Water Industry Journal 16

SEPTEMBER2020

Improving Customer Experience • Wastewater Treatment & Technology • Clean Water Networks Directional Drilling • Biogas & Energy Management

ISSUE16

Multi Parameter Logger Solution CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) • Accuracy / Range of Conductivity Sensor: ± 1 % max. / 0,2...200 mS/cm • Accuracy / Range of Temperature Sensor Pt1000: ± 0,1 °C / -10…40 °C • Accuracy / Pressure Range of Depth: ± 0,02 %FS max. / 5…200 m • Applications: Monitoring of Water Quality and Level • LoRa™ ready

Excellence in Hydrology Remote Data Transmission Solutions

Level and Temperature Logger Solutions • Autonomous • Easy to use

•

Multi parameter logger

•

Mobile network 2G – 4G

•

Data transmission via E-Mail, FTP or SMS

•

Battery life up to 10 years

•

Easy to install

•

Free software

• LoRa™ ready

• Battery life up to 10 years • Applications: · Fresh Water · Salt Water · Dirt Water • Available in stainless steel, hastelloy or titanium • LoRa™ ready

keller-druck.com

Welcome

Taking the intelligent approach to energy, data management and the very future of the industry Energy intelligence, data intelligence, the phrases crop up over and over again when talking about the key drivers of the industry today.

Most water companies have already exploited the low hanging energy efficiency opportunities, says one of our guest writers, Mark Emery - the use of on-site generation is widespread.

Editor Helen Compson

But that’s not always enough to satisfy increasing, and often conflicting, demands from regulators, shareholders, consumers and environmental groups.

“The industry faces a difficult balancing act of: decreasing customer bills; reducing and reporting carbon emissions; maintaining rigorous water quality standards; and ensuring operational resilience - at the same time as delivering shareholder value,” he said.

“Now is the time to take a more intelligent approach to energy management to reduce costs, reduce emissions and ensure resilience.”

Esri, a global leader in geographic information systems, harnesses the power of data to produce the powerful mapping and spatial analytics software now used by more than 80% of the UK’s water companies.

At the heart of the digital transformation its technology engenders is the most basic prerequisite of all.

Craig Hayes, Esri’s head of Critical National Infrastructure Practice, a remit that includes utilities, telecoms and transport, said: “Everything a water utility typically does is related to location in some way – the route of the network, where a leak might be, where the field crews are and where the customers are.

The ‘where, where, where’ is crucial.”

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

However, before those location pins can be planted, one comprehensive, overarching map – a composite of the information produced by all those many, varied systems – is needed.

Utility companies need a digital framework they can tap into, a holistic system they can rely on, he said.

Dr Simon Jude, senior lecturer at Cranfield University’s Centre for Environment and Agricultural Informatics, widens the focus as he analyses the sort of holistic approach the water industry itself needs to take.

“The biggest dangers to the future of the sector lie in these assumptions around resilience: too great a focus on specific engineering threats, organisational silos with their own limited agendas, a lack of resources devoted to resilience,” he writes.

“The sector has advanced in terms of risk management processes, but that’s not the same as being genuinely resilient.”

What was needed was a connected resilience: a helicopter view that took in the full picture of the sector’s interdependence and open, honest conversations about what that meant in terms of threats.

The first thing that birds-eye view would reveal though was that the water industry wasn’t an island.

3

8

16

36 32

18 4

24 WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Contents 62

4-5

Contents

6-16

News

22-27 Improving Customer Experience 34-43 Wastewater Treatment & Technology 46-48 Clean Water Networks 56-57 Directional Drilling 62-64 Biogas & Energy Management

Editor

Helen Compson helen.compson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

58

Design

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

Advertising

David Lancaster Business Development Manager Tel: 0191 580 5476 david.lancaster@distinctivegroup.co.uk

49 www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

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.

5

News

Focus sharpened on retaining female talent Thames Water has joined forces with the Womens Utilities Network (WUN) to build on its growing reputation as a water company that attracts and retains the best female talent.

WUN was set up to encourage women to consider joining the utilities sector, from customer services to operations, and to help them develop their skills and careers.

Thames Water will benefit from the partnership by being able to advertise its vacancies to WUN’s 1,500 members, participate in WUN’s mentoring programme, share, and learn best practice from other companies, and attend events focussed on development.

The new partnership comes after Thames Water appointed Sarah Bentley as its new CEO, and as the company celebrates a six-fold increase in the number of women applying for frontline jobs after changing the ‘masculine’ wording of its job adverts.

Thames Water’s own Women’s Network is committed to increasing gender diversity and supporting the company’s target of increasing the female workforce from 33 per cent (water sector average 20 per cent) to 45 per cent by 2025.

The company has a range of awareness programmes, including menopause support,

is investing in female welfare facilities on operational sites and has launched a new range of PPE designed for women.

Angela Booth, chair of Thames Water’s Women’s Network, said: ‘’We’re very excited to partner with WUN, who have a wealth of experience from within the utilities industry.

“Our collective expertise will support even greater progress towards our equality, diversity and inclusivity goals.”

WUN was founded by a group of women who have themselves built successful careers in both energy and water. It seeks to help other women build the right networks, get the right training and take control of their own work lives at whichever stage of their career they’re at.

Angela Peart, co-founder of WUN, said: “It’s fantastic Thames Water has recognised the importance of supporting and encouraging female talent in their organisation. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”

MARCH2020 ISSUE14

ISSUE13 DECEMBER2019

We’re very excited to partner with WUN, who have a wealth of experience from within the utilities industry. Our collective expertise will support even greater progress towards our equality, diversity and inclusivity goals.

Angela Booth, chair of Thames Water’s Women’s Network

If you would like to participate in the December edition of Water Industry Journal we shall be featuring: n Water & Wastewater Monitoring & Analysis n Improving Asset Health n Sludge Management

n Pipeline Rehabilitation n Data Logging n Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Trenchless Technolog y • Wastewater Treatmen t & Technology • Leak flood defence • Drinking Detection & Repair Water Treatment • chemuk2020 preview

& recycling & incident management • Biosolids & analysis • Utility security Delivering resilience Water & wastewater monitoring • Catchment management • Wastewater treatment & technology

6

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

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Design Build Maintain Hire Your chemical. Our know-how.

WES is the UK’s leading chemical dosing systems provider From design and manufacture to service and support - WES builds, installs and maintains chemical dosing systems.

From small packaged systems to large and bespoke installations, our expertise means you can effectively add chemicals to your process.

In an emergency, hiring equipment is the fastest and most cost-effective option. We operate a dedicated fleet that’s ideal in emergencies or to cover planned maintenance.

Talk to our team today for technical advice or discuss our planned preventative maintenance packages to ensure your operation stays safe and avoids unplanned downtime.

For more information or to discuss a project contact: Graham Ward Email: Graham.Ward@wes.ltd.uk Main office: +44 (0)1256 819 777 Website: www.wes.ltd.uk

Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn

News

Ovarro’s PIONEER software can be used across all utility network asset types

Finnish utility trials asset investment planning software

Finnish multi-utility Alva is the first in Scandinavia to trial Ovarro’s PIONEER asset investment planning (AIP) software. The six-month trial, which started in May focuses on Alva’s water distribution network, but will also assess the potential benefits of optimal investment planning right across its asset base.

Alva serves the city of Jyväskylä in central Finland and its surrounding area and, along with its subsidiaries, generates and distributes electricity and produces, sells and distributes heat and water in the networks they own.

PIONEER is a web-based decision support platform that can optimise asset management planning and operational strategies.

Kimmo Järvinen, head of Alva’s asset management programme said, “As a frontrunner in utility asset management in Nordic countries, Alva is excited by this proof of concept. The aim of the trial is to assess our readiness in terms of data; we also have an important requirement for the tool to improve Alva’s long-term, risk-based investment planning.”

George Heywood, technical director, Ovarro said, “We are very excited to be working with a visionary utility like Alva that can see the potential of our platform across water and non-water assets. PIONEER has the potential to help the company carry out renewals across the asset base, supporting the coordination of programmes of works in power and water together, to minimise the total number of excavations.

8

analytics centre in Reigate, UK, over the last 12 months. It is designed to be used by operatives with varying levels of technical expertise, speeding up decision-making on investment plans.

The recently developed PIONEER Express interface makes it easier for operatives to use the software “Alva is also our first customer to benefit from the recently developed PIONEER Express interface, which makes it easier for nonspecialists to use PIONEER’s powerful planning capability. We are currently rolling it out to our existing clients too.”

The simplified functionality of the Express interface was developed at Ovarro’s data

Alva’s bespoke PIONEER software environment has been deployed via Microsoft’s Azure cloud service in a very short period of time, to meet the customer’s ambitious schedule and programme of works. It can be used for all utility network asset types including potable water and heat distribution mains, sewers and electrical cabling, as well as point assets such as pumping stations, treatment works and transformers.

Heywood said, “Given the timing, this project has not been without challenges. Our plans to travel to Finland were disrupted by Covid-19 and training had to be provided remotely via Teams. We will continue to provide close support throughout the trial.”

PIONEER has been in use in the UK for over 10 years, with six water companies making use of the platform, including United Utilities, Southern Water and Northern Ireland Water. www.ovarro.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Reliability and Efficiency as Standard Patterson Pump Ireland is a multi-award-winning complete pump manufacturer, servicing

ua

r a n t ee

2

y ea r

d

g

markets across the globe.

y

w

arr nt a

We can help our clients and customers to achieve the lowest longterm cost of ownership.

+44 (0)44 934 7078 company/patterson-pump-ireland-ltd www.ie.pattersonpumps.com sales@ie.pattersonpumps.com A Subsidiary of Patterson Pump Company USA

Big data goes down the plughole to fight future public health threats Scientists at the University of Bath’s Water Innovation and Research Centre are developing new ways of monitoring public health at home and in lowincome countries by analysing wastewater Rising antimicrobial resistance and fastspreading epidemics like Ebola and the Zika virus are well-publicised threats to global health. Now, scientists at the University of Bath’s Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC @ Bath) are working out how big data and wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) could help combat these issues and keep people around the world healthy.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated in 2016 that antimicrobial resistance (also known as AMR or drug resistance) is a major threat to health and human development.

AMR is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.

Now, studies being carried out by WIRC @ Bath staff could point to how wastewater monitoring could contribute to fighting both AMR and the spread of aggressive epidemics by reducing the level of pharmaceuticals reaching wastewater treatment works, and creating an early warning system aimed at safeguarding public health.

Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Professor in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry, is

10

based in the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry and is a member of its Water Innovation and Research Centre, WIRC @ Bath.

Prof Kasprzyk-Hordern says that instead of monitoring the health of individuals through blood or urine samples, more can be learned about a community’s health at a ‘birds eye’ level when wastewater is monitored.

highlight emerging public health issues in the Stellenbosch area. Following a year’s study of the underlying geographic conditions and seasonal variabilities, the team is now using state-of-the-art tools to target more than 200 biomarkers, including genes, proteins and chemicals that help paint a picture of local community health.

Doing do over wide geographic areas and in long-term studies will give public health bodies new tools in understanding a population’s health, the risks it is facing, and the possibility of developing early warning systems to highlight potential threats before they become crises.

Prof Kasprzyk-Hordern says: ““We hope that monitoring of selected biomarkers over long periods will speed up the evaluation of public health status, prediction of future crises, and development of mitigation strategies for rapid- or slow-onset hazards, even before they manifest characteristic end points, such as death in the case of pandemics.”

She says: “We have been studying for several years how water systems form a critical part of the public health landscape.

“It’s thanks to this that current research focused on safeguarding people’s health both in the UK and internationally is progressing rapidly, on several fronts.”

ReNEW – developing early warning systems in urban wastewater systems A project managed jointly with South Africa’s Stellenbosch University seeks to develop an early-warning system to quickly

By engineering new integrated sensors for on-site monitoring and building a big data approach to modelling markers within the urban water system in Stellenbosch, the team hopes that urban water profiling can provide real-time responses when certain biomarkers are detected and reduce the burden on public health worldwide.

Urban water fingerprinting

Developed from a Europe-wide study that used wastewater sampling to determine levels of illicit drug use in cities, Urban Water

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Fingerprinting (or UWF) is a recent concept in water science.

Anyone working in the water industry will know that urban water is complex and everchanging.

A mixture of substances, it includes a wide range of human excretion products, all of which have different levels of exposure to stressors (e.g. toxicants and infectious agents) and physiological processes (e.g. specific disease-linked proteins, genes and metabolites). The quantitative measurement of these residues continuously pooled by sewerage systems can provide evidence of the quantity and type of chemical, biological or physical stressors to which the population is exposed and can profile the effects of this exposure, anonymously, at low cost and in real time.

Results of UWF studies so far are very promising and therefore it is anticipated that use of the technique will become more widespread. UWF capable of collating and analysing long term datasets has the potential to unravel complexities behind key 21st century public health issues focused on non-communicable and communicable disease epidemics which are rapidly spreading globally.

For example, only one daily urban water sample is needed to evaluate more than 300

biomarkers that can determine the state of community-wide health for a community of 100 thousand people, served by one wastewater treatment works – or in lower- and middle-income countries, disposing directly to the local river or open sewer.

If undertaken every day for a year, changes in public exposure over time, as well as infectious disease spread and the appearance of new pathogenic strains, could be surveyed for the whole community at a relatively low cost. As yet, such a tool does not exist.

However, Kasprzyk-Hordern says that if developed, it would have the potential to vastly improve health outcomes, provide quality-of-life benefits and reduce cost of healthcare globally. “Most importantly it could benefit all community members, irrespective of their socioeconomic status,” she adds.

Further work is critically needed to develop a system that is recognised internationally to influence regulatory and political decisions both of localised importance (e.g. air pollution in urban areas or infectious disease spread in low resource settings) and at an international scale (e.g. antimicrobial resistance). Several aspects – including accurate measurement of population sizes, work into identifying biomarkers and crucially the development of low-cost sensors, require further investigation.

We can help you reimagine your water R&D

We have been studying for several years how water systems form a critical part of the public health landscape.

It’s thanks to this that current research focused on safeguarding people’s health both in the UK and internationally is progressing rapidly, on several fronts.

Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Professor in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry

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

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

11

Quick return on investment with Valmet’s superior solids measurement solutions The measurement of solids in wastewater treatment has always been a questionable proposition. Limitations in measurement accuracy along with long term reliability have been a concern to plant operators and engineers.

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.

Additionally, harsh and sometimes uncontrolled process conditions (e.g. fat, oil, and grease) offer additional challenges.

Despite these challenges, dependable and accurate measurements are still being sought today in wastewater treatment.

Also, our professionals work close to customers around the world, having a high service availability. Valmet has over 2000 solids measurement system references in municipal and industrial plants globally, with great proven results.

Why? The reward for having reliable solids measurements is great – instant and continuous solids measurement allows plant operations to optimize, automate, and improve their processes. This reduces plant operation costs through chemical and energy savings while improving even further the environmental and public health benefits of wastewater treatment.

