the assembly meaning a reduction in the frequency of maintenance down time” explains Noel Gallagher.

A Simpler Alternative

With a large number of Vogelsang rotary lobe pumps already installed on the Nigg site, KWS engineers were familiar with the easy to service nature of Vogelsang products. When the XRipper concept was presented, they were keen to install the XRipper XRC186-520QD SIK on a comparative trial. After 12 months of operation, the Vogelsang XRipper has already demonstrated a 60% maintenance cost reduction against the previously installed units. In summary: Changing disposal habits are creating new challenges for wastewater technology. Many municipalities and authorities are finding raised amount of maintenance work that the personnel need to undertake, to meet these challenges...and frequent maintenance interventions also mean sharp increases in costs. Manufacturers of wastewater technology have developed solutions in the form of twin shaft grinders which provide an economical way of avoiding these problems. The design of these devices is such that they can be retrofitted in existing installations with relative ease. By working closely with manufacturers, operators are finding an efficient, purpose built way of avoiding malfunctions in pumps for the long term. vogelsang.co.uk

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z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

The Dilemma of Proven Innovation By Paul Barter, Principal Process Engineer, Hydro International

Fig 1.

The water industry loves innovation, provided it is “proven and reliable”. With tighter phosphorous consents coming into force, we will need ‘proven and reliable’ processes that meet these new limits. Can these processes also be innovative?

Proven and Reliable

Systems with proven wastewater phosphorus removal performance exist. One such system is a continuous vertical sand filter (DynaSand®) with additional chemical dosing to precipitate dissolved phosphates. DynaSand® has a proven track record worldwide, including at Växjö in Sweden, where it has been protecting lakes for the last 20 years. The lake system in Växjö was receiving excessive phosphorus, causing algal blooms. The sewage treatment works was discharging around 1.9 tonnes of phosphorus per year, and nearby lakes were leaching 2.8 tonnes per year from phosphate-rich sediment. The maximum phosphorus the lake could safely absorb was just 1 tonne per year, so an 80% reduction was required. First, sediment was dredged from local lakes, then the sewage treatment works was upgraded and a 0.2 mg/l annual average phosphate discharge consent set. Preprecipitation of phosphate was accomplished in primary settlement tanks, with postprecipitation using ferric sulfate at a new installation of 60 DynaSand® units. Over the last 20 years the plant bettered its 0.2 mg/l target, consistently operating at levels of about 0.1 mg/l (Fig 1). Outlet total suspended solids were in the range of 2 to 8 mg/l (Fig 2). This has improved water quality and restored the natural environmental balance.

What About Innovation?

That’s “proven and reliable” covered—what about innovation? There is often limited space available on sewage treatment works, so adding new process plant can be problematic. A system that combines processes, or an existing system that can be upgraded to remove additional substances,

can make savings. DynaSand® filters combine phosphorous removal with ammonia or nitrate removal in a single stage.

Single Stage Phosphorus and Ammonia Removal

At Anglian Water’s Watton water recycling centre six DynaSand® Oxy filters were trialled. The study was part of the UKWIR CIP 2 scheme, and DynaSand® Oxy was the only technology trialled that combined phosphate and ammonia reduction. Phosphorus precipitation is implemented through load profile-based ferric dosing into the primary tanks and a small additional steady dose of ferric (5 mg/l) via a static mixer immediately upstream. When the plant is operating optimally without other external factors causing an increase in the phosphorus load to the filters, the results demonstrate that an effluent total P concentration of 0.2 mg/l and ammonia concentration of 0.7 mg/l can be achieved.

Single Stage Phosphorus and Nitrate Removal

Denitrification is an important process where the receiving water body is particularly sensitive. It is often accomplished in the secondary

Fig 2.

treatment stage, but it can be necessary to remove nitrates as part of the tertiary process. This can be combined with phosphorous removal to produce a low-nutrient final effluent. At Ratzeburg, Germany, a DynaSand® Deni system was installed to remove nitrates and phosphorous from the final effluent. Two chemical dosing systems were used: a ferric/ alum dose to capture the phosphorous, and carbon to encourage bacterial growth for nitrate removal. The carbon source (methanol or ethanol) must be easily digestible to the bacteria, so it can be utilised quickly within the Dynasand® Deni, but it must be controlled because it adds BOD to the water. The growth of bacteria also adds to the solids loading on the filters, which must be considered, especially with the added solids from ferric dosing. The result, however, can be impressive, with very low phosphorous achieved, and total nitrogen levels of less than 10 mg/l. A compact solution is disc filtration, with chemical precipitation along with flocculation, large phosphate rich floccs can be generated that are captured on the disc cloth. The high disc area allows high flow volumes in a small footprint. In Pietersaari, Finland, two DynaDisc® filters were installed which deliver phosphorus levels below 0.1 mg/l, with low solids. The DynaSand® and DynaDisc® technologies show excellent long-term phosphorous removal, coupled with innovative additional pollutant removal in a single stage, allowing TSS, BOD, phosphorus and ammonia/nitrates to be removed from wastewater, improving water quality, protecting biodiversity and looking after the planet for future generations. For more information on our wastewater phosphorus removal technologies visit: hydro-int.com/hydro-p-removal

WASTE WATER z

20 172 80

years

million m3 of flow treated tonnes of phosphorus removed

Read the case study hydro-int.com/vaxjo

Challenge convention: visit hydro-int.com/vaxjo or search hydro vaxjo online. 49

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Engineering biology for the circular economy in water resources

At present, wastewater treatment plants play a vital role in the circular economy by treating and recycling water to the natural environment. In the future they will also act as low-carbon energy generators and facilities for recovering and producing materials useful to society. By Dr Russell Davenport, Dr Martin Spurr, Professor Ian Head and Brett Cherry Wastewater treatment technology is exciting for a variety of reasons. The UK and other rich nations are in the privileged few, where nearly all the water collected to make it potable is treated and returned to the environment, which in 98.5% of cases is compliant with environmental standards set out in EU directives. Globally, 80% of wastewater is discharged to the environment untreated. It is estimated that, across the world, for every £1 invested in water and sanitation services £5-£46 is returned in economic benefits due to health and environmental improvements. However, wastewater treatment is energyintensive and energy-negative accounting for 1.5% of total UK electricity use; the largest single use of which is for aeration. Imagine in the future if we not only met the standards for environmental quality of our rivers and streams affected by wastewater discharge some of the time, but all of the time, while also producing useful energy and products. While wastewater treatment has improved since the days of the first treatment technologies in the late 19th and early 20th century, the main technologies have remained relatively unchanged since that time. However, using knowledge and tools from biological engineering could change all of this. BE:WISE (Biological Engineering: Wastewater Innovation at Scale) is an advanced collaborative wastewater treatment research facility in partnership with Northumbrian Water that is located in Birtley, Gateshead. It is paving the way for future wastewater treatment and transforming how we treat wastewater through engineering biology. It adds to the North East’s legacy as a pioneer in water engineering, which includes mine water

treatment, blue-green infrastructure and Bio-Electrochemical Systems (BES). BE:WISE combines multiple wastewater treatment units into one facility and welcomes proposals for collaborative research projects between the water sector and academia. What makes BE:WISE particularly unique is that it receives wastewater from a population equivalent of 40,000 Northumbrian Water customers located in Birtley. Wastewater is piped into the facility from the main inlet source and is received by multiple treatment units onsite. It is in a sense not one but multiple labs in one. The facility provides an opportunity to test exciting innovations in water resource technology at scale. One example is a realtime biosensor for measuring BOD, which is still widely used in the wastewater industry as an important indicator of the amount of organic pollutants in water. This is the first time our BES sensing technology has been tested with a continuous feed of wastewater from a treatment plant. The sensor is essentially a microbial fuel cell (MFC) made from cheap materials with a biofilm grown from bacteria found in the wastewater on

a carbon anode and an air-breathing chemical cathode. As the bacteria grow they give up electrons via the anode and release a proton that goes through a membrane to an aerated cathode chamber generating an electrical signal. The voltage is proportional to the BOD of the wastewater entering the anodic chamber. Unsurprisingly these were originally explored for generating energy, but in this case they are for self-powered, accurate, real-time monitors of BOD. A biosensor for monitoring BOD could potentially save the water sector in terms of time and cost. The five day BOD (BOD5) test used by treatment plants since 1912 has many shortcomings that impact wastewater effluents. Even when BOD is found to be too high – it’s often too late to reactively manage – because the effluent will have already been discharged. BOD5 is also inaccurate with readings typically having an error of ±15%. Other tests in use today such as for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) take less time but use hazardous chemicals, which makes them less than ideal, and does not specifically measure the biodegradable component of organic matter that is of interest to wastewater treatment practitioners.

We are currently looking at the advantages of MECs versus AD for low-carbon energy generation. We hold the record for building the largest MEC in the world that generates hydrogen at ambient temperature, and are currently building a modular version allowing different components to be changed in order to speed up the process and make it more reliable.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

In the UK wastewater continues to mainly be treated aerobically. The energy and cost of doing this is substantial. More advanced should not mean more expensive – it should mean cheaper, with enhanced precision and sustainability. The sensor can act as a cheap early warning system providing a real-time signal for process control -- potentially allowing for reductions in aeration for wastewater treatment. Instead of using it 100% every day, aeration could be modified based on the amount of BOD in the influent. At the moment we are currently validating the BOD sensor to prove that the electrical output from the device correlates with actual BOD5, similar to the original proof-of-concept in the lab. The BOD sensor is a potential sustainable solution for preventing wastewater discharges where BOD is high, relieving pressure on ecosystems and aquatic life. It could help bring industry one step closer to managing wastewater in a way that continues to ensure the future of sustainable wastewater treatment. Testing the BOD sensor at BE:WISE grants us the opportunity to understand how it responds to a range of environmental variables present in wastewater, including toxic chemicals. Since it’s a biosensor anything that affects biological processes could affect it, but in the case of conditions like pH and temperature (which are readily measured online already) it is possible to work

WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY z

the influent itself rather than water treatment residual (sludge) for anaerobic digestion to generate energy carriers. We are currently looking at the advantages of MECs versus AD for low-carbon energy generation. We hold the record for building the largest MEC in the world that generates hydrogen at ambient temperature, and are currently building a modular version allowing different components to be changed in order to speed up the process and make it more reliable. around them using calibration models that compensate for variations. In the circular economy, wastewater could also be a source of low-carbon energy generation; there is nearly ten times as much (chemical) energy in wastewater than the energy we currently use to treat it. This provides opportunities to circumvent aeration and turn wastewater treatment systems from netusers to net-contributors of energy. If we treat wastewater anaerobically it would significantly reduce the cost of treatment and could generate low-carbon energy at the same time. Three such technologies are MFCs that directly generate electricity, microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) that generate hydrogen or other valuable chemicals, and anaerobic treatment using low temperature-adapted microbes for the production of methane. These technologies use

If found technically viable hydrogen production from wastewater could be a boon for the UK water sector, and we are working with Northumbrian Water Group to explore the technical and economic feasibility of the technology. In the near future BE:WISE will be testing more microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). Newcastle University researchers will continue the next phase of their work in testing coldadapted microbes for producing biogas at low temperatures using wastewater as the substrate. At BE:WISE we are combining expertise in microbiology, electrochemistry, environmental engineering, and other fields. We encourage collaborations with colleagues in industry and academia that want to make innovations in biological engineering and BES systems a reality for the water sector. research.ncl.ac.uk/bewise/

World-leading water research Our areas of expertise: • Advanced biology for water engineering • Green infrastructure testing facilities • Adapting cities and infrastructure to climate change • Sustainable wastewater treatment at scale • Advanced city-scale flood modelling • Remote sensing, geospatial data and digital innovation We partner with industry to accelerate innovation and tackle the big challenges facing the water sector.

