Institute of Water Magazine - Winter 2017 by Institute of Water

WINTER2017 ISSUE196

IN THIS ISSUE CPD/SKILLS/TRAINING WASTEWATER INNOVATION INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT PIPELINE TECHNOLOGY RETAIL COMPETITION

INSTITUTE OF WATER MAGAZINE

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I’m delighted to introduce the winter 2017 edition of the Institute of Water magazine.

I’ve been with the Institute of Water HQ team for just over seven months now and in that time I’ve certainly developed a new appreciation for the water that comes out of the tap. I’m also astounded by the vast range of things that need to happen to get water into the potable state we receive. The water industry certainly doesn’t get the credit it deserves amongst the masses.

Prior to joining the Institute, like most people, I wasn’t aware of the Institute of Water or its place within the industry. When I explain to people who I work for and what we do, their perplexed expressions gradually turn into a somewhat reassured reaction. They seem glad that the Institute of Water exists, that there is a forum where people in the water industry can come together to share their learning and experience to be the best they can be for the benefit of the valuable service they provide. There are some things that really stand out to me as unique about the Institute, such as the Institute’s culture of being ‘member-led’. I think this is our greatest strength.

We are also looking forward to launching our new website in the very near future. It may not look vastly different to our old website, however, behind the scenes the new Customer Relationship Managment (CRM) system will give us the ability to better understand our member data and interactions through their membership lifecycle. This is the detail we were lacking before and hopefully, this access to data will help us improve our ongoing relationship with members. We’re also working with our volunteers across the UK to review some of the things we do and hopefully make improvements, especially around consistency of the Institute of Water member experience and how we deliver our brand. Exciting times lie ahead. I hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine. As always, we are keen to highlight the great work that our members are doing across the UK. If you have something that you wish to share, please drop me a line.

Anyway, it’s full steam ahead as we prepare for the 2018 Annual Conference. It will be held at Glasgow Caledonian University on the 20 to 22 June. The anticipation for this conference is already building and is sure to be one of the must-attend conferences for the water industry.

Lee Hansom PR and Communications Manager Institute of Water

We have a new batch of Rising Stars for 2018, who are already proving to be fantastic assets to the water industry and have a bright future ahead of them. You can read about them in this issue. The Rising Stars programme continues to be a staple programme of the Institute of Water and I feel it epitomises the ambition of the Institute.

Features 18 CPD/Skills/Training 32 Wastewater Innovation 54 Integrated Water Cycle

Management

62 Asset Management 72 Pipeline Technology 78 Retail Competition

Regulars 4 Members Update 6 New Registrants 10 Rising Stars 14 Drilling & Tapping 82 Area News

Institute of Water HQ: 4 Carlton Court, Team Valley, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE11 0AZ Website: www.instituteofwater.org.uk President: Thomas Faulkner Chairperson: Simon Cyhanko Chief Executive: Lynn Cooper PR & Communications Manager: Lee Hansom Tel: 0191 422 0088 Fax: 0191 422 0087 Email: lee@instituteofwater.org.uk Advertising: Martin Jameson Tel: 07342 850 289 Email: martin@jimjammedia.com Designed and produced by: JimJam Media Ltd Email: sales@jimjammedia.com

The Institute of Water is the only professional body solely concerned with the UK water industry. We can support and develop your career whoever you are and whatever you do. We do this by providing a unique learning, developing and networking framework. For details on how to join visit www.instituteofwater.org.uk today.

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WELCOME NEW COMPANY MEMBERS BASF Water Industry Solutions Drinking Water Industry BASF have a range of products designed and tested to meet the demands of drinking water applications and are approved to Regulation 31 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016. These demands are driven by the necessity to return valuable assets back to service with minimum delay, once the repair or coating has been installed, reducing expensive “over pumping” costs. BASF as a leader in the field of research and development employs technology that enables its products to safely come into contact with water soon after application.

Waste Water Industry BASF have a range of products developed to meet the demands of waste water applications. Chemical resistance is a major factor in combating biogenic sulphuric acid attack, combined with resistance to the effects of fatty acids for long term durability. Rapid setting concrete repair mortars complaint to EN 1504 part 3 ensure repairs can be overcoated with minimal delay, using a range of hand and spay applied polyurethane and polyurea systems to offer long term chemical resistance.

For more information, please visit www.master-builders-solutions.basf.co.uk

Envirolyte Envirolyte electrolysed water ECA technology for disinfection applications has circa 6,000 machines around the world. Anolyte ANK (AANK) our Green, Safe environmentally-friendly, and fully biodegradable Hypochlorous acid (HA) disinfection liquid, eradicates Pathogens and Microorganisms from potable water, discharge effluent plus sewage or sludge system processes. Fogging of AANK will purify the local ambient air by removing airborne odours that are produced during these process works.

£5 will make 1,000 litres of AANK, this cost is dependent on the price paid for the salt and the kWh electricity charge. Our low production cost challenges the high prices being charged for the other types of disinfection chemicals currently being used? Our standard in-situ machines produce 90 to 95% HA within a pH range of 6 to 6.5 and at a strength of 500 to 700 ppm. AANK & HA are also referred to as Free Available Chlorine (FAC),

consistent disinfection. Envirolyte ELA HD machines produce a Safe high strength AANK up to 8,000 ppm, when used in combination with our Catholyte product, they can replace harsh chemicals like Lime, Sodium Hypochlorite & Caustic products. www.envirolyte.com

One litre of AANK at 500 ppm doses 1,000 litres of potable water, at 0.5 ppm to provide

Ecotec Water Ecotec Water Limited was incorporated in 2009. We are an expanding and wellequipped company based in Hamilton, Scotland. Our aim is to provide our clients with a highly responsive service 7 days per week, when required. We have a high level of expertise in survey work at both water and wastewater sites. The team of experienced technicians are all EUSR registered with Scottish Water DOMS and Confined Space entry. All technicians are able to undertake sampling, scheduling, on-site analysis,

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flow load surveys and performance testing of new and refurbished water and wastewater works. We have recently expanded the business to incorporate CCTV surveys of sewers and drains before and after work has been carried out. This work also includes the inspection of water mains to determine the condition of the pipework, check for blockages and possible ingression into the pipes. As a small to medium company we provide our services at very competitive rates and are committed to delivering a reliable, consistent

and quality service for our customers. Ecotec are always looking for ways to expand by adding work that compliments the core of the business without any detriment to the work we carry out at present. www.ecotecwater.co.uk

MEMBERSUPDATE

RENEWAL FEES 2018 There have been a number of increases for Professional Registration Renewal Fees for 2018. Science Registration Fees

Environment Registration Fees From 1 January 2018, the annual renewal fee for Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) will increase to £42. Registered Environmental Technician (REnvTech) fee remains unchanged.

Engineering Registration Fees From 1 January 2018, all Engineering renewal fees will increase by 3%. The annual renewal fee for Chartered Engineers (CEng) will increase to £39. The annual renewal fee for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) will increase to £33. The annual renewal fee for Engineering Technician (EngTech) will increase to £19.

From 1 January 2018, the Chartered Scientist (CSci) renewal fee will change to £45. The annual renewal fee for Registered Scientist (RSci) will increase to £20. RSciTech (£15) fee remains unchanged. For all registered scientists, as a thank you for your continued effort in meeting the standards necessary to remain on the Science Council registers, the Science Council is offering you £10 discount on any order placed with their shop before 31 December 2017. Use discount code SCIENCEPROFESSIONAL10 Institute of Water membership renewal fee remains unchanged for 2018.

ENGINEERINGNEWS

ONE DAY ENGINEERING CONFERENCE On the 8 November 2017, the Institute of Water hosted its first ever conference dedicated to Engineering. The One Day Engineering Conference, titled Engineering Effective Solutions in a Totex World, took place at M Shed in Bristol, where over 80 delegates attended. The conference received excellent overall feedback and here, two attendees share their brief account of the day: Mattu Bevita, Capital Delivery Alliance Graduate at Dwr Cymru Welsh Water “What stayed with me from the conference is the idea Totex should equal problem solving without solution bias, this concept should be ingrained within companies to encourage positive behaviours. This will influence the everyday work being done and if the right people in the business encourage and empower colleagues work to this definition of Totex then we will start

to move in a direction that not only facilitates stronger service delivery but also is morally correct.

best practice, from other WaSC’s, consultants, contractors and regulators operating in all four parts of the United Kingdom.

It was made clear that substantial changes are needed in the way water companies work, internally and externally and this event aimed to share learning and encourage collaboration to achieve this.

The excellent case studies were insightful and proved that good TOTEX performance can be achieved by using a balance of ‘low-end’ technology in the right applications, yet also provided reminders that emerging technology also has to be considered.

For me, stand out presentations were delivered by: Mel Karam, Bristol Water CEO; Philip Wiltshire, Associate Director for Water Advisory Services, Arup and Richard George, Head of Operations @One Alliance.” Ashley Moules, Asset Engineer at Dwr Cymru Welsh Water “I found the conference an excellent opportunity to understand the TOTEX approach to investment, how it’s worked and to consider examples of

To conclude, I left the conference with a strong message that our future challenges will clearly be embraced by the industry. This will no doubt create many opportunities for all involved to deliver even better customer service and further improve performance, in the areas we are proud to serve.”

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ENGINEERING I applied for the status of EngTech after talking to the Chair of the Northern Area committee, Paul Henderson. I had recently been promoted to a much more challenging post and I reviewed the notable events in my career, my current qualifications and the difficulties I have overcome as part of my previous positions for the Manx Utilities on the Isle of Man. Also, in order to attain this status I considered my current and future potential career developments. I found this process very helpful and enlightening and it opened my eyes to new opportunities. The Institute of Water has a very useful online continual professional development portal that I will use from now on. After reaching the status of EngTech, I received recognition from members of Manx Utilities Senior Management Team, the Executive team and from the Chief Executive individually.

James Mylrea

Water Networks Operations Engineer Manx Utilities Authority Engineering Technician

I feel that reaching the status has benefited Manx Utilities and myself on a personal level and will continue to progress in my career and realise my full potential.

ENVIRONMENTAL I applied to become a Chartered Environmentalist as it was an excellent way of recognising my commitment to environmental management and sustainability not only through my roles at Anglian Water and RPS but also through my university education. Through the Institute of Water Mentoring Programme, I have a mentor from another area of the water industry that helped guide me through the application process to provide evidence of my experience and how I could link this to the required competencies. My mentor has also helped me focus on setting career goals, provided a different perspective to problems and enabled me to learn from their knowledge and skills.

Ross Calder

Senior Engineer RPS Consulting Engineers Chartered Environmentalist

I really enjoyed the professional interview as it was interesting to discuss environmental challenges with like-minded people. It also enabled me to sit back and reflect on my career to date and my achievements which is an opportunity you rarely get. Becoming Chartered provides a professional standing within the industry sector and recognises my commitment to improving environmental issues and to continued professional development. I would definitely encourage others to become Chartered and I hope in future I will be able to support some of my colleagues and fellow Institute of Water members through the process.

BECOME PROFESSIONALLY REGISTERED

The Institute of Water is licensed to register Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers, Engineering Technicians, Chartered Environmentalists, Registered Environmental Technicians, Chartered Scientists, Registered Scientists and Science Technicians.

Find out more at WWW.INSTITUTEOFWATER.ORG.UK

Professional registration recognises competence and expertise in a subject

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area and demonstrates an understanding and knowledge of this expertise. Having a professional accreditation brings high self-esteem, higher earnings potential and improved career prospects. Becoming professionally registered is a great example of Continuing Professional Development and is often recommended or preferred by certain industry bodies and regulators.

NEWREGISTRANTS Since completing my MSc studies 11 years ago I have always had the aim of becoming a Chartered Environmentalist. This aim encouraged me to align myself with peers and clients especially NI Water who partake in Institute of Water events. Throughout my career I have mainly worked within the water industry, in a number of different disciplines, including: Environmental Management; Project Management/Delivery; Business Process Analysis and Quality Assurance. Around five years ago I became a qualified Association for Project Management practitioner. Since gaining this qualification I have undertaken a joint management/ technical role in water based environmental projects.

Rosaleen McNulty

Senior Environmental Engineer RPS Consulting Engineers Chartered Environmentalist

In October 2016 I submitted my initial application to commence the journey on becoming a Chartered Environmentalist. In July this year I successfully gained CEnv status after completing my professional review. Based on the invaluable help and assistance I received from IWater mentors and the professional but friendly interview I had with IWater reviwers, I would be keen to put myself forward to take on a voluntary role within the institution to assist others on their chartership journey.

SCIENCE It took me quite some time getting around to applying to become a chartered scientist, but realising that I had spent half my life in the water industry acted as a catalyst to getting it done! The process of summarising of my experience in various areas/competencies was helpful in seeing how far I have come since the start of my career and the professional review meeting was a great/enjoyable opportunity to discuss my work with knowledgeable scientists. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve very proud to have becoming a Chartered Scientist and would recommend it to others as a means to track their progress, identify areas requiring further work and demonstrate the skills, experience and competence gained throughout their career.

David Metcalfe

Senior Process Scientist / Engineer South West Water Chartered Scientist I applied for Chartered Scientist status as I believe it is a valuable certificate that recognises my scientific achievements and competencies. Within Dwr Cymru Welsh Water we are encouraged to pursue chartered status through the Institute of Water as it is tailored to our water industry. It is a great achievement to add to my status next to my name and will benefit me in my future career development. The application process was very straight forward process through the Institute of Water and also it was great opportunity to attend CSci Professional Review Interview conducted by Robin Price and Nicola Johnston from Anglian Water Services. It is great to be able to look back on previous work and see how far I have developed in the past 15 years of my career.

Mohan Lamani

I had great support from The Institute of Water and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

Team Leader DĹľr Cymru Welsh Water Chartered Scientist

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SCIENCE I joined the Anglian Water laboratory 16 years ago after completing my A-levels. I studied for my BSc part time whilst working for Anglian Water, as part of my commitment to continued professional development. The opportunity to become a member of the Institute of Water, and subsequently applying for professional registration, was the next step for me. Writing my report to demonstrate the required competencies gave me such a sense of achievement, to reflect on the skills and experience I had developed over the years. The interview was a pleasure as it gave me the chance to discuss my achievements and help build my professional network.

Michelle Munden

I would really encourage others to apply for professional recognition. The application process took a little work, but overall it was straight forward and the rewards are well worth the effort. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspired me to continue my professional development and work towards Chartered Scientist, which the feedback from the professional review has also helped too.

Assistant Scientist Anglian Water Registered Scientist

I started my experience with Institute of Water and registration status when I gained Registered Science Technician in 2015. It was while I was working on my RSciTech report that I found that I had much more knowledge and experiences to present. Also to achieve RSci I have had to involve myself to additional tasks above technician level which extend my scientific knowledge and motivates me for personal development. RSci became a goal which gave me a clear direction for further development. I think that Registered Scientist is a good evidence of knowledge and experience. All the experience I have gained on the way have helped me to become successful on my application for a secondment as Assistant Scientist and also in supporting other technicians with their RSciTech applications. Now I would like build my experience and knowledge to start working toward Chartered Scientist.

Magdalena Jedrzejak Laboratory Technician Anglian Water Registered Scientist

I applied for Registered Scientist status as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great way to showcase the skills and knowledge I am learning and to gain professional recognition for my work. I currently work at Affinity Water as a Scientific Officer in the Water Quality team. I have benefitted greatly from the Registered Scientist application process. It has provided a more structured and goal based approach to my personal development along with a platform to log my CPD. This has ensured I continually make the most out of every opportunity I am given. I am really happy that I have received Registered Scientist status and it feels like a massive achievement, which has already led me to thinking about chartership. I am looking forward to sharing my experience with others and promoting them to apply of professional registration. I would recommend anyone who is thinking of applying to give it a go and it is not as scary as you might think.

Sarah Murray

Scientific Officer Water Quality Affinity Water Registered Scientist

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NEWREGISTRANTS I believe that professional registration with Institute of Water is a valuable certificate that recognises my scientific knowledge as well as work experience. After I started working for Anglian Water I was introduced to Continuous Professional Development, IWater registration and finally at the end of last year I started my application. It was a great opportunity to gather and describe my job experience and show my commitment and high standards of work. It also gave me clear vision of my personal development and helped me to focus on further improvement opportunities. The fact of being recognised is extremely motivating and I feel really proud of myself when I look at my Registered Science Technician certificate. I would definitely recommend applying to anyone interested in career development and water industry.

Patrycja Malinowska

Laboratory Technician Anglian Water Registered Science Technician

Professional registration is highly valued in my organisation and the industry. I like how it has been recognised that there is a minimum high standard that I perform to. My academic qualifications are important but this shows that I know what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing in my role, that I am improving and most importantly, it is evidence of my interpersonal skills. I feel that it is the only qualification I have that colleagues really know what it means. It also helps me to identify skills and opportunities to focus on because an essential part of maintaining registration is continual improvement and CPD development. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m now looking forward to working towards Registered Scientist which I now have a framework through CPD to work towards.

David Gourlay

Water Quality Risk Scientist Anglian Water Registered Science Technician

My inspiration for becoming a Registered Science Technician came from other respected colleagues who had already achieved registered status. Recognition for the skills and experiences which I have gained through 20 years of working in the water industry was well worth the effort.

David Cheeseman

Process Optimiser Anglian Water Registered Science Technician

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LADIES & GENTLEMEN …OUR RISING STARS OF 2018

The Institute of Water is dedicated to supporting the careers of people working in the UK water utility sector. Our hugely successful ‘Rising Stars’ initiative certainly epitomises this ethos. Now in its seventh year, Rising Stars recognises eight members who appear to have both the potential and an appetite to progress in the water industry. To help these individuals progress further, we bring together a collection of unique opportunities, designed to develop the skills and professional excellence of new talent in the water sector. The initiative particular focuses on providing professional development in the skills areas that are not traditionally tackled or made available to individuals.

His career began as an Engineering Graduate at AECOM, who supported him through his continued academic studies; MSc (Urban Water) and EngD (Infrastructure Asset Management). Following the award of his Engineering Doctorate, Ben joined AECOM’s Leadership Development Programme which provided exposure and management experience across AECOM’s broad engineering operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Dr Ben Ward

Drinking Water Asset Manager, South West Water Ben is a Chartered Civil Engineer who works for South West Water as their Drinking Water Asset Manager.

with the RAF. On commencement, the training was cut due to the government defence spend review so she decided to focus on her passion for the environment, starting Veolia Water’s graduate programme in 2011.

We are working on a programme for the Rising Stars which will include visits to other water industry organisations and events. One of the early events will be a Masterclass hosted by Institute of Water President Thomas Faulkner, Executive Vice President, Skanska UK. We would like to thank everyone who applied for this year’s programme. Our Area Committees, who select the Rising Star for their area, found the applications to be of high standards, making the final selection particularly challenging. Without further ado, we present our class of 2018…

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In returning to the water industry, Ben continued working for AECOM as an Associate Director in their asset management business before joining South West Water in April 2017. He now holds responsibility for developing their long-term drinking water asset management strategy and performance reporting across the South West and Bournemouth regions.

Lisa Mckenzie

Strategy Manager, Veolia Lisa graduated from Leeds University in 2010 with a Masters in Architectural Engineering and achieved a training position as a pilot

After moving around the UK with her four engineering placements, Lisa decided to stay in Edinburgh and successfully applied for the role of operational shift manager at Scotland’s largest Waste Water Treatment Plant, Seafield. Lisa spent two years as part of the operational shift team, then decided to apply her engineering knowledge to a business role and began a secondment as Strategic Projects Manager, a role which has now evolved into a permanent Strategy Manager role. Lisa is enjoying the challenge of applying her technical knowledge to a business focused environment.

RISINGSTARS Gee was first introduced to the water industry through numerous modules within his MSc in Environmental Engineering. Alongside his studies, he joined WSP (then Mouchel) as a technician in 2016 and currently fulfils the role of Graduate Clean Water Modeller within its Clean Water Modelling Team in Belfast. Gee is currently engaged with the construction and calibration of hydraulic models of the strategic water mains infrastructure to investigate the hydraulic performance and to identify system anomalies within networks.

Gee Sang

Graduate Clean Water Modeller, WSP

This project includes analysis on the performance of strategic assets and their capacity to deliver the requisite level of service to the Client’s customers, now and over a 20 year planning horizon.

working as a Developer Services Technician for three and a half years, Hayley gained a distinction in every module of her HNC in Civil Engineering to complement her role. Hayley then worked as a Regulatory Analyst on Retail Competition for two years, whilst completing a qualification in Civil Engineering Law and Contract Management (NEC 3) with the Institute of Civil Engineering at Leeds University.

Hayley Dyson

Trainee Legal Executive, Yorkshire Water After graduating with a Law degree (LLB (Hons)) from Leeds Metropolitan University, Hayley began her career in the water industry with Yorkshire Water in 2011. Whilst

Hayley is currently in her dream job in the Commercial Legal Team, training to be a legal executive in the water industry, which fulfils Hayley’s two main career goals. Hayley has taken every opportunity to experience the water industry from different perspectives, enhancing her commitment to a successful long-term career in the water industry, and continues to do so through the Rising Stars programme and by supporting WaterAid.

Fionn’s career in the water industry began at sixteen, taking a summer job as a General Operative for Barhale Construction. At eighteen he decided to attend university whilst continuing to work for Barhale during his holidays. In 2013 he graduated from Coventry University with an honours degree in Biological and Forensic Sciences.

Fionn Boyle

Optimisation Project Engineer, Anglian Water

At this time Fionn was unsure of the direction his degree was to take him, so re-joined Barhale full-time as a Site Technician to gain more construction experience. He was later seconded into Anglian Water’s Innovation Team and progressed into the role of Innovation Projects Manager.

Tom Swain

PN Daly Leakage Contract Manager, Severn Trent Water Tom began his career in the water industry as an Industrial Placement student with Severn Trent Water back in 2013, managing a number of their Waste Water operational sites. Tom is an Environmental Science graduate from Nottingham Trent University where he received a First Class (Hons) degree and completed a Severn Trent supported thesis into ‘The effects of sewage treatment works upon receiving water courses’. Tom was successful in applying for Severn Trent’s Business Leadership Graduate Programme in 2015. Upon returning to Severn Trent, Tom has had a number of management and leadership roles including in Severn Trent’s Incident Control Centre, running teams of Quality Inspectors for the South West Region and as a Commercial Contracts Manager for Operational Front Line Contracts. Tom’s current role is Network Optimisation Lead for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, managing teams to optimise and strategically improving Severn Trent’s water infra network and asset base.

As part of that team, Fionn led numerous projects within Anglian Water’s Shop Window focussing on water distribution networks. His achievements were recognised this year at the 2017 Utility Week Star’s Awards with a short listing in the Shooting Star category. Fionn recently joined the Optimisation team where he is developing new approaches for supply system management through Anglian Water’s ‘Smart Water Systems’ project. Fionn is studying part-time for his Masters in Water and Wastewater Engineering and is working towards Chartership.

CONTINUED... instituteofwater.org.uk

Kirsty Ayres

Lydia Makin

Senior Engineer, WSP Kirsty graduated from the University of Reading with a First Class (Hons) degree in Geography (Human and Physical). She joined Mouchel as a Graduate Engineer in 2011 and has been seconded into Thames Water working on several projects including Victorian Mains Replacement (VMR) and Bulk Metering. Now a Senior Engineer at WSP, Kirsty works within Thames Water’s Strategy Planning and Assurance (SPA) team focusing on maximising the value from Thames Water’s infrastructure investment programme. Kirsty is an active member of the Institute of Water, having chaired the “Water Company Perspective” section of the Annual Conference in May 2017 and the South East Young Person’s Forum in November 2017. She also represented IWater at the Professional Engineering Institutes Event where young members from 35 engineering institutes discussed how their institutes could better serve their needs.