With continuous real-time data, considerable savings can be achieved quickly by lowering transportation costs, reducing the amount of chemicals used, reduction in laboratory sampling, and more efficient energy consumption.

Valmet has developed its technology since the 1970s to meet the wastewater treatment plants’ needs. Our superior solids solutions are used in the sludge dewatering, as well as at

Read more about our solution in www.valmet.com/wastewater Contact us: John Nelson +44 7977 137016 john.nelson@valmet.com

WHY OUR RENTAL SERVICE IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR YOUR PROCESS ISSUE?

LET’S TALK Debbie Mayes, Account Manager Rental UK & Ireland +44 (0) 7 903 645 925 debbie.mayes@aerzenrental.com

AERZEN Rental provides immediate assistance throughout Europe if it concerns 100 % oilfree process air.

With blower and compressor systems for conveyance of air and neutral gases for almost every industry segment, you are well prepared for any situation. Whether, for example, in case of overproduction, failure or maintenance, process optimisations or new buildings and conversions. Decide on absolute process safety: with the 24/7 rental service for efficient assembly solutions including accessories – also turnkey including installation, commissionning and maintenance. Fast, flexible, reliable. www.aerzen.com

Service-Rental_DIN A5-V2.indd 1

12

11.12.2019 09:00:55

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

WE CONNECT BIG DATA TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Water authorities across the globe rely on our datadriven solutions to advance productivity, safety and security.

Contact Ovarro or one of our partners and discover how we can make a big difference to your business.

www.ovarro.com

New headset offers vision for the future An innovative and now key piece of equipment came into its own for Trant Engineering Limited during the company’s work at Weir Wood reservoir.

The intelligent, interactive headset - keyed into Microsoft Teams - deployed by its field-based engineers had paid dividends for both Trant and client Southern Water alike, said Business Development and Innovation Manager, Ashton Dewey.

“At Weir Wood water supply facility, it enabled us to complete a very time-pressured project working with an integrated design team, but without them actually needing to visit the site.

“That delivered significant benefits for both us and the client. Less resources were required in that less staff needed to be despatched to site, which resulted in a direct cost saving for Southern Water.”

On wastewater and water supply facilities, Trant’s engineers use the headset primarily while scoping and trouble-shooting, and during onsite progress meetings in relation to design and delivery.

Containing a high-resolution camera and a small, app-based screen, it allows them to talk in real time with colleagues who could be anywhere on the planet.

“The big advantage it has over, say, using a GoPro camera linked to a mobile device is that it is voice-activated and therefore can be used hands-free.

“We have designed our own app for the headset in partnership with our US based colleagues to integrate with our water industry work management system which, because it interfaces seamlessly with

14

Microsoft Teams, allows staff working on site to have the full support of office staff in real time.”

“That in turn reduces the need for repeat visits and, crucially, maximises the asset ‘up’ time in an asset-intensive industry such as water.”

That meant instead of having to send perhaps three or four engineers to scope out a project, just one or two were needed to stream images and information back to the office.

The timing of the headset’s introduction had been fortuitous, given the exigencies of Covid-19, but Trant had had its eye on another global emergency at the point of commissioning.

“It’s a two-way conversation,” said Ranjith, “so the person watching in the office can send the headset-wearer to get more images or visit another part of the site, if need be.

“As soon as we found this headset, we knew it fitted our requirements for onsite jobs.”

Trant’s IT team was busy writing the specific software necessary to roll the headset out for use across the health and safety arena too, he added. There, the hands-free aspect would be a particular boon, as would the anti-sparking protection that had been added.

Again, the key focus would be the integration of the headset with Trant’s centralised information system.

Ashton confirmed, “Use of the headset is being ramped up, we’ll be using it more and more in the future.”

That seamless interface with Microsoft Teams gave the headset tremendous functionality and flexibility, he said. “If you are scoping and problem solving, you tend not to know in advance exactly what is going to be needed, so this interface between engineers and technicians maximises the chance of a first-time fix.

“The ability to record video and voice can reduce presence on site, generating time and cost savings that lead to improved performance, greater efficiency and, perhaps most importantly of all, a smaller carbon footprint,” said Ashton.

The fact the headset was capable of hosting bespoke applications had ultimately sealed the deal. Its use could, indeed, be extended across any number and type of projects.

He said: “It used to be that businesses in the construction and engineering sectors couldn’t function efficiently remotely - we have had to innovate to survive.

“We had to find a way to maintain business continuity while keeping our workforce safe, and this intelligent headset is one solution – it is a smarter way of working.”

Ashton Dewey Ranjith Reddy trant.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

DELIVERING TOTAL ENGINEERING

Cyclic Bio Technology Low Cost Phosphorus Removal Process for AMP7

trant.co.uk Rushington House, Rushington, Southampton, SO40 9LT Tel: +44 (0)23 80665 544

News

Water industry urged to change to build resilience The water industry should continue to embrace new ways of working in a Covid-altered world and seize the opportunity to affect permanent change, a group of industry professionals heard.

James Hargrave, Regional Operational Leakage Manager at Anglian Water, urged water utilities and suppliers not to return to business as it was pre-pandemic, but to build on the success already achieved through the use of new technologies and working practices.

He was speaking during a webinar on August 6 hosted by asset management and network monitoring technology specialists Ovarro, about the impact of Covid-19 on the water industry.

The event, attended by 55 people, looked at the key challenges the sector has faced and how it looks now, six months into the pandemic.

Hargrave said he was “in awe” of the way companies had adapted and were able to continue day-to-day operations while also dealing with complex issues including preparations for Brexit and the UK’s wettest February on record, which have been followed by spring and summer heatwaves and unprecedented surges in demand for water.

“Future resilience is something we now need to think about,” he said, “but it’s really important as an industry we don’t think about what’s ‘back to normal’, but how we can use this to be agile and think differently.”

of water and trying to influence customer behaviour, because people are out there with a more open mind-set now and are more open to influence.”

James Hargrave

Jim Marshall

Anglian was able to continue its leak detection programme throughout lockdown, he said.

“One of the biggest things that affected our ability to react to leakage was our smart metering programme.

“It gave us real data that showed the real-time change in consumer behaviour patterns, so we weren’t responding to false alarms on leakage, and as we expand our remote sensing network, we have the ability to maintain leakage control and investigation without having to flood the streets with technicians.”

He added that water companies should now be working closer than ever with the supply chain to expand use of new technology and build capability within the sector.

Hargrave ended his presentation by saying the industry also has an opportunity to engage more closely with customers on areas such as water use. “When we think about our customer base and how behavioural change has been implemented through the lockdown phases, driven by the government, those behavioural changes will now last a long time.

It was the use of data-led technology, such as smart meters and remote sensors that ensured

“We should strike while the iron is hot with regard to consumption and conservation

The webinar also heard from Jim Marshall, senior policy advisor and Covid-19 operational advisor at Water UK, who gave an overview of how the sector had successfully continued to provide essential services, and support customers, during lockdown.

He said the sector had received good feedback from the government and regulators, but also warned of likely risks still facing the industry: “We’re in this for the long-term and that’s challenging us in many ways.

“In addition, we’re looking into winter, we’re thinking about second waves, about third waves potentially; there’s seasonal flu and also the regular industry incidents that happen over winter, such as having a really sharp cold snap.

“To top it all would be if the transition period out of the EU ends without a deal.

“In summary, there has been lots of good work done, lots of lessons learned and we are now planning for risks emerging over the next six months.”

The webinar was the first in a series of events planned by Ovarro throughout 2020, with the aim of bringing the utilities and supply chain together to discuss key issues.

Future resilience is something we now need to think about, but it’s really important as an industry we don’t think about what’s ‘back to normal’, but how we can use this to be agile and think differently.

James Hargrave, Regional Operational Leakage Manager at Anglian Water

16

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

ENGINEERED FOR

OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE We are driven by the belief that all waste can be transformed into a valuable, reusable resource. Our mobile screening and classification systems recover and dewater solids from tank cleaning residues such as rag and grit from digesters, making it easier and cheaper for our customers to dispose of. Recovered grit can be reused in backfill, pipe bedding and landscaping applications creating new revenue streams.

ENGINEERING

INSIGHTS VEVENT - 14-15 OCT 2020

Register now for our Engineering Insights Virtual Event at: cdenviro.com/vevent

ENGINEERED FOR YOU. #CDEv2020

Partnership approach to borehole cleaning delivers clear results When a large water utility company identified iron bacteria problems with three of its boreholes, it asked two borehole specialists to remediate the issue.

Working together, borehole maintenance specialist Drilcorp and treatment experts Geoquip Water Solutions, came up with a two-pronged approach involving physical and chemical treatment to deliver exactly what was required to solve the problems.

A combination of a mechanical clean by jetting and airlifting to clear initial loose sediment and sludge, was followed up with acidisation to remove any long-lasting bacteria and help prevent future regrowth.

Mike Bushby, Contracts Manager within Drilcorp’s Borehole Engineering Services division, explains: “These boreholes were part of a key water supply for two large areas of population and understandably the water company was reluctant to take them out of action for any length of time.

“Two recently drilled boreholes were supporting the water demand for the local area while the works were undertaken, however it was important to complete the works before any increase in supply was needed.”

Work began at the site in October 2019, with the first step being to remove the 8” riser pipe with flanged connections out of each borehole, a lengthy process involving a mechanical overhead gantry crane and grinding old rusted bolts. A camera inspection identified the condition of the three wells and at what depths required the most intense jetting from the Borestorer.

A partial collapse of part of one borehole wall meant large pieces of iron, broken stones and pebbles had also been deposited, and the team was faced with a significant build-up of sediment and sludge. The third borehole had high suspended solids and turbidity requiring intensive airlifting.

The Drilcorp team first performed an airlift operation in each borehole and followed this up by bringing in its new Borestorer jetting machine.

Mike explains: “The Borestorer uses high pressure jetting technology inside the borehole, injecting water on a spinning wheel to quickly and efficiently remove any material encrusted onto the casing. This technology not only cleans the casing, but penetrates the formation opening fractures and pores previously blocked to improve well efficiency.

“The jetting was carried out over an eight-hour period per borehole, after which we performed another airlift to remove remaining debris, gathering it into tanks ready for disposal and safely pumping the wastewater into a nearby stream.”

With physical cleaning completed, the next stage was an application of Geoquip’s BoreSaver Ultra C Pro, a proven biodegradable well rehabilitation treatment solution which is well-known in the industry for tackling iron contamination Mike Deed, from Geoquip, said: “We had been involved in discussions with the water company, consultants and contractors over a period of time, during which BoreSaver was specified as the best treatment solution.

“A professional mechanical cleaning practice, as performed here by Drilcorp, to remove much of the loose debris and sediment from the borehole as possible, is an essential part of a good, cost-effective treatment.

“This can, of course, impact on the amount of chemical required – getting the right dosage and using the correct methodology is very important in being able to achieve the best lasting results.”

Additional maintenance and repair work, which was carried out by Drilcorp’s engineers, before EGS, geophysical company, moved in to identify the well cavity properties, such as the cement bond and formation configuration.

Photo shows typical iron bacteria residues on a pipe prior to treatment. © Drilcorp

18

Following cleaning, Drilcorp undertook a series of tests on each well. These tests consisted of clearance pumping with surging; to remove residual sediment and lower turbidity, step

During the pump removal process. © Drilcorp rate testing; to identify the well efficiency and result of the cleaning, and finally a constant rate test; to observe the reaction of the aquifer to pumping. For this testing Geoquip supplied an energy-efficient 150kW Franklin Electric E-Tech borehole pump which ran with an inverter with abstraction rates up to 80l/s.

The data from the testing was sent to the client’s hydrogeologist, and the new hydraulic and water quality potential was calculated by the client.

The client’s Hydrogeologist then informed Drilcorp that the cleaning had improved the performance of all three boreholes.

A stainless steel ZSM rising main supplied by Drilcorp replacing the old flanged rising main in the three boreholes. Each of the headplates was refurbished by the sub-contractor George Green, the final element of the works was to install the above equipment into each borehole.

The project was an overall success with Mike Bushby commenting: “By using both the Borerestorer and BoreSaver cleaning processes, we were able to provide a good all-round clean and the combination of these processes, together with the partnership between our two companies, worked really well.”

Mike Deed concluded: “We were pleased that we were able to work in partnership with Drilcorp to overcome the contamination problems and ensure these boreholes were once again ready to supply both the quality and quantity of water required by the utility company to serve its customers.”

For more information, visit www.drilcorp.com and www.geoquipwatersolutions.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Quantify bacteria in minutes instead of days

The CyStain™ BacCount reagents, used on the CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m analyser, provide an easy-to-use and cost-effective test system to enumerate bacteria in many types of water-based samples.

Fast quantification of bacteria in water samples Cost-effective solution Low limit of detection Enumeration of all bacteria, including viable and non-culturable cells Automated read-out of the results Perfect for routine analysis

Sysmex UK Flow Cytometry

For further information, please email flowcytometry@sysmex.co.uk

uk.sysmex-flowcytometry.com

Unique mapping software drives up performance Esri builds the world’s most powerful mapping and spatial analytics software. In the process, this global market leader in geographic information systems harnesses the concept of location, location, location to drive both efficiency and digital transformation for its clients.

“That provides a framework the utility company can tap into – a holistic system they can rely on.”

Location intelligence, that confluence of data connecting people with place and contextual information, is at the heart of Esri’s unique ArcGIS software.

And, as Jonathan Swaddle, the company’s Customer Success Manager for client Affinity Water, says, “It has been helping our water industry customers hit some serious targets!

“Now, we are intent on helping them with AMP 7 and rising to meet regulatory demands.”

Jonathan Swaddle

More than 80% of the UK’s water companies now use Esri’s multidimensional mapping technology in their quest to drive up both efficiency and customer satisfaction levels.

Indeed, when it announced in July it had achieved its five-year leakage reduction target of 15%, it said the winning combination of geospatial analysis and artificial intelligence it was using had also reduced the average time it took to find a leak from around two weeks to just one day.

Take Affinity Water, for example. A customer since the days it was Veolia Water, Affinity uses Esri’s ArcGIS JavaScript API to drive what has been christened its Situational Awareness Solution, used 24/7 by its network control team.

It knits together data from legacy systems, customer records, staff/vehicle tracking locations and, crucially, live feeds from almost 4,000 water flow and pressure loggers and 20,000 acoustic loggers, and makes it all visible on one, interactive map.

Jonathan said: “It’s like being able to see everything through a single pane of glass, having all this information on one dashboard, and it is the GIS that makes that happen.”

The result? Affinity Water is now responding faster than ever to water supply interruptions and leaks.

20

Craig Hayes

Affinity now aims to reduce supply interruptions by 17% and leakage by a further 20% by 2025.

Craig Hayes, Esri’s head of Critical National Infrastructure Practice, a remit that includes utilities, telecoms and transport, said: “Everything a water utility typically does is related to location in some way – the route of the network, where a leak might be, where the field crews are and where the customers are.

The ‘where, where, where’ is crucial.

“Customer relationship management, asset management, sensor and acoustic logging data, these things are usually logged on different systems, but we can interface with all these different systems and use the location as the common factor.