Find out more about our work and join us in creating a sustainable future for water:

go.ncl.ac.uk/sage/water

Working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).

www.ncl.ac.uk 51

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

How do you treat sludge properly?…talk to Eliquo Hydrok The question of sludge treatment is of critical importance in modern wastewater treatment. On the one hand, disposal is very expensive. On the other hand, sewage sludge is a viable source of energy and nutrients. How energy-efficient or even energy self-sufficient a treatment plant actually is will depend largely on the quality of sludge digestion. The Eliquo experience in sludge treatment is comprehensive. Sludge thickening, digestion, dewatering and drying are all part of our portfolio. With our proprietary, innovative design concepts, we provide advanced sludge treatment solutions. The best-possible sludge digestion enables sewage treatment plants to operate with energy self-sufficiency and in some cases with an energy surplus. This is achievable in combination with co-substrate utilisation, with energy-related improvements in the mechanical and aerobic biological wastewater treatment or with the additional use of renewable energies, such as wind power and photovoltaics. We would be happy to work with you on a tailor-made system design. To discuss Sludge Treatment systems, contact Lewis O’Brien, Technical Director, 01726 861900, lewis.obrien@eliquohydrok.co.uk

SLUDGE TREATMENT Complete solutions for efficient digestion to energy-optimised drying LysoTherm® thermal hydrolysis plant (THP without steam) EloPhos® controlled struvite precipitation and removal

LysoTherm Thermal organic sludge disintegration

EloDry® low temperature sludge drier PYREG® dried sludge pyrolysis PEARL® P-removal fertilizer production Liquor treatment plants Coarse bubble diffusers for sludge mixing

ELIQUO HYDROK LTD I T 01726 861 900 I sales@eliquohydrok.co.uk

www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY z

Selwood launches new environmentally-friendly S160Eco pump Selwood, the UK’s leading pump rental solutions provider, has unveiled its new S160Eco solids handling pump which delivers increased performance and near-silent operation from an environmentally-friendly engine. The S160Eco was developed by Selwood to complement its market-leading S range of solids handling pumps, in response to market demand for a unit that reduces emissions without sacrificing performance. The S160Eco, housed in Selwood’s renowned Super Silent canopies, is the quietest pump on the market as tested against EU directive 2000/14/EC and is designed to meet stringent EU Stage IIIB emissions regulations. The S160Eco utilises Selprime technology for fast, environmentally-friendly priming. Driven by an Isuzu diesel engine, the six-inch S160Eco is offered as an upgrade over Selwood’s current S150 model, offering a 28.5% increase in pressure, resulting in an extra 5m head. The new unit recently went on display at the prestigious Pump Centre Conference in Telford. Chris Garrett, CEO of Selwood, said: “Customers in the water and wastewater sector are increasingly seeking to reduce emissions, and ever more stringent regulations make it paramount that Selwood remains at the forefront of environmentally-friendly technology. “It is also important to us that customers achieve this without sacrificing performance. Our engineers have developed the S160Eco specifically in response to these demands – and it is a credit to them that they have

produced a unit that meets emissions demands and offers improved performance when compared to our benchmark S150 model. “Our customers expect quality, performance and innovation, and we are very proud of this new addition which offers more choice from Selwood’s market-leading solids handling range. “As a long-standing and trusted provider of quality pumps to the water industry, we have already seen significant interest in this pump for both rental and sale.” The S160Eco is ideal for both rental and sales solutions and is suitable for a full range of sewage, sewer bypass, overpumping, water and wastewater applications. It is designed to handle large solids including raw sewage and fibrous solids without blocking. The pump is built into an improved canopy with removable panel sections for ease of maintenance. The emissions compliance ensures the S160Eco can be used in inner cities where the most stringent regulations apply. The S160Eco is just one of a series of new additions to the solids handling range amid a period of significant investment in continued research and development. The renowned Selwood S150 pump is now available in a fully electric drive version, featuring a highlyefficient and environmentally-friendly 30KW IE3 electric motor. The electric drive Selwood S150 Super Silent is capable of the same superb performance as Selwood’s 1800rpm dieselpowered model, providing 100mm solids handling, 310m3/h capacity and 27m total head. Selwood has introduced 50 of the new units into its pump rental fleet and is also offering them through its sales operation.

Super Silent electric drive configurations of Selwood’s S100 and S200 pumps are also available. Specialists are also developing an electric model of the company’s industryleading Drainer “D” range, which are renowned for their versatility and performance and are ideally suited to dewatering across a wide range of applications. As with all Selwood products, the pumps come with the company’s pedigree for delivering bespoke installation, site surveys and exceptional customer service from their rental branches across the UK. Selwood offers site visits, installation and maintenance services back by a 24/7, 365 days-a-year emergency callout system. It offers customers a first-class total sales package with a fully trained, professional sales team offering ‘on the ground’ expertise and after sales service, backed up by centrally coordinated facilities such as parts distribution and technical advice. A global leader in research and development, Selwood’s British-made pumps benefit from their original Selprime design. This automatic self-priming system features a water tolerant diaphragm air pump, rapid prime and reprime, and is an environmentally-friendly solution with no oil vapour emissions or oil emulsification. Selwood’s Super Silent canopies are renowned for their sound attenuation and include protective enclosures and silencers to reduce operating noise – ideal for applications in urban areas. Selwood has delivered thousands of installations to customers including Southern Water, Anglian Water, the Canal and River Trust, Wessex Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water. For more information visit www.selwood.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Belzona Makes Clarifier Maintenance Clear and Simple Water Management is an essential part of many industries, for which clarifier and settlement tanks play a crucial role. Whether it is for a pharmaceutical site, a mine or a wastewater treatment plant, ensuring correct and effective processing is the cornerstone of this sector and any damage to these pieces of equipment can have significant consequences. Common problems

By their very nature, clarifier and settlement tanks are susceptible to three main issues: corrosion, erosion and chemical attack. Of course, steps are taken to reduce the impact these issues have, simply by controlling their operation. For instance, the flow speed from inlet pipes is kept low. This minimises the amount of turbulence and disruption of the settled and coagulated solids. However, effective operation still cannot eliminate these problems. Whether these problems arise in the form of deteriorated concrete; eroded and corroded metalwork, or failed expansion joints, the appropriate solutions must be able to withstand the operating conditions and demonstrate longterm resistance to the aforementioned effects. Belzona has been involved with maintenance for clarifier and settlement tanks for over 65 years and therefore, has significant experience in providing long-lasting repair and protective materials.

Settling on a clear solution

One such example includes a clarifier at a wastewater plant in Houston, USA. This clarifier had been operating without any form of protective coating since its installation and when inspected in 2013, they realised the significant erosion damage to the concrete structure. Accentuating this even further were the rigorous cleaning processes. The customer was looking for a long-term repair in lieu of repairing it every 2-3 years as they have done in the past. Furthermore, the asset owner required any solution to accommodate for the cleaning procedures. With damaged concrete and no coating, the trough was hard to keep clean. In fact, it was taking 2-3 times longer than when new. Notably, the Maintenance Manager for the facility was already familiar with Belzona systems. Having specified their use elsewhere in the plant and having a great deal of experience with the local Distributor, provided assurance that the proposed solution would work well.

Application in progress

During the designated downtime, scaffolding was erected around the circumference of the clarifier, allowing easy access for the maintenance crew. Using Belzona 4131 (MagmaScreed), which is easy to apply over large areas, the damaged concrete was returned to its original profile. Far stronger than concrete, this actually enhanced the erosion resistance of the clarifier. However, as a further protective

measure and to facilitate easier cleaning, Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade) was applied within the trough. Overall, this system provided a long-term solution, designed for immersed operation whilst providing outstanding corrosion and chemical resistance.

Cost-effective and timesaving

The application window available for the maintenance was simply three days. In comparison to competitor systems, which would have required shutdown for over a week, the Belzona repair was able to be carried out over the long weekend specified by the facility. In addition to the quick turn-around, these materials have a proven track record within other areas of the treatment plant. Altogether, the Maintenance Manager was very satisfied with the repair as it was cost-effective and saved time. This application is still faring well in service to this day. For more information about Belzonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range of solutions for the Water and Wastewater Industry, visit: https://www.belzona.com/en/ industries/wastewater.aspx

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY z

A whole world of solutions. Discover the latest repair and protection solutions for the Water and Wastewater facilities. • • • •

Chemical resistant protective coatings Cold bonding metal repairs Enhancement of fluid handling systems Fast-curing concrete rebuild

Solve thousands of Wastewater Industry problems. Future proof it. Belzona it. www.belzona.com/wastewater

Our product range offers value to a range of applications within areas of drinking water, wastewater, leisure resorts, food processing, breweries, mining, power generation, facilities management and mainstream industrial processes. n PolyBlend Polymer Feed Systems n Encore Pumps and Liquid Feed Systems

n Dry Chemical Feed Systems n Varea-Meter Variable Area Flowmeters

Find us on

Email: aran.bray@waterprocesssolutions.com Telephone: 01622 719945

www.waterprocesssolutions.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z WASTEWATER TREATMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Superior solids measurement solutions for wastewater Valmet is a global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the water industry. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers. Valmet’s strong technology offering includes superior solids measurement solutions for wastewater based on many years of experience and know-how in environmental processes, such as drinking water and waste water treatment that call for new efficient technologies to fulfill ever tighter water quality and requirements. Having over 10 years of experience in the wastewater treatment industry, Valmet has over 1000 references of solids measurement systems in municipal and industrial plants globally, with great proven results. These applications are used in the sludge dewatering, as well as at the primary clarifier, thickening, and digester process stages. Valmet’s solids measurement systems are backed up with innovative technology, offering reliability to the end customer when optimizing their wastewater treatment plants. Valmet’s solids sensors provide benefits for all sludge processing stages. Valmet’s net sales in 2016 were approximately EUR 2.9 billion. Our 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward every day. Valmet’s head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Move your wastewater treatment forward with Valmet’s solids measurement technology Valmet’s wastewater measurement and automation solutions perform even in the most challenging conditions. You can get the most from our experience and knowhow in technology and get well-timed results. Discover benefits throughout the sludge treatment process, from optimized polymer use, less circulating material, lower transportation costs, to optimized energy consumption – all resulting in significant savings and a speedy return on your investment.

valmet.com/wastewater

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

AVK UK Limited supply DN800 resilient seated gate valves for Dalmacoulter Resilience Scheme AVK UK Limited was awarded a contract for the provision of four DN800 Series 55 Resilient Seated Gate Valves along with nine DN900 Metal Seated Gate Valves by the Caledonia Water Alliance (Morrison Utility Services Limited and AECOM) on the Dalmacoulter Resilience Scheme for ultimate client Scottish Water. The valves are the first of their kind ever to have been supplied on a UK scheme having only been available and supplied up to DN600 before this order. Discussions began early 2016, and the valves were delivered to site in October 2016.The Caledonia Water Alliance, formed by Morrison Utility Services Limited and AECOM, was named in 2014 as the preferred bidder to support the delivery of Scottish Waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water infrastructure element of its capital investment programme.

The contract includes programme management, together with the design and construction of works associated with the water network across the whole of Scotland. This contract includes new assets, renewals, modifications, maintenance and refurbishment of water networks and pumping stations. The Dalmacoulter Resilience Scheme is for the construction of a 1000mm diameter HPPE pipeline approximately 5km in length running from Cumbernauld to Airdrie.

The pipeline is being constructed in duplication to the existing pre-stressed concrete pumping main to ensure the resilience of supply to 185,000 people. Wilson McPhail, AVK UK Limited Business Manager for Scotland explained why the DN800 S55 Resilient Seated Gate Valves were chosen for the scheme, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had worked closely and collaborated with the Caledonia Water Team on the design requirements.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

It was established that on two of the DN800 Gate Valves, there would not be enough headroom for the valves to sit in the vertical position. One of the key advantages of the AVK S55 Resilient Seated Gate Valve is that you can install them vertically or horizontally as standard without any modifications required to the valve. This allowed us to easily overcome this challenge by giving the customer the flexibility to install in either position.” The valves were manufactured at AVK’s state of the art machining facility in Anhui, China. “The usage of the DN800 S55 not only solved the immediate challenge but also provided the customer with other additional benefits. The AVK S55 Gate valves have a lower operating torque in comparison to a Metal Seated Gate Valve which is significant for the gearing or actuator size resulting in cost savings to the customer, the valves are designed to be 100% drop tight. They are the optimum valves for this scheme.” Wilson continued. AVK UK Limited is continuously developing new products to meet the ever-increasing demand within the sector. Work is already underway for the development of DN900mm and DN1000mm diameter S55 Resilient Seated Gate Valves that should be available this year. Wilson concluded, “Our development and manufacturing teams constantly liaise with

2 market leaders to identify new ways of doing things and new products.”

Works at Dalmacoulter

For further details on this scheme, please contact:

DN800 S55 Resilient Seated Gate Valves Installed at Dalmacoulter

Wilson McPhail Business Manager - Scotland AVK UK Limited Mobile: 07515 576658 E-Mail: wimc@avkuk.co.uk

EXPECT... SOLUTIONS NOT ONLY PRODUCTS EXPECT...IT TO BE EFFECTIVE AND EASY EXPECT...QUALITY IN EVERY STEP

LARGE DIAMETER Gate Valves, Fittings and Site Solutions AVK offers a complete valve, fittings and site solutions package for all your large diameter installations.

Sales Office T: +44 (0) 1604 601188 E: customerservice@avkuk.co.uk

Gate Valve range: • Resilient seated gate valve range in sizes up to DN1000 • Metal seated gate valve range in sizes up to DN2400 • Comply to all relevant standards and specifications • Available with a wide range of ISO top flange • Complete with a selection of standard accessories

Fittings range: • Sizes up to DN1600 • Repair clamps • Tees • Flange adaptors (Tensile and non-tensile available) • Couplings (Tensile and nontensile available) • Wall starters • Dismantling joints • Encapsulation collars • Bespoke fabrications • 24/7 emergency service offer - 0800 202 8228

www.avkuk.co.uk 59

Site solutions: • Design / manufacture / supply / installation / refurbishment / replacement • Site surveys • Health checks • Scheduled maintenance • Servicing contracts • Extended warranties • Post contract training • UK coverage

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z IMPROVING DRINKING WATER QUALITY

Pioneering innovative

water treatment technologies at Mayflower Water Treatment Works By C.Rockey and D.Metcalfe, South West Water, U.K. Summary

South West Water (SWW) is nearing the completion of an exciting project to provide consumers with a state-of-the-art drinking water production facility. The pioneering Mayflower facility will replace an ageing water treatment works (WTW) in Plymouth and provide up to 90 million litres of top-quality drinking water to consumers in Plymouth and the South Hams, Devon. Following long-term pilot-scale research SWW and their delivery alliance H5O agreed to build an innovative pre-treatment facility comprising suspended ion exchange (SIX®), inline coagulation (ILCA®) and ceramic microfiltration (CeraMac®) (PWNT, Netherlands) at a new treatment works, Mayflower WTW. These novel technologies were selected in part due to their potential to increase the robustness of the treatment process and improve treated water quality. Clear water quality goals were established, including providing an absolute barrier to particles (including cryptosporidium); reducing dissolved organic carbon (DOC), disinfection by products (DBPs) and chlorine demand; and increasing biological stability in distribution, to ensure the investment would meet current and future challenges. Construction and commissioning is due for completion during late 2018.

