Institute of Water Magazine - Autumn Edition 2012 by Institute of Water

AUTUMN2012 ISSUE175

IN THIS ISSUE: Water Industry Rising Stars 2013 Customer Engagement INSTITUTE OF WATER JOURNAL IOW 175.indd 1

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Utilities defined Whatever the project. Whatever the problem. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the solution

FOR YOUR NEAREST BRANCH VISIT a

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company

www.draincenter.co.uk

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CONTENTS

Introduction You can also read about the redevelopment of website that will bring much more functionality and exciting new features such as online CPD. Over recent months we have seen the affects of Climate Change, with droughts and floods in quick succession. We tend to automatically think logistically and pragmatically on the how it happened, where it happened and what to do. Our feature on Customer Engagement by Halyey Fulford, Communications Officer from South East Water, looks at the communications challenges that have been highlighted during this process. With 2013 being the 25th Anniversary of the Drilling and Tapping competition, our 60 second interview is with organiser Barrie Light. If you fancy putting forward a team for the anniversary, HQ would be delighted to hear from you.

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Journal for 2012. It was with pride and joy that I took up the position of National Chair in May ahead of our National Conference, and I love wearing the ‘bling’ that comes with it! The Conference was a huge success and was very well attended, with so many well known and respected people in the audience. You may recall that I chaired a session at this event which was a very daunting experience for me especially introducing my own regulator. It was a fantastic experience and I hope I did it justice. For those who attended I hope you enjoyed the whole event as much as I did. Inside this issue of the Journal we continue with our Meet the Regulator feature. Rising Stars Tim Wagstaff and Craig Murray have interviewed Dave Foster (Director of Environmental Protection for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and Prof. James Curran (CEO of SEPA). We also have information about the Rising Stars 2013 programme inside which aims to give younger members a unique opportunity to get noticed.

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The Scottish Area is delighted to be hosting the Conference next year and hope you will decide to extend your stay in vibrant Edinburgh, enjoying the many sites; the Castle; Royal Mile; Grassmarket area; Princess Street Gardens.... and the welcoming local hospitality. I strongly suggest bringing your partner and making a mini break of it. Over the next year I hope to visit all of the Institute’s Areas to meet as many members and prospective members as possible. I also urge you to attend your area events as they are arranged with you in mind. Meanwhile, enjoy the Journal and let us know if there is anything you would like to see in future issues.

Kathy Auld

National Chairperson

Features

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IWEX Review Drilling and Tapping Professional Development Rising Stars 2013 Meet the Regulators Supply Chain Customer Engagement

Regulars

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News in Brief Members Update Engineering News Soc Env News Area News

Next Issue The Investor’s View Response to OFWAT’s price setting methodology

Institute of Water HQ: 4 Carlton Court, Team Valley, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE11 0AZ Website: www.instituteofwater.org.uk President: Nick Ellins Chairperson: Kathy Auld Chief Executive: Lynn Cooper Editorial, Marketing & Events Manager: Lyndsey Gilmartin Tel: 0191 422 0088 Fax: 0191 422 0087 Email: lyndsey@instituteofwater.org.uk Advertising: Martin Jamieson Tel: 0845 884 2339 Email: martin.jamieson@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

As soon as one Conference is over, planning starts in earnest for the next one. Personally I am very much looking forward to welcoming you all to my capital city, Edinburgh. The HQ team are working hard to deliver another seamless event, with Chris Loughlin (Vice President) engaging some interesting and high profile speakers. Lyndsey from HQ and I have been busy hunting for venues and entertainment, we both hope you enjoy our choices.

Designed and produced by: Distinctive Publishing Tel: 0845 884 2385 Email: production@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

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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Millions being invested across South East Southern Water is investing £414 million across the South East this year in a programme of work to upgrade water and wastewater works, pumping stations, sewers and water mains. Its 2012/13 projects are making good progress and the company’s £1.8 billion five-year (201015) capital investment programme remains on target. Across the region, schemes are under way to reduce flooding, improve bathing and river water quality and boost tap water supplies, in line with Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate requirements.

“The projects will bring major environmental and service improvements, the benefits of which will last long into the future.” Southern Water’s £1.8 billion, five-year investment programme is the equivalent of spending almost £1,000 for every property in the Southern Water region, giving a big boost to the local economy at a time of economic downturn.

Work is also continuing to reduce leakage, a priority for the company which beat its 2011/12 target by regulator Ofwat, recording its lowest ever annual figure.