Customers might report problems on a street split between different metered zones, which could point to a problem higher up the network, or cross-referencing might reveal a piece of infrastructure that had already been the subject of several repair missions.

All the time, the water company was narrowing the focus to pinpoint where the problem was.

Craig said: “ArcGIS captures all this information in a spatial format and behind that is all the textual information the workforce needs, perhaps identifying a vulnerable customer, whether a valve is on or off, whether there have been previous problems.

“They can look at the connectivity of the customer to an asset. They know the customer is connected to this specific piece of pipe and valve and this specific substation. So if things are going wrong, where are they going to focus resources?

“Where are my problems? Where do I need to intervene? Where are my best resources to respond as quickly as possible? Answering those questions is critical and that’s where Esri’s ArcGIS software excels.”

In the next issue of Water Industry Journal, Esri will be talking about asset health and tackling the problems posed by void properties. www.esriuk.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

SMART WATER MANAGEMENT BEGINS WITH LOCATION INTELLIGENCE. Where infrastructure, assets, customers and suppliers are, is fundamental to all aspects of managing water - from protecting a sustainable water supply to delivering safe drinking water.

The Esri ArcGIS Platform delivers a location intelligence solution for true digital transformation, with advanced field data collection, mapping, analytics, dashboards, collaboration tools and secure sharing on any device.

80% of UK water companies use the Esri ArcGIS Platform – are you leveraging its full potential?

Learn more: esriuk.com/water or contact sales@esriuk.com 01296 745599

Improving Customer Experience

Customer satisfaction is flat lining – we must focus on our service offering to help drive the UK forward

Institute of Customer Service - UKCSI Utilities Sector Report July 2020

than a point, in spite of widespread support measures put in place throughout the crisis, and the sector remains the second lowest ranked in terms of customer satisfaction.

By Jo Causon CEO, The Institute of Customer Service

The government’s announcements in late September of a raft of new coronavirus restrictions has taken us into a new period of challenge and uncertainty for businesses across the county. The effects of continued economic uncertainty, job losses and increasing numbers of vulnerable customers are set to continue for the foreseeable future – and will have a lasting impact on the customer experience environment, not least for water companies, who have been on the frontline of this crisis since the very start.

As we face these new set of challenges, it is vital that businesses do not lose focus on driving excellent customer service. Our latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) published in July revealed satisfaction levels have flatlined over the past year. Within the utilities sector, satisfaction levels rose less

Yet despite this flat lining, we have also seen an interesting pattern emerge; a clear polarisation between organisations as customers respond to those who have done well, and those who have not, during the pandemic. There is no doubt that some businesses have responded more effectively to the crisis than others. Those that have maintained a strategic focus on the customer, shown empathy and a focus on doing the right thing and maintained honest and consistent communications have clearly differentiated themselves from competitors. On the other hand, the impact of lockdown has highlighted organisations with weaknesses in their service offering, earning them the ire of frustrated and under-pressure customers that won’t be quickly forgotten.

As we enter the next stage of this crisis, it is vital that water companies do not lose the focus on customer service they have shown throughout the crisis. The past few months have seen inspiring examples of organisations

As we enter the next stage of this crisis, it is vital that water companies do not lose the focus on customer service they have shown throughout the crisis.

22

Institute of Customer Service - UKCSI Utilities Sector Report July 2020

in the sector going above and beyond to support their customers – introducing new measures to protect those in difficult financial or health related circumstances, as well as introducing new innovations to enable them to effectively service customers from afar. I urge organisations not to lose this focus in the months and years to come - not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is a sound business move. Customers are increasingly looking to brands to share their values and ethics – with factors such as support for vulnerable customers, doing the right thing by employees and getting involved in local communities all having become more important.

The crisis has also shown the importance of remaining agile, so as to respond quickly and effectively to rapidly changing circumstances.

Throughout the past few months, organisations have had to adapt the way they operate in order to cope with reduced team sizes, protect the health of safety of customers and employees, and respond to a sudden surge in demand from vulnerable customers. Those that have embedded service into their culture and values, and remained rigorously clear on their purpose, have seen themselves best placed to respond effectively to the changing needs of their customer base.

There is no doubt the next few years, and even decades, will be challenging - but we must learn from the mistakes of the past. After the last recession, we saw a collapse in customer satisfaction, with an increase of both complaints and the cost to serve customers. With high levels of customer satisfaction intrinsically liked to growth, profitability and productivity – it’s vital that we put service on top of the agenda in order to aid our economic recovery.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Customer story

Customer Experience on tap Providing 950 million litres of water each day to a population of more than 3.6 million, Affinity Water is the largest water-only supplier in the UK and is on a mission to deliver personalised customer experiences that matter to their communities.

We caught up with Luke Sambridge, Head of Customer Strategy and Experience to find out how Affinity Water’s 250+ seat contact centre was able to scale communications and reduce response times during lockdown, without turning off a single channel.

Solving the Puzzel

Success beyond voice

At the beginning of March 2020, CCaaS

“We could have closed down channels if

Luke went on to explain how much of a

powered contact centres around the

we wanted to, however, we were aware

success the strategy was and how they

world were able to make a quick switch to

that our customer needs had totally

saw resolution time decrease from five

remote working in response to COVID-19.

changed. So rather than worrying about

days to three. “It wouldn’t have

Affinity Water successfully transitioned to

what channels we were going to close

been possible if we didn’t have Puzzel’s

fully remote working in under a week.

down, we started by looking at our pool

omni-channel solution in place!”,

of customers and created a messaging

Luke explained.

campaign to proactively reach out to explain what to expect, how they could self-serve themselves and where to contact us.”

“We created tailored emails for each customer pool. For example, we knew it

It wouldn’t have been possible if we didn’t have Puzzel’s omni-channel solution in place!

would have a financial impact for already stretched families and those on furlough within our supply area. We came up with a plan to ensure that people were aware Puzzel Contact Centre Dashboard

Within that first week, Affinity Water knew they had to create a strategy that supported the change in their customers’ needs. They started by looking at their customer journeys and tweaking them to make it easy for

of our financial support scheme.”

Don’t just take Affinity Water’s word for it.

Puzzel’s complete omni-channel contact centre solution enables increased

“For the elderly and those who are on

productivity, closer customer contact and

our priority services register, our

improved service levels. If you are looking

advanced care team reached out by

for a provider that can help you build your

contacting customers via voice to

next generation contact centre, book in

make sure they were all okay. We knew

your free custom demo today.

there would be some people that were panicked and who would want a more personal conversation.”

Click to learn more

people to get what they needed quickly and without closing down any channels.

Experience Puzzel today!

To book your free custom demo visit puzzel.com

Improving Customer Experience

Fortune favours the wave of improved customer experience It is with good reason 85 of the Fortune 100 companies choose to work with NICE LTD UK. For when it comes to creating the right conditions for a smooth and harmonious customer journey through a company’s multichannel means of communication, NICE is second to none.

With the regulatory requirement that the Water Industry must offer their customers at least five options of communication, and the proliferation of internet/social media channels often amounting to companies having 30 or more means by which a customer can get in touch. Having one cohesive, holistic system that provides journey visibility and can manage them all is a must.

Matthew Addison, VP Sales of NICE UK&I, said: “The pressures generated by Ofwat regulations, customer experience strategies and increasing consumer demand are accelerating the business case for digital transformation in the water industry.

“Water companies have to be ever more agile and quick to react to customers’ needs and the only way to do that, when they might have passed through several different contact points and types of communication – perhaps social media, email and telephone – is to have one seamless, joined up environment and experience.

“And for that, we need to look at the customer journey, we need to begin, follow and end with the results of their experience in dealing with a company.”

NICE CXone, the most complete intelligent cloud CX platform, has been designed to deliver a Digital-First, Omnichannel Service environment coupled with unified Workforce Engagement and Customer Experience

Matthew Addison applications that provide a detailed picture of each customer’s route.

Using a company’s structured and unstructured data in its entirety, NICE CXone automatically maps every touchpoint and every turn a customer takes.

NICE provide transformational solutions combining customer sentiment, survey scores and hundreds of attributes from multi-touchpoint interactions - leveraging artificial intelligence in the process – guiding advisors on next best actions and enabling organisations to predicts how likely a specific journey will trigger a complaint or cancellation.

This quantitative evaluation also identifies the pinch-point, the root cause of the customer’s negative experience, if there has been one. All this insight is easy to access via the dedicated dashboard within the solution.

NICE CXone is also capable of identifying frustration, stress and possible vulnerability in the voice of a caller, or in the written word – something that can feed directly into quality plans and coaching feedback.

It is a feature that has come into its own during the pandemic and lockdown.

We need to look at the customer journey, we need to begin, follow and end with the results of their experience in dealing with a company.

24

The domestic use of water, gas and electricity has risen exponentially, as has the contact from customers, often furloughed, suddenly worried about how they will pay their bills.

Matthew said: “Utility companies are under additional pressure because of Covid-19.

“They can then be put through to specialist call-handlers trained in helping vulnerable customers.

“It is a very proactive approach that not only helps those who might be falling into debt, but also provides the company with a far more cost-effective solution than having to chase bad debt in the old-fashioned way.”

NICE’s speciality is the provision of a holistic solution that enables its customers to meet – and surpass – regulatory customer experience standards.

Maximising digital content and its clarity, improving web-chats and their ease of access, and closing the loop in terms of coaxing customers into completing surveys are all part of the service.

Matthew said: “Some organisations have more than 30 channels of communication, across platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and MSN, besides telephone, paper and email, and each contact handler needs access to all that information every time they talk to a customer.

“We help organisations bring all of those applications together so that happens, so contact with an individual customer is seamless.

“The key is to make it personal; understand the profile of each customer, help them to understand their water consumption and, crucially, offer help and guidance through the communication channel of THEIR choice.

“They have to find ways of better serving their customers at a time when there are probably going to be more defaulters, more people who can’t afford to pay.

“At the end of the day, it is all about providing a good customer experience and reacting immediately to resolve anything that adversely impacts the customer, such as long hold times.”

“Our analytics solutions will analyse a conversation, picking up on the tone of voice or the sentiment expressed, and can flash an alert that this particular person might be at risk.

For further information on how NICE can deliver true digital transformation and provide improved customer experience for your business visit www.nice.com/engage/cxone/

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

The Need for Extreme Business Agility is Here to Stay This new business flexibility – Agile Customer Experience, is an integral part of the way CX organizations operate as a whole to lead in our new reality.

Agile Service

Agile Insights

Agile Workforce

Creating a flexible cloud foundation that empowers rapid changes and smart digital-first experiences

Adding visibility and context to customer interactions using advanced analytics and AI for hyper-personalized experiences

Engaging the workforce by streamlining processes, automating guidance in real-time and creating persona-based employee experiences

www.nice.com/agile-customer-experience

The customer service platform for everyone

Support your team and delight your customers with Puzzel’s Customer Service platform. Optimised for smooth customer experience and perfect for remote workforces.

Puzzel Contact Centre A fully customisable, scalable & secure, omni-channel solution with integrations for over 40 partner apps.

Our resolution time decreased from five days to three. It wouldn’t have

Puzzel Ticketing Consolidate all your incoming messages, assign & categorise conversations to streamline your workflow.

been possible if we didn’t have Puzzel’s omni-channel solution in place!

Puzzel WFM Powerful & easy to use, with real-time management, accurate forecasting & scheduling at it’s core.

Luke Sambridge Head of Customer Strategy & Experience

Create your perfect CCaaS solution with Puzzel Marketplace. All you need for seamless integration.

m a r ke t p l a c e

Experience Puzzel today!

To book in your free custom demo visit puzzel.com

Improving Customer Experience

Customer Improvement Programme sees reduction in written billing complaints Southern Water has reported an 18% drop in written billing complaints since April as part of our Customer Service Improvement programme.

The transformational programme will deliver improvements to our billing and digital services. We also launched three new online journeys at the end of August to make it easier for customers to pay their bill, submit meter readings or close their account online.

Since 2015 Southern Water has seen a significant reduction in customer complaints, falling by 70% between 2015 and 2018. In 2019/20 complaints did rise as services transitioned to a new model. Overall between 2015 and 2019/20 the reduction achieved was 68%.

Head of Customer Service at Southern Water, Donna Howden, said: “Over the last five years we’ve been making huge strides in improving the overall service we provide to customers but we know there is more to do. That is why we launched our Customer Service Improvement Programme in April 2020.

“This will deliver a better experience to our customers across a number of areas and we’re already seeing an improvement in the success of customers completing our new online journeys since we introduced them in August.

“We’re also using insight into our complaints to ensure we’re focusing on the changes our customers want to see. As well as customer

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

feedback, we’ll also continue to work closely with regulators and key partners to ensure we improve our service.”

automated customer identification and verification to allow us to serve customers quicker.

We’re making improvements across a number of areas to make things quicker, easier and more convenient for our customers.

The majority of our indicators show improvement across a number of areas that have been targeted, such as first contact resolution, which has improved to 76% this year.

This includes introducing Amazon Contact telephony and chat platform and new

27

Taking the lead on LEAD Replace lead water supply pipes in under 2 hours… no major excavations, and minimal disruption.

Awareness of the potential health problems caused by lead in the water supply, particularly in infants and children is growing. Although the use of lead in plumbing has been banned in the UK for more than 25 years, there are still many properties where a risk of lead contamination of water is a risk. Houses built before 1970 would have been constructed with lead water supply pipes. In some UK regions up to a third of these older properties are still receiving their water through these original lead pipes.1 Despite a greater awareness of the risks of lead contamination, property owners have been reluctant to embark upon supply replacement.

The costs are high, with few and limited grants available from local councils. Finding reliable and reputable professionals to carry out the work is not easy, and the disruption is enough to put anyone off - unless they are undergoing a major refurbishment.

Throughout the UK water companies are aware of the risk of lead contamination, and the potential of acceptable lead levels in drinking supplies being further reduced from the current 10 micrograms per litre. Lead location and replacement programmes are being ramped up in the new AMP, with the emphasis on the water undertaker taking on this responsibility.

Despite many new innovations the only totally secure method to reduce lead levels in the water supply, in properties with lead supply pipes, is to replace the original supply with modern plastic pipe. Traditionally, any lead replacement program requires major excavations outside a property and causes huge disruption within. Resulting in mess and disturbance to householders over several days, and a high unit cost.

INSUduct is an innovative solution. Minimising disturbance, time and cost.

Unlike traditional methods, INSUduct allows the new water service to be routed up the external face of the building and connected to the internal plumbing above ground level, whether this is the ground floor or upper storey.

Requiring one simple core drilled hole through the wall, at an appropriate point to connect with the internal plumbing, using INSUduct enables most lead replacement operations to be completed within a couple of hours, without undue disruption to householders/ occupiers.

INSUduct is carefully fabricated to provide long lasting and effective thermal protection to water pipes and fittings outside the thermal envelope of a building. There is little impact

28

on the exterior appearance of the property, as the INSUduct system provides a neat, clean finish to the job. This method of wate supply replacement also allow multiple supply pipes to be installed in multi-occupancy properties, as it is designed to provide frost protection for up to three 32mm OD water pipes installed to the exterior of the building.