Introduction

SWW has had a long-term strategic goal to re-locate the existing Crownhill WTW in Plymouth to a new site on high ground above the city on the edge of Dartmoor. This location is important as it provides a strategic link between all three of our supply areas and our largest impounding reservoir by gravity. Over time the costs and risks of operating and maintaining the existing facility have been increasing. Meeting long-term water quality goals is becoming more challenging due to the impacts of climate change and increasing levels of DOC in the source waters. These factors alongside our desire to continue to exceed our consumer and regulatory obligations (at all times) drove the search for a solution to best meet our goals for this supply area by 2020. As a starting point for this strategic investment SWW reviewed its goals for any potential treatment process which included: n Robust treatment barriers ideally providing an absolute barrier to cryptosporidium n Enhanced DOC removal to reduce the formation of all DBPs in light of the progression from prescribed regulatory standards and towards “minimising the formation of DBPs”

n Highly automatable, compact, robust and efficient process n Forward-looking innovative approach

n Keep consumers’ bills down in the long term

The SIX CeraMac process which was in development by PWNT (Netherlands) was identified at the time as potentially meeting these goals. Following initial tests SWW invested in a large-scale pilot plant in order to gain insight into the technical, economical and operational feasibility of these processes through a long-term evaluation. The key goals of the pilot were to gain confidence and operational experience of these innovative processes whilst collecting a large data set encompassing all raw water conditions. This information could be used to inform decisions and reduce risk in any subsequent design and build process, and ultimately the long term operation of these processes.

Pilot scale research to inform design and operation The pilot research was invaluable in:

n Fully understanding the challenges present in the SWW raw waters n Optimising the processes to enable the most effective operation possible and confirming efficacy n Understanding the limitations and opportunities for design

n Gaining direct operational experience and training staff ahead of any full-scale build

n Demonstrating the benefits of the innovative approach and dispelling urban/ operational myths (providing reassurance/ building confidence).

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

After two years of detailed and collaborative pilot research we determined a slightly amended process was feasible and could provide significant improvements in water quality, robustness and operability of treatment. From these conclusions we progressed to full-scale design. SWW is a partner in the Interreg DOC2Cs project which is supported by the European Regional Development fund which supports technological innovation. The other partners within this cross-border collaboration are De Watergroup (BE), Lille University (FR), Delft University of Technology (NL) and PWNT (NL). The project partners are collaborating to accelerate the development of innovative technologies to improve DOC removal.

Innovative Processes

SIX – Suspended Ion Exchange was initially proposed as the sole membrane pretreatment for the removal of DOC and pilot results showed that SIX was very effective in removing DOC during the initial raw water conditions. Specialist organic characterisation techniques demonstrated that SIX preferentially removed the lower molecular weight (LMW) organic compounds but the removal of high MW (HMW) organic compounds was limited. When the concentration of these HMW organics was high the membranes fouled much more rapidly which lead to the need to increase cleaning of the membranes. Due to this finding a further pretreatment process was required to enable efficient membrane operation. Research indicated that coagulation, powdered activated carbon or heated aluminium oxide particles had been previously applied as ceramic membrane pre-treatments. Despite our desire to avoid the traditional application of coagulants research indicated this would be the most effective pretreatment for mitigating fouling from HMW organic compounds. Further pilot testing was undertaken to evaluate in-line coagulation/absorption (ILCA) as a second pretreatment for DOC removal between the ion exchange and membrane processes. ILCA – Pilot testing confirmed that coagulation flocculated the HMW organic compounds (the opposite MW fraction removed to that that is removed by SIX), preventing them from strongly binding to the membrane and

Mayflower WTW under construction – Spring 2018

IMPROVING DRINKING WATER QUALITY z

allowing them to be removed with a chemicalfree backwash. Due to the removal of a large portion of the DOC present in the raw water by SIX (the first stage of the process), the coagulant dose required was significantly (>50%) reduced. This fact in combination with the very high solids loading capacity of Metawater ceramic membranes made inline coagulation possible – a process where the coagulant and pH correction chemicals are injected into the forward flow / with no clarification process prior to filtration. The design of the in-line flocculation zone was optimised from pilot testing at both SWW and PWNT research facilities to ensure the coagulant/DOC flocs presented to the membrane had the correct characteristics. CeraMac – Ceramic membranes are significantly more robust than the polymeric membranes typically used in water treatment and can run at higher fluxes/productivity, be cleaned more aggressively to fully restore permeability, have a longer life etc. Ceramic monolith membranes offer benefits over polymeric membranes, due to the removing the risk of fibre breakage and subsequent operational repairs. Whilst they are more expensive per unit filtration area than polymeric membranes, they have longer lifetimes prior to replacement (e.g. 20 years vs. seven for polymeric membranes) and can achieve higher flux/productivity which on a whole-life costs basis the economic case for investing in ceramic membranes may be made. Optimising the treatment to achieve a high membrane flux was a major goal of the pilot work, to further improve the economic feasibility and reduce the footprint of the process. During pilot work with the membrane we also focussed on the use of various chemical cleaning regimes including ozone and chlorine. This research showed that ozone was more effective than chlorine in restoring the membrane condition and the waste streams were simpler to remediate and less environmentally damaging than chlorine solutions. This insight from the pilot research was one of many applied to the full-scale design for Mayflower WTW.

Water Quality benefits

showed residual DOC levels could be halved in comparison with a conventional coagulation sand filtration process, despite a much smaller coagulant dose. Treatment to reduce levels of DOC is important and in our situation the DOC reduction is expected to deliver: n Lower DBP formation potential – pilot testing showed that DBPs were reduced by c 60% n Less chlorine required and lower more stable chlorine residuals to consumers chlorine demand and decay were shown to be significantly reduced, improved acceptability n Improved operation and efficiency of downstream processes:

n Membrane operation – higher fluxes, lower operating pressure, reduce chemical cleaning, simpler operation achieved, lower cost n Operation of UV disinfection – more stable and higher treated water UV transmittance and the provision of two independent DOC barriers (SIX and ILCA) reduces risk and operational cost

n Useable life of granular activated carbon (GAC) is increased by reducing DOC and in particular the lower molecular weight fractions that are targeted by ion exchange. Less frequent regeneration leads to lower costs, operational risk and disruption

n More stable treated water quality reducing biological re-growth in the distribution network and domestic plumbing systems, reducing the risk of the negative impacts on appearance, taste or smell

Conclusion

Pilot research has enabled South West Water to work with its H5O Delivery Alliance and PWNT to engineer an innovative drinking water treatment facility on the edge of Dartmoor. The Mayflower will soon provide South West Water the benefits of enhanced removal of DOC and the robustness of a ceramic membrane filtration. Meeting our goals and most importantly ensuring consumers can trust their tap water is of the highest quality and always good to drink.

As SIX and CeraMac removed opposite fractions of DOC, they are very complementary - when combined (SIX followed ILCA) very high removal of DOC can be achieved. Pilot-scale testing

SIX process air mixing pipework

Ceramic membrane installation

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Water treatment first as Scottish Water trials Nyex How does Nyex work?

Arvia’s Nyex treatment system combines the advantages of adsorption and electrochemical regeneration within a single unit to treat organics in water. Key to this innovative process is an alternative approach to adsorption.

2 1

Containerised Nyex treatment system onsite at Pateshill water treatment works.

The scaled-up treatment system is the first long-term drinking water application for Nyex following DWI approval.

Nyex process tank within the container

3 n First major drinking water pilot for Arvia’s Nyex treatment system n Trials assess effectiveness on hard-to-treat organics in raw water n Tertiary treatment combines oxidation and adsorption to eliminate waste Scottish Water is set to undertake the world’s first long-term trial of Arvia’s Nyex treatment system on drinking water at a specially established pilot plant in West Lothian. The trial, which will run separately to the existing water treatment works at Pateshill, will assess the effectiveness of the system in removing organic material from raw water. Nyex is a tertiary treatment system which combines adsorption with oxidation in a process that has many potential applications in water and wastewater processing. In municipal water applications, the main advantage of Arvia’s Nyex over granular activated carbon (GAC) filters is the elimination of waste – cutting the cost of having to dispose of waste solids to landfill. The Scottish Water trial is focused on establishing whether Nyex could have an application on hard-to-treat water with a high content of organic material, due to the impact this can have on drinking water treatment. Bench trials have shown the Arvia system could remove 68 per cent of organic material from water, with the new pilot set to test the treatment on a larger scale to see if these results can be replicated and sustained.

Arvia project manager Akmez Nabeerasool said, “We are delighted to be taking this pilot project to a scaled-up level, which is the first long-term drinking water application for Nyex since approval by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). The pilot will assess the effectiveness on a range of flow and current parameters and locate the technology at different positions in the treatment train, including before and after pre-treatment.” Allan Mason, senior project manager for business excellence at Scottish Water, said, “Research and innovation is key to Scottish Water being able to improve its water and wastewater services and ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible, even in the most remote of our communities. The bench trials of the Arvia system produced some excellent results on a difficult-to-treat raw water and I am very excited to see if we can replicate and sustain performance on a larger scale. “If it performs well during this pilot, it could potentially offer us another method for treating drinking water in an efficient and cost-effective manner which continues to meet the high standards of service we aim to provide to our customers.”

Conventionally high capacity adsorbents with high porosities and surface areas, such as activated carbons, are used. These technologies are very effective, but require complex and costly regeneration. Nyex uses a patent protected adsorbent media which is a non-porous and highly conducting, enabling it to act as both the adsorbent and a 3D electrode. Its nonporous nature means kinetic activity during adsorption and regeneration is extremely fast and can be repeated many times in situ. This net benefit of this increased motion greatly outweighs the relatively lower adsorptive capacity of the media. This means the Nyex process requires a significantly lower mass of adsorbent than those using activated carbon, reducing site footprint and total capital expenditure. The high conductivity of the adsorbent means that it operates at low cell voltage to create a chemical-free, waste-free, cost and energy efficient process. Contaminant organics are adsorbed onto the media surface and a low voltage electric current proportional to the organic concentration is passed through. Adsorbed organics are oxidised and the surface of the media is regenerated for further adsorption without interruption or replacement. The treated water flows from the foot of the system where it can either be reused or safely discharged.

Water samples before and after treatment on the laboratory-scale Nyex system

Arvia Technology

Advanced water and wastewater treatment for the modern world. Arvia’s Nyex™ solution allows for effective treatment of organics (COD), micropollutants and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) as well as colour from water and wastewater streams. The system works as a stand-alone solution or to complement existing treatment processes to reduce costs, preserve resources and comply with strict regulation.

The Nyex™ process can be adapted and optimised to treat:

Contaminated raw or inlet water

Process water for recovery and reuse

Final wastewater effluent

Get in touch with one of our application experts to discuss your treatment requirements today. Arvia Technology Ltd

Call: 01928 515 310 Email: info@arviatechnology.com arviatechnology.com

An Arvia Solution

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Which SMART are you?

Water Industry Journal speaks to Dr Mike Strahand, Analytical Technology’s Managing Director Europe, about the unique challenges facing water companies and how the industry can achieve truly smart and intelligent distribution network systems.

Service Reservoir Install The water industry is awash (pun intended) with talk of smart water networks. It seems like not a week goes by without a conference or event discussing smart billing, smart metering, smart networks and in truth it’s becoming difficult to separate the wheat from the chafe. “If we call it SMART, they will come” to paraphrase Kevin Costner’s line from Field of Dreams, seems to be the order of the day when deciding what to call your conference!

Two types of ‘Smart’

There’s smart billing and leakage management, which is all about ensuring that the correct quality of water at the correct price reaches the customer. This involves mass deployment of smart water meters and the low energy data transmissions systems needed to get the data back to somewhere central. This side of smart can be seen as not particularly exciting; it’s really just doing the same things we always did and did but with a lot more knowledge and control. The other side of smart is using new and existing water QUALITY data sets to do far more exciting things. There are as many definitions of smart as there are conferences about smart water. This one from the Smart Water Networks Forum is as good as any.

PRV Install “A Smart Water Network is the collection of data-driven components helping to operate the data-less physical layer of pipes, pumps, reservoirs and valves.” The SMART information makes the physical materials (pipes, valves, reservoirs, meters etc) last longer, work better and crucially helps to deliver better quality water at a lower cost to the customer. There is often an overemphasis on quantity, billing and leaks and an underemphasise on quality. Zero leaks are a laudable aim, especially with current leakage around the 20% mark, but the quality of what comes out of the tap is just as, if not more important. Our smart water networks must deliver high quality water too, if possible at lower cost. Managing water quality require water quality measurement too.

Research and Development

Many studies have shown that water quality in distribution is poorly understood, what can be said is that the second water leaves a water treatment plant, the quality of that water deteriorates as it interacts with the water pipes. Deploying water quality sensors throughout water distribution networks delivers two types of benefits. Firstly, the water quality data alone can be used simply to show regulatory compliance and with some basic data

Hydrant Install analytics. Secondly, it can also be used as an event indicator. As processing power has leapt ahead, and as AI has become more mature and powerful, far more exciting possibilities open up. At the recent WWT Smart Water Networks conference this definition of AI was presented by Peter Jackson (Chief Data Officer for Southern Water). “…any device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals.” The goal of any water company is to deliver wholesome, palatable, safe water to customers. We are already in a world where all the components needed for truly smart networks are available. Reliable, small, low powered sensors, data transmission devices, data storage platforms, data analysis platform incorporating AI are there “off the shelf”. UK water plc has scale, level of investment, number of customers, regulatory drivers, regulatory incentives, and not just penalties, that mean that we are uniquely positioned to start to implement truly smart water networks, now.