Water Services Graduate, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Lydia graduated with a first class honours degree in BSc Environment and Development from the London School of Economics. Studying topics such as Climate Change, Environmental Economics, and Sustainable Development, Lydia developed her dedication to an array of environmental causes. After graduating, Lydia worked for a lively start-up environmental consultancy where she was able to use her passion and knowledge of the environment to design educational games for numerous companies. Among others, Lydia worked with Sainsbury’s to design a food waste game and with Thames Water to design games and workshops which she delivered in over 40 schools to spread awareness around water scarcity in London and the importance of reducing consumption. It was this love of working in the water sector which lead Lydia to the World Water Conference in Stockholm in 2015 and eventually a position on the Welsh Water Graduate Programme.

INSTITUTE OF WATER’S NEW AND IMPROVED MENTORING SITE The revitalised bespoke platform will improve your mentoring journey and help make managing your mentoring partnerships a smooth and practical experience. The programme, which is open to all members, is an initiative which aims to unlock potential, support career goals and develop talent in the water sector. Members who are looking to gain additional knowledge or advice are given the opportunity to learn about a new area of the water industry, apply for professional accreditation or to simply acquire guidance on building and enhancing their career from more experienced members.

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What’s new? ■■

Improved functionality - The new website is clean, user friendly and easy to navigate, allowing more focus to be made on mentoring partnerships.

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Knowledge base - A series of helpful videos have been added to the site as well as a number of interactive tools to help structure and guide development.

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Reminders and prompts – The Institute will be in touch more often to help check up on mentor/mentee progress and offer support where needed.

Institute of Water Chief Executive, Lynn Cooper, said: “Mentoring is a great way to share knowledge and experience. If you haven’t already considered this please take a look at the enhanced website and give it serious consideration. Whether you become a mentor or a mentee (or both) this could be a life-changing experience.” The opportunity of becoming a mentor or mentee is open to all Institute of Water members. If you would like to find out more about the benefits of being a mentor or mentee please visit www.instituteofwater.org.uk.

CLEAN WATER, DECENT TOILETS AND GOOD HYGIENE SHOULD BE A NORMAL PART OF EVERYONE’S DAILY LIFE. But all over the world, communities are living without these essential human rights, leaving their lives at risk and their potential untapped. This winter, join WaterAid as we travel to the remote rainforest community of Tombohuaun in Sierra Leone, and follow the journey of one community as they get clean water for the first time. Through the innovative new campaign, Untapped, you can meet the people living in the village and follow the progress of a project building a new well and working with families to build their own toilets. You’ll get to know Mama Mayama, a local midwife and leader of the women’s group; meet cousins Lucy and Nancy and discover what makes them best friends; and learn more about the community that has survived a civil war, an outbreak of Ebola and is currently living without access to clean water and toilets. With your support, WaterAid hopes to raise £4 million before the end of January, which will be matched pound by pound by the UK government.* That’s enough to reach 250,000 people with life-changing clean water, toilets and good hygiene. And through the campaign, we’ll show that reaching everyone, everywhere with these essentials really is achievable in our lifetime. Follow the story of Tombohuaun, and see how you can help communities around the world tap into their potential and change their lives for good. www.wateraid.org/uk/untapped

“If we had clean water in our village, it would be as if I were living right in the middle of paradise!” Musu, Tombohuaun, Sierra Leone

“My hope for this village is for us to have clean water, electricity, a health clinic, a road and even a school. Clean water will bring us good health; our lives will be longer.” Mama Mayama

“The water bucket is heavy on my head. It makes my head hurt. If I didn’t have to get water, I would play with my friends all day.” Nancy, six

Photo 1: Musu with her daughter, niece and grandmother outside their home in the village of Tombohuaun, Sierra Leone.

Photo 2: Mayama Mustafa, women’s leader and village midwife, with the two children she looks after. She holds the savings bank that all women contribute to and share out.

Photo 3: Best friends and cousins, Nancy and Lucy share everything, including helping their mums to collect water three times a day from the dirty water hole.

DROP ALL DRINKS EXCEPT WATER THIS JANUARY WaterAid’s Just Water challenge is back for January 2018. Sign up now and help get clean water to communities around the world. With all individual donations matched by the UK Government as part of WaterAid’s Untapped campaign, your challenge can make double the difference! www.wateraid.org/uk/just-water * The UK Government matches appeals up to £5 million.

Photo credits: WaterAid/Joey Lawrence

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30 YEARS OF DRILLING AND TAPPING This year marks the 30th year of the Institute of Water UK Drilling and Tapping Competition and we’re on the lookout for new teams who think they have what it takes to compete!

[1990 competition winners, Malcolm Holmes and Jeff Ray from Anglian Water]

What is UK Drilling and Tapping? The competition is a time trial for teams of two and is open to anyone connected with the water industry. The challenge is to drill and tap a 150mm diameter ductile iron main under available pressure, together with the installation of a simulated service connection in a safe, controlled and quick fashion. Skill, dexterity and speed are a prime requirement, but quality is paramount and time penalty points are added if there are any leaks or safety violations. Visit www.drillingandtapping.co.uk to see this year’s teams in action.

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Why enter UK Drilling and Tapping 2018? Prizes are awarded for a ‘Quality Tap’ and Best Newcomer among others. The men’s and women’s teams with the fastest times win an all-expenses paid trip to showcase their skills on the world stage to compete in the overseas competition. The competition brings in the crowds year after year thanks to the enthusiasm and camaraderie from the teams leaking into the audience and creating an electric atmosphere. The competition not only gives teams the opportunity to showcase their skills but also offers companies the excuse to show off their employee’s talent.

The 30th Annual UK Drilling and Tapping competition takes place on the 22 - 23 May 2018 at Utility Week Live in Birmingham. To find out more or to download an application form, contact lucy@instituteofwater.org.uk or visit www.drillingandtapping.co.uk

SCIENCENEWS

INSTITUTE OF WATER ONE DAY SCIENCE CONFERENCE Application of the Sciences Across the World of Water We’re delighted to announce the date and location for our second One Day Science Conference. Building on the success of our first Science Conference at the Royal Society in London, and our subsequent Environment and Engineering Conferences, our next One Day Science Conference will be held at the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Centre in York on Thursday 3 May 2018. The conference will be free to attend for our members. Chaired by our Vice President Science, Robin Price, the aim of the conference will be to explore the ‘Application of the Sciences Across the World of Water’, and will include speakers working across many pure and applied scientific fields, including life science, analytical science, data science, process science and behavioural science The choice of venue is highly significant, as supporting the teaching of STEM subjects in schools, and ensuring that young people from all backgrounds are inspired to study STEM subjects are critical to the future success of our industry. We hope that a legacy from the conference will be an increase in the number of STEM Ambassadors from our Institute! Please save the date, and we look forward to announcing more details of our speakers soon!

APPLICATION OF THE SCIENCES ACROSS THE WORLD OF WATER

ONE DAY SCIENCE CONFERENCE THURSDAY 3 MAY 2018 NATIONAL STEM CENTRE, YORK

INDUSTRY VIEW

REFLECTIONS ON WATER Stuart Foster

UK Water Manager - Drives, ABB Limited Every so often I reflect on some of the issues raised by people I meet in the water industry. Here are some of the recent stand-out challenges we have been discussing: Embrace the Internet of Things The industry is wrapped in telemetry, with PLCs and SCADA systems capturing more data on pressures and flows than they currently know what do to with. While today’s sensors and controls generate an abundance of data, there is often not enough analytics done to turn it into usable information, creating a scenario of data richness/ information poverty. We need the right information, with the correct accuracy, to the right people in an easy and digestible format. Find ways to recruit STEM graduates We need to show to younger people why a career in water is worth pursuing and to instill a sense of purpose and value for water engineering. However, the skills required are not traditional ‘engineering’ skills. Data analytics and statisticians are needed to create algorithms and analytics logic to use the data effectively. The industry must be more effective and better co-ordinated at encouraging more young people to take STEM careers, through both apprenticeships and university. It needs to take the lead and invest in training and development. Believe in cyber security Because the water sector is critical infrastructure, the industry needs a real sense of security that no one is going to break in. Even though our variable speed drives (VSDs) are designed from the ground up and categorically meet cyber security regulations, we need to make a concerted effort to demonstrate this to the industry. That is the challenge facing all companies hoping to sell new technology into the water sector. They must ensure that the technology is demonstrably robust. If a device can be controlled from an outside source, you need to unequivocally prove how the technology works and, more importantly, when it won’t. Truly understand ways to improve efficiency Part of my job is to sell energy efficiency and productivity improvements, primarily through installing VSDs and highly efficient motors. There are those who do not want to make changes to the system unless it fails. The utilities do not get fined for using energy, but if an application fails and consents are not met, then fines are incurred. Yet a VSD is linked to 80 percent of what a water utility does – moving water. It can be the catalyst to an efficiently run plant. But often there is no budget to install this efficient device, because the plant is running inefficiently. So how do you break this vicious circle? Avoid drowning in innovation The industry is certainly not short of innovations. There are many companies out there offering a huge portfolio of “smart” devices and disruptive technologies that give deep insights into asset conditions. One of the biggest barriers to embracing it is the lack of personnel that truly understand the implications of the technology. We need to get to those people who see the wide-ranging implications of smart technology for their business. The water industry is struggling to recruit the teams skilled at evaluating these technologies. The lack of such teams runs the risk of poor technology choices.

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SERIOUS ABOUT CPD? GAIN THE RECOGNITION YOU DESERVE! The Institute of Water is all about encouraging best practice in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and providing CPD opportunities for members. Every year we sample a selection of members’ CPD records in order to comply with our duties as a licensing body for the Engineering Council, Science Council and the Society for the Environment. This means that we get to see some great examples of CPD from our members and we know how dedicated some of you are to developing yourselves and your careers. If you take pride in your CPD, why not gain recognition for the effort that you put in, and perhaps inspire others to explore CPD options they might not have considered? Once again this year, the Institute will be running our CPD award where we showcase the best of our members’ development activity. The three top entries will be invited to the Presidents’ Dinner at our annual conference where the winning entry will be announced. We are looking for members to submit their entries to be considered for the award - entries open on 11 December will close on 28 February. The best submissions from the annual CPD monitoring exercise will also be put forward for the award and considered alongside the direct entries. In order to be considered, entries can be in many formats, but in order to be successful they should contain the following: ■■

A clear timeline showing the CPD activities you have undertaken and when you did them.

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A development plan, showing what you set out to achieve (i.e. development goals).

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An assessment of how successfully your CPD activities met your goals.

INSTITUTE OF WATER CPD AWARDS Format We appreciate that everyone has a slightly different way of undertaking and recording CPD. It’s a personal thing. That’s why we are flexible in terms of the format that entries need to take. However, successful entries will contain the following as a minimum:

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Matt Bower, the Institute’s CPD champion explains: “I have the privilege of helping to judge the entries – and it really is a privilege because the standard of some of them is quite exceptional. It’s awe-inspiring to see the motivation that some folk have to develop themselves and make sure that they get to, and stay, at the top of their game. I never fail to come away without being inspired to do more with my own CPD, and I also often gain a few ideas along the way.

Winner of 2017 CPD Award, Thomaz Andrade from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, said: “Adopting this systematic approach to learning and development has been an invaluable tool for me to widen my understanding of the Water Industry and of my specific field, as well as helping me to identify which skills I am best placed to develop further.”

“There’s some guidance on the Institute of Water website that sets out the terms of the competition and the criteria by which the entries are judged. I’d advise anyone thinking of entering to take a look. It’s important to realise that the judges aren’t necessarily looking for a completely successful CPD record where everything works out perfectly first time around – I’d much rather see an honest assessment of what worked and what was, perhaps, only partly successful. The important thing is that we can gain a view of the process the person is using to continually re-assess their goals and training needs and how they adjusted their activities accordingly. The honesty and self-analysis in some of the entries last year was astounding - that’s why I really mean it when I say it is a privilege to be involved in the awards. [Thomaz accepting his CPD award; presented by Lynn Cooper, Chief Executive of Institute of Water]

“A final tip – don’t limit yourself to solely workbased activities. I love it when I see people drawing on experiences in their personal life and using these to benefit their professional development. We don’t stop developing when we leave the office or site!”

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A clear timeline showing the CPD activities you have undertaken and when you did them.

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Recording - Accurately recording development achievements and learning outcomes.

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A development plan, showing what you set out to achieve (i.e. development goals).

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An assessment of how successfully your CPD activities met your goals.

Reflecting - Evaluating achievements and reviewing them against professional and development needs.

Entries are scored on four categories. The winning entry would be expected to contain elements of all of these: ■■

Scoping - Identifying skill gaps and opportunities for development.

■■

Planning - Setting relevant goals for development activities and target dates.

Submission of Entries Competition opens 11 December and will close on 28 February. Email entries to sarah@instituteofwater.org.uk Good luck!

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AN AGE-OLD PROBLEM Windmill Insight Solutions is here to help you understand and address the big issues affecting your business. Arguably issues don’t come any bigger than the water industry turning over around 60% of its workforce in the next three to five years. The Problem Post privatisation the gas, electricity and water industries all scaled back their recruitment to reduce costs. The result was the average age of utility employees increasing and a shortage of technically competent people to replace them when they retire.

a 20 country 5-year study, shows that young people in the more developed countries are less engaged with science and, by implication STEM. Not a good combination. The solution The water industry needs to maximise the potential of its existing staff and become more attractive to new candidates. Apprenticeships will be a key route, offering potential candidates a route to degree qualifications without the burden of massive student debts.

Evidence from EU Skills shows that the water industry intends to fill 87% of its vacancies by external recruitment. That’s intending to bring nearly 35,000 new people into the industry from a diminishing talent pool in the face of competition from the gas and electricity industries.

Our principal, Bob Windmill, has just completed a management succession planning project for a major utility company. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative techniques, key real-world skills and skills gaps were identified and an apprenticeship based solutions developed. Might something like that work for you?

A diminishing talent pool? Evidence from the Office of National Statistics shows that the number of 18-year olds in the population is falling while evidence from the ROSE project,

Contact details Bob Windmill M: 07554 994855 E: bob@windmillinsights.co.uk www.windmillinsights.co.uk

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Managing projects and programmes Delivering training and workshops Engaging in-house staﬀ Demonstrating formative learning

m: 07554 994855 e: bob@windmillinsights.co.uk www.windmillinsights.co.uk

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FEATURE: CPD/SKILLS/TRAINING Want to learn about the IChemE Forms of Contract? The IChemE Forms of Contract are drafted as performance-based contracts for the design and construction of a process plant and other output-based projects. Our two-day course will help you to understand more about the contract suite and how best to apply them to your projects.

IChemE Forms of Contract 7–8 February, Rugby, UK

Learn from the experts: this course is delivered by members of the committee that drafts and updates the IChemE Forms of Contract. Suitable for anyone preparing, tendering or managing a contract using the IChemE forms, it examines their approach to risk and payment, their structure, party liabilities, and how they govern work from initial requirements through design to fully commissioned and operational plant. For full details visit

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OXFORD PLASTICS

DRIVING AWARENESS FOR DISABILITY IN ROADWORKS Navigating roadworks can be disorientating and even hazardous for people with a disability and this matter can go overlooked by roadworks contractors and manufacturers. This is why on August 23rd Oxford Plastics, hosted the inaugural Disability in Roadworks: Awareness Day. The awareness day brought together people with visual, hearing, and mobility impairments that used canes, guide dogs, hearing aids, manual and electric wheelchairs, and motorised scooters when travelling through roadworks. Members of the local council and people from the street works industry were also present to discuss accessibility in roadworks. Event organisers, Oxford Plastics, set up a roadworks demonstration area outside of University of East Anglia’s student union. There was a range of currently-used temporary street furniture and innovative, new products, which attendees were encouraged to travel through. Throughout the day people within the industry and people with disabilities discussed the layout and application of roadworks, and how to work together to make them accessible and practical for all parties. Dr Katherine Deane of UEA spoke to people at the Awareness Day. Dr Deane is working closely with the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) to create best practice guidance and a training program for roadworks contractors. “The aim is to improve the design and set up of roadworks in order to ensure they are really accessible,” said Dr Deane. Paul Braddy, Sales Director at Oxford Plastics said “there can be a tendency for contractors and utility companies to prioritise the flow of traffic, and not the accessibility of pedestrians. Feedback from the day shows that more

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dialogue is necessary among the public who travel through roadworks and those who set them up. On the day the primary concern for Industry representatives was having space to undertake work, whereas the priority for charity representatives was to have knowledge of the scale and layout of a roadworks site.” According to research undertaken on the day, a key finding was that more communication is needed. The public find that roadworks are not labelled clearly and that the length and layout of roadworks should be explained online and/or onsite. All groups saw the importance of educating workers on equipment, legislation and the needs of people with disabilities. “The Disability in Roadworks: Awareness Day shows that there is room for improvement in many areas,” said Charlotte Whiteley, Marketing Coordinator at Oxford Plastics. “This event has

been pivotal for all of us at Oxford Plastics, and it will make a difference not just in the products we make, but in our understanding of accessibility.” 40 people from the Norwich & Norfolk Councils, Deaf Connexions, Wymondham Access Group, Norwich Access Group, RNIB, NNAB, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Transport for London, Tarmac, Anglian Water, Kier, NJUG, CBRE, MJS Projects and the University of East Anglia were in attendance to address the subject of accessibility. www.oxfordplastics.com

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Z-TECH

NO BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. YOUR GUIDE TO COST EFFECTIVE HAZARDOUS AREA TEST AND INSPECTION

Anyone responsible for statutory compliance in hazardous areas will have views on the best ways in which this should be done, but it can be a daunting prospect to try and understand the requirements. by Graham Doggett

Z-Tech Control Systems, Operations Manager – ATEX I’m going to offer you an insight into how I see an inspection schedule being managed to compliance under the BS60079 legislation, and help assist you to save money in managing your approach.

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Before we go into too much detail on inspection schedules and the factors that should be considered, it’s important to remember the initial inspection stage, without this the equipment should not be brought into service. Often I will be asked to advise on the best way to carry out periodic inspections of a hazardous area installation: the problem occurs when I ask to see the initial inspections, the equipment

register or current inspection strategy, more often than not the records have been misplaced or archived somewhere with the rest of the project documentation. Sometimes there was not an initial inspection carried out, and no verification dossier was produced for the installation.

FEATURE: CPD/SKILLS/TRAINING There are essentially 10 steps to achieving a compliant hazardous area inspection schedule and it starts with the conception of the project: 1. The design 2. The installation 3. The hand over 4. Implementation of inspection strategy 5. First sample inspection 6. First periodic inspection 7. Review of inspection results, 8. Assessment of inspection strategy 9. Implementation of amended inspection strategy 10. Periodic inspection with a detailed sample 11. Repeat steps 7,8,9 and 10 for the life of the installation. Now let’s save some money in 6 of these steps: 1) The design Often during the design stage all equipment is selected correctly, but in many cases, a lack of thought is given to the first principle of managing a hazardous area – ‘does the equipment need to be in the area or can it be located away from the hazardous area OR do we really need it?’. Use small remote pumping stations as an example: unmanned 90% of the year with visits for basic maintenance of equipment and inspection only, commonly these sites will still have lighting installed, where with properly documented access procedures, portable lighting would totally eliminate the need for fixed lighting. If this is taken into account at the design stage, then there is significant financial benefit not only from the reduced installation costs but also from the ongoing benefit of a reduced number of inspections having both management and inspection costs associated with them. 2) The installation In the installation and commissioning process, initial inspections are to be carried out at this point of the equipment life cycle, timing is crucial as these must be carried out before power is applied to circuits before live commissioning. This initial inspection can be utilised by the project documentation team as an opportunity to identify missing documentation and the accuracy of the asset register that should be compiled as part of the verification dossier for the installation. It is important at this point to remember that equipment will be maintained during the commissioning process and while the initial inspections have been completed it is worth a complete close inspection of all equipment

to check that no external faults have been introduced to the installation. This will have an initial financial cost but hugely increase confidence in the compliance of the installation, some of the most common faults I have seen where inspections are carried out after commissioning are missing or loose enclosure bolts and covers, this causes issues with both the certification of the equipment and the safety of the installation but is often forgotten in the pressure of meeting final project deadlines. If this additional verification of the installation is carried out, then it can pay back very quickly by reducing the number of failures picked up at the first sample or periodic inspection. 3) The hand over This is the stage where most missing documentation or inspection records can be traced back to. The process at this point should be no different for internal or externally delivery installations. In hand over you should be provided with a verification dossier as per BS60079-14. One of the most common mistakes that is made here is not incorporating this information into the document management system that is being operated within your organisation. This verification dossier is a live document and without maintenance of the information it is easy to introduce non-conformances. For example, updating the equipment register to reflect a change in ‘make and model’ of equipment, or updating the descriptive system documents to reflect changes to intrinsically safe systems. The retrospective compilation of the verification dossier will cost substantially more and consume a vast resource especially in the case of hard to access equipment or IS systems where calculations must be redone.

impacted then you may want to inspect more frequently Once you have decided on the provisional periodic inspection interval, it is important to document the justifications and considerations, as this will be a key part of transferring responsibility should the responsible person change. Alongside the definition of an inspection interval, you will also need to decide on a sample size good guidance on the calculation of sample sizing can be found in the Guidelines for managing inspection of Ex electrical equipment ignition risk in support of IEC 60079-17 published by the Energy Institute, and key performance indicators linked to the results of inspection should also be set. 5) The first sample inspection This is going to be the inspection that confirms or indicates the need for a variation from your inspection interval that is implemented in your inspection strategy. At this point BS60079-17 suggests that a sample inspection at a close grade is carried out, this should be after a time period that allows the plants operation and environmental conditions to take effect but not your full inspection interval, so if you have decided on a 24-month inspection interval a sample at 12 months should give a good indication of the suitability of the interval. The results of this sample should be compared to the KPI’s that you have set out in your inspection strategy ensuring that the time period is taken into account, if you have set out that a 20% failure rate is acceptable over 24 months you would not expect to see more than 7-8% at the 12-month mark. Using this information and by analysing the type of faults you should either confirm or modify your inspection interval to suit.

4) Implementation of an inspection strategy 6) The first periodic inspection This can be one of the hardest things to settle on but it is key to ensuring compliance of the installation, so what should be considered?

This is going to be your first idea of the full condition of the plant. Following the guidance of BS60079-17 this should be a close inspection of all equipment with a sample as defined in your inspection strategy at detailed grade. As per you first sample inspection you should review this against the KPI’s in your inspection strategy and assess whether a modification to the inspection period and sample size is required.

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The environment: is the equipment outside, is there a high level of UV radiation, are the substances in the process likely to cause an increased rate of corrosion?

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The Zone or EPL: you may wish to inspect equipment in Zone 1 more frequently than Zone 2

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Type of plant: what is the perceived risk level of ignition, taking into account persons exposed, environmental pollution and financial implications. Guidance on this can be found in RG101 published by UKAS

This process of inspection and review can then be carried out for the life of the plant, ensuring that any justification to the inspection strategy is documented and recorded.