INSUduct is a high-quality product that exceeds regulated standards.

INSUduct exceeds British Standard 5422 and all

relevant Water Regulations for frost protection.

It is recognised as approved methods of installing new water supply pipes across the UK as part of lead supply pipe replacement programmes.

For more information please see our web site www.groundbreaker.co.uk/INSUduct or search “Watersafe/lead in water” or your local water company.

1 https://www.unitedutilities.com/help-and-support/yourwater-supply/lead-pipes/

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Data logger measures level, conductivity and temperature With the new CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) versions of the high-precision DCX level data loggers for depths of up to 200m, KELLER AG offers a highly integrated, complete pressure measurement solution for water management.

This data logger for long-term monitoring stores over 50,000 time-stamped level measurements, as well as the associated conductivity and temperature readings in each case. The multi-purpose probes have a diameter of 22 mm, making them suitable for all sounding tubes with a nominal diameter of 1” or greater.

Conductivity crucial as standard process value

Water conductivity is a measure of purity, making it an important standard process measurement in the water and sewerage sector as well as in the beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Changes in conductivity are a clear indicator of contamination, for example with particles or salts (chlorides, nitrates, etc.). Typical values lie between ≈ 50 mS/cm (salt water) and ≈ 0,5 mS/cm (drinking water).

KELLER supplies conductivity probes combined with level probes based on pressure sensors.

These integrated measuring systems are ideal for checking the ingress of seawater, slurry or fertilizer into groundwater, rivers and lakes, or for performing observation tasks relating to building projects or localized water pollution.

The Series DCX-22 CTD level probes with integrated data logger are available with a robust 316L stainless steel housing or other materials, if necessary, for enhanced chemical compatibility.

Level measurement: a core competency

KELLER AG für Druckmesstechnik has long been a leading supplier of maintenance-free, battery-operated level probes with remote data logger for observations at depths of up to 200 m and optional GSM module for remote access.

With level measu- ring tolerances of ± 0,02 %FS, Keller’s extensive portfolio ranges from data loggers with conventional relative pressure sensors to level probes featuring two isolated absolute pressure sensors that compensate for ambient pressure deviations electrically or using software. All Series DCX-22 products are now available as CTD level probes with integrated conductivity and temperature sensor. At a rate of one measurement per hour, the integrated lithium battery has a life of up to 8 years.

30

DCX-22 AA CTD and DCX-22 CTD

Conductivity probe with six electrodes

In line with Swiss quality standards for pressure sensors, the DCX-22 level measuring probes are equipped with high-precision conductivity sensors. The robust titanium electrodes have redundant seales to achieve reliable water and pressure tightness. And the alternating supply field is adjusted to the conductivity of the fluid medium. For measuring conductivity, the four measuring ranges of 0…200 μS/ cm, 0…2 mS/cm, 0…20 mS/cm and 0…200 mS/cm, with a measuring accuracy of ± 2,5%, can be used. Since water conductivity is highly temperaturedependent, a Pt1000 sensor measures the temperature of the medium directly behind the electrodes to a degree of accuracy of 0,1 °C, ensuring that the measured conductivity is accurately standardized to the reference temperature of + 25 °C.

Measuring software for long-term monitoring

Keller’s Logger 5.1 software is compatible with Windows XP or higher and is included, free of charge. This sophisticated software enables configuration of logger instruments and data download. Recorder values can be displayed in tabular or graphical form and easily sent to end users or authorities. A particularly notable feature is the ability to graphically display airpressure-compensated level curves at the same time as conductivity and temperature curves. keller-druck.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Providing engineered solutions for a wide range of water treatment problems

Trusted Performance We manufacture and distribute a range of products, providing additional value through innovative design, vast experience and focused support.

We believe that customer service is paramount to our success and that of our clients and partners.

Our product range The WPS product line and services support treatment within areas of water re-use, potable water, wastewater, pools and leisure, facilities management and food processing, plus a vast array of industrial processes such as mining and power generation industries.

• PolyBlend liquid Polymer Feed Systems • Powder polymer make-up systems • Varea-Meter® Variable Area Flowmeters • Encore Pumps and skid packaged systems • Dry Chemical Feed Systems • Site based electro-chlorination systems • Bespoke engineering solutions

For more information or to discuss a project please contact Aran Bray Mobile: +44 (0) 7557 363 728

Main Office: +44 (0) 1622 719945 Email: aran.bray@waterprocesssolutions.com

www.waterprocesssolutions.com

National recognition for filtration success story

There was only one water company on the Sunday Times’ most recent ‘fastest growing companies in the UK’ list and that was Bluewater Bio. The award-winning specialist in cost-effective water and wastewater treatments shot to number 35 on the list in a remarkable business journey.

“The trickier the application the more success we seem to have, because of FilterClear’s performance capabilities, we are securing the more onerous low phosphorous, high solids applications” he said. “It’s in this area where we offer significant differentiation over our competition”.

At the heart of the Bluewater Bio success story in the UK is FilterClear, the next generation multi-media filtration system that removes suspended solids from waste water with high filtration rates of 25m/h and above.

“We know that’s a sweet spot for the technology, but we are being encouraged by at least one customer to expand our thoughts, and think further ahead in terms of future proofing and look towards the next round of Asset Management Plans.

The system’s patented arrangement of four stratified media layers – of anthracite, silica, alumina and magnetite – produce a filtered water quality second to none. The total phosphorous discharge alone is reduced to less than 0.1 mg/l if required, comfortably satisfying the demands of the Water Framework Directive.

The first permanent phosphorous removal installation for FilterClear took place at Severn Trent’s Codsall sewage treatment works, at the beginning of 2018. Since then Bluewater Bio has won multiple contracts with several more key operators, including Wessex Water, Southern Water, Welsh Water and United Utilities.

Key to its enviable approval rating is the ultralow maintenance required, while yet achieving consistently high quality effluent standards, said Andrew Bibby, Business Development Manager. “Take the Codsall plant, for example, it hasn’t been serviced since it was installed, it has been so trouble-free.

“As the Severn Trent manager who was instrumental in championing FilterClear at Codsall, said, ‘It is reassuringly boring!’

32

“Water companies wouldn’t have to spend twice if they installed the technology now – it would then be in place and ready to help them achieve their next targets.”

Andrew Bibby “There are no moving parts within the vessels, so other than the backwash pump and blower, which might start up periodically to carry out a backwash, there is nothing to maintain.”

Andrew said: “FilterClear’s cost of ownership is probably the lowest of any system. There isn’t the need for ongoing expensive filter media maintenance that the other technologies need to keep them operational.”

Bluewater Bio’s activity in terms of sales and market penetration has grown exponentially as water companies have cottoned on to FilterClear’s effectiveness and reliability.

Another factor Bluewater Bio is quite rightly proud of too is the calibre and experience of its workforce. “Our chief executive prides himself on employing quality people,” said Andrew.

“So that means when it comes to providing technical support to our customers, there are members of the technical team, who were formerly water company employees, academics at Cranfield, all on hand to provide support and advice.

“Our staff have great experience and tremendous track records in their own right.

We pride ourselves on the competence of Bluewater Bio.” www.bluewaterbio.com/filterclear

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

An ideal solution to remove phosphorus from wastewater.

KEY FEATURES & BENEFITS: Excellent effluent quality (TP <0.1 mg/L) High filtration rate giving a reduced footprint High solids holding capacity & low daily backwash volume Minimum civil works enabling quick on-site installation Skid-mounted system, pre-assembled & tested off site Fully automated system, minimal operational intervention Low whole life cost.

FIND OUT MORE: www.bluewaterbio.com/filterclear UK: +44 (0)845 519 5800

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Conveyors offer a fast, efficient and safe solution for the UK Water and Reservoir Industries Coveya is a Bristol based manufacturer and supplier of conveyor systems, supporting a wide range of applications and industries including water treatment and reservoir maintenance and with customers throughout the UK and further afield and with a history that spans over 30 years, Coveya designs, manufacturers and supplies conveyor systems for hire and purchase, all of which aim to eliminate downtime, offer flexibility, quality and a sustainable materials movement solution.

Coveya’s specialist water treatment conveyors enable the efficient movement of solid water waste including dewatered sludge, dried biosolids and cake which can then be transferred into either skips or trailers, ready to be taken away. For reservoir maintenance projects, conveyors can efficiently move gravel and other materials to ensure the upgrade or repair of reservoir roofs, reducing the need for manual labour, enabling the efficient movement of various materials even where there are weight restrictions or it’s a constrained or complex site.

All the conveyors can be safely installed on site and with a free onsite visit available, Coveya can advise on the best conveyor for a specific site, application or process.

Coveya’s modular conveyors have supported a vast range of customers including a leading water treatment and maintenance company that was looking to reconfigure its water treatment plant, dramatically expanding its capability which saw hire conveyors on site for two months to the Thames Tideway super sewer tunnel project on the Albert

34

Embankment close to Vauxhall Bridge, London where conveyors moved backfill material from the delivery area along the river path to the newly constructed cofferdam in the river approx. 80metres away.

For the treatment of water solids, Coveya offer three conveyors. The Easikit 600 is capable of reaching longer distances, even at inclines of up to 35 degrees; the Easikit Radial is built to order and its ideal for projects where a combination of radial slewing movements and variable discharge positions are required and the Easikit Mobile offers a portable solution which is easy to move around site. It has a hydraulic ram to achieve inclines of up to 17 degrees.

For reservoir maintenance projects, Coveya offers the Invader 45 which is perfect for constrained sites and offers 50% more power than other conveyors in it’s class, the Easikit 450 which is perfect for medium-duty materials handling over longer distances and the Easikit 600.

All Coveya conveyors whether they are on short/long term hire or if purchased can be installed, maintained and serviced on site.

They offer training and a comprehensive range of support tools to ensure each conveyor works in the best way possible.

The Coveya team has developed a reputation for excellence and innovation and during 2020, the company has continued to work closely with its customers, responding to changing needs and delivering new products that add real value. There is a real commitment to keep track of what customers need both now and, in the future, and therefore Coveya’s product range constantly evolves to meet specific customer demands.

For more information visit www.coveya.co.uk where you can also download the Coveya Water Treatment & Reservoir Maintenance brochure. You can also call 0800 915 9195 or email sales@coveya.co.uk.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Robust. Reliable.

Powerful. Flexible.

Specialist conveyor systems for sewage and water treatment plants, dewatered sludge, dried biosolids, cake, wastewater and other water treatment processes.

TALK TO THE COVEYA TEAM TO FIND OUT MORE Call 0800 915 9195 | Sales@coveya.co.uk

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

South West Water to use I-Phyc’s algae-based treatment to sustainably remove Phosphorous and micro-pollutants from sewage

South West Water is installing Industrial Phycology (I-Phyc)’s algal technology to remove phosphorous (P) in the final effluent at Broadwindsor Sewage Treatment Works.

The scheme is part of South West Water’s drive to innovate and deliver P removal schemes for small rural communities, as I-Phyc is currently thought to be the only viable technology that is able to remove, not only Phosphorous, but also Ammonia and almost all harmful trace contaminants including pharmaceutical compounds, plasticisers, insecticides, metals, flame-retardants, biocides, persistent organic pollutants and steroids. I-Phyc is able to consistently remove between 50% and 99% of these pollutants and South West Water will be monitoring removal rates at Broadwindsor.

The unique and innovative technology, developed by I-Phyc, utilises a natural process using algae to biologically treat wastewater.

Algae are known for their ability to remove pollutants. Eutrophication, the process of algae growing naturally in watercourses, is caused by an excess of nutrients and particulates the algae can feed on. By harnessing the eutrophication process and deliberately applying it on the wastewater treatment site in a controlled way, pollutants are removed before final effluent is discharged to the watercourse, with much higher efficacy than alternative treatment solutions. It’s also significantly more environmentally friendly, requiring no potentially harmful chemical addition.

36

Russell Bright, CEO of Industrial Phycology, said: “We see this as a significant step forward in the use of algae to treat sewage in a natural and sustainable way that has many advantages over current technology.

“With over 900 WINEP schemes across the UK water companies requiring the removal of phosphorous to very low levels, the technology is a way of breaking away from the water industry’s reliance on chemical usage (typically ferric). This is positive news as chemicals carry with them potential safety and environmental risks, added to this is the increased demand and volatile price.

“Algal technology has no such drawbacks, it locks away carbon in the bodies of the algae, creates no sludge and produces a feed stock for sustainable products.”

Mark Worsfold Director of Asset Management at South West Water Limited said: “Like most water companies, South West Water is looking to innovate and deliver new treatment processes for P reduction as part of our investment programme, I am really excited about the I-Phyc technology and how this may deliver sustainable low cost solutions for smaller treatment catchments.”

To find out more about I-Phyc’s innovative wastewater treatment, visit, www.i-phyc.com.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Water Technologies & Solutions

ZeeWeed* solutions are comprehensive and included on the DWI UK list of approved products We offer service and support that compliment a broad portfolio of ultrafiltration membrane products for all potable water applications: • River, lake and ground water membrane filtration • Wastewater reuse (Direct & Indirect) • Desalination For new infrastructure and upgrading aging facilities, we have a product for every application: • ZeeWeed 700B – pressurized UF, robust SevenBore* PES membranes • ZeeWeed 1500 – pressurized UF, ready for highly variable raw water quality • ZeeWeed 1000 – submerged UF, easily upgrade media filters to membranes • ZeeWeed 500 – submerged UF, able to treat the world’s most challenging feed waters

*Trademark of SUEZ; may be registered in one or more countries.

your partner in drinking water treatment. contact us today

suezwatertechnologies.com/zw-uk

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

OMEX help your facility run at optimum performance Key OMEX products for WWT

At OMEX we understand the importance of keeping the wastewater treatment facility at optimum performance. Below our operations manager, Dimitris Theodoridis, highlights the key points to achieve the best performance from your WWT plant:

OMEX offer a full range of products to help with the optimisation of the wastewater treatment process, including: Magmex - an environmentally friendly pH neutraliser. In addition, Magmex contains certain compounds that are beneficial nutrients needed by the biology within the plant

Keep the biology strong and healthy In order for the plant to function, the first area to look at is ensuring the biology is “happy”. Keeping the biology in working condition enables the plant to work, so this should usually be the first point to check on any site managers checklist. If the biology isn’t getting all the necessary elements it needs, such as adequate food, aeration and nutrition, the plant will subsequently fail and lose performance, this can in turn lead to wastewater being discharged with certain measured parameters being out of consent.

Nutrient Profiling

The best way to assess the biology in the plant is to analyse it. OMEX offer full technical support and provide facilities to assess the performance of the bacteria in the plant. The fully accredited OMEX labs are able to offer an in-depth analysis and treatment of all the possible problems which can occur within the wastewater treatment industry. OMEX

Nutromex N&P (Plus) - strengthens the biology, stabilises performance and enables a more effective breakdown of the organic content in the raw wastewater

technical staff will collect a set of samples to establish the status of the biological process.