Smart Technology Solutions Within reach is an INTELLIGENT, not just smart, water distribution network that predicts a forthcoming event, discoloration,

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IMPROVING DRINKING WATER QUALITY z

taste and odour, loss of disinfection, burst or leak and automatically acts to prevent or mitigate the event. A network that measures, thinks, predicts and takes actions in the best interests of its customers. Not only is this within reach, some companies are already well along the journey towards smart water networks. Data from deployments in several UK water companies is showing how water quality data can be analysed to give insights that allow proactive management of distribution networks. Huge cost reductions can be made in areas such as mains rehabilitation, burst identification and prediction, control of flushing operations or even the removal of the need to flush. Sensors can be installed anywhere in a network from the service reservoirs to meter chambers and PRV chamber right to the hydrants within DMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

Real data 1

One great example is the use of multi-site water quality monitoring in a trunk main. By using simple pattern recognition on the data below it is possible to calculate: 1. Velocity of water in the pipe. This can used as a surrogate flow indicator to verify existing flow meters and identify anomalies

Real Data 1

Real Data 2

2. The real water quality decay rates, very useful for water aging.

monitors are revolutionising water quality management in water distribution systems.

3. The effect on the pipe of water quality, pipe condition monitoring This data shows the effect of a small valve operation on two DMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The upstream operation caused small and short-lived turbidity events.

Understanding network behaviour by using SMART monitors allows operators to truly understand the networks, predict their behaviour and plan solutions, all whilst being able to condition the mains for resilience or have long-term maintenance strategies in place to reduce customer complaints and safeguard against water quality failures.

Conclusion

What are we waiting for?

Real data 2

Innovation and collaboration plays a vital part in providing solutions to the challenges faced by the Water Industry. Advances in robust, high-precision, reliable and smart network

Food for thought www.atiuk.com

sales@atiuk.com

Modular, multi-parameter water quality monitors for networks t. 0800 8046 062 www.atiuk.com

MetriNet_120x180_Water Industry Journal.indd 1

17/07/2017 21:35

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Reducing the risk of discoloured water by modelling DMA flushing Twenty years ago management of water distribution systems moved from major ‘Section 19’ rehabilitation programmes to a more business as usual approach of Distribution Operations and Maintenance Strategies (DOMS). The expectations for these were first set out by the Drinking Water Inspectorate in 1998 and they have been a familiar feature for the UK water industry ever since. By Mark Randall-Smith, WSP

DOMS – Programme Development

The scope of DOMS extends from the water treatment works outlet to the customer’s tap and they inform activities both at a strategic level and as part of day-to-day operations. Much of the focus has been on managing problems of discolouration. The DOMS process has clearly driven innovation: novel techniques and approaches have emerged including trunk main conditioning, ice pigging, and better monitoring and control through ‘smart networks’. However, the relatively humble practice of proactively flushing mains is also still used by many companies. This works by increasing network flows in a controlled manner, to remove accumulated material and hence the risk of uncontrolled remobilisation. The problem is that maintaining all DMAs in a clean state all of the time would be prohibitively expensive, so a process of prioritising and programming is required. Traditionally such processes would consider the history of customer contacts about discolouration and perhaps network water chemistry. These will often be the best information available, but may not predict the greatest unrealised risks. Discolouration will only occur if there is a suitable hydraulic trigger such as an exceptionally high demand, major burst or operational cause. In the absence of any of these it is quite possible that there won’t have been an event which means that historic contacts will not reflect the risk of what could happen. Working together with South West Water (SWW), WSP has developed a risk modelling approach that allows this ‘unrealised risk’ to be taken into account when prioritising DMAs for flushing. The model utilises the outputs from another WSP innovation developed some years ago in collaboration with researchers at Exeter University - the Discolouration Propensity Model (DPM) – which we have now applied to the vast majority of potable water mains within the SWW region. DPM returns a suite of discolouration risk scores for individual pipes, including one that indicates how sensitive each pipe is to flow changes in the network, partly linked to its own everyday ‘self-

cleansing’ state and partly down to its position. Pipes with a high sensitivity risk factor should be kept clean as a priority. Aggregating the risks to DMA level allows an element of prediction to be incorporated into the process to prioritise DMAs for flushing.

advantage of providing datasets against which we should be able to calibrate DPM for specific supply areas. We have started analysing the data with this objective in mind which should further increase the confidence of future predictions.

The flushing model uses a weighted average of past contacts and the DPM scores to prioritise DMAs. Further analysis has identified the average mitigation achieved by flushing, as assessed by the numbers of contacts in a period before and after; and the average rate at which contacts then increase again after flushing. Informed by this and knowing the date when each DMA was last flushed, the model can generate a profile that allows the benefits of different flushing strategies and DMA selections to be evaluated. Combined with a cost model these can be prioritised using cost benefit analysis.

The availability of discolouration risk scores from DPM at individual pipe level also allows us to take the flush model innovation one step further. Once a high-risk DMA has been selected we can identify those high-risk pipes which should definitely be flushed to remove the majority of risk, but without the cost and time implications of flushing the entire DMA. In trials carried out to date we have found that typically 80% of the predicted DMA risk can be removed with 30% - 40% of the full DMA cost. We have termed this approach ‘pareto flushing’ and expect to see it playing an increasing role in the flushing programmes carried out by SWW in the future.

We have to date applied the flushing model with SWW to help develop cost-effective DMA flushing programmes during AMP6, and to inform flushing strategies for the PR19 business plan. The ongoing flushing activities are now benefiting from the use of hand-held HACH turbidity monitors which measure and log turbidity in NTU units – this is a vastly improved approach compared with the colour grade cards used previously, and has the added

www.wsp.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

NEWS z

Tunnelling team shift 90 tonnes of earth hand-digging Edinburgh sewer Two tunnellers have helped Scottish Water progress a major new sewer beneath Edinburgh by hand-digging 90 tonnes of debris.

traditional cart on rails, which was then lifted by crane back onto the surface.” ASG Tunnelling & Civil Engineering Services are one of the few firms where hand tunnelling skills have been handed down from father to son over generations. Scottish Water has employed their services for their unique expertise, to precisely hand excavate sections of tunnel where tunnel boring machines are not appropriate for the terrain conditions.

The century-old sewer under Haymarket Terrace was built by Victorian water pioneers in the capital but is now being upgraded to meet the city’s modern needs. And while high-tech equipment is being used on the project, a challenging section required a more hands-on approach with the pair Gerard Boyce and Thomas Peoples - using tools to literally dig their way through a 20-metre stretch. Working over a two week period in a trench beneath Haymarket, one of the busiest transport hubs in the capital, the two men shovelled between 6 and 9 tonnes per day. The busy junction outside Haymarket Station was hand tunnelled to avoid damaging a complex web of utility infrastructure such as electricity, gas, telephone lines and broadband. Scott Fraser, Scottish Water’s corporate affairs regional manager, said: “The original sewer was built by Victorian engineers using oldfashioned methods. Whilst we’re using a range of high-tech solutions to help progress this vital work to upgrade the sewer at Haymarket,

Left to right - Gerard Boyce, Thomas Peoples ASG Tunnelling & Civil Engineering Services we’ve had to use those same basic tunnelling techniques as the Victorians to clear this particular section. “The £2.5m work at Haymarket is one of our most high profile projects due to its busy location and the small, challenging work site. This unique environment means we are using traditional techniques combined with modern technology, to efficiently tunnel under a section of road with a large number of vital utilities, which if damaged could impact local residents and businesses. “The two tunnellers used modern equipment such as gas detectors, laser technology and hydraulic drills to cut the rock face whilst the earth was then shovelled by hand into a

John Doherty, Managing Director of ASG Tunnelling & Civil Engineering Services, said: “We are one of the few remaining family run firms that have the knowledge and experience to take on these hand tunnelling projects. “I’m extremely proud of hand tunnellers Gerard and Thomas who have completed this work in challenging conditions due to the confined space underground and the sheer number of utilities we encountered and had to work around to get the section completed.” The sewer upgrade at Haymarket Terrace aligns closely with Scottish Water’s future ambitions on delivering reliable, resilient and sustainable water and waste water services which are the cornerstones of our ongoing Shaping the Future consultation. Communities throughout Scotland are being asked to help shape water and waste water services in a nationwide consultation – Shaping the Future – which can be completed online at www.yourwater.scot

Queen’s Award for sustainability Wessex Water is celebrating a royal seal of approval after being awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for a third time.

to-day work, and the award recognises how the company has consistently scored highly for customer service, innovation and environmental performance by industry regulators.

The water and sewerage company was nominated in the Sustainable Development category of the awards, which are the UK’s highest accolade for business success.

Dan Green, head of sustainability and innovation at Wessex Water, said: “We’re thrilled and immensely honoured to pick up the Queen’s Award for a third time.

These include expanded education work, with 29,000 students benefiting from school visits and trips to water and sewage treatment works in 2016/17.

“We pride ourselves on going beyond ‘business as usual’ in all areas, from our work on social tariffs and debt advice to catchment permitting and online nutrient trading.

Wessex Water has also set up its industryfirst Young People’s Panel, giving sixth formers a unique insight into the business and a chance to have a say in how future bills should be spent.

Wessex Water first committed to becoming a sustainable company in 1996, and its operations centre in Bath is among the most environmentally friendly offices in the UK. A sustainability vision is embedded into all business planning, targets and day-

“Just as when we won on the previous two occasions, this award gives us a great sense of reward and encouragement that we’re going in the right direction.” This award highlights progress made since Wessex Water’s previous Queen’s Award

win in 2013, with several new initiatives introduced.

Boasting a proud environmental record, the company works with farmers to reduce nutrient impacts on watercourses and has set up an online agricultural auction platform called EnTrade and an awardwinning catchment permitting scheme.

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Speed, friendliness and service recovery Over the last five years United Utilities has been on a journey to improve customer service. At the heart of it has been listening to what our customers have to say and focusing on what’s important to them. Our strategy has been to focus on the three key principles our customers have said are important - Speed, friendliness and service recovery.

Speed

In the modern world we live in, we all expect things to happen quickly. We changed our opening hours to make ourselves more accessible, introduced new customer channels, including a new app, where you can pay online or submit a meter reading. One of the real benefits of expanding our presence on digital platforms is that we now have 750,000 customers who interact with us digitally. Fundamentally, we looked at all our service levels, stopped being solely guided by regulatory standards and started to be driven by customer expectations. We’ve established areas for improvements and now ensure that we immediately contact all customers who have contacted us to complain. We acknowledge receipt of the complaint, apologise and most important, we explain how we are going to put things right. And we’ve not stopped there. We now issue refunds in 24 hours and are focused on reducing our time to process many of the transactions that customers find really important to them. Moving home is a great example. We now have a dedicated moving home team. The team does everything, from making sure a customer is on the right tariff and payment plan, to offering advice on the benefits of a water meter. But most of all, we inject some personality into this interaction as we know how stressful moving is. It’s a real value added service to make sure a customer can get through to someone, via a channel they choose and make sure everything is done quickly and to their satisfaction.

Friendliness

All too often, processes and interactions with customers become standardised. We became obsessed with customer scripts, as opposed to empowering our people to have a great conversation with a customer and respond accordingly.

We have spent a great deal of time changing our tone of voice and how we interact with our customers. Treating them as friends is key in helping build a rapport. As a result customers start to trust us, helping break down those myths of being a faceless big organisation.

Service recovery

When running and operating a utility business, from time to time we will get things wrong. From a burst water main or delaying commuters getting on with their daily life due to roadworks. One of the big things we’ve focused on is when we get it wrong to actually say we’re sorry and deal with it quickly. It’s fair to say you can turn a negative interaction into a positive one. By empowering our people we can pleasantly surprise a customer with how we deal with their problem. The amount of praise and feedback we get from customers saying they had a problem, but have been blown away with the way it has been dealt with it, is extraordinary.

Technology is also key. Keeping pace with evolving technology plays a pivotal role in helping to meet the needs and expectations of our customers. We have invested a substantial amount in technology. Everything from telephony routing, to creating many digital channels so customers can get in touch with us without needing to telephone. This technology is helping improve customer service, and developing these channels remains vital to our success. This area is fastpaced and constantly changing and we will continue to focus and adapt to make sure we are offering customers a choice on how they would like to engage with us.

Celebrating great customer service

We believe it’s about getting all the elements of customer service in place and we recognise our employees are key to delivering great customer service. It’s important we celebrate great service, when we get it right. One of the big things we introduced is The WOW! Awards. These awards

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

have been instrumental in enabling customers to give our employees direct feedback on the great service they have delivered. We’ve had 77 colleagues getting over a hundred nominations from customers and over the six years being involved with The WOW! Awards, 24,000 customers have taken part and hearing the fantastic feedback is wonderful. When customers tell us what we have done right, it really encourages us to do more. One of the big advantages of these awards is that they have helped drive a really strong customer service culture throughout the whole business.

Accessibility and affordability

Investing time to proactively talk to our customers is significant in achieving customer satisfaction. One of the things we now do when bills go out is to hold roadshows across our region offering help and advice on how customers can lower their water bills. We have specialist advisors on hand with tips on how to reduce water costs and ways to help with budgeting household bills.

IMPROVING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE z

In our region we have 48 of the most deprived council wards in the UK. We already offer a wide range of financial assistance schemes to support our most vulnerable customers, but we are challenging ourselves to improve the scale and effectiveness of the support we offer. In January this year we held our first ever affordability summit in Liverpool, where we brought together organisations from across the region who deal with customers in challenging circumstances to discuss what more can be done to support those struggling to make ends meet. This event was trending on Twitter nationally, which really helped raise awareness of affordability issues in the North West and some of the challenges we’ve actually got. It’s all part of being a strong corporate citizen and having a place improving people’s lives.