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Frequency and quality of maintenance: does the equipment require regular calibration?

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Susceptibility to damage: if the item is in a high traffic area where it is likely to be

Should you be fortunate enough that a justifiable increase of the inspection interval to 3 years has been achieved, you are still finding low levels of failure and can justify a change to the inspection

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Z-TECH strategy, then you can look to move to a visual inspection of all non-ignition capable equipment and close inspection of ignition capable equipment. It is vital to keep your detailed sample as this will fulfil the requirement under BS60079-17 for equipment to be subjected to inspection of internal and external components throughout it its life cycle. It is important to remember that when looking at inspection results different areas of plant can be inspected at different intervals based on location of installation, likely hood of mechanical impact, frequency of maintenance. An example of this would be a junction box that is on a wall 20ft up will be less likely to become damaged than a low level transducer that is calibrated every 6 months and therefore would require less frequent inspection from a risk based point of view.

Any increase of the inspection interval after this point will need justification by a specific safety assessment carried out by an expert, this would involve looking into the environment, operation and manufacturers guidelines for maintenance of the asset. To summarise there are a few key points that you will have noticed throughout: ■■

■■

Don’t rush it, in a world where economics drive so much of the way we work and operate it may be tempting to allow the pressure budgetary requirements to lean you towards prematurely increasing inspection intervals, but this will not demonstrate a risk based approach to inspection and ultimately not satisfy the questions raised in the event of an ignition.

you will have an accurate verification dossier that will allow you to make clearer decisions around your justifications and be able to demonstrate competence to an auditor. ■■

Plan to leave, sounds like an odd one but if you make your records clear so that anyone can pick it up your life will be easier.

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The better your inspection and maintenance records the easier to justify an increase in inspection interval and therefore more financial benefit.

Finally, bring in the experts as it will make your life a lot easier and help to reduce your own personal risk if things go wrong - but do be an intellectual customer know the basic principles.

Document everything, if all modifications to plant are assessed and documented then

WATER INDUSTRY COLLABORATION FOR ELECTRIC VAN TRIAL Highways England are currently funding an electric van trial across the UK. They have highlighted specific geographical areas of interest to assess the potential positive environmental impact of local companies changing to all electric vans. Z-Tech Control Systems were highlighted by the Energy Saving Trust, a partner of Highways England, to help facilitate the introduction of two electric vans to two of their valued customers: Thames Water and United Utilities, utilising Z-Tech’s in-house expertise to install charge points at two sites. Exhaust emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles leads to issues of poor air quality. Urban sections of England’s motorways have been identified as particularly significant due to their high density of traffic and proximity to large numbers of people. Highways England is playing its part in seeking ways to improve this situation by investing significant funds to improve the quality of the air around urban motorways. The 6 month project is designed to explore barriers and opportunities to the adoption of electric vans for motorway users in order to understand the potential for improving poor air quality associated with urban motorways. Thames Water’s electric van will be utilised around the Reading area, with their first Thames

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Water charge point at Reading Sewage Treatment Works and the United Utilities electric van is being used by their Operations Technology Team, to undertake work predominantly between Warrington and North of Manchester. Luke Stanbridge, Z-Tech’s Marketing Director said: “This is really at a proof of concept stage as the national infrastructure around Electric Vehicles is improving at a rapid rate. The fantastic support this project has had from all levels at both Thames Water and United Utilities, really shows that given the opportunity, the Water Industry is prepared to lead the way in supporting new initiatives.” Jon Loveday, Group Commercial Director at Thames Water, said: “We’re always looking to find new and innovative ways to help protect the environment, whilst also improving our customer service and this is exactly that. “We’re looking forward to seeing the results of the trial, and making Thames Water a greener, cleaner and more sustainable business.” Paula Steer, Director of Operational Services at United Utilities said: “The global transport industry has taken phenomenal strides in developing alternative powered vehicles

in recent years. Whilst there is still much to do, particularly in building the national infrastructure, EV adoption has arrived. We began our journey to a cleaner powered fleet back in 2015 by installing a number of solar powered charging points across our region, replacing a proportion of our smaller fleet with electric powered vehicles and successfully trialling gas power in our larger fleet. Since then, we have continued to build our EV asset base and have further developed our infrastructure, which Z-Tech have supported with. United Utilities recognises the opportunity a greener fleet presents as we continually minimise our impact on the environment and deliver efficiencies whilst helping life flow smoothly for our customers.”

Problem Solvers z-tech.co.uk Helpline: 01223 653500 engineers@z-tech.co.uk

24/7

EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICE

SAFE TRUSTED RESPONSIVE & PROFESSIONAL instituteofwater.org.uk

The elephant in the room: pantonmcleod.co.uk/eddie

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DRÄGER

CONFINED SPACE ENTRY MEASURING MADE SIMPLE AND CONVENIENT New multi-gas detector X-am 8000 The Dräger X-am 8000 measures up to seven toxic or flammable gases and vapors as well as oxygen simultaneously – in pump or diffusion mode. Comprehensive process safety is assured by a clear signaling concept and convenient assistant functions. The X-am 8000 supports diverse typical applications offering specially developed assistant functions that guide the user through the process step by step. During confined space entry measuring, for example, the device calculates from parameters such as measurement gases, temperature limits and entered hose length the required flooding time for the probe used. Handy and robust, it can be intuitively operated via three function keys using only one hand. The clearly arranged color display shows all information in a well-legible way. In the event of an alarm, the device issues its warning via colored alarm LEDs, a loud horn sound, and clearly perceptible vibration. In addition, the X-am 8000 is equipped with a powerful pump. It can be connected to hoses of up to 45 meters in length. Changeover between diffusion and pump modes can easily be carried out anytime using a pump adapter. This makes sure that the pump is only operated when it is actually needed, saving energy, reducing wear and thus extending the service life of the pump.

Bluetooth technology supports customer processes With the integrated optional Bluetooth interface, the X-am 8000 is more than just a measuring instrument. In combination with the upcoming Cloud and App solution, CSE-Connect, it will be possible to manage and document measurement jobs and their results digitally.

Measuring of low hydrocarbon concentrations For measuring of volatile hydrocarbons, the X-am 8000 can be fitted with one of two new highly efficient PID sensors. The PID HC covers a measuring range from 0 to 2,000 ppm (Isobutylene). The PID LC ppb is particularly suitable for a measuring range from 0 to 10 ppm (Isobutylene) with high resolution in the range below 1 ppm. For benzene-specific measurements, the X-am 8000 can be operated with a first tube. Users thus only need one device for this measurement, reducing the cost of device procurement, maintenance, and transport.

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Robust and cost-efficient Thanks to its compact and robust design, the device is able to withstand the most demanding conditions. For example, it is equipped with a shock detector. The results report indicates when mechanical impacts occurred that could lead to functional impairment of the device or of the sensors. These events are documented in the data memory. The inductive charging

process makes for easier handling, increasing the longevity of the device. Display test and adjustment can easily and quickly be performed using the Dräger X-dock calibration station. The low test gas consumption keeps the operating costs low. www.draeger.com

Stonbury are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Kingcombe Aquacare Limited. Kingcombe Aquacare, based in Crewkerne, Somerset, have been in business for over 30 years and specialise in all aspects of water maintenance, construction, restoration and management. The company operates throughout the South-west and also further afield throughout the UK.

Environmental Solutions – Protective species surveys, ecological and waste permits, river habitat surveys, soft and hard engineering, asset maintenance.

The acquisition fits ideally with Stonbury’s long-term business

River and Waterways upkeep – Environmental Agency framework works, bank revetment, flood alleviation, de-silting, fish and eel passes, weirs, water retaining civil structures, aquatic weed control.

strategy, as leading water industry specialist contractors. The move also allows Stonbury’s existing services to be expanded into the South West of England, providing an excellent geographical base, experienced resource and new skill sets, complimenting our existing capabilities. Through our acquisition of Kingcombe Aquacare, we are pleased to offer a new range of services:

Fabrication – Fully equipped in-house steel fabrication, producing a wide range of water control structures, including penstocks, hatches, sluice gates and weed racks, working in hardwoods and mild steel. We also weld stainless steel for special applications, including bespoke stilling tubes and other water monitoring equipment. Consultancy – Water quality investigation, environmental surveys planning approvals, aquatic planting schemes.

Maintenance – Pumps and filtration, planned and preventative maintenance, liner repairs. Fisheries – Registered livestock transportation, fisheries management, netting and electrofishing, aquatic weed harvesting.

Kingcombe Stonbury Ltd - The Cropmead Estate, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7HQ t 01460 279 200 e info@kingcombe.com www.kingcombe.com instituteofwater.org.uk 31

DE NORA WATER TECHNOLOGIES

DISINFECTION: UNDERPINNING MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS WITH QUALITY TRAINING by Jason Millar

Senior Disinfection Engineer

Since privatisation we have seen the full gambit of maintenance strategies implemented to balance risks against costs. These have broadly been based on the universal principles of condition-based, planned preventative and ‘run to destruction’ maintenance and, at times, everything in between. The selected approach is even more acute when considering the health & safety and process critical activity of drinking water disinfection. In conjunction with some of the major operational and maintenance trends we have seen over recent years – task-based, ‘tuff book’ orientated site attendance, multi-skilling and reducing staff numbers – the recent spate of high profile incidents and prosecutions are not a complete surprise. Hence the stipulation in HSG40 (Sn.91) for water companies to provide ‘on and off-the-job’ training to site personnel; with more detailed training for maintenance

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professionals on system integrity testing, pressure reduction and safety devices, followed up with new or refresher training as and when needed. In the not too distant past when dedicated teams in the maintenance of disinfection dosing and control kit existed, there was always a cascade of knowledge, and the capturing and roll out of best practice was almost a given. So where can the industry tap into the levels of disinfection expertise and experience it requires to provide the base information to underpin a maintenance strategy, and to upskill and enthuse key front-line staff? HSG40 states that training needs to be carried out under the guidance of an experienced

engineer who is familiar with the process, with emphasis being placed on safety precautions and methods of dealing with emergencies. This is best provided by reputable manufacturers and installers. Beyond the obligatory half-day supplier delivered training once kit has been commissioned – often to whoever happens to be around – and the provision of standard documentation, there is typically limited further formal engagement until major issues arise, when a fast response, often with extra costs incurred, is needed. As one of the major innovators and suppliers of disinfection equipment, De Nora Water Technologies takes pride in the Capital Controls® product and processes it supplies and is ideally placed to play a larger role to ensure disinfection

FEATURE: WASTEWATER INNOVATION systems are optimised and, above all, operated safely. De Nora Water Technologies is playing an increased role are in the provision of training itself and through collaboration on maintenance approaches. 1) Provision of Training With over 70 years of collective experience across the training team, coupled with a purpose-built facility that allows for the safe demonstration and handling of equipment by candidates, De Nora Water Technologies’ base at Tamworth is an ideal location for maintenance personnel and operators. Small groups maximise participation and practical and written assessments are undertaken to ensure understanding whilst also providing a demonstrable audit trail for HSG40 compliance.

Often this delivers cost savings as kit can be over-maintained against manufacturer’s instructions and best practice, particularly for auxiliary valve, manifold and pig-tail change frequencies, on a company-wide basis can deliver considerable efficiencies.

As well as being task-focused, the sessions are designed to provide a broader appreciation and context to chlorine and disinfection which is well received based on the five-star ratings the courses receive from candidates on completion.

Experience shows most disinfection kit out there to be robust and has served the industry well. De Nora Water Technologies’ service engineers frequently uncover Capital Controls kit with the original manufacturing labels intact which have not been stripped down for 15-years and beyond, and occasionally meets a very old friend from the

2) Collaboration on Maintenance Approaches Suppliers such as De Nora Water Technologies are ideally placed to provide the performance data e.g. MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure), and risk-based appraisals of maintenance strategies.

Sittingbourne days of the early 1970s! But with the consequences of failure so severe and the opportunities to improve through closer working easily achievable, De Nora Water Technologies feels we all have a duty to work more closely and would certainly encourage endusers to get in touch and tap into the wealth of experience and expertise readily available. Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect the official position of De Nora Water Technologies.

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

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RPS

INNOVATION IN THE WASTEWATER SECTOR AND THE CHALLENGES FACING WATER COMPANIES To meet the challenges of climate change and a growing population, the wastewater industry needs to continue to make the most of its capital and operational investment. term catchment strategy - whilst planning for proactive network management - and the pressure can be felt. Particularly when considering that this all needs to happen within the backdrop of changing legislation and regulation as Britain negotiates its exit from the European Union. Change is therefore needed to tackle these challenges and bring our networks and service up to date, but how?

by James Hale

Technical Director at RPS The wastewater industry is currently facing a number of significant challenges from a technical, customer and regulatory perspective. As our climate changes and populations increase, our sewerage systems are coming under increasing pressure to accommodate greater and more intense flow volumes, whilst dealing with an ever-aging network of pipes and pumping stations that require continual maintenance or replacement. The water services regulation authority, Ofwat, is driving the industry to deliver improved outcomes, increased customer engagement, as well as increasing levels of efficiency. Add to this the need to balance TOTEX (total expenditure) investment plans and deliver long

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RPS’ recent conference looked at innovation in the wastewater sector and the challenges facing water companies. We engaged senior wastewater managers from across the industry and representatives from UK water companies for this one day conference, and together we sought to identify where the main challenges lie whilst hosting open discussion on the future of the UK’s sewer networks. Delegates were unanimous in the view that if we are to overcome the challenges of climate change and population growth, then we need to continue to invest in improving the understanding of network performance through a balance of modelling, asset management and intelligently targeted monitoring technology. This will enable us to intervene in sewerage failures before flooding and pollution occurs. Delegates also called for a more integrated approach to delivery from water companies, regulators, councils and highway authorities. The need for industry wide consistency in standards, performance measures and risk assessment is vital for successful change;

as is the need for broader cultural change to drive collaboration, partnership and customer / community engagement. It is not widely known outside the world of water companies that the UK water industry deploys sophisticated software, skilled engineers and technicians along with advanced technologies in order to keep our sewerage systems operating effectively. A massive amount of data is produced; however this data is not being used to inform decisions. One theme that emerged from discussions was that we are ‘data rich but information poor’ and there was a consensus that we should make better use of asset data we have and share it better, particularly with customers. If water companies invest wisely in installing monitoring technology, guided by modelling and asset management approaches to install them at the optimum points of the network, and invest in the skills to analyse the data received, then they will reap rewards in AMP7, not only in terms of optimised investment, but transforming customer service and business reputation. There are a series of key factors which will influence our success in meeting these challenges. We need to innovate, we need to have confidence in our data and our processes and we need to engage with stakeholders and customers. We also need to continue to develop the skills of our future workforce and as such we have a complicated balance to achieve innovation and best practice in urban drainage.

FEATURE: WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS

Reducing leakage in AMP7 RPS is the leading provider of Leakage Management Services across the water industry. Working closely with our clients, we deliver results that both meet and exceed regulatory requirements and expectations. Our aim is to put customers at the forefront of innovation.

Future pressure on Leakage and Customer Acceptability targets increase the focus on high quality Network Management. RPS offers the skills, knowledge and resources to meet this increased focus. Our unique Strategy to Operations approach coupled with our innovative Waternetâ&#x201E;˘ software can support you in achieving your targets.

Upstream Losses Our services include Meter Verification, site audits and trunk main leakage detection

Customer Service RPS has unrivalled experience of working with clients and The Institute of Customer Service to deliver the highest standards of customer care

Leakage Detection Our staff provide a high quality efficient service supported by our INSIGHT mobile working application. This ensures robust and timely reporting

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Waternetâ&#x201E;˘ Our innovative software solution provides efficient and flexible leakage reporting. It easily complies with the requirements of consistency measures

Contact: Mark Smith +44 (0) 1422 324 160 | smithm@rpsgroup.com instituteofwater.org.uk

ELIQUO HYDROK

PILE CLOTH MEDIA FILTRATION PRESENTED AT EWWM 2017

[Optifiber® pile cloth material] Lewis O’Brien, Technical Director for Eliquo Hydrok recently presented a paper at European Waste Water Management Conference at the Royal Armoury in Leeds, outlining the successes and performance of the Mecana Tertiary solids and Phosphorous removal plant technology. Investments and continual developments have enabled Mecana and Eliquo Hydrok to offer the Deep Pile Cloth Filter as an efficient technology for the removal of Phosphorous. Eliquo Hydrok have installed Mecana PCMF technology as part of Phosphorus removal trials throughout the UK, covering a broad range of applications from; pilot scale to Full Flow to Treatment, single and multi-stage systems, following filter works, activated sludge and Granular Activated Sludge, with differing dosing chemicals (predominantly compounds of Iron or Aluminium) applied in differing process locations. In so doing, Eliquo Hydrok have developed a wide range of UK specific process experience together with the participating U.K. Water companies.

existing or new concrete chambers, or as a bespoke stainless steel chambers designed and manufactured within the Eliquo Hydrok factory. With over 20 years of experience and more than 2000 installations worldwide, the original and unique OptiFiber® Pile Cloth is utilised either in a standard or microfibre cloth which ensures performance longevity, reliability and minimal operator maintenance. Many years of development and improvements have produced a Cloth Filter which has proven performance and longevity which cannot be replicated with any other Cloth types. The OptiFiber® pile fibres used are designed so that the removal of solids is maximized in a wide range of particle sizes. The three-dimensional OptiFiber® structure acts as a depth filter offers significant solids holding capacity and requires correspondingly far less backwashing. A wealth of individual fibres offer a large internal surface area.

The Mecana filter technology was the sole cloth filter included within the UKWIR National Phosphorous removal trials where results demonstrated the excellent performance of the OptiFiber® as a unique separation technology.

In principal, P removal by filtration consists of a number of core process stages: dosing, precipitation, coagulation/flocculation, and finally, filtration. However, in-order-to achieve the ultra-low P concentrations demanded through AMP 6&7, a technological step change is required and one which is achieved with the OptiFiber® equipped Mecana Pile Cloth Media Filters.

Each Mecana installation is designed to suit the specific hydraulic and solids loading in-order-to provide the required cloth area, ensuring the site performance is met whilst minimising the waste return backwash volumes. High filter effluent quality is achieved along with durability of the cloth fabrics. They can be tailored to utilise

Eliquo Hydrok have represented Mecana with the Pile Cloth Media Filtration technology within the municipal water market over the past 5 years building a portfolio of many reference installations across the UK. Mecana are the original equipment manufacturers for the Pile Cloth Media Filtration technology which provides

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a robust and efficient Tertiary filtration solution for Waste Water Treatment plants. Together, Eliquo Hydrok with Mecana have the technology and experience to deliver the effective and optimum total process solution for the broad spread of works types, sizes and tighter consents of this AMP and those coming.

UK and International experience Eliquo Hydrok have installed PCMF in assets across the U.K, from small rural works, to some of the UK’s largest WwTW’s. For example, completed in 2014, Eliquo Hydrok installed the world’s largest Mecana Tertiary Pile Cloth Disc Filter solution at Thames Water’s Deephams STW in North London. This unique installation required 12no. Mecana Filters to filter total flows of up to 4200l/sec achieving a Total Solids Consent of <8mg/l.

Eliquo Hydrok continue through P removal trials to deliver innovative and proven solutions to the tightest phosphorus consent projects of any required in AMP6. For information on the Eliquo Hydrok Tertiary Filtration solutions contact Lewis O’Brien, 01726 861900, lewis.obrien@eliquohydrok.co.uk

KSB Waste Water Pumps All your waste water needs Municipal, domestic or industrial waste water: the submersible motor pumps of the Amarex KRT type series are the perfect match for all waste water transport requirements. And so are the waste water pumps of the Sewatec series. They, too, are first choice for waste water applications. Not least because KSBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waste water pumps combined with high-efficiency motors enable significant energy savings. This applies to both Amarex KRT and Sewatec. For more information please visit: www.ksb.com Incorporating

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FLI WATER

NEW MEDIA MAKES BIG IMPACT WITH SMALL FOOTPRINT The never-ending challenge for greater efficiency and innovation has led engineering solutions provider FLI Water Limited to introduce a new high surface area biological reactor. FLI Water has been at the forefront of developing and utilising fixed film biological wastewater treatment processes in the UK Water sector for the last 20 years. These technologies have included BAFFs, SAFs and various tertiary filters, which have been delivered successfully across many of the UK’s water companies. The new High Surface Area (HiSA) Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) is an innovative yet simple fixed film biological treatment process that complements the range of fixed film media processes already offered by FLI Water. The HiSA MBBR has been engineered to provide a costeffective treatment solution for BOD or ammonia removal, and can achieve high-quality effluent treatment, with the ability to nitrify down to 1 mg/l ammonia or less. FLI Water’s HiSA MBBR uses a specially developed and engineered plastic media, with a highly cratered surface, for optimal biomass attachment and biofilm thickness, to provide enhanced levels of treatment. The increased specific media surface area of over 3000m²/m³ results in a very high volumetric efficiency when compared to other fixed film processes. It also results in significantly smaller reactor volumes and a much lower overall footprint. This provides the opportunity for off-site build solutions for larger schemes than is usually the case for alternative fixed film or other MBBR processes. Careful design considerations result in a plant that is quick and easy to install, operate and maintain, offering low TOTEX cost solutions for capital programme schemes. Key features of the FLI Water HiSA MBBR

Project one: ■■

Population equivalent: 7600

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Duty: Ammonia reduction from 5.5 mg/l to 1.0 mg/l

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Design: single stage twin stream

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Two reactors: 3.6m diameter

Project two:

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Extremely high surface area

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Population equivalent: 4200

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Fully active biofilm

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Self-cleaning, non-clogging

Duty: Ammonia reduction from 32.5 mg/l to 1.0 mg/l

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Easily fluidised, so lower mixing energy

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Design: two-stage twin-stream

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Two reactors: 3.6m diameter

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Can be designed for widely varying loads

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Suitable for BOD removal, ammonia removal and denitrification

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Performance guarantees down to 1 mg/l for ammonia

Dual projects deliver enhanced treatment thanks to HiSA MBBR The @One Alliance on behalf of Anglian Water Services (AWS) has commissioned FLI Water to undertake two MBBR projects at Anglian

Water Service’s wastewater treatment works. The projects are designed to provide improved tertiary treatment of the final effluent. Once complete the projects will enable the client to meet tightening regulatory consents on ammonia removal.