Richard said: “By ensuring investment in our communities we are able to support thousands of jobs, while delivering improved services and a wide range of environmental improvements, such as cleaner seas and rivers.

Water companies plan their investment in fiveyear cycles. Southern Water is part-way through year three of the 2010-15 investment period.

“Leakage continues to be a priority for the company and we’re committed to driving levels down even further this year.”

Head of Capital Delivery Richard Price said: “Work is ongoing to replace ageing water mains, lay new sewers and refurbish treatment works.

Travel to make a difference Each year The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust awards over 100 Travelling Fellowships to British Citizens from all walks of life and from all over the United Kingdom to gain experience abroad in a wide range of interests, in order to bring back benefit and positive change to their profession and the UK as a whole.

Claire Chapman looking down on the building site of the Ingula Pumped Storage scheme South Africa.

A travelling sabbatical for those with experience, ambition and the desire to help others, will add real value to your skills and to your CV, as well as furthering your leadership and role model abilities. Applications are judged on project merit, and these opportunities are available to adults of any age, gender, religion or ethnicity.

Halcrow has rolled out an updated version of its successful free Smartphone app Flood Alert. The innovative app was the first flooding application on the market and uses the Environment Agency’s (EA) live flood warning data feeds. The application allows users to quickly, efficiently and conveniently monitor flooding in areas that are important or close to them. Using the latest technology available, the EA provides Halcrow, as a licensed flood warning service provider, with live flood warning data throughout England and Wales 24 hours a day. This information will form the basis of the application that gets the relevant alerts to people who download the app. Flood Alert will enable people to receive alerts relating to their current location, as well as up to two extra locations of interest such as your workplace or an elderly relative’s local town. It can also display flood alerts split into EA regions. The revised application has a number of new key features including: • Ability to query flood warnings by Local Authority and County, in addition to EA Regions • Improved user workflow

Last year member Claire Chapman, an Edinburghbased environmental engineer took part in the scheme visiting a series of hydropower plants in Africa and Europe, to gain insight into how they could work in Scotland. Clare was recently awarded the Winston Churchill Medal for this work. The application process for travel in 2013 has just opened, and there are 10 varied categories in which people can apply including ‘Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ and ‘Science, Engineering and Technology’.

Flood Forecast at your Fingertips

• Email alerts for user interactions, such as: account setup, postcode and password changes, reminder function of password • Back end database now uses a faster geo-processing engine, which makes the user experience faster for the user and easier for us to maintain Successful applicants will receive an average Fellowship grant of £6000, covering travel, food, accommodation and insurance for approximately 6 weeks overseas. The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust was established shortly after Sir Winston’s death in 1965. Since then it has awarded over 4450 Travelling Fellowships.The deadline for the 2013 applications is 2nd October 2012.

• Overview information now updates on app start • New retina graphics (for later iOS devices) Additional information on the capabilities and functionality of Flood Alert can be found on our website at

www.halcrow.com/floodalert

See www.wcmt.org.uk for full details.

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NEWSINBRIEF

New Director of Corporate Affairs at Northumbrian Water Louise Hunter will be the new Director of Corporate Affairs at Northumbrian Water.

and a half million customers in the North East and in Essex and Suffolk.

It is an internal appointment and promotion for Louise who initially joined the water company to lead its sustainability strategy as Head of Corporate Responsibility.

“Louise will be able to focus her wide knowledge of the business world and her vast experience of community involvement to make sure Northumbrian Water is doing all that our business can to support and develop those crucial areas.

She takes over from existing Director of Corporate Affairs, John Mowbray. Heidi Mottram, Northumbrian Water’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is a big job at a big company and I’m delighted to announce the appointment of Louise. “Northumbrian Water has an important role to support the economic growth of the regions in which it operates as well as providing vital water and waste water services for the well being of four

“She is passionate about helping others whether they are colleagues or customers or other stakeholders and will be able to lead us onto even greater success.” Institute of Water member John Mowbray, who has just been honoured in the Queen’s jubilee birthday list with an OBE for services to the water industry and charity, retired from Northumbrian Water on 3 August.