Customer service is a way of life

The focus and drive to deliver great customer service is relentless. We have to be curious. Why are customers dissatisfied and also why

are they satisfied? We constantly look at innovation, what can we do differently? One of the key things we’ve found on our journey is the importance of engaging with our employees. This has had some fantastic results. Many of the improvements in service have come about through changes in process and policies suggested by our employees. We are delighted to see the improvements in SIM, placing us first out of all 18 companies in Wave 4 last year and in third place out of 18 for the year, but one of the best things is this performance has been echoed by the UK Institute of Customer Service index, which has recognised United Utilities as the most improved utility in the UK and the fourth most improved brand across the country as a whole. That’s testomy to everyone’s hard work. We’ve had a relentless focus and drive on how we can make today better than yesterday and how can we make tomorrow better than today.

The focus and drive to deliver great customer service is relentless. We have to be curious. Why are customers dissatisfied and also why are they satisfied? We constantly look at innovation, what can we do differently? One of the key things we’ve found on our journey is the importance of engaging with our employees. This has had some fantastic results. Many of the improvements in service have come about through changes in process and policies suggested by our employees.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z NEWS

A new chapter for water customer billing As consumers, change is all around us. Be it

it’s never been more important to future-

experienced team if desired. Naturally,

emerging technologies enabling us to work or

proof systems to remain competitive and

Aptumo also includes as standard, out of the

live smarter, more choice in what we choose

innovative. Today, it’s fair to say that water

box APIs for fast integration to third party

to purchase and how we consume products

companies remain considerably reliant on

solutions.

and services, or simply changes in our own

their software providers to modify systems

expectations when it comes to how we go

as landscapes change.

Perhaps most importantly, Aptumo empowers utility companies to seize opportunities

about our daily lives. At a time when consumer markets are

to deliver what really matters to each and

For service providers, change brings great

changing faster than ever, this simply isn’t

every customer. Processes and triggers

opportunity and also considerable risk.

a robust model for the years ahead, and

can be instantly customised based on

Keeping ahead of ever changing customer

that’s why here at Echo, we’ve been busy

customer data and behaviour to drive a

expectations can be a constant challenge,

developing a new breed of billing platform;

truly personalised and tailored service to

alongside the need to seek out new ideas

one that will – for the first time – enable

suit an individual customer, taking customer

and technologies to stay one step ahead of

water providers to truly stay one step ahead

segmentation to a whole new level.

the competition.

of changing customer expectations, evolving business models and competitor strategies.

Whilst the non-household sector has already become more immersed in this competitive world following retail market opening, as PR19 draws closer, it’s clear we’re on the cusp of a sea-change of innovation in the household sector too, as Ofwat calls on water companies to deliver better service for customers. This is enthusing for all, and I’d concur with recently-departed Ofwat CEO Cathryn Ross when she said “I genuinely think that there is a sense of confidence, openness to change and new ways of doing things across the sector right now that is really exciting”

In these times of unprecedented change one thing is clear, to continuously innovate and deliver more, water companies must become more dynamic and agile; not through responding swiftly to change, but by driving a forward-thinking change agenda that formulates true innovation and new ideas. This not only requires curiosity and the right people, but also the right technologies – solutions that enable and not hinder change.

Customer billing, a time for change

And, as a SaaS, cloud-based platform, Aptumo is a cost-effective, secure and

A billing platform for the future Echo’s new billing platform, Aptumo, is built from the ground up for a fresh era of endless possibilities. Be it the need for competitive agility, the desire to join a modern multiutility world or simply meeting the customer’s yearning for a tailored, personalised service; unrivalled system flexibility enables billing processes to become as unique as each and every customer. Built on the Salesforce PlatformTM, Aptumo opens the gateway to a world of technology and innovation. Utility companies can choose from a myriad of more than 5,000 exciting and inventive apps2 from the Salesforce AppExchange - the world’s ©

leading enterprise cloud marketplace - that complement and enhance customer billing; all available as ‘plug and play’ without the need

scalable solution for all – small or large - that is quick to deploy.

Moving forward with momentum As the sector continues to evolve, customer expectations continue to rise and new technologies drive more change, the time for fresh-thinking when it comes to the fundamental requirement of water and sewerage billing is now. Water companies will increasingly add value through partners that can innovate alongside them, and for them working in partnership to move forward with momentum.

Aptumo isn’t simply freshthinking, it’s pioneering and is finally opening the door to the art of what’s truly possible.

for lengthy software provider led integration programmes. With over 5 million customer installs to date3, and new apps being continually developed, there exists a real opportunity for utility

At the heart of every water company’s

companies to transform from a ‘led by

contact centre operation is its billing and

change’ ethos to being one step ahead of a

CRM platform; the key to delivering accurate

fast evolving consumer landscape.

and reliable customer bills, and the lynchpin to providing helpful customer service, and

Of course to be truly agile, utility companies

getting things right first time. Choosing a

must hold their destiny in their own hands;

billing and CRM platform is a fundamental

this means being empowered to configure

decision for any company, one that requires

software solutions to match needs at a

a significant commitment in terms of cost,

pace that suits. With Aptumo, this becomes

time and resource.

a reality; clients can choose to customise their own enhancements, processes and

And, whilst at the outset a chosen solution

triggers however and whenever they wish to

may more than meet current billing needs,

do so – all with 24/7 support from a highly

1 Cathryn Ross speaking notes Future of Utilities – Water 2017, 21 November 2017

Nigel Baker Managing Director at utilities-specialist outsourcer Echo Managed Services

| 2 Salesforce 2018 Annual Report

ask@echo-ms.com | 3 Salesforce 2018 Annual Report

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

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Think Big. It all starts here Introducing Aptumo, the pioneering multi-utility billing platform that brings you closer to your customers. Architected to evolve and grow with ease, and opening up a world of innovation and technology, with Aptumo you can dare to dream big.

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The water sector is changing

Congratulations, United Utilities! 18,951

of their customers have recognised their efforts and taken them to the top of the SIM ladder!

We can help you deal with the challenges and be ‘Future Ready’ - whatever the future may hold.

We can do the same for you!

• • • • •

Call us now to find out how The WOW! Awards can inspire your people. Make them stand tall and bristle with pride!

Ageing assets Growth Affordability Resilience Environment

• • • • •

Customer wishes Energy Climate change Competition Smart networks

WSP is a globally-acclaimed professional services firm. Our teams of technical experts and strategic advisors have skills including engineering, environment, planning, science and architecture.

www.TheWowAwards.co.uk +44 (0)1438 310191

wizu.com Wizu Chatbot For Conversational Surveys Measure and improve customer experience through engaging, personalised conversational surveys. Offer a better respondent experience with automated follow up actions and text analytics to help you discover actionable insight from your customer feedback. Increase completion rates Gain deeper insight Engage with your customers Go beyond metrics like NPS and CSAT and uncover your customer stories

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How Chatbots can improve customer engagement and increase survey responses Survey fatigue is an issue every company can relate to – so what can you do to improve survey completion rates and gain better quality insight? The water sector has long been demanding a more engaging way to communicate with their customers. Traditional online surveys have become stale with customers less inclined to spend the time giving you their allimportant feedback. A study by Gartner found that 89% of companies believe that customer experience is now their primary basis for competition. With that in mind it is more essential than ever to measure and improve customer experience through feedback. Conversational surveys, such as Wizu, massively improve the survey experience by offering a more engaging, interactive and personalised survey. In some ways conversational surveys are going back to the old-style face to face interviews by gaining deeper insight through conversations. However rather than deploying hundreds of interviewers armed with a clipboard, you can utilise one chatbot to conduct your surveys.

What are conversational surveys?

So, what exactly are conversational surveys? Essentially, they are surveys carried out on a conversational user interface. Similar to popular messenger apps like WhatsApp and Facebook messenger. Though in Wizu’s case we use a web page so the user is not required to download any app or software to take the survey. They offer an interactive survey experience helping turn customer surveys into customer stories. Utilising a chatbot your survey can react to responses and route the conversation down different paths depending on what answers are given.

What can they be used for?

Conversational surveys can be used to track and improve CX, using metrics like Net Promoter Score and Customer Satisfaction or measuring customer emotion. They can also be used for market research, employee engagement, lead capture, case creation and

more. They allow you to go beyond the metrics and gain a deeper understanding of your customer.

Why use conversational surveys?

Conversational surveys offer a better experience for the respondent by making the interaction more engaging and personalised. They also allow you to delve deeper into the customer experience, allowing you to go beyond metrics and start to understand the route causes.

Close The Loop

They also give you the opportunity to close the feedback loop in real-time. A chatbot can provide solutions to common problems or can create a case within your CRM to automate follows ups. If customers start to see that their feedback is being listened to and actions are being taken, they will be more likely to provide better quality feedback.

Go Beyond Metrics

Conversational surveys allow you to go beyond metrics and delve deeper into the way your customer feels. They allow you to ask relevant follow up questions and uncover the root causes of the issues. This allows you a better understanding of the customer and helps you pin point areas of the customer journey that are having the biggest impact.

Stay on Brand

Conversational surveys also allow you to maintain your brand voice and tone by ensuring your chatbot matches your overall brand identity. This also allows you to create a better connection with your customers leading to increased customer retention. By customising your survey interface, you can also deliver a consistent brand experience. If you offer an engaging customer experience at all other stages in the customer journey then why should your surveys be any different? Traditional online surveys are losing relevancy but that doesn’t mean customer feedback is not as vital as ever. Conversational surveys offer an innovative approach to surveys that provides a more engaging and personalised survey experience that delivers higher completion rates and better insight. Combining that with the power of AI offers a next level of real-time understanding and routing creating a better respondent experience. It also allows you to turn your data and open text responses into actionable insight by automating your data analysis. Why not book a demo to see how Wizu can help your organisation utilise conversational surveys to deliver a better survey experience? wizu.com

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z NEWS

Will water companies become tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cross-sector retailers? With increasingly active competitive markets in energy, gas and water, now is the time for water companies to consider offering energy supply

we remove through our managed market entry, automated Software as a Service, data insight and expertise, the greater time there is to deliver customer benefit.

Mark Coyle Chief Strategy Officer Utiligroup @MarkCoyleUK mark.coyle@utiligroup.com

the more complexity we remove, the greater time there is to deliver customer benefit

ur world is transformed by digital technology as customers make competitive choices and manage services through mobile applications. This shift leads towards converged service offerings across multiple sectors as part of a single relationship. Energy companies are expanding to offer bundled telco, broadband and now electric mobility. Water companies are starting to partner in energy and build cross-selling relationships. There is an opportunity to take the next step and become a full licenced energy Supply company and an integrated retail service provider.

Water companies have a culture of providing a vital requirement for life with a high quality of service. Although the sectors are different, energy has the same key customer needs. For any companies considering operating or partnering in the energy Supply sector, we welcome speaking to turn your interest into action.

We welcome your immediate contact to enable your earliest market readiness. Mark.Coyle@Utiligroup.com

Participating in regulated markets is complex with a need to deliver a customer experience that delights. Water companies already understand this and can benefit from our work over the last decade to a better way of operating competitively. At Utiligroup our focus is to enable lean, simple supply operations at scale so that Suppliers are agile and customer focused. The more complexity

For more information about our wider value and our sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey towards Energy2.0 www.utiligroup.com Follow Us: @Utiligroup Search: Utiligroup Smarter Energy Insights

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

NEWS z

Unleashing competitive energy leadership...

Managed Market Entry Business Case Modelling Agile & Customer Focused Supply

...as the UK leading provider of the Smart Supplier In A Boxâ&#x201E;˘. This model uniquely covers all areas of core capabilities required to make market participation compliant but far simpler.

Enhanced Competitiveness Secure Smart Meter Interaction Industry Change Enabled Innovation Unlocked Global Enablement

www.utiligroup.com info@utilisoft.com | +44 (0) 1772 770 280 Follow Us: @Utiligroup 75

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Three customer experience trends critical to success Water companies are under an increasing amount of pressure to find new ways to thrive in this digital era. As other sectors continue to evolve the customer experience (CX), Ofwat is calling for companies to embrace innovation and deliver more of what matters to customers. As a whole, the utilities industry is establishing a foothold in the digital space. Today, 59% of Europe’s utilities companies state that they currently provide a fully remote connect/disconnect service, while over half provide mobile usage tracking. 76% of water companies also plan to invest in non-human voice interfaces/chatbots in the next 12 months (CXP Group, 2017). But there’s more to be done and water providers have to focus on other CX trends that are going to be critical to success over the next five years:

1. Advanced personalisation

From Amazon and Netflix using intelligent algorithms to personalise a customer’s homepage, and show recommendations based on an individual’s viewing habits, to Adidas creating shoes tailored to each customer’s foot, personalisation is here to stay. The technologies that accelerate it are maturing, and the data that is needed to feed it is becoming more structured and accessible. Customers expect providers to treat them individually across all channels, both catering to and predicting their needs. They want preemptive messages, concerning an interruption to their water supply for example, and more sophisticated self-service, with real-time access to their usage, and personalised tips on where savings can be made. 52% of consumers will move away from brands that don’t personalise communications (Salesforce, 2018). Advanced personalisation can’t be ignored by providers that want to drive positive, economical behaviour, and manage customer costs with timely advice and solutions.

might mean bringing together data from smart meters, virtual assistants, social media and chatbots, to achieve the much sought after single customer view. A holistic view also enables companies to identify actionable insights and opportunities to add value or up-sell. To remain agile, adopt new channels and enter markets quickly, the right people, processes and technology must be in place. Establishing the right platform early on is critical, enabling providers to create content once, and publish it across multiple channels, in the right context, at the right time.