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The two projects - which are worth over £1 million - include MBBR tanks, access platforms and associated pipework. Both projects have benefitted from off-site build, minimising the installation time and any associated health and safety risks on-site. They utilise the groundbreaking new HiSA media, which provides a larger surface area than any other media currently available. The specially engineered plastic media has a highly cratered surface for optimal biomass

attachment and biofilm thickness. This has been independently verified as offering over five times more area than existing media and equates to an improved level of treatment quality within a smaller footprint. Both projects will be installed and commissioned in advance of the client’s 2018 target date. Melvyn Rose, Technical Sales Director at FLI Water explains: “With our extensive background in installing fixed film media technology, the introduction of the new HiSA media is the next step in the evolution towards improved efficiency and performance. The media, although new to the UK, has numerous reference plants worldwide. We have an exclusive licence to supply the new HiSA media in the UK and Ireland. I believe this media will prove to be very popular where tight consents are in place. In addition to the increased surface area and smaller footprint, with less plastic used, the plants are cheaper to operate, as the mixing energy is reduced.” For further information on FLI Water’s HiSA MBBRs or any other engineering solution, contact Melvyn Rose, Technical Sales Director at FLI Water on 01234 852900 or email melvyn.rose@fliwater.com

Stay at the forefront of industry best practice DE NORA CAPITAL CONTROLS® TAILORED DISINFECTION TRAINING PACKAGES

Join the increasing number of companies choosing both action and theory-based learning while sharing best practice. De Nora industry experts deliver training packages to: • Ensure safe operation • Improve the performance of your disinfection processes • Demonstrate compliance with HSG 40 on training provision • Create a knowledgeable workforce - “I feel confident in my work after doing the course, especially gas cylinder changes.” - “Excellent training set at a level a novice could understand and given in an environment where you can learn.” - “Enjoyed the training, learnt a solid base of how a chlorine system works.” DE NORA WATER TECHNOLOGIES • info.dnwt@denora.com • www.denora.com instituteofwater.org.uk

FINNING

AN EDUCATION IN CHP OFWAT predicted that the total AMP6 spend will be £38.7 billion1. As organisations are encouraged to focus on ‘totex’ when evaluating and planning expenditure, driving down costs and optimising efficiencies are now more critical than ever. As reach the middle of the AMP6 cycle, it’s important to consider the lessons learned so far. For the wastewater industry, then, a CHP solution can deliver valuable efficiencies that are aligned to the objectives set-out in AMP6. Below are five important lessons that wastewater plant managers can learn around the opportunities of CHP, which can help with the decision-making process.

1. Optimal efficiency

by Nigel Thompson

Sales Manager – Gas Power Solutions at Finning UK & Ireland (Finning) In this article we discuss how combined heat and power (CHP) systems can help cut costs and improve efficiencies for wastewater treatment plants. The sixth asset management period, AMP6, has brought about a range of challenges and opportunities for those operating in the water industry. ‘Totex’ – referring to total expenditure – has been the new ‘buzz’ word in recent years, and many would argue with good reason. Previous AMP cycles focused on capital expenditure and emphasised short-term cost reduction, following a much-needed programme to replace rapidly ageing infrastructure. However, now that water systems across the UK are in much greater shape, the move to ‘totex’ and the impact this is having on the decision-making process is an important one. The aim of AMP6 is to invest in assets that will last the course over the coming years and cost less to run, yet this means investing in technology, products and infrastructure that is likely to cost more initially, but will deliver greater efficiencies in years to come. Wastewater treatment processes include energy-intensive operations, such as aeration and pumping. However, wastewater treatment plants are able to potentially maximise energy efficiency through the use of anaerobic digestion (AD), with the methane produced when sewage sludge is digested capable of powering a CHP generator. This technology can provide electricity for a site and hot water that can then be passed through a heat exchanger to assist the digestion process.

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The benefits of a CHP system over traditional electricity generation systems are considerable. A standard power-only generation system is typically only 40 per cent fuel-efficient, with all the potential thermal energy produced simply going to waste. By capturing useable heat with a CHP system, fuel efficiency can increase to more than 75 per cent, and in some cases as much as 88 per cent.

2. Financially smart The biggest incentive of installing a biogas CHP system is that the fuel being burned is – effectively – free. The methane produced as part of the AD process can be transformed from a waste by-product into a reliable revenue stream. However, it is important to note that a CHP system makes savings when running, so there must be an on-going need for electricity and heat to justify the investment. This makes it ideally suited to wastewater treatment plants, with the general recommendation being that a site requiring heat and power together for more than 4,000 hours a year is suitable.

3. Funding opportunities There are a few barriers that a wastewater treatment plant may need to overcome before it makes the decision to invest in a CHP system, and the biggest is often up-front expenditure. Even though this will pale in comparison to the savings a system generates over its lifetime, the upfront capital investment is a substantial cost. However, if approached in the right way, securing finance need not be a barrier to installing CHP. It is possible to put together a firm business case that shows the benefits of CHP, and the cost savings that can be realised. It can then become significantly easier to secure capital funding or debt financing.

4. Leasing options In many cases it can make more sense to lease a CHP system, rather than purchase it outright.

This may be in the form of a hire purchase, a finance lease or an operating lease. Under a hire purchase agreement, the purchasing company pays a series of payments over several years. The CHP system would remain the property of the supplier initially, but the customer becomes the legal owner once all the agreed-upon payments have been made . This all-but eliminates one of the biggest barriers to investment, and allows the customer to ensure that it buys the system that is most appropriate, rather than basing the purchasing decision on what fits the balance sheet best.

5. Maintenance matters Once the decision to invest has been made, it still pays to ensure that the operator maintains its commitment to quality. After all, when budgets are tight, it can be tempting to try and make savings wherever possible. This can potentially lead to companies trying to cut corners by getting a cheaper deal on support equipment or by opting out of an operation and maintenance contract. This, however, is not recommended. Assuming a standard 20-year lifespan for a system, the maintenance costs alone will likely be larger than the initial outlay, so the quality of the product plays a vital role in its financial performance. A CHP solution can realise a range of energy efficiencies and cost saving benefits, ensuring organisations in the water industry can meet their strategic, financial and sustainability goals, in line with AMP6 objectives. While a CHP system might appear to be a significant cost at the outset, the benefits it can help realise means it is an investment that will help wastewater treatment plants improve their ‘totex’ expenditure in the long run. For more information on Finning, please visit www.finning.com References 1. Environment Analyst, Market Insight: AMP6 https://environment-analyst.com/ register?o=56593&productID=6&layout=main

FEATURE: WASTEWATER INNOVATION EFFECTIVE SLUDGE HANDLING SOLUTIONS COST-EFFECTIVE CHOPPER PUMPS T-T’s heavy duty chopping pumps are ideal for particularly tough applications that require a preliminary chopping of the solid material suspended in the liquid being pumped. Each pump has a large, through-passage, open multi-channel impeller and double cutting system in the suction inlet.

HIGHLY RELIABLE MIXERS These horizontal submersible mixers are recommended for mixing and homogenizing processes in sewage treatment plants. The design, construction and the use of propellers with a self-cleaning profile are a guarantee of durability and efficiency, even in the most extreme utilisation conditions.

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+44 (0)1630 647200

Institute of Water_Chopper and Mixers.indd 1

31/10/2017 10:04:08

Wilo-Zetos K 8 Energy Efficient water supply The demand for drinking water is growing, as is the amount of land used for agricultural purposes. As a system expert, Wilo has recognised that as a result of this, raw water must be promoted in the most energy-efficient and economic way. Our best-in-class solution for you: Wilo-Zetos K 8.

Energy efficiently defined ƒ The flexible submersible pump sets standards with a pump efficiency of up to 84.5% and an overall efficiency of 75% ƒ Can be precisely configured to your needs ƒ Suitable for the demanding processes in the raw water intake ƒ Ideal for municipalities but also for agriculture

For more information visit www.wilo.co.uk or call 01283 523000

Pioneering for You

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06/11/2017 15:04

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SELWOOD

STRATEGIC PUMPING SOLUTION PROTECTS HOMES FROM SEA SURGES Four years ago homes and businesses along the east coast of England were flooded in what was the most significant sea-surge generated flood in half a century. Since then the Water Management Alliance (WMA) in East Anglia has been working with partners to provide a long-term, strategic solution. A partnership between WMA and Selwood’s pump rental and sales specialists has helped to improve flood resilience in the region for years to come with the provision of cutting-edge pump equipment.

The challenge WMA administers several drainage boards across Norfolk and Suffolk, including the Broads Internal Drainage Board, which oversees more than 50 pumping stations in the low-lying area. The pumping stations are operational all year round and manage water and flood levels across a vast inland network of waterways, ensuring that people, property and areas of international environmental importance are protected. In the event of a pumping station breakdown, the Board was vulnerable to not being able to easily manage day-to-day pumping requirements, or worse still, cope with a major tidal or fluvial event. A need was identified for a higher level of strategic resilience within the board’s pumping network and instant emergency back-up support. Furthermore, superior pumping equipment was required for an on-call deployment service for the Lowestoft Temporary Flood Barrier, an interim solution for the protection of Lowestoft town centre from tidal flooding until a much larger tidal barrier and defence scheme goes live around 2021. The temporary flood barrier system, approximately 1400m in length at five discrete locations in the town centre, had a requirement to pump small amounts of floodwater that might leak during a large tidal surge event. The water collecting in gullies and drains would need to be constantly overpumped during a tidal surge.

The solution After a selection process, Selwood was chosen as the preferred supplier. Working closely with Selwood’s specialist team, who carried out site visits to tailor their pump technology to the specific needs of WMA, the D200 was identified as the ideal model for the application. Selection of the D200 was aided by a trial demonstration

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and careful balancing of operational needs to equipment type and availability. Four D200 Super Silent pumps were supplied, having a number of specific features for addressing the complex needs of WMA. The model offers high efficiency centrifugal pumps for high-volume fluid transfer, whether it be clean water or tidal water with fine or larger solids. Capable of handling flows of 600m3/h, these highly efficient Selprime pumps offer emission compliant engines, are easy to operate and maintain and have a robust construction that can withstand harsh conditions. The addition of Selwood’s Super Silent technology was the perfect partner for this application in a densely-populated urban area. The pumps were supplied in the WMA white colour livery scheme with secure Super Silent canopies to minimise the possibility of any noise issues with the D200. Designed using premium materials and Selwood’s six decades of pump manufacturing experience, the longevity and quality of the D200 gave WMA and its partners confidence that they were investing in equipment they could rely on. Together with its installation and maintenance service, Selwood also supplied hoses and accessories. Backed by a 24/7, 365 days-a-year emergency callout system and a comprehensive network of branches in the UK, including a local branch in Great Yarmouth, it gave WMA peace of mind in the long-term value of the product in case repairs were ever needed. The simplicity of Selwood’s products, ensuring simple on-site maintenance and less downtime, was important to WMA.

The result Since taking delivery of the four 200mm pumps and associated equipment the units have quickly been deployed to two large capital projects in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Pete Roberts, Operations Engineer for WMA Eastern, said: “Many of our WMA and Broads Internal Board personnel have long-standing knowledge and use of Selwood products, so there was certainty in the product and service. A key benefit is the local backup and quick turnaround for post-purchase support. A competitive price was also reached against other suppliers through the open tender process. The units are performing admirably and have made the pumping and water level management exercises needed as part of large capital flood defence and water transfer projects more efficient and easier to complete. “Our own operatives and mechanical and electrical personnel have been very pleased with the pumps’ performance to date, being easy and reliable to operate.” He added: “Using Selwood supports our desire to keep more business in our local operational area and built upon previous rental contracts and a long-standing association between the local depot and members of our mechanical and electrical team within the Broads Drainage Board.” A training exercise is planned later in the summer or autumn to test the deployment of the Lowestoft Temporary Flood Barrier. This will involve a timed deployment by WMA and Waveney Norse personnel, practising barrier erection and the installation and testing of Selwood pumping equipment at one of the five temporary barrier locations. www.selwood.co.uk

SELWOOD

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SUPPLIERS OF LIQUID & SOLID SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES TO THE WATER & INDUSTRIAL MARKETS

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Euroby Ltd New Dawn House, Gorse Lane, High Salvington, Worthing, Sussex BN13 3BX T - 01903 69 44 00 F - 01903 69 44 77 E - sales@euroby.com www.euroby.com instituteofwater.org.uk

JACOPA

RBC OR SAF - WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) and submerged aerated filters (SAFs) are both wellknown, trusted wastewater treatment systems that are widely used across the UK and Ireland. Interestingly, water companies have tended to gravitate towards one system or the other, rather than incorporating a mix of both, for various historical reasons. This separation appears logical as both solutions essentially perform the same task, removing BOD and ammonia from wastewaters for small populations of up to 3000 PE However, there are persuasive reasons why it is worth considering a mix of both, tailoring solutions for the situations to which they are best suited. Taking RBCs as a starting point, these are effective, robust treatment systems with a large number of installed units across the world. Their key benefit is low power usage, which means that they are well suited to rural areas where the power supply may perhaps not be as robust as an urban system. Jacopa’s RBC drive units have a 100,000-hour design life, and all mechanical parts are coated to WIMES specifications to reduce and simplify maintenance. Because of their method of installation, which normally requires a reception pit to be excavated, they are essentially permanent fixtures. Jacopa’s collaborative research with leading design and operations experts has led to a thorough understanding of the RBC process resulting in an attractively-priced option with significant design improvements. Normally built off site and delivered in one piece for

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rapid installation, Jacopa’s RBCs are designed to ensure the lowest total expenditure and minimal operator intervention. The low energy consumption delivers low operating costs, and the systems also help to reduce the capital cost of wastewater treatment.

its own duty blower with a separate common standby unit. The blowers themselves are lowmaintenance systems, needing replacement air filters just once every six months. In all, around 500 of Jacopa’s SAF tanks have been installed around the world.

Jacopa’s high-performance biological SAF units are the original SAF systems and the Company recently celebrated its 25th year of SAF installations. They have a proven performance record with hundreds of installations throughout the global wastewater industry. The fixed-film Copa SAF has an immediate effect on BOD, and can be 100% effective within just four weeks of start-up.

Jacopa were also the first company to offer a SAF hire service back in 1996 and the SAF hire business has continued to grow ever since. SAF Hire is an increasingly popular strategic option where water companies need short-term wastewater treatment solutions that have an immediate effect on ammonia and BOD. The SAF provides great process flexibility and can be used as a permanent or temporary solution for BOD removal, for combined BOD and ammonia removal, for tertiary nitrification and as part of a denitrifying treatment system.

SAFs are a very low maintenance option, as the only moving part is the blower in its separate GRP kiosk, and the packaged units themselves can be installed either below ground or above. The latter option has made them extremely popular as temporary installations, where they can extend the commercial life of failing or overloaded works, help support planned maintenance, reduce land use costs, and minimise discharge consent failures. The robust design and simple operation reduce both whole life and labour costs. Installing the tanks above ground obviously reduces both civils costs and installation time, and whichever option is chosen, each tank has

For Both SAF and RBC Jacopa offer a ‘turnkey’ service including, design delivery, offloading, mechanical and electrical installation and commissioning of the equipment. Given the wide range of benefits and options available the choice of RBC or SAF depends on the individual requirements of a particular site. Jacopa therefore believe it is important to work with the customer to achieve the optimum solution for each situation. www.jacopa.com

Get Smart... Build off site Many water utilities are already making use of build off site as an alternative to bespoke, expensive and time-consuming onsite construction methods to deliver savings in capital and operating costs.

Smart Schedules Build off site enables us to minimise disruption from on-site activity. Standard designed modules manufactured in our factory can be installed quickly, will more reliably meet quality standards and specifications and are ready when required by the site construction team.

Smart People Our smart build off site solutions draw on the deep experience of our people in project management and modular construction to ensure your project is delivered on time and on budget.

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Get Smart, talk to Jacopa now Call: +44 (0)121 511 2400 or visit: jacopa.com instituteofwater.org.uk

VEOLIA WATER TECHNOLOGIES

TURNING SLUDGE INTO A COMMERCIAL ASSET

Sludge may not seem especially valuable, but looks can be deceiving. There is now an established awareness of the potential of sludge to be more than simply a waste product. By Michael Froom

Business Development Director, Veolia Water Technologies Recognising this, Ofwat has put the spotlight on the treatment and management of sludge, opening up new markets for water companies and other commercial operators seeking additional revenue streams. Anaerobic digestion of the organic matter in sludge can be used to produce two valuable by-products – biogas and biomass. This approach turns an operating cost into a potential revenue stream for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment works operators, creating products that can be reused or sold on to third parties, rather than paying for sludge disposal. The resulting biogas can be used on-site to generate ‘green’ electricity through a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facility – reducing utility costs – or can simply be returned to the grid after further cleaning. Similarly, the dewatered digestate (biomass) from the anaerobic process can be sold to local farmers, to be used as a nutrient and phosphorous rich soil additive.

Changing opinions These benefits, and especially their potential for reducing ongoing operating costs, is leading to a shift in how the industry views sludge. This mirrors recent trends in the handling of food or agricultural waste, where there has also been an increase in the number of commercial anaerobic digestion plants over the last decade, lending

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further weight to the argument that there is a market for treated sludge. And with around 1.6 million tonnes of municipal wastewater treatment sludge produced annually, there is great potential to create an additional revenue stream. The industry has recognised the potential of sludge as an asset, and Ofwat is looking at ways to encourage this ‘green’ approach through the Water 2020 initiative and the next asset management planning (AMP) cycle. The current AMP cycle – AMP6 – put the focus on outcomes rather than outputs, and AMP7 will extend this outcome-based philosophy further. Importantly, AMP7 is set to open up the sludge market by treating wastewater and sludge as separate entities with different price controls.

Harnessing the potential For municipal water companies, thermal hydrolysis is an increasingly attractive and cost-effective means of treating sludge. Many companies are already incorporating thermal hydrolysis plants into their plans for AMP7, particularly those looking to decommission aging and costly incineration plants. These plants tend to have high energy demands and offer little in the way of a revenue stream, making them ideal for replacement. The same can be said of many older drying technologies, which produce a pelletised agricultural product at a high cost. In contrast, thermal hydrolysis reactors, such as Veolia Water Technologies’ (Veolia) Bio Thelys™ or Exelys™, improve the biodegradability of

the sludge (improving the yield of biogas) and generate an enhanced biomass product significantly more cost effectively. Overall sludge volume is also decreased as a result of hydrolysis, effectively doubling the capacity of the existing digesters. This increased capacity allows material from satellite treatment works to be accommodated, reducing the cost of sludge treatment across a number of sites, rather than just at one facility.

Time to act With preparations for AMP7 and a reformed sludge market underway, Veolia is ideally placed to assist water companies with the implementation of innovative solutions combining thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion. Veolia uniquely offers both conventional batch technology with Bio Thelys™ and a new generation of continuous thermal hydrolysis with Exelys™, which benefits from a smaller footprint. As both a technology provider and an operator, Veolia has a clear understanding of the operational requirements and challenges of sludge processing, with a strong track record across its different business divisions. This includes the operation of sludge treatment assets for a number of UK clients, organics recycling, sludge transport and disposal, and commercial organic waste contracts. With the ability to design, build and operate sludge treatment assets, Veolia is perfectly positioned to engage with every aspect of the reformed market. www.veolia.co.uk

HUBER TECHNOLOGY

5000 UNITS INSTALLED IN THE UK FOR HUBER TECHNOLOGY After 25 years in the business HUBER Technology have reached a huge milestone. In 2016 the company received a large order from Thames Water for its screens for Hogsmill STW, which will be its 5000th installation in the UK. HUBER Technology is a leading supplier of stainless steel wastewater treatment equipment, offering high quality innovative solutions for wastewater and sludge for both Municipal and Industrial markets. The installation is at Hogsmill STW, Kingston Upon Thames where the site is undergoing major re-development and the following HUBER equipment has been selected; ■■

HUBER EscaMax x 2

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HUBER WAP® L x 2

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HUBER STRAINPRESS®

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HUBER control panels

T. +44 1249 765000 E. rotamat@huber.co.uk www.huber.co.uk

Following mechanical and electrical installation earlier this year, commissioning is due for completion over the next couple of months. HUBER Technology celebrated this significant achievement with all the staff at their annual staff meeting in Chippenham and Steve Morris MD congratulated staff for all their continued hard work “HUBER continues to go from strength to strength by adapting products to meet our

customers’ requirements. Inclusion in this prestigious project at Hogsmill is a testament to the quality of HUBER products and the skill and dedication of all those who deliver them. We look forward to supplying our next 5000 machines! ” For more information please contact us on 01249 765000 or visit www.huber.co.uk

Duncrue Street, Belfast

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UNIVERSITY OF BATH

JUST A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER CAN MAKE WATER CONSUMPTION SAFER

A revolutionary microbial-based paper sensor has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath, creating a cheap, sustainable and recyclable device for detecting toxic compounds in water. Access to safe drinking water is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, since it is a basic human right and is crucial to combating inequalities and reducing poverty. This right is yet to be achieved in the world’s poorest countries, and one of the reasons for this is the lack of easily deployable and affordable water testing tools. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Bath’s Water Innovation & Research Centre (WIRC @ Bath) and Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies (CSCT), has published new findings reporting the proof of concept for a device, which in the near future, could supply some of the world’s poorest countries with a low cost, simple and rapid way of testing a water supply.

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Inspired by the simplicity of litmus paper commonly used for the rapid assessment of acidity in water - this innovative technology consists of a microbial fuel cell (MFC), obtained by screen printing biodegradable carbon electrodes onto a single piece of paper. An MFC is a device that uses the natural biological processes of ‘electric’ bacteria – attached to the carbon electrodes - to generate an electric signal. When these bacteria are exposed to polluted water, a change in the electric signal occurs, which can be used as a warning message that the water is unsafe to drink. The device has the potential not only to make water assessment rapid and cheap - each device

is expected to cost no more than £1 - but it is also environmentally friendly since the paper sensor is made of biodegradable components. The device is also easy-to-use and transport, weighing less than 1g. The University of Bath researchers are now investigating how to link up the sensor with an electronic device such as a mobile phone, via a wireless transmitter, for a quick and user-friendly way of identifying if a water supply is safe to use. Lead author and Senior Lecturer in the University of Bath’s Department of Chemical Engineering, WIRC @ Bath & CSCT, Dr Mirella Di Lorenzo, said: “This work could lead to a revolutionary way of testing water at the point of use, which is not

only green, easy to operate and rapid, but also affordable to all. “This type of research will have a significant positive impact, especially benefitting those areas where access to even basic analytic tools is prohibitive. This device is a small step in helping the world realise the United Nations call to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a human right.” Co-author and Reader in the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry and CSCT, Dr Janet Scott, added: “This is a great example of how scientists and engineers working closely together can develop useful technologies with the potential to impact positively on the lives of citizens globally - we were able to design the materials that facilitated the production of these devices and the engineering partners designed the devices.” The multidisciplinary project was led by researchers in the University of Bath’s Water Innovation & Research Centre (WIRC @ Bath) and Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies (CSCT). It also involved researchers from the University of Bath’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and a partnership with the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This research received funding from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

We can help you reimagine your water R&D

The article ‘A screen-printed microbial fuel cell biosensor for detection of toxic compounds in water’ is published in the Biosensors and Bioelectronics Journal and can be fully accessed at www.sciencedirect.com

Water Innovation & Research Centre

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

go.bath.ac.uk/water-research

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SEVERN TRENT

SEVERN TRENT LAUNCHES INDUSTRY FIRST INFRASTRUCTURE CHARGES DISCOUNT SCHEME Helping our developer customers make huge savings by being more water efficient. Severn Trent has become the first in the market to launch a scheme that helps housing developers save up to 100% on their water and sewerage infrastructure charges by building more water efficient homes. Steve Betteridge, head of developer services at Severn Trent, explains: “Water is a precious resource, and one that’s going to become more so with time due to increases in the population and changing weather patterns. We need to do everything we can to make sure that we can supply our customers with plenty of great quality water, but we also need our customers to think about using water wisely too. “To make that easy, we’ve launched a new scheme to help our developers build water efficient homes by encouraging them to use certain fixtures and fittings, e.g. taps, baths, etc.… which means that less water is used in the home. Anyone building a new home in the UK currently builds to a regulation standard of 125 litres of water per person per day (pppd), however it is possible to build to 80 litres. If our developers can show us that they have built to 110 litres or less of water pppd they could get a 100% discount on the water infrastructure charge – meaning that they pay nothing!” Developers can also qualify for either a 75% or 100% discount on the sewerage infrastructure charge by showing us that a surface water connection is via a sustainable drainage system or that there is no surface water connection at all. This is a key driver in reducing the risk of flooding in homes and streets caused by excess surface water. Infrastructure charges are a one off charge, charged by all water companies for first time connections. Each new connection that adds a demand to the water and sewerage network will incur these costs. These charges ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the network.