Micromex - when the plant is lacking in the number of microorganisms needed to process, Micromex augments the biology cultures, effectively breaking down the unwanted organics

Technical Advice

Once a full nutritional analysis of the plant has been undertaken, results should be analysed and discussed with a technical expert, who is able to advise on the best course of action to improve and optimise the process. The OMEX technical sales team are able to assess the plant via lab analysis and in depth discussion with the site operator/ manager to gain a thorough understanding of any issues the plant is experiencing. Once this process is completed a tailored product programme is put together, along with recommendations and appropriate dosing rates to achieve the desired outcome.

Anomex - in activated sludge processes there is a risk of hydrogen sulphide in the sludge storage tank, Anomex is used to minimise the risk of sludge becoming septic Contact www.omex.com/environmental-products E: environmental@omex.com T: +44(0)1553 770092

Nutrients and Neutralisers For all types of wastewater treatment pH Control Solutions

N & P Solutions

Sludge Treatment

Neutralise excess acid

Optimise plant performance

Improve floc formulation

Call 01553 770 092 Visit www.omex.co.uk @OMEXCompanies

38

/OMEXCompanies

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Invest in dosing system maintenance to cut costs

Lack of investment in maintaining chemical dosing systems can be an expensive mistake.

Graham Ward of WES highlights the risks and costs associated with poor maintenance, outlines what is needed to keep equipment working well and stresses the value of regular system audits to water companies and contractors alike.

To ensure that water and wastewater treatment operations are managed safely, perform cost-effectively and comply with regulations, their chemical dosing systems must be reliable and efficient. This requires commitment to the correct levels of servicing, which can be a major challenge in view of the many other pressures on business resources in this sector. Along with increasingly stringent regulatory demands and limited budgets, they may include shortages in both the skills and the capacity needed to maintain systems properly. Whatever the difficulties, neglecting the health of a chemical dosing system is a false economy whose likely outcomes are:

Shortened asset life

Poorly maintained dosing equipment has to be replaced more frequently, adding to the owner’s capital expenditure. As explained below, ongoing savings achieved through due care for systems will help with operating expenditure budgeting too. These benefits combine to allow effective planning and optimisation of total expenditure (TOTEX).

Breakdowns

Systems in poor condition are prone to breaking down unexpectedly or even catastrophically. The result may be costly unplanned downtime and loss of productivity, compounded by the expense of repairs and replacement parts. A well-maintained system, by contrast, operates dependably and gives the business greater resilience.

Inefficiency

If a dosing system is not regularly serviced, and recalibrated where necessary, it may inject much larger quantities of a high-priced chemical than are necessary. Inefficiently functioning equipment may also waste energy.

40

Injury

A faulty or deteriorating dosing system may endanger employees and customers through spillage of hazardous chemicals. Along with direct impacts on the people injured, incidents of this kind can cost businesses through sickness absence, compensation claims and damage to their reputation.

Environmental harm

When a malfunctioning system injects too little chemical, wastewater may be discharged into the environment without sufficient treatment. If it injects too much, the discharge may be toxic. Significant chemical leaks or untreated discharges due to faulty equipment can be devastating to rivers, streams and other habitats. On top of the cost of fines, enforcement undertakings and remedial works, the business could face a PR disaster.

What good maintenance involves

Dosing pump condition and performance are a key focus, but thorough servicing goes much further. A specialist engineer will typically: Check pump calibration and recalibrate where appropriate Inspect and replace worn pump components Examine and clear inline filters Clean and remove blockages from injection quills Flush sludge or solids from chemical storage tanks Identify leaks in any part of the system Assess condition of all equipment Test performance Confirm bund security Importantly, there should also be routine auditing of the equipment’s specification to make sure it still meets the application’s requirements. For example, if factors such as the volume or quality of water treated have

changed, or if different chemicals are being used, reconfiguration may yield better results and economy.

Audits and servicing packages

Given that sites vary in their conditions, applications and equipment set-ups, WES offers operators a free, no-obligation, initial on-site survey to determine their specific maintenance needs. As part of this, chemical dosing systems are audited against current standards and best practice – regardless of their age or manufacturer. WES then sends written reports, including condition assessments and advice on any repair or upgrade work needed, and prepares details of an appropriate service package with a fixedprice quotation.

While bespoke packages can be created for businesses with very specialised requirements, in most cases there is a simple choice between three options: Bronze – Scheduled Maintenance Package.

One annual scheduled maintenance visit covering all the essentials of good servicing.

Silver – Planned Preventative Maintenance Package. As above, but with three additional quarterly ‘health check’ visits and access to free technical assistance via a telephone helpline.

Gold – Product Care Package. All Bronze and Silver package benefits plus priority repair and breakdown call-out assistance, for which WES maintains immediately accessible stocks of service parts.

In addition, WES provides related services like component replacement, system upgrading, re-purposing or relocation, control modification, operator training and equipment hire. Considering the many ways in which poorly maintained chemical dosing systems threaten the functioning and profitability of water businesses, investing in this kind of support with their specification and care makes perfect sense. www.wes.ltd.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

MAINTENANCE AND REFURBISHMENT Complete managed solutions for process upgrades, reliability centred maintenance, reactive maintenance and asset optimisation.

RCM and reactive maintenance

Asset refurbishment

Diffuser refurbishment and/ or replacement

Mecana Filter segments being cleaned

Helps to extend asset life

Tank and lane cleaning

Prevent unplanned outages

Full or partial refurbishment

Helps to ensure consent compliance

Acid dosing

Fully managed PPM service available

Process equipment relocation

Rapid availability of spare parts minimises downtime

Diffuser replacement programmes Pipework and manifold replacement

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

CLEAN WATER MANAGEMENT

SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT

ELIQUO HYDROK LTD I T 01726 862000 I sales@eliquohydrok.co.uk

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

SLUDGE TREATMENT

www.eliquohydrok.co.uk

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

Safeguard your sewage AD plant from the 5 hidden causes of CHP shutdown

1 Combined heat and power (CHP) gas engines are one of the most expensive pieces of equipment on an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant. They are also one of the most important, as a CHP engine unable to generate electricity means an immediate loss of income for the operator. Despite this, many AD operators in the water industry take a hands-off approach to maintaining their CHP; either relying on expensive locked-in service contracts that only cover mechanical issues or waiting for a problem to occur before taking action.

Here, James Thompson, Managing Director of Gen-C, an independent CHP parts and service provider, explains how a live monitoring system can protect your engine from the five most common hidden causes of engine shutdown…

Knowledge is power

Today’s latest CHP engines are finely tuned, sophisticated pieces of kit that operate with precise tolerances. Correctly maintained, they will perform reliably for years to come; but leave them unchecked and you run the risk of underperformance, hard shutdowns and even catastrophic failure – all of which will reduce the volume of electricity being generated and, ultimately, an operator’s bottom line.

Compare it to the airline industry: would you trust an airline that only repairs its planes after they’ve broken? Or would you choose to fly with the carrier that constantly monitors its aircraft and takes pre-emptive action to protect its planes and passengers? Operators that can monitor their engine’s performance in real time, and review and compare data across a range of parameters, will be in the best position to prevent issues from happening, ensuring their CHP operates as intended and continues to generate income for them for years to come.

42

A false sense of security

This is equally important for those with an engine service contract. Despite costing thousands of pounds each month, such contracts only extend to the mechanical function of the engine itself. If an engine shutdown is attributed to an external factor, such as a gas issue, the contract is invalid. Not only will the operator then be forced to pay for the issue to be rectified by a third party, they can also find themselves being billed by their service provider for an out-of-warranty call out.

To identify and correct issues before they start affecting your engine’s performance, we recommend installing live engine monitoring. The IGS-LOG software, which comes as standard with the Motortech open access control panel favoured by today’s operators, enables water companies to understand what constitutes normal operation for their engine and spot any downward trends or anomalies before

they affect its smooth operation. Giving operators full control over their engine and ensuring the highest levels of performance, it monitors up to 25 parameters, including the following five common hidden causes of engine shutdown.

1. Gas pressure

Momentary drops in gas pressure, or waning gas pressure over time, can result in a hard shutdown. Many operators become used to their engine cutting out as often as 10 or 12 times a day and simply restart it and carry on. But the long-term damage this causes to the engine can be irreparable – the effect of a hard shutdown on a sophisticated, modern CHP engine is akin to a Formula 1 car travelling at 100mph hitting a brick. Potential causes of drops in gas pressure include flaring or a blockage in the gas line or filter. By monitoring the gas pressure and noting any drops, water companies can better identify the cause of any unexpected shutdown and take preventative action to protect their CHP.

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Wastewater Treatment & Technology

2

4 2. Gas quality

Sewage feedstock is notoriously variable; inputs can differ both regionally and seasonally, producing biogas of varying quality. Such changes will affect an engine’s performance, particularly if harmful contaminants such as H2S are allowed to build up. By monitoring the gas composition, operators can spot any corresponding trends in engine performance and alter their feedstock as necessary before their CHP becomes adversely affected.

To identify and correct issues before they start affecting your engine’s performance, we recommend installing live engine monitoring.

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

3

1

2

Sewage AD operators can improve their engine’s performance with real-time CHP monitoring The Motortech open access control panel comes with the IGS-LOG as standard

3. Emissions

Monitoring emissions is not just a case of meeting the relevant criteria, it’s also a surefire way of determining the overall health of an AD plant and spotting any issues that have the potential to damage your CHP engine.

The ComAp IGS-LOG provides 24/7 emission analysis, enabling an operator to fine-tune their engine. Operating without this vital piece of information is like a chef not tasting their food. It allows water companies to see if their engine is running rich or lean – a rich engine will be running hot and wasting energy, while a lean engine runs the risk of misfiring – and take the necessary steps to address any issues before they present a serious risk.

4. Water pressure

Another common cause of a hard engine shutdown is a change in water pressure.

While an operator would certainly notice the resulting interruption to their CHP’s performance, they would be unable to prove it was caused by water pressure and stop it from recurring unless the pressure was being monitored. Constant analysis of water pressure therefore helps to avoid the peaks and troughs that can result in performance issues and promotes smooth and reliable operation.

3

James Thompson, Managing Director of Gen-C

4

The IGS-LOG live monitoring system tracks up to 25 key engine parameters

5. Kilovolts

Finally, live kilovolt monitoring can protect your CHP from long-term damage caused by ignition. An increase in kilovolts indicates a deterioration in spark plug performance, as the spark has to work harder to ‘jump’ the gap to create the initial spark. While it’s common for operators to gap and clean their spark plugs when they change the oil, this could be too late. An operator will often become used to hearing a tiny jump when their engine starts and dismiss it as a quirk of their engine, without realising that this noise is actually the sound of the engine misfiring. Every time this misfire occurs, it sends a shudder throughout the whole cylinder, placing additional stress on every part of the CHP. Live monitoring will highlight a rise in kilovolts or erratic KV readings, warning of a potential issue with the ignition system or spark plugs and prompting pre-emptive action to protect the CHP. To find out how live engine monitoring can improve the performance and longevity of your CHP engine, contact james.thompson@gen-c.co.uk

43

Brewster Bros Installation

Protecting water from sunlight A resource management specialist in Scotland has invested in an innovative solution to protect and cover a water tank.

Brewster Brothers Ltd specialises in recycling construction waste to offer products such as sand, gravel, soil and hardcore. As part of their aggregate washing process the business uses considerable amounts of water provided by a bore hole at the site. This groundwater is stored in a 32-metre diameter, one-milliongallon steel tank.

The water in the tank was being affected by algae which was blooming as a result of direct sunlight. “We needed to find a cover to stop the algae growth, which was choking our pump filters, but we also wanted to keep the cost down,” explains co-owner, Scott Brewster.

After some searching, he chose Hexa-Cover, an flexible and adaptable product that can cover any body of liquid and prevents more than 95% of the surface being exposed to sunlight.

The recycled polypropylene hexagonal sections pieces float on top of any liquid and fit together to block light out. The product is heat, frost, and wind proof, and has a life expectancy of 25 years.

The family has a farming heritage and Mr Brewster came across Hexa-Cover when searching for solutions to covering a disused slurry tank, which he had converted to store water. “It is an agricultural tank so I wanted to see if the manufacturer or another company in agriculture could supply a plastic cover or something similar,” he says. “Having

44

explains. Hexa-Cover requires no maintenance and the pieces are heavy enough to not be affected by the elements. “To have something that simply does the job without having to be checked or maintained is a real benefit to us,” he says.

Hexa-Cover square

established the high cost of buying a cover I came across videos online of plastic disks being used cover liquid and contacted the UK supplier Tramspread,” he adds.

A PVC cover for the 23-metre diameter tank could have cost Mr Brewster as much as £50,000 but Hexa-Cover was less than half of this and equates to £22 per square metre.

“We looked at the option of having a pole in the middle of the tank that the cover attached to, but because of the high winds in this part of Scotland we were concerned about wear and tear. We also considered an inflatable cover that would go up and down with the water-level, but again we were concerned that rainwater would build-up on top of it,” he

Hexa-Cover comes in two sizes and is manufactured by a Danish company of the same name. The larger size has a diagonal measurement of 228mm and each piece weighs 243 grams. It is supplied in 275 kilo bags which can be easily emptied into any liquid.

“All we had to do was give the dimensions of the tank to Tramspread who calculated how many bags we would need. When the bags arrived, we simply tipped them in to the tank.

Each of the pieces floated on the top and began to interlock and cover the surface until there was no space left which made the installation was very quick and easy,” says Mr Brewster.

The product was installed in the spring of 2020 when temperatures and hours of sunlight were much higher than normal. “It was a very sunny and hot spring, so we are grateful to have found this solution to protect our water store. Water is fundamental to our process and we have now reduced maintenance downtime by preventing the build-up of algae in our pumps,” he concludes. www.tramspread.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

COVER AND PROTECT YOUR WATER STORAGE

Floats on water

Fits all shapes and sizes of storage

Prevents evaporation

Blocks UV light

Unaffected by rain, snow and frost

25 years expected lifespan

ALBERS ALLIGATOR Flexible Tanks Strong and secure water storage  Up to 2000m3 capacity  Easy to install on any at, stable surface

 Reliable in all wind and weather conditions

 Suitable for drinking water and all non-aggressive liquids

Call: +44 (0)1449 766133 Email: info@tramspread.co.uk Visit: www.tramspread.co.uk

Clean Water Networks

The ‘Smart’ approach to big data

As data analytics and collaboration are increasingly becoming key priorities within the water industry, ATi UK’s Technical Performance and Data Analyst, Derek Leslie, and Black & Veatch Water Europe Principle Consultant, Andy Bates, discuss embracing the power of data for the future of smart water networks.

Across England & Wales, there are over 340,000km of water mains and over 620,000km of sewer and drain systems.

These underground assets are critical to the sustainable future of the water industry, yet this infrastructure is aging and all too often its underlying condition is unknown. As part of the industry’s plans to manage yesterday’s infrastructure using tomorrow’s technology, water professionals are becoming more motivated to look for intelligent, resilient and effective solutions to meet tough targets.