Progress on Affordable Flood Insurance The Government and insurance industry are continuing to make progress towards a new agreement for the future of flood insurance. The new approach under discussion aims to improve upon the current agreement between the Government and the industry – the Statement of Principles - by ensuring both the availability and affordability of flood insurance for the first time. As part of discussions, the Government is now considering how the existing cross-subsidy that takes place within the insurance industry can be adjusted to make sure insurance prices remain affordable. Most insurance companies

already raise a small sum from policy holders to cover the cost of insuring homes at high risk of flooding. The insurance industry has asked the Government to formalise this arrangement, so that all households can continue to get affordable insurance, and to correct a current in balance in the market whereby some insurers are at an advantage in being able to solely offer products to low risk customers whereas others have to offer insurance products to all houses. The Government is adamant that any new approach will not place extra costs on policy holders or the taxpayer, but instead will capture money already within the insurance industry by

formalising the voluntary arrangements already in place. The work between the Government and insurance companies is taking place against a backdrop of significant advances in flood risk mapping and forecasting which in turn is giving insurers the ability to predict the level of flood risk to individual properties. As this knowledge base expands it will bring considerable benefits, not least in terms of helping Government, local authorities, households and businesses plan for and protect themselves against the risk of flooding.

New ultra-violet disinfection plant to open It’s all systems go for a £16m Millom project to help clean up Cumbria’s Duddon Estuary as engineers switch on to the power of ultraviolet light. The project, by water company United Utilities, includes installing ultraviolet bug-killing equipment at the town’s sewage works, as well as a new 1.25km pipe and new pumps.

Millom’s new ultra-violet disinfection plant is a first for United Utilities and thought to be one of the first of its kind in England. It has previously only ever been used in this way in the UK in Wales. The idea is to reduce and clean-up any storm water which spills from Millom’s sewers into the sea during very heavy rains. “Our work is about keeping Millom’s storm overflows to a minimum, and when they do happen to make sure the water is disinfected by zapping the bacteria using UV rays. It’s a natural process, which mimics the effect of sunlight and improves water quality. It’s just one of the ways we’re doing our bit to improve Cumbria’s coasts, seas and bathing beaches” said project manager Roger Woodcock.

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book your Introduction to the UK Water Sector course now The Institute of Water has launched a new course to provide an up-to-date overview of the UK water sector. Run in partnership with CSTS Training, the Introduction to UK Water Industry course has been designed to help anyone working with or in the water sector gain a detailed understanding of all aspects of the water cycle and the management and delivery of this essential service. It will give delegates the information they need to develop their careers and to better understand the interaction and impact the various stakeholders have on the water sector.

delivery of a water service n gain a comprehensive overview of the UK water industry n Identify the key drivers and economic value chain in the water industry n Expand their existing knowledge of the water industry

Speaking after attending a pilot course, Welsh Water’s Rebecca dash said that the course provided “a good overall view of the processes; great for beginners”.

n Explore issues affecting the future of water service provision in the UK and beyond.

Introduction to UK Water Industry is for all levels of staff including those working in operational, technical, scientific, customer service and regulation areas. It can be run on-site and can include company-specific information.

The normal two-day programme will be charged at a fixed fee of £2,000 plus VAT for a maximum of 12 people. Prices may vary according to location and modules used.

during the two-day course, which can be tailored if necessary, up to 12 delegates will: n Learn about all the functions involved in the

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For further information about the course please call the Institute of Water Head Office on 0191 422 0088 or e-mail:

training@instituteofwater.org.uk

COMPANy MEMbERS Company membership is available to those companies within the water / waste water industry who are manufacturers, suppliers, contractors and consultants. We would like to welcome HydroCo Limted, RPS and Arlington Packaging Ltd to the Institute. you can read a little bit about these companies below. We look forward to seeing their representatives at local events and national events.

HydroCo Limited

HydroCo Limited specialise in the field of clean water network modelling and have a reputation for building high quality network models that can be used confidently to analyse and improve systems. With over 20 years experience in building hydraulic network models, we understand the intricacies of modelling inside and out, ensuring a robust model, suitable for all its potential applications in the future.

this process we often identify system anomalies, such as meter errors or closed valves. We aim to work closely with network and production staff to improve the quality of data and operation of the system. There is often scope for improving pump efficiencies and the field tests and model runs allow us to help identify areas for improvement that can help save money, reduce leakage and or help improve water quality.

We have carried out hundreds of field tests to collect pressure and flow data that is used to check the models match the real system. during

In layman’s terms, a model is a geographical and hydraulic representation of a potable water distribution system on a computer, that can be

used to simulate how the system operates over a given time period. This can be used as a planning tool, testing different scenarios on a computer, without any impact on the customer. Because of this, models are often used to minimise ‘risk’ for a water company. Without a model, mistakes may cost the company far more than the model costs to build. Please visit our website www.hydroco.co.uk for more information or call us on 02392 466555.