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Savings - in numbers (based on 2017/18 charges)… If, on a new 250 domestic housing development, the developer opted to build to 110 litres of water pppd, as opposed to the standard 125 litres pppd, there would be an average saving (based on 2 people in a house) of 30 litres per day per household. ■■

30 litres x 250 houses on the site = 7,500 litres circa a day for just one site!

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Over a year that’s a 2,737,500 litre saving on just one site - that’s just over the amount needed to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool!

The developer could have saved nearly £100,000 worth of water infrastructure charges and potentially the same in sewerage infrastructure charges if there were no surface water connections on the site. That’s a huge water saving, and a whopping cost saving for the developer!

We’re already receiving great feedback! Stephen Wielebski, Chairman National Technical Committee, at the Home Builders Federation

(HBF) says “This is a fantastic initiative and an innovative way to approach infrastructure charges. I will notify HBF members accordingly. Well done Severn Trent!” Nicci Russell, Managing Director, UK water efficiency experts Waterwise said: “Severn Trent’s incentive scheme for developers is ambitious and innovative - just the kind of thing we need to see from water companies. Everywhere in the UK will have drought in coming years - and these droughts will be longer and more intense. We all need to waste less water now - and we should not be building homes that waste water! I’m delighted to see Severn Trent Water’s groundbreaking scheme.” Steve added: “I’m absolutely delighted that we are the first water company to launch a full infrastructure discount scheme across the whole of our region. The scheme is fantastic because it incentivises developers to promote water efficiency and reduce the risk of sewer flooding by reducing surface water discharge into our network. We’re demonstrating our commitment to change the market for the better and playing our part in enabling sustainable growth.”

ABB

ABB CUTS £2,000 A YEAR FROM BOREHOLE PUMP COSTS

SMALLER JUST GOT STRONGER

PFC100 Controller: High performance packed into a smaller footprint

Variable speed drive eliminates intermittent starts and stops on borehole pump, saving energy, reducing turbidity and improving reliability. Anglian Water is saving £2,000 a year on a borehole pump’s electricity costs following the installation of an ABB variable speed drive (VSD) on a submersible pump motor. The £7,000 project investment is expected to pay for itself within three and a half years. The borehole is one of two operated by Anglian Water, at separate locations, that feed the reservoir serving customers in Sudbury, Suffolk. Prior to fitting the VSD at Blackhouse Lane, both pumps were run at fixed speed all of the time but had to be turned off frequently as the reservoir had reached the desired capacity. Anglian Water suspected that this system was inefficient as it was pumping more water than was required. The frequent stopping and starting of the pumps was also causing excess turbidity in the extracted water. ABB authorised value provider, Gibbons Engineering Group, was asked to perform an energy assessment on both pumps, in Blackhouse Lane and Woodhall Road. Andy Vincent, works technician at Blackhouse Lane, says: “The report found that the boreholes had a combined pumping rate of 70 litres per second, whereas the combined optimum rate was 50 litres per second. The actual demand from the reservoir was lower than our total pumping capacity and was the equivalent of the water pumped from one and a half boreholes.” The decision was taken to install a VSD on the pump motor at Blackhouse Lane. The drive alters the speed of the pump’s motor to top up the reservoir as required. The borehole pump at Woodhall Road, without a VSD, runs at full speed to provide most of the demand. Gibbons recommended a 132 kW ABB drive. The VSD receives a 4 20 mA signal via a radio link from the reservoir’s level transducer. If the signal is less than 16 mA, the pump motor runs at maximum speed, while a signal of greater than 16.8mA means that the pump motor runs at minimum speed in a range of 40-50 Hz. This has reduced the amount of energy used by the pump motor at Blackhouse Lane, resulting in the £2,000 annual saving. It has also solved the problem of turbidity levels in the extracted water, which is now within acceptable levels. The new arrangement has also built redundancy into the system, improving reliability. “Previously, running both pumps at full speed meant that the borehole pump at Blackhouse Lane could not take up the slack if the other failed – now if the pump fails it can ramp up the pumping rate to compensate,” says Andy.

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IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS IN WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE? Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) is an approach that brings together all aspects of the water cycle, including water resources, water supply, sewage management, water treatment, stormwater management and flooding. planning), the Natural Capital Approach (NCA) and the US Water Alliance one water movement, amongst other initiatives. So, what’s not to like? Although the intent is positive and progressive, IWCM is seldom achieved without considerable challenge. So, what is the problem? Some say part of the problem is the lack of a consensus definition. This is a difficult argument to sustain, given that, IWCM has a number of unifying and agreed principles and themes. These include: -

Dr Evan Dollar

Technical Director of the water resources team for Europe-Africa, MWH now part of Stantec It is widely promoted as international best practice, just like Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), River Basin Management Planning (RBMP) and other related approaches. The outcome of a successful IWCM process is an integrated solution that uses fewer natural resources such as water or energy. It will also produce fewer pollutant loads for example phosphorus, pesticides or sediment and enhances and protects the environment while supporting resilience. Last but not least, it will include strong pricing signals and demand management measures, promote the circular economy and deliver multiple benefits to multiple beneficiaries. Accordingly, IWCM seeks to achieve efficient, sustainable and equitable water use at a catchment / holistic / systems level through ‘right-sized’ solutions. This thinking is also closely aligned with the principles of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). It also mirrors the UK Government’s forthcoming 25-year plan for the natural environment and intent to promote resilience in the water sector. The abstraction reform process, revised Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) guidelines (longer-term

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systems-based approach to decision-making (see figure 1)

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collaborative setting of a common vision and goals at a catchment-scale across the water cycle

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resolving multiple pressures

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delivering multiple benefits to multiple beneficiaries and facilitating partnership working.

Other common IWCM themes include promoting intergenerational equity and adaptive management and monitoring. IWCM also generally requires the use of tools and approaches to support the decision-making process like triple bottom line, natural capital, total expenditure and ecosystem services, as these help to account for externalities and non-financial information. What’s behind slow or lack of take-up? Another oft-cited problem for the lack of take-up is the lack of an evidence-base demonstrating success. In fact, the evidence-base for IWCM is continually improving. The development of resources like the Natural Capital Protocol Toolkit, outputs from the Catchment Based Approach, the Benefits of SuDS Tool and the Local Action Toolkit and many others can be used to provide the required evidence. Application of these resources show that IWCM approaches can deliver significant additional financial, social and environmental benefits, and that these benefits can be assessed robustly to support better decision making.

While each of the aforementioned challenges contain some currency, and it is fair to say that the reasons for the slow uptake of IWCM are multi-faceted, it is necessary to recognise that ‘integration’ takes time and ultimately requires the provision of water to one party and taking it away from another. This is an inherently political process which requires trade-offs. These trade-offs have socio-economic and political implications which must be understood in a context where structural forces limit options. There’s a big challenge ahead but even bigger benefits from IWCM Perhaps the biggest challenge to implementing IWCM is the creation of an appropriate enabling environment to facilitate these trade-offs. Where it is relevant to do so, this requires breaking down inter and intra institutional barriers and creating mechanisms and incentives to cooperate, share risks, benefits and potential liabilities within and between organisations. Policy, legal and regulatory instruments are needed to support this. Thus, IWCM requires three core components to be successful: 1. The creation of an enabling environment that brings together the interests of multiple stakeholders. 2. An enabling institutional and legal framework. 3. The development and use of management instruments to link the water cycle in a catchment and to reveal, through sound science, optimal integrated solutions. This process is gathering momentum, and through adopting an adaptive approach and learningby-doing, IWCM will deliver multiple benefits for multiple beneficiaries and ultimately, foster collaboration and co-delivery of resilient (see figure 2), sustainable solutions at a catchmentscale.

FEATURE: IWCM Figure 1 Example systems map for IWCM decision-making.

Figure 2 IWCM will deliver multiple benefits for multiple beneficiaries

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UNDERSTANDING THE WATER CYCLE

Our region, which stretches from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight across to Kent, benefits from a high quality environment including the South Downs and New Forest National Parks, a significant coastal area and some of the highest quality rivers and beaches in the UK. It is a lovely place to live and work. By Kate Rice Southern Water Catchment Strategy Manager The region however is not without its challenges. These include ‘serious’ water stress, stringent environmental needs, growth demands, and the increasing risk of drought and flooding linked to climate change. As a water and sewerage company, we have traditionally operated in business ‘silos’ where much of our water and wastewater planning and delivery has been undertaken separately and focussed on an unsustainable asset renewal model. To meet long term resilience challenges, we need to change the way we think and work in order to develop a more integrated approach to managing our water environment. We recognise that we cannot achieve this on our own so we need to work with partners and stakeholders from the outset to achieve real collaboration. Our ambition is to be operating in a fully integrated water environment across our catchments by 2040.

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To achieve this ambition Southern Water have developed an Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) approach to help us address these multiple, complex issues at a catchment-scale.

FEATURE: IWCM Our first step has been to fully understand the water cycle and to identify the key issues and future resilience challenges. IWCM is not necessarily about creating new evidence or processes – it’s about taking what we often already know about business risks, network and asset performance or environmental quality, and framing this within the context of the wider catchment. This systems approach enables us to better understand the interrelationships and interdependencies between our built assets and the natural environment and to identify where integrated solutions could deliver multiple benefits. To help us understand and assess the benefits of IWCM versus business as usual options in a clear and consistent way, we have developed a benefits assessment framework that enables us to screen solutions at a high level to identify which are most likely to deliver the greatest benefits. This is followed by a more detailed cost benefit assessment once these solutions are more refined and impact pathways are understood. The framework goes beyond the current whole life cost model to include an assessment of natural and social capital benefits. This enables us to test the appetite of our customers and stakeholders for using this to influence decision making. We are focussing on two demonstration catchments and developing pilot projects to

provide ‘proof of concept’ – these are the Medway catchment (Kent) and the Arun and Western Streams catchment (West Sussex/Hampshire). In the Rivers Beult, Western Rother and Upper Arun we are exploring catchment permitting supported by asset optimisation and catchment management solutions. These catchments are the focus of partnership work so we are ensuring our plans align with these, for example, to identify opportunities for interventions that deliver slower flows (natural flood management) and water quality improvements. Given the scarcity of water in our region we are also exploring opportunities for water trading e.g. the potential for seasonal/shortterm trades, longer term trades, trade in line with the Abstraction Incentive Mechanism etc. Around Chichester Harbour high groundwater levels cause hydraulic overload of our sewers. We are exploring whether the management of groundwater levels and/or natural flood management interventions in the upper catchment are technically feasible solutions for addressing this problem. Southern Water are committed to putting catchments at the heart of our decision making and IWCM provides the tools to help us achieve this. We are currently talking to our customers and stakeholders about the scale and pace of our IWCM roll out in order to achieve our 2040 ambition.

For more information contact Kate Rice, Southern Water Catchment Strategy Manager kate.rice@southernwater.co.uk

Performance Under Pressure OCTO

Welcome to Europe’s foremost authority on the leadership and management of crisis and emergency situations

Stimulating training for senior executives and their crisis, incident & business continuity teams Design and delivery of realistic cost effective exercises including working with multi-agency partners Coaching of executives to perform under pressure Crisis communication training in reputation management, media and social media Prepare crisis and emergency management organisations, arrangements and facilities Resilience and business continuity support Review, validate and benchmark crisis and incident management plans Contact: Mark Hart tel 01244 405270

email octochester@octo.uk.com

www.octo.uk.com

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WRC

TRULY INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MODELLING! Environmental modelling has come a long way from the early attempts to represent water company assets and their interactions with the natural world. By Karen Light Head of Catchment Management

& Dr Karen Murrell

Senior Environmental Modeller, WRc But are these tools fit for purpose now when there is focus on integrated asset management and catchment management solutions? WRc’s innovative integrated catchment model, SIMPOL ICM is being used now to address these concerns.

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The water cycle The basic water cycle that is taught to all school aged children appears to be straightforward; water evaporates from the earth’s water bodies – seas and lakes, rises into the skies and forms clouds then drops back to earth as rain (or other forms of precipitation) flowing over the land to form rivers which return to the sea. But put humankind into the picture and things get more complicated. In fact the human water cycle is a complex system with many interrelationships and knock-on effects that are not well understood.

Managing water assets in a changing world Water companies are tasked with delivering clean, wholesome water to their customers and dealing with the wastewater generated from its use. This requires abstraction of water from rivers or groundwater and treatment of that water to a suitable standard before distribution to homes and businesses. Once used, the wastewater is collected and treated to an acceptable standard before being returned to the rivers or seas. Many factors can affect this cycle and water companies are faced with many questions when trying to manage their assets in this changing environment. ■■

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How clean is the water to begin with – is it contaminated with chemicals arising from agriculture or from run-off from the urban environment? How can water companies continue to provide enough water to meet ever increasing demand?

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What sort of treatment is required to clean the water to drinking water standards? How much will this cost? Is it better to protect the water source from contamination in the first place through catchment management solutions? What sort of wastewater treatment is required to allow the water to be returned to the environment? How much will it cost? Is it better to treat the wastewater locally or to centralise at a large wastewater treatment works? How will the river environment change over time whether that be short term seasonal variations, during periods of extremes: high rainfall or drought, or through future decades due to the effects of climate change?

approach is required which is why WRc has developed SIMPOL ICM, a rationalised model which can: ■■

represent all aspects of the human water cycle from the customer demand for potable water and its supply and treatment through to the environmental impact of wastewater discharges

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be calibrated to the more detailed wastewater and water supply models already routinely used

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be run over long periods of time to understand the key interactions and their impacts – working out what’s important and what isn’t

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identify a range of potential catchment wide solutions quickly and help eliminate less favourable options.

The role of computer models The water industry uses computer models to predict how its physical assets such as treatment works and pipe systems interact with the natural world. The introduction of the Urban Pollution Management (UPM) Procedure in the 1990s saw the integration of wastewater network systems and river modelling tools to understand their impact on the receiving water. Likewise the drinking water supply side of the industry has its own set of tools for assessing resources, distribution, treatment and supply. But there is little or no integration between the two to provide a comprehensive view across the whole water cycle. The current modelling tools are not ideal for this joined up view of the whole water cycle due to their detailed nature leading to high data input requirements and long run times. So a different

So how does this bring benefits to the water industry? ■■

Water companies can understand their resilience to changes in the human water cycle, when - their resources become compromised such as when demand > supply - environmental targets may be exceeded - assets need upgrading

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Water companies and regulators can have more confidence in Business Plans

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Water companies can achieve regulatory standards at lowest cost to customer

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Water companies can use the tools and modelling outputs to communicate with their stakeholders.

FEATURE: IWCM

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KENNET RAINSCAPES - SLOWING THE FLOW IN THE RIVER KENNET CATCHMENT

Action for the River Kennet (ARK) is well known for its work on river habitat restoration, and this year the charity has partnered with two Primary Schools on projects designed to manage the inputs to the catchment from surface drainage. by Charlotte Hitchmough Director, Action for the River Kennet With a view to the important benefits of creating greener spaces for children to enjoy, the projects have aimed to create spaces that can catch and slow down the rain that lands on them. The work at Preshute Primary School is a great example. The school is in the village of Manton, Wiltshire in the upper reaches of the River Kennet. As a chalk stream the Kennet relies on a steady flow of spring water from the aquifer to keep it running, and sediment-laden runoff from storm events is detrimental to the river’s health and habitats. In addition, the drainage network can struggle to cope during heavy rain events with the potential for further pollution in the river from sewer surcharges. The school’s new rain garden will:

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slow down and reduce roof run-off

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remove areas of hard paving to allow more rain water to soak into the ground

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increase biodiversity

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add an area of green roof to a newly built wellington boot store, created to allow

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children to play outside more often by providing a space to keep muddy boots A further part of the ARK brief was to get people to notice water and to provide ideas that people could take away from the project for use in their own gardens. The rain garden was designed by Wendy Allen, a specialist in sustainable gardens. Wendy’s design for the new ‘rain wall’ on the outside of the school building is bold and certainly gets noticed. New, colourful, wiggly, downpipes take rain water that previously discharged straight on to the road, and catches it in new storm water planters. The planters slow and filter the water, releasing excess slowly into the verge. A water butt ensures that during dry spells the plants can be kept watered by hand. All the plants have been chosen because they tolerate wet and dry conditions as well as the shady north facing aspect. One de-paved area has been converted into a rain garden that receives most of the runoff from the tarmac playground, and another has been planted as a wildflower meadow. Pupils, families, governors, local residents, and firms gave up their time and energy to dig, paint

and plant to get the garden ready for the start of the new school year in September. Suppliers were very generous in helping keep project costs to a minimum; Eco-Sure provided the rainwater butt at a huge discount, Veolia donated the Pro-Grow compost for just its delivery cost and Cotswold Rainwater Services donated new guttering, which was all made to order in a colour to match the school’s blue. The project only had to fund the downpipes. ARK has been working with farmers for years, helping them to manage their land in ways that have less impact on the river, and it’s good to be extending that catchment work to schools and communities. The project has already been funded by Thames Rivers Trust, the Revere Charitable Trust and Tesco and the fundraising continues. You can make a donation by texting the amount you would like to give to 70070. For example, to donate £5 text ‘ARKK01 £5’ to 70070, or you could become a member of ARK. Membership costs just £20 a year. For more information visit www.riverkennet.org

FEATURE: IWCM For more information contact Jonathan Swainbank t: 01386 725900 | m: 07790 839480 e: jonathan@kingsbridge.co.uk www.kibl.co.uk

BESPOKE INSURANCE & RISK TRANSFER SOLUTIONS FOR THE WATER & WASTE WATER INDUSTRY With 20+ years’ experience of providing insurance solutions to the UK Water Industry, including staff that have actually worked in the Industry, Kingsbridge are uniquely place to work with you, your business and insurers to provide a tailored risk transfer solution to your individual business.

WATER PROCESS SOLUTIONS

ENCORE® 700 - PRECISION DOSING, BUILT TO LAST A need for robust, reliable and consistently high performing chemical dosing systems has never been greater within our treatment industry. With reliable, high performing long life assets, operators can turn attention to forward planning and innovation for continual gains and wider treatment advances. The Encore®700 diaphragm and plunger metering pumps are a solid, no risk step in this advancement. Proven to operate decades in service, consistently delivering high metering performance across a vast array of chemicals it stands proud among its peers in today’s choices of chemical metering pumps. Supplied and supported from Water Process Solutions in Kent, the pumps are configured specifically to suit each application - this ranges from simple water metering through classic treatment chemicals such as poly, lime, alum, hypo, caustic, ammonia and acids to perhaps less obvious fluids such as hydrazine, oil and vinegar. The Encore®700 is a non loss motion pump, it is driven by a rotating crankshaft, where the eccentricity can be smoothly adjusted during operation. There are no return springs, and the diaphragm or plunger moves with a simple harmonic motion. The fluid velocity profile is sinusoidal at all stroke lengths; adjusting stroke length simply alters the amplitude of the sine wave. This

design allows pump valves to operate with far greater efficiency and minimal system vibration. This design and build quality enables metering precision, reliability and longevity. The Encore®700 can be configured to dose a wide range of chemicals with capacities of 2500 l/h and Plunger discharge pressures capable of 200 bar. Please contact us here at Water Process Solutions to discuss how the Encore®700 can benefit your metering application. Contact us: aran.bray@waterprocesssolutions.com +44 (0) 7557363728

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FEATURE: IWCM

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SCHEME IN CASTLE ARCHDALE COMPLETE!

[Dermott McCurdy Project Sponsor NI Water leads a tour of the new wetland.]

NI Water is pleased to announce that an innovative new Integrated Constructed Wetland (ICW) at Castle Archdale, County Fermanagh has been completed. The Castle Archdale site is the second ICW to be constructed by NI Water and represents an ecofriendly fully sustainable approach to wastewater treatment in the area. The wetland will now be available for the public to be at one with nature, enjoying the flora and fauna as part of the beautiful surroundings. ICWs are designed, built and operated by man but are based on processes that occur naturally within indigenous wetlands providing an environment where the interaction of the wetland and the plants cleanse the wastewater. The investment has seen the construction of a series of shallow treatment ponds, the careful selection of plants providing the retention time and the capacity to treat wastewater from the Castle Archdale area. Sara Venning, NI Water’s Chief Executive said: “NI Water is pleased to be able to improve wastewater services for customers in the Castle Archdale area through sustainable projects like this. The new ICW will deliver improved wastewater treatment, whilst creating an aesthetically-pleasing area, rich in biodiversity, and potentially an educational resource. “The ICW solution has been developed on natural treatment processes. This is the second

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occasion that this method has been used in Northern Ireland and it is an important and significant step towards the development of more environmentally-friendly solutions to wastewater treatment throughout Northern Ireland. “I would like to thank all our stakeholders and elected representatives in the local community for their support throughout this project, particularly the Northern Ireland Environment Agency for allowing us to develop the wetland on this site.”

method has an established record in Europe of providing a low cost, low energy and low maintenance alternative to mechanical wastewater treatment. NI Water believes that this natural environmentally-friendly solution will accommodate the future development needs of the Castle Archdale area, while promoting a natural ecosystem. BSG Civil Engineering was the contractor for this major project with Doran Consulting providing project management and technical support.

Councillor Stephen McCann, Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council added: “I am delighted to be on site today to view progress on this sustainable project on behalf of the Council. “It is great to hear that Castle Archdale is leading the way and this scheme is an excellent example of how the challenge of dealing with wastewater can be met using an innovative engineering approach, which provides added benefits for, and complements, the local indigenous ecosystem.” The new wetland can accommodate seasonal fluctuations in flow and is therefore ideally suited to the Castle Archdale area. The ICW

[Back row – Eamon McManus, Nigel Armstrong, Dermott McCurdy (all NI Water), Councillor John Feely, Councillor Stephen McCann – Chairman of Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, John Griffin NI Water, John French Consumer Council. Front row – Helen Anderson – NIEA/ DAERA, Rosemary Barton MLA, Sara Venning Chief Executive NI Water, and Angela Knott from NI Water]

clean water

waste water

water courses

civils

INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THE REFURBISHMENT OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES AND ASSOCIATED ASSETS REFURB/MAINTENANCE: IMPOUNDING & SERVICE RESERVOIRS - WATER TOWERS - CLEAN & SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS DAMS - SPILLWAYS - AQUEDUCTS - PIPE BRIDGES - PIPEWORK - BUNDS - TANKS & VESSELS - WATER COURSES SERVICES: INSPECTION/SURVEY - RELINING - SPECIALIST COATINGS - CORROSION PROTECTION - WATERPROOFING CONCRETE & STEEL REPAIRS - CLEANING & CHLORINATION - FLOOD ALLEVIATION DESIGN/INSTALL: STEEL WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES - SECURITY WORKS INC LPC4 ACCESS COVERS - ACCESS LADDERS, HANDRAILS & WALKWAYS SURGE VESSELS - M&E CIVILS: NEW BUILD RESERVOIRS & TANKS - LAGOONS - DEEP EXCAVATION - STREETWORKS INTERNAL, EXTERNAL & UNDERGROUND PIPEWORK - VALVES - DRAINAGE - RETAINING WALLS - ACCESS ROADS, HARD STANDING & PARKING AREAS - CABINETS - SMALL BUILDING INSTALLATION - DEMOLITION - FLOOR SLABS & SCREEDS Head Office: Chawston House, Chawston Lane, Chawston, Bedfordshire, MK44 3BH t 01234 750924 e enquiries@stonbury.co.uk www.stonbury.com instituteofwater.org.uk 61

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MANAGING THE LEGACY OF MINING FROM LIABILITY TO ASSET The Coal Authority has over 20 years’ experience in preventing and treating water pollution from abandoned coal mines and is now working with Defra and the Environment Agency on a programme dealing with water pollution from other mines in England. Today, their treatment schemes are remediating 122 million cubic metres of polluted water every year. Chief Operating Officer at the Coal Authority, Simon Reed, tells us how they are working in partnership and thinking innovatively to achieve their vision to change pastindustry liabilities into assets to deliver wider economic and environmental benefits. The closure of many coal mines in Britain was accompanied by the cessation of pumping and subsequent rise in water levels in the mine as the workings flooded. This water reacts with the iron minerals found in association with coal and when it reaches the surface, the most common effect is the deposition of a blanket of ochre (iron hydroxide) in water courses creating an orange discolouration that suppresses the natural eco-system.