3. Operational ownership

Putting customers in control of their consumption and incentivising them to manage supply and demand will play a big part in addressing the key challenges for water companies, like the increasing demand on the sector’s traditional infrastructure, rising customer expectations, and bad debt. Other industries are forging ahead in this area, and water companies need to follow suit. In the financial services sector, ‘open banking’ now means that UK-regulated banks are obliged to give customers control over their financial data, allowing them to share it with third parties. It means banking will no longer be siloed in one app or website. This move is designed to encourage more competition and innovation, whereby improving customer experience. The idea of customers managing their utilities through a single interface is one that has been

2. Channel hopping

‘Typical’ customer journeys don’t exist anymore. People research products on their tablets, buy them on their laptops, then share their experience using their smartphones. Channel hopping exists and people expect to be able to do it whenever they want. As channels continue to emerge – from wearable technology to voice activated virtual assistants – water companies must prepare to adapt and serve customers on the channel of their choice. It isn’t just about being where your customers are; companies must be poised to integrate new and emerging channels with existing ones to ensure a seamless experience. This

widely mooted. “Imagine a world in which you don’t even know who your supplier of water and waste water services is” says former Ofwat CEO, Cathryn Ross, “Because you have a contract with an intermediary who takes care of all that for you. You may well have given them the ability to turn some bits of your home infrastructure on and off to manage demand and reduce costs, because this will enable you to get a cheaper deal.” “To my mind this means the water sector, indeed all utilities, are ripe for a revolution.” (Cathryn Ross, former CEO at Ofwat)

The future of CX in utilities

Customer experience is changing and, driven by PR19, water companies are under arguably greater pressure than other sectors to innovate and deliver. But while there’s a host of significant challenges threatening to slow down the progress of water companies, there are plenty of opportunities that will drive positive changes across the sector. For more information on the opportunities and challenges for water companies preparing for PR19, download our latest white paper Delivering More Of What Matters, Through Simple, Personal And Powerful Digital Experiences: mando.agency/wij

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Help your people to stand tall and bristle with pride! United Utilities use positive customer feedback to recognise their people and top the SIM charts. Derek Williams, Founder and Chief Executive of The WOW! Awards, shares his thoughts. Once upon a time… Basil Martinez, a young man, was clearing tables in a London coffee shop. He worked incredibly hard to delight his customers. Basil was one of the very first people to be nominated by a customer for The WOW! Awards. Basil deserved to be rewarded but there was nothing I could give him other than a simple certificate and a sincere, “Thank you”. In that moment, I saw a level of motivation and engagement that I had never seen before. I’ve since spent 21 years catching people doing things right and I’m still learning about the power of recognition. Q. What’s the difference between a water company, a retailer, a hospital, a property management company? A. Nothing, from a customer’s point of view. The product might be different but the customer’s expectation of service is the same. Customers compare service providers even when they are in different industries. And their frustrations are universal; organisations that don’t return a phone call, overly scripted systems, lack of empowerment, not being kept informed. What really makes a difference between the best service providers and the rest, is a difference in its people, people like Basil; ordinary people trying their best to do an extraordinary job. People in the front line reflect the leadership and management. All the training is wasted if you don’t have a system to encourage the right behaviours every single day. So often, I see managers who think that it’s about controlling people. In great organisations management is all about empowering people and when those people get it right customers love to say, “Thank you”. With a reason to celebrate and take pride in their work, service goes up again, more customers are happy and business improves for everyone. It’s a virtuous circle. The WOW! Awards have supported United Utilities for six years. It’s grown from just a handful of customer nominations to over 600 customers taking the time to say what they, “Love about the service!” every single month. This is completely contrary to the myth that customers only ever want to complain. It’s so much more than a numeric score, this

customer feedback is full of sentiment and emotion and really reinforces the strategic values. It tells people at United Utilities exactly what they need to do more of. Success comes from three simple steps:1. Make it easy for your customers to say, “Thank you.” It feels like most organisations have closed their compliments counter because there is no system. Customer compliments are like rocket fuel; they praise your people in much greater numbers than your management ever can and it comes with heartfelt sincerity. 2. Create an independent judging process. Politics and bureaucracy bring down well intended initiatives. At The WOW! Awards we look for consistency of service, doing the right thing and WOW! moments. 3. Make it happen. Compliments and employee recognition are rarely urgent; they can easily get side-lined. Give someone the responsibility and the resources to judge and process your nominations every single month, create beautiful certificates that can be presented by management and will be treasured by the recipients. Take time to make people feel special. At The WOW! Awards we typically issue a certificate of recognition for 30% of the nominations we receive. That’s a lot of positive reinforcement and gives people real pride in their work. Research by the Engage for Success movement demonstrates that better engaged employees are more productive and produce better

results. The most powerful driver of employee engagement is personal recognition. If employees really are your greatest asset then you need a long-term strategy to attract, develop and retain the best. In a world where it is so easy for customers to complain, the need to catch your people doing things right is greater than ever. Top tips for catching people doing things right: n Do lots of it. Employee of the month is not nearly enough. n Do it as often as you can. Look out for people who have given great service and congratulate them as soon as you can. n Include middle management and team leaders in your praise. The watch only works if every single cog works. n Understand the difference between recognition and reward. So many people take the time to contact me and thank me for their WOW! Award. I hear things like… “This is my motivation.” “This is the best day of my life!” “This inspires me.” “You’ve changed my life.” In this highly sophisticated and technical world, let’s remember that sincere recognition creates a great place to work and a great place to be a customer. For more information about The WOW! Awards, contact Joanne Williams, Joanne@TheWowAwards.co.uk Tel +44 (0) 7792 732510

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Bournemouth CIS Tunnel Renovation: A Technical Narrative In this issue of Water Industry Journal, Julian Britton, left, Trenchless Technology Manager at Wessex Water (YTL Engineering and Construction) takes us through a landmark project to renovate Bournemouth CIS Tunnel which is soon to reach completion. The project represents a £1 million investment in structural repairs and the refurbishment of 200m of the tunnel and a shaft, which have suffered from biogenic corrosion. This scheme is located in the east of Bournemouth, some 300m from the coast line.

Introduction

The Coastal Interceptor Sewer (CIS) is a 1.8 metre internal diameter tunnel constructed in compressed air from 1964 -1971 (Fig 1), with a primary bolted lining and a secondary cast in situ lining for hydraulic conductivity. The tunnel is 8 Km in length and a recent survey of the tunnel identified a noticeable change in the structural capabilities of the lining at the extremes of the eastern leg, close to shaft 13. The tunnel serves a cumulative population of 34,500 and receives a maximum flow rate of 650 l/s from two rising mains. It is evident that the Iford rising main is long, and has a reduced number of starts, resulting in the sewage resting quiescent for long periods. Consequently, anaerobic conditions allow the formation of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which forms sulphuric acid (H2SO4) via conversion associated with bacteria feeding upon the nutrients readily available. This, in turn, corrodes the concrete, a ubiquitous process observed across the world.

Petrographical Analysis

A petrographical analysis was undertaken by ACS Testing and Sandbergs Consulting Engineers on our behalf, of cores taken through the tunnel lining. The tests were carried out in accordance with APG SR2 (2010) and ASTM C856-14, and samples were prepared from the internal surface of the tunnel lining through to variable depths where concrete conversion was expected. Longitudinal fluorescent resin impregnated thin sections were taken and inspected by a Zeiss petrographical photomicroscope to identify the distribution of porosity and evident micro cracking. The concrete was identified with aspects of sulphate resisting Portland cement (SRPC). Moisture had penetrated the total depth of the secondary lining leading to general recrystallization of cement hydrates and leaching of Portlandite, with secondary Ettringite.

Having computed this information with the UCS strength of the concrete and visual evidence of cavities in the lining, the tunnel was analysed over its length to establish the residual longevity under the existing geostatic and hydrostatic loading. Over the 1900m of tunnel on the eastern leg under consideration, the 200m chainage downstream of shaft 13 was identified for lining, as it had a residual lifespan of 5-15 years. The lining at the interface with shaft 13 had a calculated lifespan of just 2 years. In addition, shaft 13 had suffered degradation due to the H2S attack; the constant aerosol atmosphere measured levels of H2S at peaks of 340 ppm, and required scabbling back and repair.

GRP lining of the tunnel

Works commenced to allow entry into the 200m of tunnel downstream of shaft 13, with a ‘Million Point Cloud’ survey of the tunnel and a terrestrial survey above ground, to form a three dimensional model. The flows from the two rising mains were diverted as planned to a new temporary shaft located next to the CIS downstream of the proposed lining terminus, through which the flows could be discharged, via a short connection. The set out of the shaft was successful and the extrados of the shaft lining landed 12 metres below ground level, with a 50mm clearance to the springing level extrados of the original CIS primary lining. The shaft was underpinned during excavation in a very firm dense, dry Branksome sand geology with SPT’s of >50 N value at depth. The connection was completed through to the tunnel, by core drilling and the over pumping commissioned. The GRP linings were designed to German standard DWA A143-2 (ATV M127) and the procurement tendered along with the main contract, awarded to Matt Durbin Associates Ltd, and linings supplied by Amiblu of Poland (Fig 2). The liners constituted 1600 mm internal diameter GRP ‘one piece’ circular segments with in-wall joints. The design of lining, in this case, was undertaken by Dr Dec Downey of Trenchless Opportunities Ltd with assistance from Dr Bernard Falter. In the German design code, three host pipe states are differentiated, and

the CIS fell within the most severe ‘State III’, for cracked pipes with larger deformations. We calculated the hydrostatic and geostatic loadings establishing the wall thickness, against a GRP long term E modulus of 10,000 N/mm2. Falter has written of the ‘Fully Deteriorated’ comparisons with the American ASTM F1216 in his paper to the ISTT at Toronto, Canada in March 2009. We fully intend to build on our experience of liner design by instigating comparative designs in future, utilising the alternative French ASTEE concepts, for non-circular linings. Some sections of the tunnel required immediate rebar support prior to lining (Fig.3). The 42mm thick, segments were imported from Gdansk, Poland, and were installed over a two-week period. The 450 Kg lining segments were winched home to close joints, and the annulus between the original secondary lining and GRP segments filled, in isolated bays of 20m length, with Pozament SPP3 in 3 lifts, using a cumulative 70 tonnes of mixed grout.

Renovation of shaft 13 with Calcium Aluminate Cement

It is well established that the H2S is primarily released due to the turbulence of the flows, as they cascade into structures or pipes etc., and the original designers had constructed a rudimentary drop pipe, transferring flows from 10 metres above, down into the tunnel. This time hydrated concrete monolith was broken out by a 15 tonne long reach excavator from the surface, and the shaft was once again scabbled back to a firm concrete surface, represented by the original bolted rings. (Fig 3) The Wessex Water Rehabilitation Team, who were appointed to design and manage this contract, had been undertaking due diligence on Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC), and its ability to resist high levels of sulphuric acid, over the preceding two-year period, liaising with the main proponents of the material worldwide, Sydney Water. We introduced this new innovative use of CAC to protect concrete structures and commissioned Dr Ian Bateman, from Australia to independently verify the efficacy of CAC. Bateman assisted in identifying the benefits of CAC to gain accreditation for use of the material across the business. Highlighting the

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1 4

2 5

3 1

Fig 1 - Bournemouth CIS compressed air lock during construction 1969

Fig 2 - GRP segmental linings arrive for insertion from Amiblu of Poland

Fig 3 - Rebar support of the tunnel prior to GRP lining

non-structural corrosion resistance benefits, Bateman points out the corrosion process: ‘Stage 1 begins with a newly created concrete structure, which contains calcium hydroxide enjoying a highly alkaline environment pH of 12 to 13. These conditions are not suited to bacterial activity and consequently corrosion is minimal. Acidic gases such as CO2 and H2S present in the sewer atmosphere, which can dissolve into moisture present in or on the shaft wall and subsequently react with the alkali species lowering the surface pH towards more neutral levels’. ‘As the pH is driven down by these processes, stage 2 allows the colonization by Neutrophilic bacteria which can colonize the concrete surface further driving down the pH below 9. Stage 3 occurs when the pH of the concrete falls to ~4-6 acidophilic sulphur oxidizing microorganisms (ASOM) can begin colonising the concrete surface. The activity of the acidophilic bacteria further lowers the concrete pH.

In explaining the protective characteristics of CAC, Batemen continues, ‘it contains no calcium hydroxide, instead it contains calico alumina compounds ( C3AH6), which when exposed to sulphuric acid reacts to form Aluminium hydroxide Al(OH)3, stable in H2SO4 down to pH 3.5. Effectively this forms a barrier to further corrosion. Al(OH)3 layer dissolves and reacts to form Al2(SO4)3 which becomes sacrificial, but at a very slow rate. Therefore, shaft 13 was scabbled back to the substrate, shotcreted by a make-up layer of SRPC concrete, and over-coated by a 40mm veneer of CAC for protection. (Fig 5)

Energy dissipating vortex drop pipes

The original concept of vortex energy dissipation drop pipes was invented in the 1950’s by the predecessors of Wessex Water, to transfer storm flows from a height of 90m, down from the Clifton catchment in Bristol, into the new NSWI tunnel. The concept of

Fig 4 - Original rudimentary top stilling basin inducing a vortex drop to transfer flows down into the tunnel below 1969 Fig 5 - Shotcreting the CAC as a 40mm veneer overcoat to a SRPC base layera

inducing an air core to break the velocity and pressure of water, was conceived to prevent cavitation and quiesce the flow. The concept was adopted in Chicago in the 1970’s on the TARP tunnels, where a number were installed. We took the opportunity of installing a new drop pipe in the shaft and all of these measures should continue to offer mitigation of chemical dosing of the rising mains with sodium nitrate, avoidance of such being a more cost-effective renovation and operational intervention. This £1 million investment, which employs both tried and tested techniques alongside more innovative techniques and materials, will enable the Bournemouth CIS Tunnel to work efficiently and effectively, serving the local community for a long time to come.