In an effort to reduce operational costs and improve asset lifespans, water utilities are putting their data to work. But while smart water offers untold solutions, utilities are still working to understand how to gather, manage and analyse this information in a way that it can alleviate ongoing asset management challenges. This will require a ‘smart’ approach, one driven by data, new technology, collaboration and management of infrastructure, producing actionable insights to enable the water industry to become truly ‘smart’.

Collective Technical Expertise

Change is already happening, but we need to think big, start small and act fast. Water utilities, consultants, technology companies and hardware and software specialists are already collaborating on smart water innovations. By leveraging big data, analytics and the Internet of Things, key players in the water sector are pro-actively innovating to help solve issues of water scarcity and address the aging water infrastructure. Put simply,

46

monitoring water quality helps identify and determine current issues and guides future investment, including predicative maintenance and analysing data in real-time to identify leaks that affect water usage.

avoiding issues in the present. In order to gain insight into these analytics, companies need to open up the data to allow sharing with partners, or risk getting deselected from the supply chain.

In addition, skilled, technical analysts are required to understand and interpret the data, with expertise in how to operate the systems accordingly to identify issues and how to resolve them. If smart water is to become a success, these skills need to become the norm.

Digital Innovation & Transformation

Data To Decisions

It is now widely accepted that the only sensible option for the future of the water industry is to prolong the life of assets, using investment in a very sparing, targeted and sustainable manner to get the very most for your money. And there’s only one way to get to this kind of new paradigm, one essential element that underpins all decision making – data.

Whether you are looking at physical condition data, readings from sensors or hearing the predictions of an AI system, there is an inevitability of the transition to a digital ecosystem. With the right sensing technology and analytics, asset performance can be greatly improved and life extended – but only if you have the correct focus on “data to decisions”. And this is the crux. Understanding and interpreting this data is essential if we are to achieve true smart water.

Sufficient, accurate and timely data needs to feed backwards and forwards from different departments to optimise treatment, cost, protect assets and predict the future, whilst

By embracing this digital transformation, water utilities can perform preventive maintenance on existing infrastructure, cutting maintenance costs, reducing water loss, driving down incident risk, enabling indepth incident analysis and preventing sewer overflows. Data analytics are allowing water utilities to unlock operational efficiencies, improve revenue collection, gain system insights, boost customer services, provide early warning and monitor quality issues affecting customers, whilst guiding long-range planning and investment strategies. The right data, analytics and decision framework can drive water utilities to optimal performance.

We are now on the cusp of something very exciting and digital innovation will be the key to success and survival, enabling organisations build a connected workforce, modernise operational processes and deliver enhanced customer service.

Smart water is changing the water industry as we know it and embracing digital transformation is not only enabling utilities to address today’s unprecedented challenges, but also to invest in the future. atiuk.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Enhance your decision making with data analytics, from the leaders in smart water quality monitoring.

ATi UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s data hub delivers accurate, smart water quality data analytics to support evidence-based investment in networks.

Taking water quality data from our Network Monitoring range of intelligent solutions, our in-house team of experts extracts deeper, real-time insights on pipeline networks, allowing customers to enhance operational efficiencies and enabling us to better meet their needs.

By utilising these insights, customers can identify leaks, improve operational tactics and make informed investment decisions, leading to greater outcomes and removing the guesswork from planning and investment.

Become data rich and knowledge smart, with water quality analytics from ATi UK.

sales@atiuk.com / +44 (0) 1457 873 318 / atiuk.com ATi UK is a leading provider of engineered, analytical sensor monitoring solutions for water and gas applications and data analytics. Our pioneering and industry leading range of Smart Network Monitors, Water Quality Monitors and Gas Detectors provide innovative solutions for the most demanding of applications.

Solutions for a Smarter Future

Clean Water Networks

For the latest Water Industry news...

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

48

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

News

Water resilience depends on a web of factors

By Dr Simon Jude Senior lecturer at the Centre for Environment and Agricultural Informatics, Cranfield University Water is assumed to be among the most ‘resilient’ of sectors. Whatever the economic picture, we all need water. Sophisticated engineering design means technical threats can be ‘engineered out’. And the experience of Covid-19 so far appears to back up the assumption. The share prices of the big water firms have held up well; issues like increased demand have had only a minimal effect.

The water industry, however, isn’t an island, and the biggest dangers to the future of the sector lie in these assumptions around resilience: too great a focus on specific engineering threats, organisational silos with their own limited agendas, a lack of resources devoted to resilience. The sector has advanced in terms of risk management processes, but that’s not the same as being genuinely resilient. The complexity of future challenges, some of which are unforeseeable, has been highlighted in the new report from the National Infrastructure Commission, which calls for clear resilience standards for infrastructure operators and stress testing by regulators.

Water supplies are an obvious essential and, like every other service network, are at the centre of a web of factors (the natural environment, built infrastructure like power and transport, people and their skills) always subject to shocks and unexpected disruption.

Water companies might be able to perfect its operations, but the outside world it relies on will always be imperfect. Having resilience is about understanding and recognising the nature of that web in order to be able to recover quickly and successfully from whatever regional or national crisis occurs. All

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

the evidence from the natural world, from the increasing number and frequency of extreme weather events, is that we’re at the beginning of a series of even bigger waves of change, more extreme events and challenges to how we’ve become used to living our lives. Climate change is the towering wave above everything else.

cultural, requiring people able to be flexible and adaptable. Solutions to dealing with unexpected events are rarely purely technical, but social. In other words, employees across organisations need to be ‘mindful’, alert to emerging problems and willing and able to act.

The range of impacts on the industry from the pandemic is only just becoming clear.

A dramatic economic recession is going to mean large numbers of customers suddenly unable to pay bills, with implications for immediate cash flow, a responsibility for providing support measures, as well as longer-term issues with customer relations and reputation. Companies have all been affected by unavailability of staff, people selfisolating, in vulnerable groups, going through bereavement, and the effects on psychological wellbeing are expected to be long term. In the context of the imperative need for hygiene, messages from water-saving campaigns such as the national ‘Love Water’ scheme have become obscured.

There needs to be a willingness to look beyond commercial imperatives. Pandemic has always been on the National Risk Register as a very possible and major threat to the UK, and yet the necessary preparations highlighted in test exercises weren’t implemented by Government because the straight ‘business case’ didn’t stand up.

Similarly, water utilities will be constrained by commercial priorities, by shareholders, by their role as part of municipal authorities.

There is a lack of a financial buffer to deal with the unexpected, no spare capacity in how assets are being used, meaning a basic fragility. Metrics cover the bare bones of operations without taking into account intangibles like people. Who’s going to be willing to pay for resilience, the customers used to cheap water and under more financial pressure during the economic downturn?

The issue is already being tested at Anglian Water. The regulator has forced the company to reduce its costs - but, as Anglian argues in its appeal, this will have an impact on its investment into resilience.

What’s needed is connected resilience: a helicopter view that takes into account the full picture of the sector’s interdependence and open, honest conversations about what that means in terms of threats. That means not just looking at the plain financial case but keeping in mind all five ‘capitals’, the value of the natural environment, human capital, social capital (institutions and communities), and built capital (everything from our cities to manufactured goods). Financial capital is just the means of transfer between the other four. It’s a principle that’s beginning to be adopted. Yorkshire Water, for example, refers to the importance of the six capitals (adding in intellectual capital).

To make this happen, water companies - like so many other organisations - need to be overcome their siloed thinking, ensuring that the message around connected resilience is shared between operations on one side and those dealing with strategy on the other. Becoming a resilient organisation is

It’s only by setting out the argument in terms of connected resilience - and the events of 2020 - that all the real imperatives around security become clear and urgent. At Cranfield we’re working on opening up conversations across sectors, making use of its expertise across different disciplines and industries technology, the environment, organisational behaviour - to make connected resilience work in practice. Because most of all, resilience can’t be worked out internally, companies in the water sector need to be outward looking, challenged and engaged. www.cranfield.ac.uk/centres/centre-forenvironmental-and-agricultural-informatics

49

REVIEW FINDS REMOTE ACCESS GAVE UTILITIES COVID-19 ADVANTAGE Water utilities who already had remote access to their systems were at an advantage when Covid-19 lockdowns were introduced around the world. The information comes from a report carried out by technology consultancy Isle on behalf of the Water Action Platform collaborative initiative.

50

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

The study’s aim was to find technologies that can help water utilities deal with the coronavirus public health crisis. Isle’s technology analysts asked utilities around the world about their specific challenges in the technical, organisational and operational spheres.

Speaking on the Water Action Platform webinar on 20 August 2020, Isle’s Covid-19 lead, European director Matthew Stephenson, said: “This technology review has involved a study of the latest global understanding of the virus in relation to water and wastewater.

“The most significant impacts on water utilities were the disruption and complication of lockdowns, social distancing measures and staff absence due to illness.

“From early discussions with some water utilities, those who already had remote access to their systems were clearly at an advantage when lockdowns began. One could argue that remote access to systems has been the single most important technology during the pandemic.”

Isle’s analysts found 28 technologies that remove or reduce the need to travel to site and offer incremental steps towards a more remote utility operation. These include KickTheMap, a mobile app developed in Switzerland, which enables users to carry out instant 3D-mapping, which Stephenson said was “very useful for initial site surveys and risk assessments”.

Another was Vuforia Chalk, an artificial intelligence platform from US-headquartered Rockwell Automation, which allows teams to communicate online and share knowledge intuitively. “Perhaps of real use in standby situations where there may not be enough time to get to site,” said Stephenson.

Some 200 technologies were reviewed by Isle’s analysts for the Technology Horizon Scan and 100 suitable solutions found, which are now accessible on a purpose-built online portal. The review was split into four components: Virus detection and testing Removal and deactivation of the virus Remote monitoring and control Solutions to help manage the crisis as a whole.

The focus for technologies that can detect the virus in water and wastewater was on field kits offering rapid indication of the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Technologies from Texas-based Water Lens, Luminultra, which is headquartered in Canada, and UK company Oxford Nanopore are all highlighted.

Systems that can make sense of the test data by connecting results with location and advanced analytics for wastewater-based epidemiology were also featured. Technologies highlighted included those from GoAigua in Spain, Biobot Analytics (US) and Kando (Israel/ US).

The advice of the World Health Organisation is that traditional water and wastewater processes are sufficient to remove the risk of the virus entering into the water system.

However, the review sought specific evidence about which parts of various treatment trains could remove or deactivate the virus in order to give utilities greater clarity and confidence.

Chlorine-based disinfection and UV treatment were found to be particularly well evidenced, but definitive research on ozone treatment was not found by the study. On removal of

SARS-CoV-2, it is already known that the larger pore sizes of microfiltration do not guarantee removal of the virus, while the many ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technologies, which all have pore sizes less than 50nm are effective.

Other technologies highlighted included devices for physiological surveillance to manage staff health. They include many for the fast or mass monitoring of temperature and wearable devices for monitoring vital health indicators, even coughs.

“The Covid-19 Technology Horizon Scan has been fantastic in bringing forward technologies that we wouldn’t usually have been looking for,” said Stephenson. “We have seen a huge array of digital solutions, many around communications, that utilities can pick up and use very quickly.

“The report is also very valuable to utilities in understanding the evidence behind different treatment technologies, to give them the full picture.”

The Technology Horizon Scan: Managing COVID-19 was funded by 23 water utilities and banks from around the world.

From early discussions with some water utilities, those who already had remote access to their systems were clearly at an advantage when lockdowns began. One could argue that remote access to systems has been the single most important technology during the pandemic. www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

51

PVC4Pipes launches 2020 Training Package for PVC pipe industry PVC4Pipes, the dedicated value chain platform for the European PVC pipe industry, has launched a refreshed online Training Package for the actors across the whole PVC pipe supply chain, making it easier to educate their sales forces and train their employees.

Developed by PVC and PVC pipe experts, the comprehensive package contains reliable, consistent and professional information about PVC materials and the sustainable solutions they deliver, both generally and for relevant application sectors, from drinking water to sewage, soil and waste.

Available as an online training platform accessed via the PVC4Pipes website, the package has been revamped to reflect recent numerous developments and challenges impacting the PVC pipe industry, such as the EU Plastics Strategy, hydrogen transportation and issues surrounding microplastics.

Commenting on the 2020 version, Vincent Stone, PVC4Pipes Project Leader, says it has been developed using the ‘most modern online tools’ to improve usability and extend its audience scope, with greater appeal to a younger audience and non-experts.

Aimed at PVC pipes and fittings producers, the training package explains in depth the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of different PVC piping systems and provides technical answers on PVC performance in use, such as water and gas supply. It also covers the advantages of PVC piping systems, their environmental and

sustainability credentials and offers guidance for their specification in various applications. Underground PVC-U and PVC-Hi pressure pipe systems, as well as those for PVC rainwater, hot and cold water and industrial applications are also covered.

Vincent comments: “PVC is by far the leader among plastics in the European building and construction markets. PVC’s proven durability, versatility, long-life performance and ability to be mechanically recycled makes it a cost-efficient, safe and sustainable choice for all types of PVC piping systems.

“Our latest PVC4Pipes Training Package has been designed to reflect evolving products, markets and regulatory frameworks impacting the PVC pipe industry. As an important educational tool, which will be regularly updated, it will be invaluable for those in the PVC pipes value chain.” www.pvc4pipes.com

IS YOUR BLOWER ACTUALLY EFFICIENT?

LET’S TALK Hazel Lyth, Product Manager +44 208 502 8113 hazel.lyth@aerzen.co.uk

Today, real efficiency means adapting the selection of blower technology precisely to the load profiles in wastewater treatment plants. Since the load operation displays strong fluctuations in every biological cleaning process, the largest energy saving potential lies here.

With our Performance³ product portfolio, consisting of Blower, Hybrid, and Turbo, we always find the most efficient and suitable solution for you. You can now achieve even greater efficiency with the new G5plus blower and turbo generations. Benefit from up to 30% energy savings!

LET’S TALK! We’ll be happy to advise you! www.aerzen.co.uk Ad_Lets-Talk_Wastewater_A5_UK.indd 2

52

06.09.2018 10:01:14

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

-

Little Eaton Water Treatment Works challenge solved by Selwood

The Background

The Solution

The river intake at Little Eaton has several large pumps which supply water from the River Derwent to the treatment works.

A total of five of these pumps were used – four duty and one on standby – to achieve a total flow of 924 litres per second.

Selwood customer nmcn – formerly known as North Midland Construction – was commissioned to replace the mechanical screens which usually prevent debris from the river entering these pumps.

The pumps were installed on the riverbed with fish basket strainers to prevent fish and other items entering the works. They were then attached to 12” outlet pipework “risers”, a distance of approximately 15m. Once on solid ground this pipework was manifolded first into 500mm pipework, to a flowmeter which enabled the team to check the flows provided, and then through the doorway into the pump building.

Severn Trent Water’s Little Eaton Water Treatment Works is a vital facility that helps provide clean drinking water to Derby and the surrounding area at a rate of up to 80 megalitres a day – more than 900 litres a second.