Passive treatment is used for most coal mine waters. A typical scheme will use an aeration cascade to increase oxygenation, and catalyse iron precipitation which is removed as the water passes through lagoons and/ or reed beds prior to discharge. Some of our schemes require pumping of water from within the mine workings at depth to prevent rising saline waters reaching drinking water aquifers.

CASE STUDY: Lamesley, Newcastle upon Tyne

CASE STUDY: Metal Mine Waters

At our Lamesley mine water treatment scheme, near Newcastleupon-Tyne, we are using mine water to enhance the removal of phosphates from post secondary treated sewage effluent through a co-treatment scheme with Northumbrian Water.

Abandoned metal mines are responsible for half the heavy metals found in English watercourses, polluting over 1,500km of rivers,harming the environment and local economies.

The scheme comprises of a series of nine reed beds, covering a total of 5.5 hectares. Treating the two waters together results in greater removal rates for all main contaminants, including:

The Coal Authority has a growing “coal” portfolio which currently stands at over 75 schemes across Britain that prevent the impacts of mine water on aquifers, watercourses, bathing beaches, land and infrastructure, and over 80 schemes addressing the impact of mining subsidence on land drainage and flooding. These schemes have protected and improved over 350km of watercourses, safeguarded drinking water for 0.5 million people and resolved flooding issues over some 1500km2 of land.

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suspended solids in the sewage water binds with iron from the mine water to encourage the formation of ochre;

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enhanced phosphate removal from post secondary treated sewage effluent

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Today with this combined treatment scheme, the river runs clear with no orange discolouration and much reduced phosphate levels.

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We want to clean up this pollution to make our rivers cleaner and healthier to benefit current and future generations, wildlife and the economy. Many discharges appear clear, but the presence of toxic metals, such as lead, copper, zinc or cadmium, leads to significant environmental pollution to both groundwater as well as surface waters. In contrast to coal, no single organisation has responsibility for dealing with the legacy of metalliferous mining. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) funds the Environment Agency and Coal Authority to investigate and treat metal-mine waters in England. The Coal Authority manages, on behalf of Defra, the Wheal Jane mine water treatment scheme in Cornwall treating typically 6 million cubic metres per year, preventing waters polluted with heavy metals from issuing into the Fal estuary.

FEATURE: ASSET MANAGEMENT CASE STUDY: Saltburn Gill, Cleveland The first non-coal scheme under this programme was built at Saltburn-by-the-sea, Cleveland. This area has seen large-scale ironstone mining for over 100 years. When the mines closed in the 1960s, pumping ceased and the underground workings began to fill with water. In 1999, a significant mine water outbreak occurred at Saltburn Gill which quickly turned the stream bright orange and smothered the downstream ecology. A large ochre plume was occasionally formed in the North Sea.

Following initial work by the Saltburn Gill Action Group and the Environment Agency, the Coal Authority helped develop and build a scheme which now removes the effects of polluting mine water and addresses a significant risk of a further outbreak of polluted mine water. Monitoring in October 2016 found not only clear water, but recolonisation by fish - a clear demonstration of the success of this remediation scheme.

[Before]

[After]

CASE STUDY: Force Crag, Cumbria The Force Crag Mine, near Braithwaite in the Lake District National Park, mined lead, zinc and barytes between 1835 and 1991. It is a major source of metal pollution to local watercourses and the Bassenthwaite Lake Special Area of Conservation. The Coal Authority has worked in partnership with the Environment Agency, the National Trust and Newcastle University to deliver the first full scale passive treatment scheme in the UK for the removal of heavy metals from water. This scheme is exceeding expectations, removing 98% of zinc and 94% of cadmium and lead through the use of vertical flow ponds and compost media. The scheme is demonstrating the technology to address other similar discharges.

Collaboration and innovative thinking The Coal Authority is working in several areas to add value to both these programmes. Historically water from mines has often been treated in isolation but it is recognised that there are opportunities for catchment collaboration. These are being identified and approaches are invited which will hopefully lead to greater partnership working and greater economic, social and environmental benefits. Significant costs in projects include power, chemicals and land. We are working with several

Universities and other bodies with research and innovation programmes that are driving to reduce both operating and construction costs by identifying smarter technical approaches and reducing the area of land required for schemes. We are looking at our schemes differently. Water we pump contains heat; the iron sludges we remove can be used to treat phosphate or other metal problems elsewhere; the water we clean has economic value. Our schemes and mines have the potential to help with water scarcity or flood alleviation, and through improving the environment and

The Coal Authority is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It works to resolve the impacts of mining in Britain. Find out more about us at www.gov.uk/coalauthority

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AVK GROUP

GLOBAL SUCCESS OF THE AVK UK DIAPHRAGM CONTROL VALVE

[Valve installation housed in hillside]

The global success of the AVK UK diaphragm control valve range continues with a significant increase in worldwide demand. This successful diaphragm control valve range is manufactured in the UK at AVK’ s facility in Chesterfield and offers the common variants, such as pressure reducing and pressure sustaining, along with a wide range of products for pressure, level, flow and surge/protection control solutions. Bespoke multi-function and remotely operated valves for water networks and production facilities are also available to suit more complex requirements and engineered specifically by AVK. To support customers with this wide range of valves AVK UK have a dedicated team of UK experts, engineers and designers who assist with valve selection and sizing. Customers can also benefit from product training at one of the AVK UK facilities, at customer offices or on site. Additionally, the AVK UK website has a technical section dedicated to control valve specification, application and selection. The test rig at AVK Donkin, enables customers to work ‘hands-on’ with the many valve types for training purposes, or even see their own bespoke valves performing before they are shipped to site. AVK UK also fully support on site with valve selection prior to ordering, valve commissioning as well as trouble-shooting or maintenance training to boost customer confidence.

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[Saudi’s challenging mountainous terrain. No challenge for AVK’s control valves.]

AVK are also successfully supporting customer projects worldwide working on a range of diaphragm control valve schemes from Scandinavia to Bangladesh. These projects have included: ■■

controlling pressures down the mountains of Saudi Arabia (as shown)

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level control and pressure management in the Emirates, including the Sheik’s palace.

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a vast leakage reduction scheme in Tbilisi, Georgia where over 350 valves were supplied.

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flow control scheme in St. Lucia.

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pressure management and protection valves into the vast traffic tunnels in Stockholm (as shown)

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as well as multi-function flow and pressure control valves with remotely controlled overrides here in the UK

[Pressure management and protection valves into the vast Traffic tunnels in Stockholm]

... to name a few! For more information contact David Hurley Technical Sales Manager - Control Valves on 07983 706675 or e-mail dahu@avkuk.co.uk The full product range and technical pages can be at www.avkuk.co.uk

[Training session held by David Hurley at customers premises]

FEATURE: ASSET MANAGEMENT

HECK WTW â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;RUN TO WASTEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; FLOW CONTROL VALVES FROM AVK UK AVK UK have supplied 6 automatic flow control valves with solenoid overrides and proximity stem indicators for 2 Yorkshire Water production sites. AVK UK control valve specialist, David Hurley, worked closely with the design engineers to ensure the bespoke valves were exactly what was required for this particular site. Each site has 3 boreholes which in turn are linked to a flow control valve. Upon pump startup the FCV opens and limits the flow of waste to a pre-determined setting. Once turbidity is achieved the PLC requests the solenoid closes the valve. Once fully closed, flow is pumped into the network, the proximity sensor from the stem indicator confirms to the PLC that the valve is fully closed. The FCVs will maintain a pre-set flow regardless of pump delivery pressure fluctuations and can control the opening and closing speed of the valve totally independently.

equipment installation. The pilot filter can also be cleaned without affecting operation by utilising the flush valve. The main valve is located in a chamber below the ground. The pipework from the main valve is insulated and ducted up to the pilot within the kiosk. Located at the top of the valve is the proximity stem indicator. The reed switch can indicate the position of the stem and inform the PLC accordingly. A bleed valve is situated on the stem indicator for purging air upon commissioning. All 3 FCVs link to the run-to-waste line where the flow is monitored and recorded via the meter. The display screen shows the flow readings so the technicians can be confident the flow is accurately maintained.

To allow ease of operation and maintenance, and most importantly to comply with a very high level of health and safety, the pilot valve was situated above ground in a kiosk This would ensure that under normal operational circumstances the operating engineer would not be required to enter the chamber to make settings alterations, or for minor servicing maintenance. The above ground pilot is equipped with gauge points to enable pressures to be taken and for ease of electrical solenoid

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NATURAL CEMENT

NATURAL SOLUTION ALLOWS RAPID RETURN TO SERVICE

Having worked in the industry for nearly 20 years I know protecting customer supplies is critical for water companies. By Paul Henderson Protecting supplies means that the storage and distribution assets must be maintained to the highest level and available for the maximum period of time. This goal of 100% uptime provides the greatest level of resilience against unforeseen events such as bursts, or a water quality failure. Contractors need to understand and support the goals of their employers, as sharing a common purpose and focus is key to creating an extended and mutually beneficial relationship. To ensure the products / chemicals introduced into potable water assets do not impact on the quality of the stored water strict regulations exist. In Scotland, this is the DWQR Reg 27 and in England Wales it is DWI Reg 31. Products to be permanently in contact with potable require full Reg 31 or Reg 27 approvals. In addition to choosing the correct product, to be fully compliant they must also be applied in accordance with their IFU (instructions for use), these guidance notes often specify the preparation method, use of a compatible primer, bonding and curing agents, and then the correct application technique.

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Finally, once in place there is a specified curing period which is often linked to environmental factors such temperature or humidity. Although in theory products applied in this manner should pose no threat to water quality, with increasing focus on GCMS sampling prior return to service, and the improved sensitivity of testing, contractors are finding it more difficult to comply with clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strict parameters. But, even when everything is completed perfectly, many products require an extended period of curing before they can be immersed or the tank can be returned to service, these periods are often between 7-28 days. Because of this delay, and the removal of the key asset from the distribution system during the curing period, water companies need to manage the wider network with more resource. These factors can influence risk profiling, during routine inspections when minor defects are identified many clients are often faced with a tough choice. They can either put the asset back into supply without completing the repair (carrying a potential water quality risk), or complete the repair and carry the risk of reduced resilience in the network for up to 28 days.

So what are the options? Many people are not aware of a manufacturer who supplies products around the world, providing a range of Reg31/27 products with a huge range of benefits, and it is all based on natural cement that can trace their origin to the caveman. Natural Cement Distribution, based in Mapplewell, Barnsley with support from one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest producers of cement & concrete provide repair mortars and grouts all based on natural cement that allow return to service within hours rather than weeks. It is due to their natural form that such a rapid return to service is possible, with no bonding agent, primers or curing products required they are made up of just a natural form of cement. By combining this base product with varying aggregates various application techniques can be achieved, and with over 40 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in the UK and 200 years in Europe their technical support is class leading. For more information about Natural Cement, and how their products can support a rapid return to service please get in touch with Phil Richardson via enquiries@naturalcement.co.uk or call 01226381133.

FEATURE: ASSET MANAGEMENT

SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT WITH MORE REG 31. APPROVALS. Natural Cement has announced that two more of its products have achieved Regulation 31 approval from the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Natcem D & Waterstop are now approved for application in the provision of water supplied for drinking, washing, cooking or food production. Waterstop is a fast-setting material based on a potable water approved natural cement, it is an environmentally friendly, fast-setting, water-stopping material that at 20ºC starts to set in 90 seconds and is totally set in 2½ minutes. Natcem D is a fine grout that is environmentally friendly and used for repairs around sewers, ground stabilisation, work around the sea, grouting around tunnel linings and areas where chemical attack or pollution is likely. Natural Cement offers a wide range of Regulation 31 approved shotcretes, grouts, concrete repair & water stopping materials. The company is proud that its products contain no chemicals, making them environmentally-friendly. They produce no contaminated waste, even the packaging is recyclable. Unlike other manufacturers they do not require primers, bonding & or curing agents. Offering a low carbon footprint is an essential part of the company’s global growth. The products are chemically resistant and easy to use, which results in even greater time savings. All the products are especially useful in wet and cold environments, some having been used down to -14°C with fast-setting and early strength gain being a standard feature.

PROTECTING FUTURE GENERATIONS THE BENEFITS:

REQUIRE:

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LOW CARBON RESISTANT TO CHEMICALS REG. 31 APPROVED FISH FRIENDLY FAST SETTING & CURING

NO GRIT BLASTING NO PRIMERS NO BONDING AGENTS NO CURING AGENTS NO CHEMICALS

Natural Cement is the Greener Choice www.naturalcement.co.uk

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SEAMS

WATER NOW

SEAMS LAUNCHES NEW ADVISORY SERVICE A leading Sheffield-based software & analytics company has launched a new service for clients based on Advice, Training and Mentoring. SEAMS has launched the new service in response to being regularly asked for help and support by asset rich organisations, in embedding analytics and decision support techniques into a business and landing the benefits. Often, simply introducing the tools and software into an organisation (even with training) is rarely enough to see the benefits fully materialise. Usually this is because an organisation’s processes and thinking need to evolve too, in order to incorporatethe new technology and tools and realise their full potential. SEAMS have seen this problem across all of the asset management sectors and have been advising various clients in finding solutions. In response, they have now created SEAMS Advisory. This new service provides the support organisations need to fully embed analytics and decision support into business as usual

(BAU), and crucially, realise the full benefits that they can bring. Daniel Scott, Head of Asset Management Transformation at SEAMS, and formerly Head of Track Systems & Civils Asset Management at Transport for London will be heading up the service. He says: “After over 15 years of working in the Decision Support Tools/software market, we were finding more and more that many asset rich organisations were implementing software, or looking to introduce analytics strategically within a business, but finding that it wasn’t delivering the outcomes desired and coming to us for help. “The complexity of many organisations, and the different levels of maturity on the asset management journey presented many different issues from lack of qualified resource internally to needing to gain stakeholder buy in to the whole process.

“We feel passionately about the benefits that analytics can deliver to an organisation, and felt that we should share our wealth of knowledge with others so they can land these benefits in a very real way. So SEAMS Advisory was born! To ensure it really empowers and “advises” our clients, SEAMS Advisory is completely agnostic of any software solution that’s implemented in a client organisation. “Think of us as sharing knowledge and mentoring where necessary, or as a virtual team, aimed at helping organisations land the many benefits of analytics.” Daniel went on to say “We’re already working on projects for global clients in this capacity and are looking forward to this new development in our business.”

IOW NORTHERN AREA CHAIR BEGINS NEW CAREER CHAPTER Paul Henderson, Institute of Water’s Northern Area Chair, is enjoying a new challenge as founder of a new business consultancy focused on the water sector called Water Now.

After 19 years within the industry as a Director of Panton McLeod, Paul is now using his experience in marketing, sales and business development to help his clients as they identify and achieve growth targets.

“Whereas some of my clients are already members, others, particularly those who are new market entrants have not been involved before, I look forward to introducing them to the Institute of Water family.”

Paul is relishing the new challenge and explains how the Institute has a key role to play for his clients. “At Panton McLeod we understood the value of the Institute of Water, whether it was providing career development opportunities for the staff, helping the management team stay up to speed with the latest industry drivers and innovation, or helping to make key connections across the UK, we always found benefits from our involvement.”

One of Paul’s first clients are Barnsley based Natural Cement who manufacture a range of repair products. Paul is delighted to be working with Phil Richardson and the team, and is thankful that the Institute of Water helped form the relationship, “I first became aware of Natural Cement through their Reg 31 products Natcem 35 and Natcem AC. At Panton McLeod we used these extensively on service reservoirs due to their ability to allow rapid return to service, but

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it wasn’t until Natural Cement became Northern area sponsors that I really got to know the team.” “I look forward in supporting them to raise their brand awareness within the water companies and their supply chain.” For more information about Paul’s new venture visit www.waternow.co.uk or email paul@waternow.co.uk

Case Study: Filter Tank Refurbishment, United Utilities 2017

Steel filter tanks are used in water treatment plants as part of the filtration process. Water is passed through filter media such as sand and anthracite.

CSC Services recently refurbished a steel tank filter for United Utilities in partnership with Western Carbons who provide filter refurbishment services.

These multi-media steel filter tanks are extremely expensive to replace and if they need to be, can cause significant disruption to operational services due to decommissioning, removal and construction of new steel tank filters. Tank refurbishment offers a cheaper and quicker alternative and can allow operations at a treatment plant to continue.

Corrosion to the tank walls, accelerated by the abrasive action of the filter material had caused rust to develop. CSC Services removed all of the failed coating and rust. This created the required surface profile for the installation of a new protective coating.

was installed to provide effective corrosion and erosion resistance. Approved by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, this coating provides a completely waterproof membrane, preventing any potential ingress of water which can cause osmotic blistering, air filled cavities and cracks. Acothane is proven to resist the growth of bacteria such as micro aquatic organisms and black spore fungi. It has a long-life performance and requires minimal maintenance.

Acothane, a solvent free polyurethane protective coating

For more information about refurbishment services or specialist coatings to protect a range of water sector structures visit www.csc-services.co.uk instituteofwater.org.uk

SAINT-GOBAIN PAM UK

MAJOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT FOR THE SOUTH WEST

Saint-Gobain PAM UK is supplying ductile iron pipes, fittings, accessories and logistics services. The Southern Resilience Scheme is a new £27 million water infrastructure project that will provide improved security of supply to over 280,000 customers across Bristol Water’s supply area, including Weston-super-Mare, Cheddar, Burnham, Glastonbury and the southern part of Bristol. This new trunk main will give Bristol Water increased flexibility and will allow the company to move water from its northern sources into its southern region in the event of a loss of supply, or water back up to northern Bristol if supply is lost in this region. Put simply, it means if there is a supply issue, customers’ water supply can be more readily restored. In addition, the new trunk main will also help Bristol Water to meet the increase in demand for water in the southern regions over the coming years. Saint-Gobain PAM UK is supplying ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories along a 30km stretch of the new trunk main. Products include the company’s 700mm Standard Pipe, 700mm Universal with some 600mm Standard pipes including a large range of fabricated pipes and fittings. The project is expected to be brought into service in 2018. When Saint-Gobain PAM UK won the contract to supply its products, the company was provided with drawings and details for 18 proposed delivery points. At this time, the company undertook in-depth desktop research on each delivery point, which took approximately three months to complete, such was the thoroughness of the study. Information gained from this research was then fed back to the project’s contractor. Site meetings were then convened with the contractor in Bristol to discuss the research findings.

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Following this, Saint-Gobain PAM UK was able to extend its investigations to include physically driving the proposed routes delivery lorries would be taking, and to check thoroughly all delivery zones. The results of those physical investigations were then used to update those of the desktop research, and all the resultant information was re-presented to the contractor and to Bristol Water over a number of meetings. During the physical research a number of key new pieces of information were unearthed. For example, at one delivery site it was discovered that delivery vehicles exiting the site would be subject to a potentially dangerous blind spot. Saint-Gobain PAM UK was able to identify a need to alter the position of the site access approximately 25m further along the road so that lorries could exit safely, and cars travelling along the road had plenty of time to spot drivers turning and slow down. Assessing the expected speed of travel of cars using the road formed part of the process. The revised location of the site access means an improved safety outcome for the site. Many other similar changes were made to the proposed delivery sites and routes, for example in order to accommodate schools, villages and residential areas in order to optimise health and safety. In addition, Saint-Gobain PAM UK was able to use its research results to recommend areas for redesign of certain site compounds. For example, on one compound the company could advise on a reduction in the footprint of an area in which lorries would be required to turn. In another, the company could recommend that vehicles would

not need to access certain zones. Optimising the layout of compounds is helping to optimise safety and keep costs down for the contractor. Each compound has specific individual requirements. At the Bristol Water scheme Saint-Gobain PAM UK has also provided the contractor with training on best practice for delivery, offloading, handling and storage of ductile iron products. In addition, technical training has also been given by the company on how to install the pipes and fittings correctly and efficiently. Mike Lancaster, Senior Project Manager with Bristol Water plc said: “The pre-construction engagement that we had with Saint-Gobain PAM UK really was fundamental to the smooth delivery of pipe to the extended site. At 30 km long we had to identify a number of compounds and pipe storage facilities to service the scheme. With Saint-Gobain PAM UK’s input, we were able to identify those sites that were suitable and conversely those sites that were not suitable at a very early stage of the project. In the final analysis, we have safely received the pipe and products from Saint-Gobain PAM UK without causing any significant issues for the local road network.” For further information on the company’s range of logistics services and ductile iron pipeline products visit www.saint-gobain-pam.co.uk

FEATURE: PIPELINE TECHNOLOGY

The Civils and Utilities specialists

KEEPING THE COUNTRY CONNECTED

At Burdens our purpose is clear. To keep the country connected. By using our expert knowledge and national reach we supply the essential infrastructure products and services that keep our communities functioning. We understand the importance of keeping projects on schedule. And that means getting the right materials, to the right place, at the right time… Every time. Connect with us to see how we can help you on 0344 292 7090. www.burdens.co.uk

30218_Burdens_Civils_Keep Country_115x180mm_AW.indd 1

25/04/2017 14:32

Innovative Ductile Iron Access Cover and Grating Solutions ADDING VALUE TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, CIVIL ENGINEERING, WATER & UTILITIES SECTORS

Manufactured in the UK to the highest Quality, Safety and Environmental standards

Quality Assurance Quality Management Systems BS EN ISO 9001 (Registered firm: 12908)

Environmental Standard Environmental Management Systems BS EN ISO 14001

Health & Safety OHSAS 18001 Health & Safety Management Systems

Sustainability BES 6001 Responsible sourcing of construction products CEMARS – Carbon & Energy Management and Reduction Scheme

For more information Tel: +44 (0)115 930 0681 Email: sales.uk.pam@saint-gobain.com www.saint-gobain-pam.co.uk

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AQUAM

THAMES WATER TRIALS WATER MAIN CLEANING AND LINING SYSTEMS A 152mm (6-inch) diameter water main lying under a busy London street needed to be cleaned and lined with minimal disruption. Heavy traffic and parking restrictions in central London can make traditional methods of pipeline replacement very difficult, slow and expensive, so Thames Water and main contractor Eight2O alliance elected to trial Aquam’s Whirlwind system. The forced air vortex cleaning method was carried out using two Whirlwind Tornado air blowers, deployed to work in parallel by Aquam’s pipe rehabilitation team. Whirlwind is a unique system that maintains a constant velocity of turbulent air flow to support a controlled feed of granite aggregate into the water main section. Initially low-pressure air flow was applied to the section of main to remove any residue water in. Hot air was then used to dry the pipe prior to cleaning. The air power required is specific to the pipe diameter on a given application. Once it reaches the appropriate level, dry clean granite is fed into the pipe in a controlled manner using a pressurised conveyor.