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z TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Learning the lessons of directional drilling

Left –Reception pit Centre –Temporary pipes across the river Right –Nicol drilling compound

Water Industry Journal interviews Richard Stott, Managing Director of Nicol Directional Drilling, one of Britain’s leading directional drilling companies Nicol is based in Aberdeen but undertakes projects across the UK and Ireland. How does that work? Nicol’s operations centre is located in Skene on the Western fringe of Aberdeen, and we’re very proud of our Scottish heritage.

The ground conditions in the North East of Scotland are often poor, a mix of clay, shale, earth and rock – often in the same excavator bucket! Ironically, this variability has provided an ideal training ground for our directional drilling teams and contributed to our reputation for delivering successful projects whatever the terrain throws at us. We also pride ourselves in being open straightforward to deal with, both from a technical and a commercial perspective. We often work on a fixed-fee basis. In all the years we have been operating we have never had to resort to mediation, adjudication or litigation.

What sets Nicol apart from the competition?

As I mentioned earlier, we have a reputation for getting the job done even in difficult

conditions. A key factor is our investment in Ditch Witch all-terrain rigs. These rigs drill through rock as well as soft ground. As anyone who has worked on a civil engineering project will know, however much site investigation you do there is always the risk you will hit solid or fragmentary rock. We appeal to professional engineers who see a key part of their job as minimising and managing risk. Directional drilling rarely happens in isolation. It’s typically part of a larger project Nicol’s origins are in civil engineering: earthworks, drainage, infrastructure and so on. We often find that our ability to call on these skills gives us greater flexibility and reassures our engineering clients. We pride ourselves on our longstanding relationships with many of our clients. When we ask them what they like about working with us, they will often use words like trust, openness, consistency. I think what they’re getting at is that they buy into the way we do things: the Nicol culture. We are a company that has learning at its heart, and we share that learning with both existing and prospective clients. We are currently looking at how we can make this learning more accessible through videos, white papers, and workshops. I was in a meeting recently with one of our engineers and when the client asked what set us apart he simply said: ‘We work for Derek Nicol’. Derek is our founder and still actively involved in everything we do. We have Derek to thank for our reputation of ‘getting the job done’, and for our collaborative approach to client relationships and communications.

Tell us about a recent project Nicol has completed? That question made me smile. The difficulty is in deciding which one to choose! We do get involved in many interesting and challenging projects across the year.

A good example of this is Glenlatterach, a project we completed for Scottish Water in November. High flood waters had washed away the existing main from the bed of the River Lossie, the only source of water for about 5,000 properties. A cluster of 25mm and 32mm pipes had been strung above the river as a temporary measure. There was a real fear the pipes would freeze as winter set in. Other companies had declined to tender due to the project’s many complexities, We started on site at the end of November. The drill was through rock down a 58m fall into a ravine and then under the river. The exit point was in an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), about 3km from the nearest road. The river fed several distilleries so it was critical there was no contamination. Our engineers worked closely with land agents and Scottish Natural Heritage to design a solution that met the objectives of all the stakeholders. In true Nicol fashion we ‘got the job done’!

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NEWS z

I MOUNTAIN BIKE AND CLIMB. I’VE PARACHUTED FOR CHARITY. I TAKE RISKS. ON SITE, HOWEVER, I’M A

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER

I IDENTIFY, MINIMISE AND MANAGE RISK. I VALUE THE SPECIALISTS WHO HELP ME ACHIEVE THAT. THAT’S WHY I’M A

NICOL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING CUSTOMER.

To find out how Nicol can help you call Richard Stott on 01224 744473. Why wait? Do it today. You know the drill. www.nicolofskene.com

richard@nicolofskene.com 81

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z TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Extended street works charges may force changes to working practices During February, the Department for Transport published the result of a consultation regarding Street Works Charges across England, which had taken place during September & October last year. Below, Glenn Cartledge, left, MD of trenchless technology supplier Source One Environmental (S1E), explains the changes. It has been estimated that there are around 2.5 million road works undertaken annually throughout England alone, costing the economy around £4 billion due to disruption and congestion - an issue that has caught the Government’s eye.1 The Government introduced new legislation in 1991 in the form of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) that opened up the way for the existence of permit schemes. Localised Regulations then followed in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the legislation was for Local Authorities to gain greater control of street works to tackle the problem. The English guidance notes state the objectives as to: n reduce the length of time that work sites are unoccupied; n improve planning and coordination between contractors;

n carry out more works outside of peak periods;

n optimise the number of operatives on site so works are completed quicker; and n have works completed to the required standard first time.2

The legislation was therefore designed to have a direct impact on the working practices of Utility Company Contractors.

Examples of the Street Works Charges legislation referred to within the article the Secretary of State to implement such a scheme. Approval would be subject to certain conditions: n Authorities would need to have a well-run permit scheme

n Schemes would apply to a local authority’s own works as well as to Utility Companies.

n Lane rental charges should be used to incentivise work outside of peak times, waived for joint works and caps are put in place for major works to install and replace apparatus.

Schemes vary widely across the four territories and between Local Authorities. There are four broad types of scheme: Noticing schemes where works are simply reported to the LHA; Permit schemes where the permit is applied and paid for and which may include specific conditions; Over-run Charges which are applied only where works have gone beyond an agreed timeframe; and Lane Rental Schemes.

n Schemes are trialled before ‘going live’ and reviewed annually to ensure charges remained proportionate and are applied to the most congested roads.

Lane Rental Schemes (LRS) are the newest type. They allow the LHA to charge a daily fee of up to £2,500 per day when the highway is occupied. Two pioneer schemes – in London since 2012 and Kent since 2013 – are operating.

Where charging schemes are extended, it will be in the interest of utility companies to find effective ways to repair their network that can reduce time on site or avoid closing highways completely.

The recent consultation3 assessed whether such schemes could be rolled out further – and the result was a ‘yes’. The London & Kent schemes will be allowed to continue. Other LHA’s can now apply to

As the above only applies to England, it will be interesting to see any reaction, interest or discussion within Holyrood, Cardiff or Stormont.

Working with charges

Working out of hours explicitly achieves some of the Government’s key aims – but contractors will need to look closely at the effects this will have on their staff and operations. Examining the knock-on effect on staff

contracts and wellbeing would be a good place to start. Reviewing whether a team is fully equipped for night working might be another route, for example is more equipment needed in the form of lighting? Products that are time-saving on site will become even more attractive as their cost is outweighed by greater savings on the cost of permits. This is where we see a significant win for trenchless technologies, whether patching or lining to fully reinstate failing pipework. Trenchless technologies involve no excavation at all, but access the network for repair via the nearest manhole. The growth of such methods could be the ultimate winner as permit and lane rental schemes become even more widespread. Good quality, independently-approved products are already out there and have been tried and tested over the last decade. Training for crews who are as yet unfamiliar in these techniques is also readily available. Given the governmental desire for the extension of permit schemes – are your contractors prepared? 1 Road works: The future of lane rental. Moving Britain ahead (Dept for Transport, Sept 2017) 2 New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. Lane Rental Schemes: Guidance to English Local Highway Authorities (Dept for Transport, Jan 2012) 3 Government response to consultation on the future of lane rental - Moving Britain Ahead (Dept for Transport, Feb 2018)

TRENCHLESS

JUNE 13TH

TECHNOLOGY

OPEN DAY

Come along to a very special Open Day, meet the S1E team and see... •

How Trenchless Technology saves time, cost and disruption on site

•

Demonstrations of the latest repair products and techniques

•

Innovative products never seen before in the UK

•

The latest in lining systems and curing methods, cutting repair time further

•

Innovative camera systems, reducing inspection time and equipment costs

•

S1E’s range & depth of stock at our new headquarters

Let us know that you’re coming by emailing contact@s1e.co.uk or calling 01226 397015.

From the company who brought you the market-leading, WRc-approved Pipe Doctor no-dig patch repair system.

For enquiries contact Source One Environmental on:

01226 397 015

contact@s1e.co.uk

www.s1e.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

R&M Utility and Civil Engineering Services – Focus on Trenchless Technology (Pipe Lining) R&M Utility and Civil Engineering Services are committed to finding high-quality and economical solutions for their clients. As a sewerage contractor in the South West, R&M are continually researching repair and rehabilitation techniques; repeatedly demonstrating the advantages of trenchless technology over traditional excavation dependent repairs. There are 4 main categories of sewer repair utilising “no dig” technology: Patch Lining, Cali Patching, Hot Cure Lining and Ambient Cure Lining. The horizons of trenchless technology continue to expand, with contemporary developments such as the Lateral Inflow Repair Robot. Whilst not suitable to all repair scenarios, trenchless techniques offer significant budgetary, scheduling, health & safety, structural and environmental benefits, to local eco systems and human surroundings.

The Principles of Pipe Lining

free. R&M have the capability to deliver all of the following Lining techniques: n Patch Liners can cover any defect within 100mm up to 750mm diameter sewer lines but are limited from lengths of 1 metre up to 3.7 metres. n Cali Patches are used to repair larger scale, major defects and can be applied to pipe diameters of 100mm and upwards.

The material used for a patch lining repair is impregnated with an epoxy resin, and then wrapped around a pipe packer for insertion into the sewer, via a manhole or similar access point, up to the point of the defect. It typically takes an hour for the resin to cure, depending on conditions, after which the packer is removed, and the pipe is defect

n Hot Cure Liners are used for large diameter sewers (150mm-900mm) and can line continuously for over 300 metres.

Case Study 1 – Hot Cure & Cali Patch Lining

Case Study 2 – Lateral Inflow Repair Robot

To circumvent a 4.2 metre deep excavation to repair 3 sections of 225mm VC sewer pipework, totalling 41 metres running beneath residential gardens, R&M used a mixture of Cali Patches and Hot Cure Lining. Before liner installation the crew meticulously CCTV Screenshot Pre-Repair extracted broken pieces (looking upstream) of pipework from the sewer, a painstaking 8-hour operation using a CCTV camera and push rods. A full-length liner using a Hot Cure was installed in one section to increase structural strength whilst remedying multiple defects. This was particularly important because the pipework ran under an electrical CCTV Screenshot Post-Repair substation; and if a dig (looking downstream) was carried out, the rear of the customer’s house would have needed removing. The use of trenchless technology enabled repairs to be carried out cost effectively in optimal safety conditions, while safeguarding customer property and minimising disruption by avoiding digging in gardens – which can often be a cause for customer complaint.

R&M demonstrated their innovative streak when recognising an opportunity to bring the Hermes Lateral Inflow Repair Robot from Germany to the UK. A series of degraded lateral connections discharged into a sewer main which spanned the 1km length of a narrow one-way Bilingual translator (left) with residential street. In German operative (right) this environment the deep excavations needed to replace pipework would have produced an unacceptable level of disruption caused by road closures, with potential to generate community complaints. The robot made it possible to carry out trenchless repairs to the laterals without disturbing the soil. For each lateral, the robot was lowered into the sewer main from the back of a van via a manhole and winched into place on wheels. On reaching the point of repair the robot inflated an appendage up to 50cm high to create a temporary seal inside the lateral. Non-toxic liquid concrete mortar pumped from the van was then injected inside the lateral to fill-up a honeycomb lattice of holes constituting the void surrounding the lateral, preventing further infiltration of sea water from a nearby estuary. With a 30 to 45-minute curing time, a saddle was created to envelop the defective lateral and create a completely watertight seal, much superior to the original integrity of the lateral connections. By using advanced trenchless technology R&M mitigated the negative environmental and community impact that a series of digs would have had. Spend on the client’s budget was reduced and stakeholder interests protected. Importantly R&M showed skill in matching the technology with an appropriate environment – they capitalised on an opportunity to the mutual benefit of the company, the client and their stakeholders.

n Ambient Cure Liners apply to smaller sewers (100mm to 150mm) and are limited to 50 metres in length.

Specialists in

01395 239188 - info@rmutility.co.uk – www.rmutility.com

R&M Utility Training Centre

01395 239188 - enquiries@rmutraining.com – www.rmutraining.com R&M Utility & Civil Engineering has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.

The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses across the UK

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Major investment in specialist pipe installation Trenchless Technology was a major investment when Water & Pipeline Services were setting up as a new company in 2012 and the purchase of a Ditch Witch JT30 All Terrain Horizontal Directional Drilling Rig, Suction Excavator and Grundoburst Pipeburster were key to being able to offer the most beneficial method of pipe installation taking into consideration the safety, environmental or economic impact. WPS Ltd have a wealth of experience across a variety of disciplines within utility construction and they offer full construction projects in relation to water, sewer, and gas projects. They are fully accredited to ISO19001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, UVDB Category B2, Constructionline, Acclaim WIRS and are working their way to getting NERS accreditation for cable laying.

Suction Excavation

WPS Ltd aim to achieve zero damage in all work activities and have recently added a suction excavator to our operational equipment to allow them to achieve this target. Applications include:

• Replacement of pipes and fittings • Renovation and new installation of gas, water, heating pipes, cables and disposal lines

Project Title: Haddington Utilities, Letham Burn Project Duration: 6 weeks Project Difficulties: Crossing under a bridge with unknown footings whilst keeping a clearance under the Letham Burn. Other options Open cut..not an option with the bridge in the way and no other wayleave options available. Augering - Pits would be too deep at a depth off 3.5m which would have required a road closure. Thrustboring - Not an option due to the number and size of ducts.