To enable the removal of the existing screens while maintaining an uninterrupted water supply, nmcn called upon Selwood’s pump rental specialists to overpump from the river to the rising main pipeline that feeds the treatment works.

The Challenge

Because the works were taking place within the water inlet area, the only available space to position the temporary pumps was on the riverbed itself. Once in position, Selwood’s team needed to connect them the existing rising main in a lower level of the main pump building.

The only access to this building was through a standard-sized door – so the task at hand was to install a pipe large enough to meet the required flow, but small enough to fit through the door and connect to the existing 600mm pipework.

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

Selwood’s team chose the Sulzer J 604 ND 10” pump for the job, because of its ability to provide the 231 litres per second required over static head. Friction losses needed to be kept to a minimum because of the oversized pipework being used.

Once in the building the pipework was immediately enlarged to 600mm for a distance of 15m to reduce any friction losses.

This larger pipework was attached to the existing rising main via a non-return valve on the lower level within the pump room.

The Delivery

The riverbed was uneven, with large rocks and logs present, which meant there was an element of trial and error in the placing of the pumps.

As the water level was high during the site survey and scoping work, Selwood’s team had presumed a distance of three metres from the river bank would be enough – but it became

apparent during installation that a distance of six metres out was required to sit the pumps securely.

A 30-ton crane was used to install the units and for any lifting outside the building. An existing gantry crane was used for internal lifting.

Time

Installation took 4 days to complete. The project was commissioned and started pumping in June.

The Outcomes

NMCN were able to complete the work replacing the screens on schedule, while the Selwood pumps ensured an uninterrupted supply to the Little Eaton water works. www.selwood.co.uk You can see coverage of the operation here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxnQdDn_Uc4

53

New low cost Compact 8O GHz level sensors Water and waste industries – more to choose

The VEGA radar family has grown, with the latest VEGAPULS series of units for continuous level measurement. Based on the latest FMCW 8O GHz technology and a specially developed radar level microchip to deliver a lower price than ever before, it represents a real alternative to ultrasonic technology. All this makes it highly economical for those applications found in the water/wastewater sector, or auxiliary applications in process automation. The compact loop-powered radar is offered as two versions: a compact model with a connection housing or with a fixed, sealed cable connection (IP68).

1

Strong focusing ensures measurement without the jumps

With 8O GHz technology, the non-contact radar beam is much more focused and can be aimed at the process surface with pinpoint accuracy. Narrow shafts or deposits on vessel walls or internals, such as ladders, pipes or pumps, cannot create false signals and therefore eliminates ‘jumps’ in the outputs.

No dead zones for measurement in confined spaces

Another special advantage is these devices have no dead/blanking zone, they can measure right up to the top of the vessel and handle overfills without anti-submersion shields.

Typical applications are areas where headspace is limited, like underground assets; CSO’s, sewers, in culverts, underside of bridges, pipes, as well as small tanks or hoppers where capacity is at a premium.

Handles build up

Sensors constantly struggle with the problem of build-up. Using radar technology, the situation is different, a combination of the measuring principle and optimized signal processing enables these radar sensors to ignore interference caused by build up on their antenna system, which means they are immune to the effects of condensation, and highly resistant to dirt and normal build up levels, reducing nuisance outages and cleaning.

Chemicals and EX approval

Storage and buffer tanks supply the chemicals for waste water treatment processes. The new radar sensors can be installed in very confined spaces and small process fittings, or even look through the top of plastic tanks or IBC’s and safely measure the chemicals inside. Even if the medium generates gases, the sensors remain unaffected and deliver

54

2

1 VEGAMET

: “Latest generation field-mounted controllers with Blue Tooth, SD card data logging - for single, twin, differential, pump and open channel flow measurement”

2 VEGAPULS : “Compact 8OGHz radar with

connection housing and optional field mounted display”

reliable measuring results. They also have an Ex approval for flammable media, so it makes them highly versatile for use in a wide range of applications.

Reliable level independent of process and environmental influences

Ultrasonic sensors are easily affected by ambient conditions due to their physical measuring principle : For example, the transit time of sound changes with temperature, like warming by the sun or varying vapour and gas composition, these can all affect measurement accuracy. Strong winds, rain, or even fog, can dampen the emitted sound waves and restrict their measuring range. Radar sensors, however, are not affected by these conditions - or high pressure or vacuums - they continue with accurate readings.

Low power for remote sites and telemetry

This new compact radar sensor is also ideal for monitoring of river and flood levels. Its measured values are crucial for being able to react quickly and correctly in the event of flooding. Radar sensors can monitor river levels without being affected by temperature stratification/fluctuations, high winds, rain or

heavy mist. Even at a distance of 30 meters from the water surface, a radar transmitter delivers level readings with millimetre resolution. They also offer SDI12 and Modbus outputs, and all devices have a sub 10 second start up cycle, making them highly suitable for use with battery powered telemetry outstations and loggers.

Bulk solids level monitoring too

Another example is lime silo level measurement, which is used to stabilize the effluent pH value, this is an ideal application for the new instrument series. All bulk solids can be measured reliably with no effect from dust generated during the filling process.

Thanks to strong signal focusing, build up and deposits on the container wall or on the sensor face itself are no problem.

Optional controllers and Bluetooth built in

The radars have an optional controller for local display, extra outputs and level alarms.

Both sensors and controllers can be easily and safely adjusted via Bluetooth with a smartphone or tablet – ideal for harsh environments, distancing, operational safety or in Ex areas. www.vega.com/vegapuls

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

RADAR IS THE BETTER

ULTRASONIC 80 GHz level sensor with fixed cable connection (IP68)

£405 VEGAPULS C 11

All advantages of the radar technology:

www.vega.com/vegapuls

Directional Drilling

images © Andrew Jones

Electrifying

When not drilling shots for water pipes, GMAC Utilities Ltd can be found all over the United Kingdom drilling shots for every other utility from gas to data and electric lines, the latter of which has led to GMAC’s involvement in one of the largest construction projects in the country.

Hinkley Point C in Somerset is a well known project. The first new nuclear power station to be built in the UK in two decades, brings a number of contractors and suppliers onto the prestigious project. Balfour Beatty and J Murphy & Sons are two of the large contractors suppling the infrastructure, to allow the clean burning power station to connect to the 6 million homes that it will supply through the national grid.

The conduit requirements vary from 125mm, through to bundles of 3x180mm and up to 355mm with a 125mm rider.

GMAC are working alongside both Balfour Beatty and J Murphy & Sons to provide their directional drilling services.

It’s not just a single shot in each location either.

On the J Murphy & Sons contract, GMAC are drilling two parallel bores at each of the seven locations and, with the Balfour Beatty contract, they are drilling twelve parallel bores at each of the six locations. All this will eventually lead to the 400,000 volt connection back to Hinkley Point C and reduces the number of overhead pylons in the area, helping the stunning vistas remain uninterrupted.

This is a large project and has required up to seven of GMAC’s rigs and crews on site at any one time. The skilled crews are having to drill through a variety of substrates from hard rock through to peat and mixed clays, each with its own challenges.

Welding pipes on site has been streamlined with GMAC’s welding unit. The demountable cabin has the facility to fuse two pipes at a time to half the required production times, essential on a large scale project with so many shots at each location.

56

As usual all possible environmental protections are being taken at each location to minimise the damage to the ground. Low pressure tyres on the tractors and GMAC’s hook lift trailer assist and their adapted mud mixing JCB Fastrac has come into its own on the project, being a water carrier and mixer in one, aiding in reducing damage to the ground where the mud trucks cannot access.

To get a competitive quote for your project, contact GMAC at either wayne@gmacutilities.com or any of the contacts below: Conor McCloskey: 07967 445556 (UK) Gerald McCloskey: 07823 526240 (ROI and NI) Wayne Cartwright: 07378 505006 (Bid Manager)

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Call us for a chat: Conor McCloskey: 07967 445556 (UK) Gerald McCloskey: 07823 526240 (ROI and NI) Wayne Cartwright: 07378 505006 (Bid Manager)

wayne@gmacutilities.com

UK 28 Sturmi Way Village Farm Industrial Estate Pyle Nr. Bridgend CF33 6NU

Northern Ireland and ROI 16 Drumgaw Road Armagh County Armagh BT60 2AD

News

Water company supports landmark CO2 project

More than 40 farmers in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire are taking part in a landmark project that could help return atmospheric CO2 to pre-industrial levels, reduce flooding and improve soil health.

The Sustainable Landscapes Humber Project – a collaboration between Yorkshire Water, Nomad Foods-owned Birds Eye, Future Food Solutions and Hull and Teesside universities – will see farmers growing cover crops between harvesting and sowing.

Known as pop up rainforests, the diverse range of cover crops can capture huge amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. Trials have shown the plants can also increase soil organic matter by up to 40 tonnes per hectare, which can sequester nett over four tonnes of atmospheric carbon per year.

As soil organic matter has fallen by 50% over the past 60 years, using cover crops to restore these levels not only has the potential to re-establish soil health, but could also help contribute to reversing the ongoing rise in atmospheric CO2 levels.

The pre-project trials have already achieved a dramatic rise in soil organic matter, more than doubling levels in just five years, from 3% to over 6%.

Andrew Walker, asset strategy manager for Yorkshire Water, said: “Growing cover crops to increase soil organic matter is one of the most effective way of combatting the major environmental issues we face today.

“In just seven weeks, they generate enough carbon-sequestering organic material to make a significant dent in atmospheric CO2.

“If grown on a global scale, arable farming could become the first sector of the economy to be net carbon zero.”

He added that the Sustainable Landscapes Humber Project could also play a major role in the reduction of flooding in Hull.

Yorkshire Water is a core partner in the Living With Water partnership in the city, alongside East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Hull City Council and the Environment Agency.

“The remit of the Living With Water partnership is to implement measures that reduce or mitigate the impacts flooding has on Hull,” Mr Walker said.

“Research shows that achieving just a 1% increase in soil organic matter would enable agricultural land to store an extra 200,000 litres of water per hectare.

“Therefore, this project has huge implications for flood attenuation in and around Hull.

Birds Eye has long term relationships and collaborations with its growers, so by working with them to increase the levels of soil organic matter in the Humber region, we can make a real impact.”

58

L-R): Steve Cann, director of Future Food Solutions, Andrew Walker, asset strategy manager at Yorkshire Water, Lee Pitcher, head of partnerships at Yorkshire Water, James Hopwood, agriculture manager UK for Birds Eye, and Paul Rhodes, director of Future Food Solutions Paul Rhodes, director of Future Food Solutions, added: “The plants’ root structure holds the topsoil in place reducing erosion, and the increase in organic matter means less farm inputs are required, enabling farmers to grow food more efficiently and profitably.

“Of the inputs that are required, less are leached away into the waterways, making for healthier rivers and watercourses and this has a positive knock on effect on local flora and fauna.”

Fellow Future Food Solutions director, Steve Cann, described launching the Sustainable Landscapes Humber Project as a great example of collaboration between utility partners, the supply chain and farmers, and this was just the start with the initiative set to grow as new crops are drilled.

He said: “Because of the unique nature of the Birds Eye supply chain and interactions with the growers of the Green Pea company, peas can be the catalyst for change; the same farmers will grow wheat, barley and oil seed rape for other supply chain partners so the potential to upscale the project is huge.

“Sustainable agriculture is at the heart of our company purpose at Nomad, and has always been at the core of the partnership with these farmers.

“Therefore, we’re very excited to be involved in this project and the opportunity to work collaboratively with partners on finding solutions to issues such as climate change and flooding, as well as improving soil health for future crop production.”

Soil organic matter, water content and other metrics will be monitored by the University of Hull on an ongoing basis.

Professor Dan Parsons, director of the Energy and Environment Institute at the University of Hull, said: “We are delighted that this project is underway, with a range of excellent partners brought together by Future Food Solutions and linking to the THYME programme, a £5m project funded by the Research England Connecting Capabilities Fund.

“As further crops come into play, we expect to see more food brands coming on board and more farmers starting to grow cover crops as the benefits become clear. This hugely exciting project is set to grow and grow.”

“The government’s 25-year environment plan speaks of maximising natural capital and working with nature in our use of landscapes.

The Sustainable Landscapes Humber Project is an exemplar of how we can optimise landscape use to amplify ecosystem services, such as bio-diversity and reducing flood risk, whilst also maintaining or improving agricultural crop values into the future.

James Young, Agriculture and Veg Sourcing Director, Nomad Foods said: “We have a rich history in the Humber catchment area, having worked with local farmers for over 60 years growing highest quality peas for our consumers.

“The innovative practice that will be demonstrated by the project, through digitalisation and high-resolution monitoring and modelling, holds great promise in shaping our use, management and interactions with landscapes into the future.”

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Electromagnetic Flowmeter MIS Series Full Bore Design

Flanged DIN & ASME Nominal Sizes 3” (DN80) & 4” (DN100)

Flow measurement

Monitoring function

∑

Total and partial quantity counter

2 configurable outputs

Display operation also with gloves

90°

Rotating colour display

Space saver

Available from stock exclusively from

01623 427701 www.kobold.com info.uk@kobold.com

Is the UK really a wet, rainy country?

According to the ‘Great British Rain Paradox’ report published in June this year, 77% of the British public agree with the statement that “the UK is a wet, rainy country”.

The report, which is supported by the Environment Agency, explains that not only do the majority of the population think that the country is wet and rainy, but only 14% of people believe that it is very likely that we will experience water shortage issues over the next 25 years.

However, this perception is wrong according to Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, who explains in the report that while we have periods of intense rain (February 2020 was the wettest month on record), “climate change is also causing long spells of dry weather that are putting our water resources under increased pressure”.

This stance has been echoed by the National Audit Office in their Water Supply and Demand Management report which explained that, due to climate change, daily demand for water in England and Wales will rise almost 30%, from 14bn litres to 18bn litres by 2050.

Should temperatures continue to rise, the world would inevitably become drier, which would impact on fresh water supplies.

Warmer air holds more moisture than colder air (up to 7% per degree of warming according to the Clausius-Clapeyron equation), meaning as temperatures rise, more water is taken from the earth’s surface by evaporation.

Greater evaporation rates would negatively affect water stocks in reservoirs, leading to more incidences like Day Zero in Cape Town, where the city was at real risk of completely running out of water.

There is also a concern that, due to increasing temperatures, less water will be harvested through sustainable abstraction (the process of taking water from the ground or surface water bodies), and with demand growing, not meeting the deficit could cause the risk of drought in South East England, one of the country’s most populated areas.

While this all might seem like a long-term problem with plenty of time to solve, the effects of climate change are already being experienced in the UK and worldwide.

2019 was the second-hottest year on record globally, according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), topped only by temperatures in 2016.

“The decade that just ended is clearly the warmest decade on record” explained GISS Director Gavin Schmidt when announcing the 2019 figures. “Every decade since the 1960s clearly has been warmer than the one before”.