Tubercles dislodged As the granite is dashed against the pipe walls by the turbulent air flow, it impacts on the tubercles, dislodging them. The speed of the conveyor is variable so different application rates can be achieved dependent upon the degree of tuberculation. The debris is then carried along the pipeline by the airflow and collected as waste, which can be used as backfill. Whirlwind operates at relatively low pressures and well below usual working pressures of the main. It is a totally enclosed system with no exposed rotating parts which provides health and safety benefits over both rack-feed systems and drag scrapers.

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Manoeuvrable system Whirlwind is extremely manoeuvrable and can clean sections of pipe inaccessible to other systems. Unlike competitor techniques, it can accommodate changes in pipe direction and diameter along a single length. Once the pipeline was clean and dry, it was possible for the contractor to undertake pipelining using a 3M Drinking Water Inspectorate approved resin. The Instructions For Use document stipulates that the pipe must be clean and dry before applying the Scotchkote 2400 polyurethane in situ spray liner. A spokesperson for Thames Water said, “Busy roads and heavy traffic are a major issue for Thames Water when carrying out water network maintenance in the capital. The advantage of the HTC Whirlwind pipe cleaning system is that works can be carried out much more quickly, which helps minimise disruption.”

Key benefits ■■

Cost effective - able to clean distances up to 1km in one application

■■

Non-disruptive – minimises excavation

■■

Fast – cleaning, CCTV inspection and lining operations completed within a day

■■

Flexible - can accommodate changes in pipe diameter

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Sustainable - does not generate large quantities of wastewater for disposal

■■

Successful - provides clean and dry substrate for application of resin pipelining

[The Whirlwind operator checks the computer reading throughout the cleaning process. Once the reading reaches a constant rate it is indicative that the pipe has been thoroughly cleaned and is free from tubercles and debris.]

[Once the Whirlwind machine is in place, simple hose connections link it to the main to be cleaned. The operator can commence rehabilitation works in a matter of minutes.]

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S1E

FWB

EASIER LARGE DIAMETER PATCHING NOW HERE A new style of packer, which makes large patch repairs easier and which can mend oval pipes, is now available in the UK, courtesy of Source One Environmental (S1E): the Pillow Packer. ”This product is the latest addition to the Pipe Doctor no-dig patch repair system,” explained S1E Business Development Manager, Russell Edwards. ”It’s another tool to achieve professional repairs, offering a unique way to fix larger infrastructure while solving some difficulties on-site.” The product has been on sale in the Americas via S1E’s US sister company, where it has been fully trialled and tested. Here in the UK, S1E has conducted successful joint tests with contractor PBF Drainage, who have now trialled it with a Water Company client. ”Everything went perfectly on our first 900mm repair, with an excellent smooth finish to the patch. The client was really happy with the result and we found that there was none of the usual headaches you can get when repairing at this

size,” commented James Stern, PBF Drainage’s MD. ”We have successfully installed over thirty of these large diameter repairs since we have had our pillow packer and we have gained huge experiance with this system.” Pillow packers are oblong in shape, rather than circular, and lighter in weight than traditional packers of equivalent size. Three sizes are available, offering repair of pipes from DN750 to DN1800. The pillow packers fold down prior to installation in the pipe, which makes them easier to manoeuvre and the repair can therefore be achieved with fewer operators. During inflation, the packer grows to the size of the infrastructure into which it is placed and it can form to shapes that are not circular, particularly allowing the full repair of oval as well as circular pipes. When not in use, pillow packers fold flat for easier transportation and storage. ”The new pillow packer offers contractors an alternative that will make their lives easier when

offering their own customers a low-cost, lowdisruption repair,” concluded Russell. Pillow packers are now available exclusively from Source One Environmental. www.s1e.co.uk

FWB FEATURES IN PRESTIGIOUS PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW FWB is proud to announce that it has been selected to appear in the 2016/17 edition of The Parliamentary Review. With its September release now a key fixture in the political calendar, the main aim of The Parliamentary Review is to showcase best practice as a learning tool to the public and private sectors. It also discusses how industry leaders have responded to challenges in the political and economic environment over the past year, with political commentary written by BBC presenter Andrew Neil. FWB has been recognised as a leading figure in the Manufacturing and Services sector, and features alongside a small number of outstanding organisations in the General Manufacturing edition for 2016/17. The publication includes forewords from The Prime Minister The Rt Hon Theresa May, The Rt Hon Greg Clarke, and Terry Scuoler CBE, and is sent out to tens of thousands

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of leading policymakers including all MPs, Peers at the House of Lords and leaders from across the manufacturing and services sector. Its articles act as both a blueprint for success and a template for reform. FWB’s Managing Director, Mr Paul Meehan, stated: “We’re really proud that the government are taking a keen interest in what FWB are achieving as a service provider and distributor to the manufacturing sector. Our ethos is now to ensure that the customer is at the centre of everything we do. We’ve listened internally, but now we are looking at what our customer base needs and what the problems are that our customers are facing. That will give us the opportunity to grow even further.” The Prime Minister said: “This year’s Parliamentary Review follows a significant year in British politics. It was a year in which our economy continued to grow, as the Government

followed its balanced plan to keep the public finances under control while investing to build a stronger economy.” The Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Rt Hon Philip Hammond, commented: “It is only by making sustained increases to our productivity that we can deliver the higher wages that will increase living standards and fund the improvement of our public services” The Parliamentary Review’s publication is marked by gala events at the Palace of Westminster. For further information please contact Sarah Lee, Group Marketing Manager. sarahlee@fwb.co.uk or tel: 01782 743736. www.fwb.co.uk

BPF PIPES GROUP

WAGO

NEW BPF PIPES GROUP RESOURCE AIDS BEST PRACTICE The BPF Pipes Group is creating a key resource for a new generation of engineers and designers. The latest in its series of best practice guides covers the joining of polyethylene pipes for below ground water and wastewater applications. Since the 1980s, the UK water industry has prided itself on high quality technical guidance for pipeline designers on the choice of materials, installation techniques and jointing solutions to ensure the best engineering and economic solutions can be chosen for any given application. With the focus for AMP6 on long-term resilience of the UK’s water supply combined with the everpresent pressure on construction and operating costs, it is important that decision processes can be supported by sound reasoning and practical knowledge. The new guidance document identifies the preferred method of joining for a range of applications, together with the basis

for that recommendation and any suitable alternatives. Julia Trew, who led the revision of the Pipe Materials Selection and the Polyethylene Pipe Systems manuals, is now Standards Manager at the BPF Pipes Group. “These manuals are over 20 years old and we are pleased to be able to provide modern, practical advice to a new generation of engineers and designers. Whilst financial pressures on water companies and their partners have increased over the years, the fundamental need to provide a reliable, durable and economic underground pipeline system remains the prime goal.” The BPF Pipes Group has made the new guidance available on its website, adding to a growing bank of short, easy to read and free to download, technical references. The guidance is available

from https://bpfpipesgroup.com/supportdownloads/guidance-notes/ Dominic O’Sullivan is Head of Product Marketing at GPS PE Pipe Systems, a BPF Pipes Group member company. He commented: “There are three jointing methods available for PE pipe – electrofusion, butt fusion and mechanical fittings, all of which offer different benefits depending on the application. The new guide has been put together as the result of collaboration with all BPF Pipes Group members to ensure we can continue to provide expert guidance on the jointing of PE pipes, to aid specification for consultants, contracts and end users.” www.bpfpipesgroup.com

WAGO EXPANDS ROBUST AUTOMATION SYSTEM A variant of the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM 750, the XTR range, is available to deliver I/O for industries and applications that are frequently required to withstand harsh conditions. With high protections against environmental and electronic interferences, the system is suitable for hazardous areas such as underground, offshore, particularly hot or particularly cold environments, or environments that are subject to strong shocks and vibrations. The range includes programmable fieldbus controllers, fieldbus couplers, digital and analogue inputs and outputs, and a wide range of communication, supply and segment modules tailored for particular industries and applications such as marine, renewable, petrochemical, rail and water. Automation systems are increasingly being located in outdoor and remote locations where components are directly affected by widely fluctuating temperatures and weather conditions, for example wind turbines both on and offshore,

or transformer stations. The XTR range provides comprehensive protections against harsh surroundings to ensure high system availability. With up to 16 channels in a 12 mm wide module housing, and no additional protective measures or external heating/cooling required, the system is highly suitable for situations and applications where cabinet or DIN-rail space is at a premium. Able to withstand temperatures from -40°C up to +70°C, the XTR range requires no air conditioning and has no moving parts, resulting in lower energy and maintenance costs, while reducing the risk of mechanical failure. It is also able to function at elevations up to 5,000 m, making the range suitable even for high altitude applications. Vibration protection of 5 g and shock protection up to 20 g defends the system against constant and sudden impact, ensuring maximum uptime and security of investment.

The XTR is protected against electronic interference with isolation up to 5 kV of impulse voltage, lower EMC emission of interference and higher insensitivity against EMC interference compared to conventional I/O systems. WAGO’s push-in cage clamp connections mean that wiring is quick and easy, and that connections remain secure and protected against disturbances, even in unshielded areas. The controller supports all major protocols including MODBUS TCP/IP, MODBUS/UDP, MODBUS RTU, SNMP and FTP. The I/O system is scalable enabling automation of individual machines through to entire systems. Additional modules are available tailored to specific industries, applications and requirements for maximum versatility and flexibility.

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WATER RETAIL COMPETITION - SIX MONTHS ON

Around 60 delegates gathered at WRc Swindon to attend the joint Institute of Water and the Future Water Association’s day conference – Water Retail Competition – Six Months On. By John Vinson

Independent consultant and Vice President South West, Institute of Water After last year’s hugely successful Water Retail Competition event we were asked to provide an update. This year’s event was timed to reflect on six months of market activity. Many of the speakers returning to give their reflections on the first six months of market opening and review the predictions they made 12 months ago. A full range of speakers were present including the Market Operator – MOSL, Ofwat, retailers (Water2business and Waterscan), a wholesaler (Bristol Water), a self-supply provider (Waterscan), a supplier (Immerse) and The Consumer Council for Water. The conference opening address was given by Mark Smith CEO of WRc who were kindly hosting the event. Mark discussed how WRc were looking to provide direct support to the market and highlighted some key areas he thought would be discussed on the day, such as water meter testing for accuracy, water efficiency measures being key to retailer’s success and the importance of innovation and business process improvement. First speaker was Mike Robertson, Market Performance Lead at MOSL. Mike offered insight into the size of market and the current activity.

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To date there have been around 60,000 supply point switches out of 2.7m eligible points. Less than 2% of the switches have been of individual services (water or sewerage), most have been to one retailer providing both services. Currently there are 35 retailers, 22 national, 12 regional and one self-supply, with more in the pipeline. The market is continuing to develop and to date there have been 15 code change proposals with 11 recommended for approval. Mike informed the delegates that MOSL are now publishing quarterly reports, the next being due towards the end of October. MOSL had historically been providing market information on switching data only, but were now starting to look at behaviours in the market, stabilisation, innovation and GDPR implications as well. Mike also confirmed that currently seven new retailers are going through the market entry process with MOSL. Next to speak was Emma Kelso – Senior Director, Customers and Casework from Ofwat. Emma, six weeks into the industry and role, detailed what Ofwat’s role was in the market, what they considered a successful market, their expectations from market participants and what they are currently doing. Emma detailed that a key role is monitoring the market to ensure trust and confidence in the market and

the water industry in general. They achieve this using a wide range of information sources such as a CCW, customers, social media, TPI’s and other regulators. She expects customers to be confident in engaging in the market, the searching and switching process to be simple and efficient, customers to benefit from some combination of lower prices, better service and more innovative products and services and finally that customers are treated fairly, can easily seek redress and are not subject to harmful practices such as miss-selling. Emma said Ofwat is also expecting this to bring knock on benefits for the environment and household customers and believes the early shoots of this are already showing. As far as switching levels are concerned Ofwat believe it is a good start but no more than that. They recognise that the majority are currently large multi-site customers. However, Emma was encouraged by the number of applications coming in for self-supply licenses and Ofwat are pleased to see this option being taken up by some. For Emma, other key elements of the market are: improving data quality, ensuring wholesalers deliver good service to retailers and very importantly- price transparency. Emma ended by requesting that all market participants should feel free to contact her with any feedback on the market as Ofwat are keen to gain insight from all participants.

FEATURE: MARKET REFORM Switching Behaviours Switching Behaviours

Cumulative Switching of Service Cumulative Switching of Service

01 November November 20172017 AsAs atat01

As at 01 November 2017 As at 01 November

80k

Services switched with no associated service

59%

Water and sewerage both switched to a new retailer from a single retailer

14%

Water and sewerage both switched to a new retailer from two different retailers

16%

Water retailer acquired sewerage service

Sewerage retailer acquired water service

59171

60k

55816 52765

Number of Supply Points

48674

50k 44880 41956 40k

37156

The final talk of the morning session was from Siobhan Kennedy-Hall, Business Development Manager at Water2Business. Making water work harder to improve service, increase sustainability and generate savings was Siobhan’s message. This, she argued, requires all parties (customers, retailers, wholesalers, TPI’s, brokers and suppliers) to understand what they want from each other in order to drive success, as she put it, there is no such thing as ‘Water Fairies’. Customers were seeking control, personal services, 24/7 access, information, data and support with corporate goals. Obstacles to switching were seen as tariff complexity, confusion by TPI’s/brokers and availability and reliability of data. In the future Siobhan was predicting stabilisation in market operations, an increase in market confidence, development in SME focus and the growth of multi-utility providers.

29168

30k 23225

23200 17973

15838 12692 8185

10k

4507

9940 5898

11192 6873

12581 8072

24833

20992

20653 18065

20k

14070

17330

18781

26449 23597

31096 24720

38000

33032 29198

30350

39415

31589

26139

20383

15303 12917

9155

[Graphics courtesy of Market Operator Services Limited (MOSL)]

Next up was the wholesale perspective from Simon Bennett, Wholesale Manager at Bristol Water. Simon took the audience through a monthly journey from market opening, up to today. Starting back in April with confusion, only three retailers, data cleansing and work backlogs. The next month saw nine retailers, out-of-hour testing, issuing of first invoices a Market Performance Score (MPS) of only 29% and a realisation everyone had forgotten their training! June saw 12 retailers, first incident to be managed in communication with retailers, retraining and refining of processes leading to an improved MPS of 55%. The monthly pattern continued until, in September, Simon detailed how they now had 14 retailers and a market leading MPS of 95%. Not content with that, Simon is striving to increase the MPS to 100%. He finished with “so far, so good” but highlighted some topics he thinks need more thought, including disconnections and complaint handling and encouraged market participants to get involved in working groups for the benefit of all.

36560

34785 30890

A 10 pri l A 17 pril A 24 pri l Ap 01 ril M 08 ay M 15 ay M 22 ay M 29 ay M 05 ay Ju 12 ne Ju 19 ne Ju 26 ne Ju 03 ne Ju 10 ly Ju 17 ly Ju 24 ly Ju 31 ly 07 J u A ly 14 ugu A st 21 ugu A st 2 ug 04 8 A us t Se ug 11 pt us t S em 18 ept be r e m S 25 ept be r Se e m pt be 02 e m r O ber 09 cto O be 16 cto r O be 23 cto r O be 30 cto r O ber ct ob er

Water and/or sewerage switched as individual services

65758

71004 68350

70k

Transaction Date, week commencing Total Switching

Dr Mike Keil, Head of Policy & Research at the Consumer Council for Water kicked off the afternoon session. Mike details how CCW was there to ensure the market worked for all and to act as a voice for consumers. They are working closely with Ofwat and MOSL to ensure customer needs are met by providing data on complaints and their own research findings. They have seen an increase in billing complaints, mostly where customers did not realise who their retailer was and therefore why they were getting a bill from them. There was also an increase in administration complaints, as Mike put it, these were mostly customers complaining about complaining! CCW would like to see retailers putting more pressure on wholesalers to deliver resilience and urged retailers not to lose focus on the SME section of the market. Neil Pendle, Managing Director of Waterscan gave two presentations, the first a reflection on the predications he made a year ago and the second on Greene King’s journey to a Self-Supply licence. How did his predictions go? Well in his own words he thought he had failed on most, but he was probably a little harsh on himself, I’d give a big plus for at least having a go! The reality as Neil saw it was that now the market had opened and was functioning, customers concerns had moved away from being centred on the wholesalers, market opening, worries on number of new entrants and a level playing field to being about retailers, billing, tariff structures and innovation. One item Neil said customers were concerned about prior to market opening and still concerned about post opening was data. He urged retailers and wholesalers to work together to ensure the best outcomes for customers and to recognise that both parties ‘owned’ the customers. In his second presentation he explained how Greene King had chosen to go down the selfsupply route in order to “control its own destiny”.

Water Services

Sewerage Services

By having direct access to data and control over it they hope to align business strategy better and find ways to better innovate in their quest to become the “best pub company in Britain”. They made the decision after engaging with the market and in their words found a lack of clarity from retailers and they hope this route will give them greater control and transparency and a platform for a sustainable future. The final talk of the day was from Jon Wadley, Business Manager at Immerse who gave a supplier’s perspective. Jon talked about water being the ‘forgotten utility’. Whilst the savings customers could make from a retail discount were low, there were much larger savings to be made by reducing water use and by considering alternative water sources, the later producing up to 70-80% savings. Immerse’s view of the market to date was that there had been most focus on billing wins and lots of talk; he felt end customers were not seeing the benefits yet, but it was still early days. Jon wanted retailers to “grab the initiative” and engage more with suppliers as they have a wealth of experience and expertise. The day ended with a Panel Q&A session. This highlighted everyone’s concerns about data quality and that all had their part to play in improving it. A question about what is going to be the next big disrupter our industry will face gave a range of responses such as household competition, further breakup of the vertical nature of wholesalers creating new markets, a lack of skills entering the industry, GDPR and how the industry and the various players respond to the next serious prolonged drought. A very lively day, well received and we already have requests to repeat in a year’s time to see how our crystal balls performed this time!

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MaNuFacTuRERs & suppliERs OF valvEs, FiTTiNgs & siTE sOluTiONs FOR ThE uk & glOBal waTER, wasTE waTER & gas iNdusTRiEs

PO BOX 5, Birds Royd Lane, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 3UD www.gavalves.co.uk

GA Valves are manufacturers and distributors of valves to the water & sewage industries. Including gates, checks, air valves & miscellaneous valves.

Northampton Office 8 Rushmills, Northampton, NN4 7YB, England T: +44 (0) 1604 601188 F: +44 (0) 1604 604818 E: customerservice@avkuk.co.uk

www.avkuk.co.uk

0191 482 8830 hippomarketing.eu

The data driven marketing company Delivering insight and campaigns as individual as your customers.

UK distributors and Technical Support of Dorot Flowcontrol valves.

Surge control systems and compressed air engineering from Quantum Engineering Developments Ltd

Tel: 01527 577888

www.surgevessels.co.uk

Telford House, 105 Dalton Avenue, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6YF T: 08707 558 811 F: 01925 847 976 W: rpsgroup.com

RPS is an international consultancy providing advice upon: the development and management of the built and natural environment, the exploration and production of energy and other natural resources We employ 5,000 people in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and Asia.

Ditton Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 0PH

feralco FERALCO (UK) LTD

Feralco is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high performance water treatment chemicals throughout Europe. Our product range includes both traditional aluminium and iron based coagulants and other innovative high basicity products together with pH correction chemicals to optimise performance and improve treatment efficiency. All products meet EU CEN standards.

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T: F: M: E:

+44 (0) 151 802 2910 +44 (0) 151 802 2999 +44 (0) 7760 174 977 andrew.campbell@feralco.com

www.feralco.com

Applications include the treatment of drinking water, papermaking, retention and sizing, process water, sewage and industrial effluents. Products such as aluminium sulphate have been joined by new products including highly cationic inorganic polymers to satisfy the demand for higher quality water and to meet tighter discharge consents. Feralco can provide specialist advice and technical support to help ensure that the most cost effective methods of treatment are employed.

• Speciﬁc extra cover for Legionella disease • Very competitive commercial rates • Secure ﬁxed rates for up to 2 years • Interest Free payment scheme available • Professional advisers with technical expertise Insurance and Risk Management advice for all businesses involved with water, waste water and environmental risks

Jonathan Swainbank Senior Account Executive Kingsbridge Insurance Brokers 9 Miller Court, Tewkesbury Gloucestershire, GL20 8DN Email: jonathan@kingsbridge.co.uk Telephone: 07790 839480 Web: www.kibl.co.uk

EK Business Centre, 14 Stroud Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 0YA T: 01355 246235 E: info@mccraetraining.co.uk www.mccraetraining.co.uk CABWI / SQA / EUSR Accredited Centre offering a comprehensive range of training services: • Water Industry Registration Scheme (WIRS) - Training Packages • Network Construction Operations (Water) • SW DOMS (Modules 1-13) National Water Hygiene • Utility SHEA (Water & Waste Management & Core) • Safe Control of Mains Connections (Water) • NRSWA Street Works Courses for Supervisors and Operatives • Water Industry Modern Apprenticeships

BUSINESSCARDDIRECTORY

Tel: 07884 004 802 E-mail: u.d.s@live.co.uk Web: utilitydesignservices.com Web: utilitydesignservices.co.uk Proactive and professional civil engineering design consultancy services. We have extensive experience and expertise within the design of water network distribution & water network trunk mains. From initial overview through to detail civil design, while also equipped to provide planning, project management and construction support services. We would welcome the opportunity to visit you for an initial consultation to discuss your aims and needs. We would endeavour to incorporate our design and engineering solutions to match your business requirements.

Unrivalled service, unrivalled product offering As experts in procurement with single-source capability, fwb provides an expansive range of products to suit water industry requirements. Whatever your requirements, we offer a suitable & competitive solution with the very best product and technical expertise. Whieldon Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4JE Tel: 01782 744333 Fax: 01782 744577 www.fwb.co.uk email: sales@fwb.co.uk

JimJam Media is a specialist contract publishing company with particular expertise in compiling and publishing industry specific journals, magazines and other publications for professional industry bodies as well as industry and business support organisations.