• Exploratory excavations

• Railway trackside maintenance and repair • Use of ground displacement rockets

• Clearing away environmental damage

• Replacement of contaminated soil around the roots of trees

• Removal of material in demolition projects • Removal of gravel from flat roofs

• Cleaning blocked street gutters & gullies

• Operations involving the use of horizontal boring units • Leaf removal

• Application for special operations

Suction Excavator Productivity Rates Material

m3/hour

Time for 1m3

heavy soil with buried cables and pipes

1.6666

36 min

dry heavy soil

2.5

24 min

wet heavy soil or clay

20 min

moderately heavy soil with buried cables and pipes

15 min

muddy soil, gravel, crushed rock

10 min

sandy soil

6 min

water

2 min

heavy soil with buried cables and pipes excavated by hand

0.25

4 hours

Horizontal Directional Drilling

amount of open cut work and removal of spoil to landfill. “This equipment will also drill rock and offers pipe size installation up to 400mm with lengths of more than 200m in one single shot.

Managing Director John Graham said: “This offers savings to the customer on construction costs and also offers an environmental benefit in reducing the

HDD Case Study

“All our operatives are directly employed by WPS and work to a high standard of safety, we promote a can-do attitude and have had great feedback from our clients. The HDD method can also be used to install gravity sewers to grade over distances up to 200m in length with sizes usually installed being 90mm or 125mm.”

Microtunneling - Discounted due to costs. Directional drilling was chosen due to costs, speed of installation, the impact to the local community was minimised as it was all executed under a single lane closure so access was maintained at all times. Number of utilities installed: 1 x 250mm gas main approx 50m in length..Pipe spec sdr17.6mm 1 x 315mm watermain approx 50m in length..pipe spec sdr 17,6mm 5 x 180mm electricity ducts approx 50m in length pipe spec sdr 17.6mm 1 x 90mm gravity/pumped sewer approx.50m in length later extended to 215m in length to cover full length of works when cost savings were considered due to the depth. Pipe spec sdr 11. Further works awarded when onsite 80m of 90mm gravity sewer pipe within the site that was due to be opencut down a site road. The award for this job was awarded after a tender process and was awarded on previous experience and confidence of the client that the works could be done on time and on budget. In addition to the drilling our scope of works including opening notices, traffic management, supplying of all the pipework and jointing. Excavation and backfilling of any launch, trial and receive pits were also carried out by ourselves. All works were completed on time and budget with a happy client as they had visions of a site that they couldn’t sell any houses due to utilities not being connected in time. The council were also happy that the integrity of their bridge wasn’t compromised at all during the works with no leakage of drilling fluids noted at any stage of the process into the Letham Burn. www.waterandpipelineservices.co.uk

Water & Pipeline Services Ltd Specialists in Utility Installations Horizontal Directional Drilling Suction Excavation Water Mainlaying & Servicelaying Gas Mainlaying & Servicelaying

Under Pressure Branch Drilling Waste Water Construction Water Pipe Design & Management Trenchless Techniques

IP Steel Mainlaying

Open Cut Techinques

Pipebursting

Full Turnkey Projects

01324 611353 www.waterandpipelineservices.co.uk admin@waterandpipelineservices.co.uk

12 Castle Road Bankside Industrial Estate Falkirk FK2 7UY

z CYBER SECURITY

Why it’s time the Water Industry took stock of

cyber security At a time of political volatility when a threat to our critical infrastructure seems more likely than ever, the Water Industry Journal speaks to Barry Searle about why the industry should change its approach to cyber security to safeguard their operations. “The Water Industry needs to be taking an informed risk-based approach to their cyber security, not a purely financial or regulatory approach,” explains Barry Searle. “They should be assessing the pros and cons of risk, rather than just looking at greater efficiency. “The industry needs to accept that an attack on their critical infrastructure could happen here, as it has in other countries, and take robust steps to mitigate such an attack - especially given so many of their operational systems are now automated and cyber-dependent.

including water, has been specifically targeted by cyber threat groups and these instances show that it is their critical operations rather than their data that can be targeted. “In one such attack, the chemical controls within a treatment works were compromised and the consequences of such an attack just don’t bear thinking about, but thinking about it is exactly what the industry needs to do.

“In the water industry, like almost every other industry, a lot has become automated in recent years, not just customer communications and records, but their operations too.

“Water companies need to be asking themselves how they would deliver their critical services in the event of a major cyber disruption. How could they control their operations; and how long would it take them to get their critical services up and running again in the event of a serious and sustained attack?

“What the industry needs to grasp is that the cyber threat isn’t merely about data theft – serious though this threat is and huge though the financial implications could prove – especially with the advent of GDPR.

“Many water companies have automated their operations without putting in place sufficient contingency plans for business continuity in the light of an attack on their automated and cyber-based systems.

“More crucially, the cyber threat has huge ramifications for a water company’s operations. In a number of countries around the world, critical national infrastructure,

“The volatile political situation makes putting these contingencies in place all the more important. Cyber crime has no borders, what has happened to Critical National

Infrastructure in the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia could easily happen here. “More and more these days, cyber attacks are being used as a political tool. Already, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that a sustained cyber attack on our critical national infrastructure is likely this year.” Barry is well-placed to comment on matters of security, cyber and otherwise, as his background is in military intelligence. As Director of Training at specialist training provider Intqual-pro, Barry designs and delivers OFQUAL regulated qualifications in intelligence analysis, cyber security and safeguarding, amongst other topics, that are now delivered in over 30 countries. Intqual-pro was formed in 2014 to provide high-quality training and regulated qualifications to intelligence analysts employed in a variety of roles, with trainers that consisted of former military and law enforcement intelligence specialists. Over the last few years their remit has broadened and Intqual-pro are now the UK’s largest provider of OFQUAL regulated vocational

“The water industry has benefitted for too long from the fact that their customers had no choice as to whom supplied their water, but the market is opening up and already businesses, charities and public sector bodies can choose their provider.

CYBER SECURITY z

intelligence qualifications, with public and private sector clients, including banks and companies running the essential infrastructure. Every day, somewhere in the world, someone will be receiving their cyber stars training. As Barry explains, “We deliver training and we also assess people, so organisations know that the people they have in key roles are competent and up to the challenges of the job.” “The crux of the matter is that we simply can’t exist without a safe supply of water. Almost every other part of our critical infrastructure relies on water in one way or another, and when it comes to cyber security, our data centres depend on water to regulate the temperature of their hard drives. “The impact of disruption to a water company’s critical operations is far-reaching, water companies are too complacent and they need to re-think their approach to risk and security. “The water industry has benefitted for too long from the fact that their customers had no choice as to whom supplied their water, but the market is opening up and already businesses, charities and public sector bodies can choose their provider. “Investing in cyber security and related awareness training makes financial, business and reputational sense. Customers are now much more aware and wary of where their data is held and a lack of trust is the main reason customers have for walking away from a company. “Water companies hold a huge amount of data and it is estimated that for each individual company that data alone is worth around £30-40

million. When a customer is a victim of credit card fraud, for example, they know their money is likely to be refunded by their bank, but when it comes to a data breach who knows where the crime begins or ends, where their data will end up and for how long it will be an issue. “We can all name companies that have never fully recovered from a security breach. Water companies need to understand the impact of a security breach and how the subsequent loss of trust could affect their business, they must consider the operational and reputational risk as a more open market emerges. “Unfortunately, not every company wants to know how easy it is to hack into their systems, they don’t own or take responsibility for that risk or they feel they have no budget to do anything about it. “Water companies could learn a lot from banks which provide robust cyber security training for all of their personnel. We know that the vast majority of cyber breaches come about or are enabled by human error, so raising awareness of these issues and providing your staff with strategies for dealing with the cyber threat are crucial to remaining secure. “Ultimately, a cyber security breach would be bad for business, with GDPR now enshrined, companies could be fined up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s global annual turnover, whichever is greater and they could suffer reputational damage from which they may never fully recover. However, a cyber security breach of a water company’s operational systems has far more appalling consequences than a mere financial

loss given water is essential to life.” “Water companies need to review their contingency plans and ensure that they can operate in the event of a security breach, with so many of their systems cyber-based, it is their operations rather than their finances or data that are most at risk. “The UK industry needs to learn the lessons from the cyber breaches of water companies around the world and gain a better understanding of how they can isolate their critical systems. Systems that don’t need to be connected to outside networks, shouldn’t be connected. “Water companies need to transform the culture within their organisations, raising awareness of the issues and look at putting technical solutions in place to keep their operations running safely and efficiently in the event of a cyber breach. “The cyber threat is constantly evolving and water companies need to take stock of the changing security landscape and take action now.” www.intqual-pro.com barry.searle@intqual-pro.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z CYBER SECURITY

GDPR – and ensuring our information assets are secured appropriately You only need to look at your personal inbox to realise that every major organisation has spent thousands of hours preparing for the introduction of General Data Protection Regulations. responsibilities we perform and provide. We also work with our chosen service providers who run many of the security systems we use.

Louise Pearson Head of Information Security, Southern Water

Southern Water is no different - with 4.6 million customers, every person in the company has been briefed on our duty to protect data and how to handle sensitive details. But as a water utility we are part of the nation’s vital national infrastructure and have also been challenged to meet the requirements of the NIS Directive. The Security of Network and Information Systems Directive was adopted by the European Parliament in 2016. It provides legal measures to ensure the UK has a framework applied for the security of networks and information systems across sectors such as energy, transport and water - in other words our vital infrastructure. So Southern Water has both NIS and GDPR - two huge regulation changes hitting us this year. Reflecting the importance and seriousness, both regulations carry large fines for breaches. The NIS fines can be up to £17m. The government believes the impact of an incident under NIS could have significant impact to the economy or individual to an equal or greater extent than GDPR. But while the size of the fine might concentrate some minds, it is not the real story for Southern Water. One of our core values is looking after our assets – and by extension the health and well-being of our customers. In adhering to these particular directives we are ensuring our information assets are secured appropriately. I lead a relatively small team of eight people so we have always had to work in an agile way to keep up with a constantly evolving threat matrix. We have an Information Governance Manager that guides our business on correct practices around data management, customer information management, policies and procedures, and staff awareness. And we also have an Information Security Manager whose team ensure we are operating security systems and processes effectively on a day to day basis. This is a very simplified view as there are many tasks and

The way we provide our service is also changing. We are looking to bring some of the security service we’ve outsourced back in-house and that will see us grow the team and add new skills. One challenge we face is finding the right team members. Skills in the immediate area are scarce so we have to look wider. We train our current team. We’re always on the lookout for great people and with so much going on we have plenty to keep people challenged and learning. There are many improvements we’re looking to make to our infrastructure to make it even better and that will see us designing and deploying new technologies and running projects to transform the Southern Water security environment. Legislation and the ever growing number of attacks – such as phishing – see the team having to shore up what we already have, investigate more suspicious activity, and protect our fellow employees, our customers, and our data. Our approach is risk and issue based. Risks are things which could affect us. Issues are the things that are already affecting us. We maintain a log of both of these categories and track our actions to close them. Not just because of NIS and GDPR, Southern Water has an understandable low appetite for security risk. Due to the sensitive nature of cyber-security work, we never discuss the techniques we use to track risks. Hackers and attackers ranging from lone computer experts to state-actor level cyber-attack teams constantly look for clues which would help them compromise our security. Saying too much would alert a would-be attacker of things to avoid doing because we would spot them early on but we do have threat intelligence capabilities using technology and we collaborate with other water companies plus our designated National Cyber Security Centre water sector lead. Keeping control of operations in such a fastchanging environment requires careful management. Within my team we have numerous tracking tools and dashboards as well as project status tracking. There’s a lot to watch over and drive forward… Across the wider business we have the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), Information Governance

Council and various focused working groups to make sure we put the right attention and emphasis on key events and legislative requirements. A central decision making committee with ELT membership has been established to ensure the right level of focus and commitment is given to security related initiatives. We use a combination of visual reporting and formal reports. The visual dashboards enable us to communicate a lot of information in a concise way whereas the formal reports allow us to provide supporting detail. Our board is keen to know that we’re always improving and that our cyber security posture is under control. We’ve created some tools and techniques of our own to be able to demonstrate our progress. This is important for me and the team too as we all need to feel we are making a difference and having an impact. In some organisations, security can seem almost an afterthought. I’m pleased to say we don’t. Privacy by design is embedded into our new processes and at the forefront of all our architectural design decisions. And in addition to protecting staff from cyberattack, we train them to be more aware of the threat landscape. We obviously want to protect our staff, our customers, our systems, and the information we hold but that really is only part of the answer. Technology can do many things and with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning it is amazing to see what is now possible. However, we have to raise employees’ awareness of cyber threats. Cars are increasingly safe to drive but we still have to know the rules of the road and how to use the vehicle sensibly. We see all our colleagues as a fundamental part of our defence. Staff that know not to click on links or write passwords down are protecting our business by their own actions. Security always seems to be a world of urgent issues and critical projects so it’s import to set your priorities. The reality is that the things I spend most of my time focused on are: continual improvement – technology and security controls are ever changing and a need for a continual improvement plan is essential; managing risks and issues and identifying and responding to cyber threats. Louise has worked for Southern Water since 2014 and is based at our head office location in Durrington.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

NEWS z

Securing National Infrastructure

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WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL JUNE 2018

z NEWS

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