In the UK, the spring of 2020 (March-May) was the sunniest on record, with 626 hours of bright sunshine recorded (the previous highest was 555 hours, which was set in 1948). May 2020 was also the driest on record for England and the second driest in Wales, with both experiencing on 17% of the average rainfall for the month of May. But climate change is just one factor in the fight against water scarcity, with another key element being sharp increases in demand. According to the Great British Rain Paradox report, the average person uses 143 litres of water per day, which is up from just 85 litres in the 1960’s.

Since lockdown began, we have seen an increase in the demand for water as people wash their hands more, stay hydrated and use more for DIY in their homes and gardens.

60

The importance of access to clean water has only been amplified during the current Coronavirus outbreak. As the basis of cleanliness and hygiene, water is playing a vital role in the fight against the virus and ensuring access to it is imperative.

During some of the warmest days in May 2020, Anglian Water pumped an additional 200 million litres to homes across the East of England. Discussing this demand, Paul Valleley of Anglian Water explained: “since lockdown began, we have seen an increase in the demand for water as people wash their hands more, stay hydrated and use more for DIY in their homes and gardens”.

“On average, water use has risen between 5 and 10% since lockdown began, but we’ve seen peaks of up to 20%, which is unprecedented for this time of year”.

Water companies in the UK, and internationally, understand the threats to their networks and are investing heavily in infrastructure to meet the challenges posed by climate change and increased demand.

Effective leak detection, provided by advanced products such as PermaNET SU, is helping to dramatically reduce water loss, supporting ambitious leak reduction targets and ensuring a consistent supply to customers.

As the NAO report highlights, reducing unaccounted-for water is essential in fighting water shortages. Investment in leak detection is an excellent way to combat future water scarcity and help secure the stability of supply. www.hwmglobal.com

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

PermaNET SU NBIoT-enabled correlating leak noise logger NBIoT and 2G telemetry for future proofing and transition â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tilt alarmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; when device is removed or tampered with Full Correlation with Time Synchronisation

Advanced leak detection technology not only helps to reduce unaccounted-for water, but also supports the fight against water scarcity

www.hwmglobal.com

Biogas & Energy Management

Why energy intelligence matters Now is the time to take a more intelligent approach to energy management to reduce costs, reduce emissions and ensure resilence. Mark Emery of Centrica Business Solutions explains how Internet of Things (IoT) energy insights technology can help transform energy and operational performance.

Most water companies have already exploited the ‘low hanging’ energy efficiency opportunities and use of on-site generation is widespread in the industry. But that’s not always enough to satisfy increasing (often conflicting) demands from regulators, shareholders, consumers and environmental groups.

Meeting stakeholder demands

The industry faces a difficult balancing act of: decreasing customer bills; reducing and reporting carbon emissions; maintaining

62

rigorous water quality standards; and ensuring operational resilience - at the same time as delivering shareholder value.

Energy can play a vital role in helping the water sector to meet these varied stakeholder requirements. As a major overhead (typically accounting for 20% of a water company’s operating costs), there’s an opportunity to maximise efficiency for cost and carbon reduction. Innovative technology solutions can also monetise energy flexibility and deliver the operational resilience that underpins customer service excellence.

Ofwat has made it clear that it wants to see the sector drive innovation through better use of data. Improved big data and analytics is key to unlocking new energy and operational efficiency opportunities, managing risk proactively and informing energy optimisation and investment.

Full energy visibility

Energy efficiency should be the first stage of any energy strategy, but it’s difficult to know where to focus for best results, especially when the ‘quick win’ opportunities are already

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Biogas & Energy Management

exhausted. Examining metered data and conducting energy efficiency audits will only tell you so much, but IoT energy insights reveal whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening beyond the meter - at a process and device level.

This involves attaching low-cost wireless sensors to energy-using devices, such as pumping machines and other critical equipment. The resulting data is then interpreted via an IoT enabled online analytics platform, which provides real-time, granular visibility of both power and heat use. Easily digestible insights reveal how processes and assets are performing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; often uncovering hidden inefficiencies and performance issues.

Informing energy & operational savings

The data insights will identify where energy is being wasted, but will also inform demand side response (DSR) opportunities.

For example, businesses gain a clear understanding of how they can shift loads to avoid peak time power costs and where they have flexible power capacity to generate revenue from DSR markets.

Detailed data can also be exported for environmental and fiscal reporting, for example to fulfil the new Ofwat requirement to report energy consumption for co-located clean and waste water processing. Since many sites are dispersed over a large area, and often only have one or two electrical energy supply meters, analytics technologies can simplify this data gathering process.

The biggest benefits of advanced energy analytics often relate to improved operational efficiency and business resilience. By understanding precisely which pieces of equipment are doing most of the work and, therefore, are more likely to fail, cost-effective predictive maintenance regimes can be introduced, which also extend asset life.

Performance issues can be identified from data anomalies, and these can be rectified before they become problems, thus avoiding disruption or mission critical equipment failure.

Building a case for distributed energy investment

By optimising data water companies can understand their energy priorities and build an accurate and convincing case for capital investment in further energy efficiency

End to End distributed energy solutions for the water industry improvements and distributed energy solutions. This is particularly useful for informing investment in distributed energy resources, such as solar PV and battery storage, and natural gas or biogas from waste water Combined heat and power (CHP). In this way, companies can shift usage from the grid to more affordable, sustainable and resilient energy supplies.

Given that water and sewage treatment accounts for approximately 2% of all UK electricity consumption and around 0.7% of total UK CO2 emissions, raising environmental performance is a key priority for the sector from both a regulatory and reputation management perspective.

The positive news is that by taking an intelligent approach to energy management, companies can achieve both their commercial and environmental goals.

Energy as a service

The business case for distributed energy technologies and energy efficiency solutions is so good that investment can often be delivered at zero capital cost on a pay-as-you-save basis.

Centrica Business Solutions has recently extended its range of flexible financing options with the launch of an Energy as a Service bundle that typically includes the design, installation and financing of on-site power generation, alongside a complete choice of innovative sustainable energy technologies and services.

Centrica Business Solutions has published a white paper on how to use energy more intelligently in the water industry.

Further information www.centricabusinesssolutions.com Mark Emery is a Business Development Manager for Centrica Business Solutions

The biggest benefits of advanced energy analytics often relate to improved operational efficiency and business resilience. By understanding precisely which pieces of equipment are doing most of the work and, therefore, are more likely to fail, cost-effective predictive maintenance regimes can be introduced, which also extend asset life. www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

63

Biogas & Energy Management

Our oldest gasholders, which still work perfectly, date from the late 1990s. This one, in Didcot, was installed in 1998 and is still going strong

A recent example at the Cardiff Food Waste plant in Wales was installed with complex membrane shaping round the instrument and gas mixing equipment platforms

Membrane technology in the world of biogas A technically advanced, membrane-based, and inexpensive solution to the storage of biogas.

A wastewater treatment works is essentially a factory. This factory has an input of what we do not want, and do not even speak about much – our waste – and an output of three byproducts: clean water, fertilizer, and electricity.

Clean water back to the environment, treated organically rich solids back to farming, and abundant electricity from generators driven by engines burning biogas.

The UK’s wastewater industry has harnessed the biogas produced from the biodegradation of sewage for more than 100 years, and gas from a septic tank was first used to run a gas lamp in Exeter as long ago as 1895. We have come a long way since then.

A J Tensile Biogas Systems Limited is an industry leader in the manufacturer of membrane gas storage vessels and digester roofs. It is part of the A J Tensile Group that designs, fabricates and installs any membrane structure, but the Biogas division is dedicated to the design and production of biogas systems. The company has much background knowledge on the ‘whys and wherefores’ of AD, and as such understands exactly why biogas storage is so important, and, uniquely, the company will actually advise biogas storage solutions that are simpler and therefore cheaper than are sometimes asked for by clients. Possibly not uniquely commercial, that view! But it is part of what we do.

64

To store biogas when production from the digester or use by the ‘users’ varies during a period, a storage vessel is obviously required.

Traditionally, these vessels were a little like traditional town gas holders: large steel tanks with fixed or rising roofs. But steel, although apparently of high strength and long life, is attacked by the chemicals in biogas, and one in particular: hydrogen sulphide. This, in the presence of water, gives rise to sulphuric acid, which corrodes the steel rapidly unless it is expensive high-grade stainless steel.

So, back in the 1980s, the concept of using membrane technology for these storage vessels was developed. Membrane structures are recognisable everywhere: canopies, sports halls – even the O2 Arena. The membranes are of great strength and resilience and will withstand all weather and most chemicalattack conditions.

There are two types of membrane gasholder storage solutions in normal use on a sewage works: a stand-alone gas holder, and a membrane roof covering an anaerobic digester.

Both are designed with an exterior, completely weather-resistant outer membrane, and a biogas-holding inner membrane. The membranes can be of amazing strength. The strongest we normally use is such that a 1m wide strip of fabric just over 1mm thick is capable of lifting 20 tonnes, but there are even stronger materials that we occasionally use.

The material is basically a pvc-coated polyester yarn, with the many woven strands forming an immensely strong material.

A recent example, above left, of a standalone membrane gasholder is a 2,000m3 capacity gasholder installed for Skanska at the end of August this year on their Welsh Water Cog Moors plant. It is installed on a raised plinth, so that all the associated pipework, condensate removal, etc., is easily accessible by the operator. With its permanently operating inflation fans to create the weather-resistant outer structure, and its associated gas contents measurement and safety instruments, the unit is a self-contained item that requires little maintenance beyond a biennial inspection.

Accurate laser level-sensing gives the operator an exact knowledge of the amount of gas in the inner membrane, and this allows accurate manipulation of downstream equipment such as surplus gas burners and biogas-burning CHP engines, which drive the generators.

The world of biogas handling moves on. When motorists driving along a motorway see what they might think is a Fylingdales-type Early Warning System structure, it is probably an A J Tensile Biogas Systems gasholder! www.ajtensile.co.uk

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

IChemE Forms of Contract An internationally acclaimed series of model forms of agreement, developed to reflect best practice for project delivery in the process industries. Drafted by a team of legal and industry professionals, these contracts address the complex way in which the purchaser, contractor and subcontractor divide responsibility for creating new process plants and working on existing structures.

Available in hard copy, PDF and editable word document formats. www.icheme.org/shop

Learn more about preparing, tendering and managing contracts What Engineers Need to Know About Contracts Examine contract law for engineering and construction contracts and learn how it is used to help deliver successful projects.

IChemE Forms of Contract Look at the structure, main provisions and features of the IChemE forms and learn how best to apply them to your projects. www.icheme.org/forms-of-contract

MB0217_20

www.icheme.org/contracts

MB0217_120 FOC HP AD 180x120.indd 2

12/05/2020 15:49

THE WORLD OF BIOGAS HANDLING MOVES ON A J Tensile Biogas Systems Limited specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of high-quality double-membrane flexible gasholders, both as ground installations and as digester roofs.

The company uses the highest quality materials available anywhere and has proven expertise on hundreds of installations worldwide.

The A J Tensile Biogas Systems gasholder has been designed with the operator in mind, and has full access for inspection without de-commissioning, using an entry door.

The crucial inner membrane is constructed and tested in one piece in the factory, without the need for vulnerable site-sealing of any part of the gas containing envelope.

Accurate level readings and signal outputs over the entire range of gas contents is guaranteed.

Made in the UK, using UK analysis and modelling software, and with full control over all quality assurance processes, this product is second to none.

A J Tensile Biogas Systems Limited also offers a full gasholder and biogas system inspection and maintenance service, on any type of gasholder.

A J Tensile Biogas Systems Limited 4 Castle Way, Severnbridge Industrial Estate Portskewett, Monmouthshire NP26 5PR, UK Tel: +44(0)1291 425099 Fax: +44(0)1291 427290 www.ajtensile.co.uk

www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

For the latest Water Industry news... www.waterindustryjournal.co.uk

65

News

Kidney patients sign up to Thames Water extra care scheme A new partnership between Thames Water and the National Kidney Federation charity has helped almost 350 people register for extra support should their water supply be interrupted.

Before the coronavirus lockdown, representatives from the Royal Free Hospital Kidney Patient Association (RFKPA) and Thames Water visited dialysis patients at five hospitals and renal units in west London, including St Pancras Hospital, Tottenham Hale Renal Unit and the Edgware Dialysis Centre, to encourage them to join the water company’s free Priority Services Register – a database of customers who would struggle to get by should their home’s water supply be disrupted.

In such circumstances, priority service customers are contacted by Thames Water’s care team for bottled water deliveries directly to their homes if they are unable to get to a collection hub. The system also gives them advanced warning of planned work which may risk an interruption to their water supply.

People living with kidney disease are a key priority for Thames Water as many need access to water for home dialysis, but the register is also open to a wide range of people including those with mobility problems, chronic illnesses, metal health conditions, parents with young families and pensioners.

66

joining hands with Thames Water means we are able to help people living with kidney conditions receive priority services and financial support; it gives them peace of mind knowing that help is at hand when they need it most in a way that is tailored to their needs.”

Tania Christie, Thames Water partnership coordinator, said: “Meeting our customers who are receiving kidney treatment was a really valuable experience as it helped me better understand the daily challenges they face and their wider needs.

The company has 83,000 customers on its Priority Services Register and plans to increase it to 410,000 by 2025.

Andrea Brown, chief executive of the National Kidney Federation, played a key role in facilitating the partnership with Thames Water. She said: “It is important for us to offer our members support and information on how they can make the most of the help available to them.

“Water is essential for kidney health and

“The majority didn’t realise they’re eligible to be on our Priority Services Register and were keen to sign up, as for them, having no water supply could cause serious health problems.

“Being in the hospitals also meant we could raise awareness of the register with the staff, who can now recommend it to their patients and talk to them about the benefits of signing up in advance rather than waiting for something to go wrong with their water supply and then flagging their dependency on water to us.”

WATER INDUSTRY JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 2020

Securing National Infrastructure

CONTAIN • PROTECT • SECURE

LPCB Security Housings, Doors, Bar-sets, Cages and Access Covers Steel and GRP Buildings and Cabinets Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 and SR3 and SR4 Please refer to Red Book Live for full listings

LPCB Security Doors & Window Bar Sets for the Rail Industry

Morgan Marine Ltd., Llandybïe, Ammanford, Carms SA18Buildings 3GY and Cabinets Steel and GRP Telephone: 01269 850 437 Email: sales@morgan-marine.com Web: Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 andwww.morgan-marine.com SR3 and SR4 Please refer to Red Book Live for full listings

Providing pumping solutions for all

For more information call today 03330 142000

www.selwood.co.uk

Selwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation as the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one pump rental provider is built on the quality, reliability and longevity of our products and our ability to provide a solution for any pumping needs.

Designed for the most demanding applications, our pumping solutions are trusted by the leading water and wastewater service providers.

Our team work with you to create the best solution for the job â&#x20AC;&#x201C; providing efficient, suitable, safe, integrated solutions using both surface mounted and submersible pumps.

Available from our comprehensive network of UK branches and international distributors, all our pumps and solutions come with the Selwood guarantee of specialist support and outstanding service.