Martin Jameson Tel: 07342 850 289 Email: martin@jimjammedia.com

Publisher to the

www.jimjammedia.com

SPRING EDITION - PUBLISHED END FEB AMP7 Preview/PR19 Review Water Quality Leakage Management To advertise your company contact Martin Jameson on 07342 850289 or martin@jimjammedia.com

MAGAZINE 2018 FEATURES FIRST QUARTER - DISTRIBUTION EARLY MARCH AMP7 Preview/PR19 Review • Customer Engagement/Behaviour Change • Water Quality • Leakage Management

WORD COUNT GUIDE 1 page article with 2 pictures - 600 words 2 page article with 2/3 pics - 800-1000 words

SECOND QUARTER - DISTRIBUTION EARLY JUNE Resilience • Circular Economy • Incident Management /Emergency Response • Water Treatment Solutions

NON-FEATURES LIST EDITORIAL - considered on submission Contact Lee Hansom, PR and Communications Manager

THIRD QUARTER - DISTRIBUTION EARLY SEPTEMBER Innovation • Catchment Management/Environment Mains Cleaning Techniques • Capital Investment Projects

ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES To discuss advertising and editorial opportunities contact Martin Jameson at martin@jimjammedia.com or 07342 850289

FOURTH QUARTER - DISTRIBUTION EARLY DECEMBER Pollution • Project Management • Efficiency/Energy/Metering Traffic Management REGULAR QUARTERLY FEATURES: Asset Management, Wastewater Solutions, Regulation and Training

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NORTHERNAREANEWS

OSWESTRY WATER TREATMENT WORKS

On 13 September, The Northern Area welcomed delegates from around the UK to Oswestry Water Treatment Works (WTW); one of United Utilities strategic sites. The sold out event was an opportunity to learn about some of the technology installed during recent upgrades and take part in a tour of the WTW. Oswestry Water Treatment Works is one of United Utilities largest facilities, with a maximum output of 210Ml/d and supplying drinking water to around one million customers in parts of Cheshire and Merseyside. Opened in 1892, the works has recently undergone a multi-million pound upgrade to improve water quality, energy efficiency and to make it fit for the 21st Century. The new works includes chlorine dioxide dosing for manganese removal (a pioneering first in the UK), lamella clarification and a new combined chlorine contact/clear water tank. In addition to the new process treatment units, a hydro turbine has been installed on site which will meet the power demand of the site whilst exporting surplus energy to the National Grid.

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After a bite to eat and networking the event was opened by a presentation from the Asset Manager for Oswestry WTW and the Project Engineer. During this they shared the history of the WTW and the drivers for the project; including a video tour of the upgrades. After questions had been answered, the delegates were taken on a tour by the Construction Manager to see the ongoing construction and existing operational assets. The event was well received by delegates who left well informed of the innovative technologies employed thanks to the enthusiasm of some of the project team in conjunction with an â&#x20AC;&#x153;excellentâ&#x20AC;? presentation incorporating an aerial tour of the site. For anyone who was not able to book on, or is interested in attending, due to the success of this first event, there will be another technical visit arranged at Oswestry WTW once the project has been completed in 2018.

NORTHERN IRELANDAREANEWS

NORTHERN IRELAND AREA AUTUMN SEMINAR Northern Ireland Area Autumn Seminar took place on the 18 October with the theme of “Keeping Your ‘Head’ Above the Water.” The seminar covered resilience in three areas – company resilience, asset resilience and addressed the ways and means attendees could develop their personal resilience. Bill Gowdy, Area President, opened the seminar to c100 attendees and noted a particular welcome to the guest speakers, visiting IWater Rising Stars and Irish Water. Bill handed over to the keynote speaker Alan Elwood who emphasised the importance of businesses managing short-term shocks and long-term change and the need for organisations to be able to adapt. Alan Bridle, Bank of Ireland UK, gave an overview of the challenges facing the banking industry in building resilience now against the prospect of another financial crisis. As we live in a climate of risk, the banks are watching developments at a global level and regularly stress testing against various scenarios. However, resilience comes at a price as bank profitability remains weaker but the banks are safer. Thomas Gardiner, Asset Delivery, NI Water presented on the Water Resource and Supply Resilience Plans which look for the long-term need for water in Northern Ireland. He detailed the significant investment in upgrading strategic mains and the supply and demand issues in the south and west regions which will be addressed by the plans. An overview was given of the ICAT strategy and the standardised approach to the control of assets. Jason Johnston, Legal Team, NI Water presented on Procurement Resilience and highlighted the importance of the accuracy in the preparation of procurement documentation and especially OEJU documents. He then highlighted the requirement for formal and transparent communication during the tender evaluation process and the need for early involvement of the Legal Team if litigation is an issue.

Seamus Doyle, previously of NI Water and now Queens University, Belfast, detailed how the water industry was very heavily dependent on IT services in developing good customer service. He went on to highlight the triggers and solutions for IT Resilience.

over 200km of new trunk mains connecting the north and south of the company’s catchment area. This massive £220M project provided a holistic solution to several challenges, providing security of supply and water quality for the coming decades.

Session 2 was provided by Sinead Sharkey, Director, Generation Women on “How to Bounce Back by Increasing Your Wellbeing: Simple Solutions for Resilience”. Sinead’s up-beat presentation was thought-provoking and full of practical tips for immediate and every-day use. She reminded us the importance of taking time every day to ‘switch off’ not just from our everyday activities and thoughts but also to physically switch off all those devices (phones; computers, iPads, etc.) which can interrupt and distract us at any time. Sinead encouraged us to cultivate our ‘gr-attitude’ by considering three things on a daily basis or when the need arose. Those three things being: 1) What you are grateful for; 2) What made you smile today; and 3) What you did well.

Dwr Cymru’s Martin Hennessey presented his company’s vision of how their customers, environment and economy might look in 2050 and how their long term strategy was developed in partnership with the widest possible group of stakeholders.

Nikki Van Dijk opened the third session with a presentation entitled “Future Proofing Water Assets”. She explained how Atkins have adapted a scenario planning methodology from the finance sector and adapted it to the water industry to predict four possible futures over a 30 to 50 year time horizon. She explained how the model can be used to develop adaptive frameworks which are flexible enough to meet the challenges faced by water companies into the next century. Following on from Nikki, her colleague Steve Bilton presented Wessex Water’s Integrated Water Grid as a case study of best practice in resilience planning. The Integrated Grid involved laying

Simon Thomas, Managing Director at Asset International Ltd, shared with the delegates “60 Days: An Education in Offsite Build”. Simon’s presentation showed how the use of high density polyethylene was being used in off-site manufacturing including examples of a balance tank at Catterick WTW and Chlorine Contact Tanks at Irton WTW in Yorkshire. Brian Malone, Director at RPS, concluded a fantastic conference with a quirky definition of resilience being ‘bouncebackability’ and provided an overview of specific asset management strategies to deliver “Water Treatment Works Resilience”. Brian observed that resilience events are low probability with a high impact with basically three outcomes to address in the water industry, i.e. risk of untreatable raw water; no working plant(s); no working network(s). Brian took us through the steps taken to improve resilience within NI Water including WTW Response & Recovery Plans and noted the importance of remaining focused on continually improving knowledge; efficiency; access to key info and resilience at water treatment works

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WELSHAREANEWS

2017 AUTUMN FORUM

On the 12th October the Welsh Area Autumn Forum took place at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff. The event, titled “Going Full Circle – Water’s Role in the Circular Economy” was successful in broadening delegates’ understanding of a circular economy and how it can be very applicable within the water industry. The forum consisted of representatives from a variety of organisations and backgrounds such as utility companies, universities, research organisations, regulators and specialist consultancies. Each of which had their own perspective on how to develop this circular economy by closing the loop on the linear model of using resources and creating waste. The day was opened with an introduction from Dr Michael Gerardo, the North Wales Waste Process Science Manager at Welsh Water who gave an insight into his research on microalgae and using it as a sustainable feedstock, as well as nutrient recovery in anaerobic digestion. Dr Gerardo then went on to be the Master of Ceremonies for the day. The key note speaker for the forum was Dr Mark Fletcher, Global Head of Water at ARUP. Dr Fletcher opened the conference with an introduction to the circular economy and outlined how well suited the water cycle is to circular thinking. He called for action from everyone to unify our language surrounding these topics, and use the terms reduce, reuse, recycle, regenerate and refurbish to encourage a circular framework on our everyday work. He also encouraged delegates to view waste as a ‘resource’, and to get inspired about new innovation that circular thinking encourages. He used Yorkshire Water as an example of positive innovation in a company who see the circular economy as a way of thinking which makes good business sense. Dr Fletcher concluded with reference to the “Sustainable Development Goals” and how crucial this topic is to achieving

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those goals by 2030, with at least 11 out of the 17 goals being inherently linked to the circular economy. The morning session was split into three sections, with the first being “The Regulator’s Role in the Circular Economy”. This topic included discussions from representatives from Natural Resources Wales and Northumbrian Water about mitigating risk within catchments through ecosystem surveys and using these as opportunities to save money downstream at water treatment works. Another important point was about collaborative working between water companies and regulators which can give a wider range of solutions than working in isolation. This can help give larger scope for fixing problems such as flooding in urbanised areas. Topic two was titled: “New Technologies: The Shift from a Linear Model” and looked at the how up and coming technologies can help us embrace a circular economy. This topic showcased the energy that can be generated from waste at different renewable sites across Wales such as Cardiff Wastewater Treatment Works and Five Fords in Wrexham as well as reflecting on untapped resources that could be used in the future to make us more circular. In the third section, “Giving Power to the People to bring us Full Circle”, the social aspect of a circular economy was delivered. This section followed themes of including communities when developing a circular economy, to get them involved as they are crucial to enabling us to close the loop. Cynnal Cymru also presented by means of a discussion between two representatives about the benefits environmentally and socially of a circular economy and how they can be integrated. The theme of circular economy was continued through the setup of the event. The event itself was held in a beautiful marble hall with

large windows and plenty of space for the day which was run by a charity who have their own personal ethos of sustainability. The themes were then reflected through the catering which was all vegetarian, locally sourced food and all wastage was recycled to ensure all parts of the day remained circular. After lunch, all delegates were given the opportunity to take part in an interactive workshop which was facilitated by some of the day’s speakers. The workshop explored three different geographical areas and their landscapes and industries could be linked together to share resources, by-products and wastage. Interesting discussions took place amongst each group whom not only suggested existing technology to close the loop on their geographical area (rural, urban or suburban) but some delegates had innovative suggestions on how to improve these areas in the future. To conclude the day, there was a final session based on new research and how we can apply what was previously considered just a concept. This was delivered in the style of quick fire presentations to give delegates a quick overview of numerous innovations. The presentations included discussions on Rainscape at both a catchment and then property level, biogas optimisation and sludge simulations, analysing consumer behaviour, integrating flooding and drought management and finally looking at business models within a circular economy. The forum was closed by Dr Michael Gerardo who was a fantastic Master of Ceremonies for the day. The Welsh Area Organising Committee would like to thank all the speakers for such engaging presentations that were very informative and provoked some interesting discussions throughout the day. Also thank you to the representatives that helped facilitate the workshops and enabled delegates to perhaps consider how a circular economy could be applied not only in the water industry but also in their local environment.

MIDLANDSAREANEWS

DERWEN SITE VISIT

NEW MIDLANDS AREA PRESIDENT providing a wide range of specialist support services to water and related industries, before re-joining South Staffs Water in July 2015 in his current role.

In recent years there has been a shift in thinking across the water sector.

As the incoming President, Pete intends to focus very much upon the changing landscape within the water industry and how the Institute of Water can support members to embrace these challenges and opportunities.

By using more recycled aggregate materials on asset upgrade and replacement projects, the overall cost can be reduced along with significant reductions in carbon footprint. In line with this, recently four Welsh Water colleagues from various areas of the business visited an award winning aggregate recycling plant in Neath, South Wales. Accompanied by the Business Development Director Debbie Keogh and the Site Director Stuart Hanford, the tour of the Derwen site saw the range of materials that the company sorts, cleans and then subsequently sells back to construction companies. This included fine grade soils - utilised to reinforce bunds, and gravel - used for bedding pipes, drainage and numerous construction projects. The tour highlighted the many ways the water sector can make better use of recovered aggregates in order to improve the environmental impact of maintaining sites and assets. This tour came after the recent updated publication of Defra’s Resource Security Action Plan [1], which identified reused aggregates as one of a group of materials that are critical to the long term resilience of the UK economy, whilst stating that the availability of indigenous land sand and gravel supplies is around 10 years. Recycled aggregates (such as processed construction and demolition waste) now account for nearly 20% of the total aggregates market in the UK [2].

In July the Midlands Region saw Pete Aspley take up office as President. Pete is the Wholesale Service Delivery Director with South Staffs Water (Inc. Cambridge Water) and has worked within the Industry since 1990, within a range of regulated and non-regulated roles associated with the production and distribution of potable water. In 2004, he set up and became Managing Director of Integrated Water Services Ltd (IWS),

Pete says: “These are very exciting times for us as an industry, the pace of change is set to increase as we become increasingly aligned to other commercial businesses where customers have a choice. Our industry has a good track record relating to the quality of product and service we provide and this will have to be taken to new levels in order to meet future expectations.” As an Institute we must evolve in order to reflect the changing needs of our current and future membership, we have a big part to play and I am sure we will take the opportunity to support staff within the regulated businesses and associated supply chain.

The Derwen group achieve a minimum 98% Landfill Diversion rate, equating to over 1000 tonnes of mixed waste per week rerouted from landfill which is either reused or processed as Refused Derived Fuel (RDF).

FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE In September, the Midlands Area ran an environmentally themed event, at Severn Trent’s head office in Coventry. The event focussed on the need for the water industry to be both innovative and resilient to future environmental challenges.

Jon Sanders, Technical Director at Ricardo Energy, discussed wider considerations such as climate change and population growth. John Brewington, Innovation Manager at Severn Trent, brought this to life with real examples of how these challenges can be tackled, showcasing some of the work he is doing in Severn Trent’s model areas.

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LISBON STUDY TOUR

In early September 2017, a delegation of 17 members of the Scottish and Northern Irish area of the Institute of Water had the unique opportunity to travel to the city of Lisbon, Portugal. After an afternoon exploring the historic town Sintra and decorative gardens of Castelo dos Mouros, we were met the next day by hosts from Empresa Portuguesa de Águas Livres (EPAL) for a presentation on their network control and leakage journey to date and their aspirations for the future. We were given a fascinating overview of the operation of the Lisbon Water supply network and the work undertaken to establish network control which has achieved a fascinating reduction in leakage of 15.6 l/ conn/ day in eight years of operation. From there it was off to the Water Museum of Lisbon which is located within the former Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Station. The museum was first established in 1987 to promote the history and development of Lisbon Water Supply.

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On day three of the tour, the group made the trip north to the Castelo de Bode Reservoir which serves as the principal water supply for the greater Lisbon area. The reservoir capacity was increased to 625,000 m3/d capacity in 1987. After seeing the pumping station that housed five impressive split case pumps it was off to the treatment works at Asseiceira. The treatment works operates on flocculation streams with the DAF clarification currently bypassed owing to the high quality of the raw water source. On the fourth day of the tour, the group headed to the Águas Livres Aqueduct for a guided tour of the aqueduct structure completed in 1799 and measuring 941 meters in length. The highest arch of the structure is at 65 meters. The aqueduct initially provided 1.3 Ml/d and is

no longer in active service. The structure was classified as a national monument in 1910. Following the line of the aqueduct we made our way into the heart of Lisbon to Mãe D’Água Amoreiras Reservoir which was designed by Carlos Mardel in 1746. This beautiful piece of architecture was designed to be “beautiful and not functional”. The reservoir has a capacity of 55000 m3 and is 7.5 meters deep with water entering down a cascade from the aqueduct. The last day of the tour was the chance for the delegation to explore the city of Lisbon on a cycling tour that took in the historic sights and backgrounds of the city and provided a chance for the group to unwind after an action-packed week. A big thank you to our Portuguese hosts for their hospitality.

SCOTTISHAREANEWS

CONGRATULATIONS KATHY AULD A huge congratulations is in order to long serving member of the Institute of Water Scottish Area Committee, Kathy Auld. A huge congratulations is in order to long serving member of the Institute of Water Scottish Area Committee, Kathy Auld. Katy was awarded the 7th Allen Bolton Award 2017 at this year’s National Conference. Established in memory of one of the founder members of the Institute, this award is presented for exceptional commitment. Kathy has worked in the water industry for 28 years, for Scottish Water and its two predecessors. With a BSC in Chemistry and Management she started out as an Assistant Chemist, moving through various roles in Customer Service including creating the first call centre of a council Water Service Department in Scotland, and is now a Project Manager within

Manged Delivery based in Dundee. Kathy has been a member since 1996 and has held the roles of Area Chair, Area Rep, National Chair and Board Director. Two years ago, Kathy was awarded the status of Fellow of the Institute of Water. She said:“I am honoured to be this year’s recipient of the Allen Bolton Award. Our Institute is partly responsible for the person I have become. All the things it stands for; developing, learning and networking are still the same as Allen Bolton envisaged more than 70 years ago. I am a great believer in, what you put into something you will get out more, and this is very true here. Over the years I have worked with some fantastic people, learned a lot and have been to interesting places. The thing I love about our Institute most is the friendships I have made – a bit like a dysfunctional family – and although we may not see each other often, I know you are there. Thank you to Natalie for the award, HQ and the Scottish Area Committee, past and present.”

SCOTTISH AREA ANNUAL FISHING TRIP On 26th August the Institute of Water Scottish fishing contingent gathered at Oban quayside to enjoy a hopefully successful, but more importantly, rain-free day This year there were two sponsors, WGM and Ecotec, so we allocated a boat each, WGM on the MV Creagallan and Ecotec on the Laura Dawn. After the customary welcome and Brandy shot to “tight-lines” (thanks to Robbie Venard for supplying the Brandy) clutching goody bags for the day from Ecotec, we set off down the picturesque loch to start our competition. The weather was great compared to previous years and it was more of a breeze issue than rain, but we aren’t complaining. Refreshments and food were available all day and everyone returned happy if not a little weather beaten.

and get his name off the shield!) with 28 fish, second was Scott McCrae with 16, Heaviest catch (6lb) Edie Bradley and most species went to Paul Banfield (thanks to Alan Dick for the donation of a bottle of Whisky). As a first we gave a Junior Award to Adam McCrae who put some of us to shame with his count of 10 haul. Ecotec had a prize of a bottle of whisky for their boat, which was won by Andy Spiers with a catch of 11.

So to the results; no surprise that the winner was Alan Dick (someone really needs to come

With beginners luck the Laura Dawn trounced the MV Creagallan with 126 total fish to 52.

Better luck next year WGM! Another fantastic day was had and those staying over in Oban had a great evening with local food and entertainment. Thanks again to our sponsors, skippers and to those who came along.

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EASTERNAREANEWS

KEVIN NORTH RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED MEMBER AWARD South West Area recently presented our star committee member, Kevin North, with his Distinguished Member Award. Kevin has been a member of IWater since 1986. He has also been an active and valued member of the South West Committee since 1989, serving as Secretary, Vice Chair, Chair, National Representative and Treasurer. A record no one else comes close to – at least in the South West. Kevin has stood down from the Committee but remains a committed and valued member of the Institute in the South West. The committee was unanimous in nominating Kevin for our 2017 Distinguished Member award. [Photo: Barrie Light, a more recent (and taller!) committee member, giving Kevin his engraved glass award at a get-together in Bournemouth.]

VISIT TO SIZEWELL B NUCLEAR POWER STATION The Eastern Area visited Sizewell B on Friday 6 October to see an American Designed Pressurised water Reactor in full generation. Sizewell B opened in 1995 and has two 660MW turbines that generate around 3% of the UK power demand. The visit, organised by Graham Powell of Anglian Water was so well supported that the 20 place booking had to be extended to 30 and will likely drive a second visit. The focus from EDF Energy is all around safety, they have implemented multiple layer redundancy on a scale unrecognisable in the

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Water Industry, their ‘standard’ redundancy is x4, but this is extended in many areas, even in an event of there being no sea water, the station can replace its cooling with a massive cooling unit on site! Of the many highlights IOW colleagues got to see in the impeccably clean facilities was the huge turbines which, across the EDF Energy nuclear stations help save some 33 million tonnes of C02 emissions.

The visitor Centre Team was very welcoming and knowledgeable and we would like to thank them for their hospitality. The team expressed a real interest in the water industry and we plan to arrange tour of a local Water Recycling Centre for them.

SOUTH EASTAREANEWS

THAMES TIDEWAY TUNNEL SITE VISIT - PART 2

Following last year’s successful ’Part 1 Presentation’ of the Thames Tideway Tunnel, we followed up with the ‘Part 2 Site Visit’ to their Kirtling Street Construction Site. Once again, we were delighted to be joined by Phil Stride, Strategic Projects Director for Thames Tideway (TT) who updated more than 40 delegates on this 25km, £4.2billion project. The Kirtling Street site is on the southern bank of the River Thames and comprises four areas of land as well as an area extending into the Thames. This is being used to drive the main tunnel to Carnwath Road Riverside in the west and towards Chambers Wharf in the east.

excavated and this will form the shaft TT will use to access the tunnel.

an overview of the construction site and their latest developments.

An 83m long acoustic shed has now been constructed adjacent to the river wall to allow shaft excavation and future tunnelling works to continue with a minimum noise disruption to their neighbours. Phil shared with us a video time line of the previous 10 days which gave us an up to date picture of construction of the site.

Many thanks to Thames Tideway for hosting this both enjoyable and informative event.

Main construction works are now well underway at Kirtling Street. TT are currently constructing the main shaft which will act as the entrance point to the tunnel, and allow TT to lower two Tunnel Boring Machines to begin tunnelling later this year.

In addition, TT have started works on creating a new jetty in the river foreshore which will allow them to create an area to load and unload materials for the site by river, reducing the number of lorry movements significantly and enabling more than 65% on spoil to be removed by river.

Construction of the shaft involves a process known as Diaphragm Walling or ‘D-walling’ which allows TT to create a strong concrete wall which will form the walls of the shaft. Once complete the soil in the middle of the shaft created will be

Following the presentation, Mike Appleton, Communications Lead (Central) invited us up to the viewing gallery where we were shown a model of the Tunnel Boring Machine along with

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SOUTHWESTAREANEWS

WHY POOLE HAS SO MANY BLUE FLAG BEACHES

More than just Waste Water Treatment Speakers: Louise Chant, Nicola Hopkins, Danielle Wallin - Wessex Water Sponsors: Z-Tech Control Systems Ltd, South West Water and Wessex Water

played in producing their “Badger” family of ales to – er, a party of water industry experts!. Friday concluded with taking an evening meal in the Thistle Hotel, Poole.

In September, the South West Area held a combined technical and social event for members, suppliers, family and friends in South Dorset

Fantastic weather on Saturday 23rd made a boat trip from Poole Quay an unforgettable experience, presenting many opportunities to study Brownsea Castle, Sandbanks Peninsular and the geology of the Jurassic coast on the way to Swanage. A ride on the historic Swanage Railway to Corfe Castle and beyond to Norden amused both adults and children before catching the mid-afternoon boat back to Poole Quay.

The afternoon of Friday 22nd saw the technically minded members of the party hosted by Wessex Water at their Poole Sewage Treatment Works, where complex water treatment processes combine with extensive environmental knowledge and pioneering catchment management practices to ensure Poole Harbour and surrounding Jurassic coast maintain their very high ecological and amenity standards. Late Friday afternoon saw members and their guests examining water treatment processes of a very different nature at Hall & Woodhouse’s Blandford Brewery, where sympathy was felt for the tour guide as he gamely explained the significance source water quality and treatment

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Special thanks must go to Z-Tech Control Systems Ltd, represented by Luke Stanbridge, for sponsoring the evening meal attended by more than 30 members and guests, and to Wessex Water for the excellent technical content of their presentations. Ground transportation was generously organised by South West Water, enabling the South West Area committee to finally prove they CAN organise a Party in a Brewery!

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