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MEMbERSUPdATE RPS RPS Environmental Management Limited is the leading provider of professional services to the water industry. We are part of RPS group Plc, a FTSE250 international consultancy providing expert advice upon: • The management of the environment and the health and safety of people; • The exploration and production of energy and other natural resources; • The development of land, property and infrastructure. RPS employs around 5000 people in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Africa, the Middle East and Australia & Asia Pacific.

What we do We support our clients in developing added-value results by successfully combining local knowledge with international best practice. As the trusted leaders of our profession, we employ enthusiastic and talented staff who are able to achieve quality results for our clients. Our principal areas of expertise are: • Water Network Management; • Wastewater Network Management; • Programme and Project Management; • Design; • Surveying;

best Practice and Innovation

conventional meter, it can:

The application of the best products, technologies and working practices underpin how we conduct our business. We constantly strive to bring the best available products and services to our clients and to implement genuine, pragmatic and sustainable innovation for the benefit of our clients.

• Provide immediate indication of the flow passing through a fully open valve;

Waternet

™

Waternet™ is a spatial asset management reporting and analysis tool. It collates data from various corporate and field sources and combines it into integrated asset management information. The principal benefits of this industry-leading product are: • Corporate level ‘dashboard’ of critical information; • Faster access to fully integrated asset information; • Better understanding of levels of service; • A common reporting standard that meets the needs of the regulator; • The ability to ‘drill down’ from high level reports; • Better understanding of capital maintenance and operational costs. Waternet™ is commonly used by a number of companies for detailed leakage reporting, advanced pressure management and meter verification.

• Water and Environmental Consultancy.

Accuflow™

Our unique blend of office-based consultancy and field-services enable us to effectively support all of the Water and Sewerage Companies and the majority of the Water-Only Companies in the UK.

This multi-award-winning device enables flow metering to be carried out via existing sluice valves. With accuracy levels of +/-10% and the ability to measure flow rates lower than that of a

• Enable better identiﬁcation and quantiﬁcation of leaks; • Allow leak repair schedules to be prioritised; • Facilitate new ways to improve system knowledge; • Check commercial meter accuracy; • Identify illegal water usage. It is currently costing the industry over £l00m/ annum to repair leaks that have little or no effect on reducing reported leakage levels. Several clients are now benefiting from Accuflow’s™ ability to reduce these costs by up to 30%.

Universal Metering Programme With regulatory focus on water stressed areas of the country, and the need for improved water efficiency, there is a drive for greater coverage and penetration of metered residential properties. RPS has been working in collaboration with water companies and contractors to deliver these benefits in a number of areas of the country.

Climate Change In response to the increasingly diverse and extreme weather conditions in the UK, RPS has been working with UKWIR to understand the impact on the water balance and the components of the water balance in future years. In addition to this, we are also supporting a number of companies better understand the ‘true cost of water’, by quantifying extractive and non-extractive use.

Arlington Packaging Ltd Creators of a truly fit-for-purpose emergency water delivery solution Wiltshire-based Arlington Packaging is the company behind the revolutionary Arlington Emergency Water Tank – a state-of-the-art 1,000litre emergency water solution that the company developed to deliver the greatest value to any organisation with responsibility for maintaining water supplies at a time of crisis. When developing the product, the company recognised that any truly practical new solution had to be cheap, easy and quick to fill and transport. This made it vital that it could be filled using standard industry hose-fittings and would allow access from all four sides. In addition, the product was designed so that it could easily be lifted and stacked on a flat-bed truck using either a fork lift or hiab. Second, Arlington recognised that the need for regular chlorination or other forms of disinfection when using standard tanks or bowsers was for many companies a key barrier in the way of

rapid and cost-effective deployment. So the purpose-designed tank uses a single-use liner system, pre-fitted with industry standard inlet and outlet ports and capable of being fitted and filled in a matter of minutes. The liner, which ismade of heat-sealed food-grade polyethylene, is part an airless system that keeps water free of any airborne contaminants throughout the entire filling and transportation process, ensuring the consistent delivery of clean, wholesome water. Storage is another issue that can make the bowser and traditional static tank options impractical for some companies. For this reason, the Arlington solution’s outer box is foldable to just 467mm in height, so several can be stored in the space of just one static tank. The Arlington Emergency Water Tank is also designed to be safely erected and filled singlehandedly, so reducing the numbers of people involved in an emergency operation. Security tags are also fitted to the handles on the tank’s lid to reveal any evidence of tampering.

The company is constantly developing new accessories for the tanks, to make them even easier and more flexible to use. These include a manifold attachment that makes distribution faster by allowing the release of water from one outlet into three spouts that can be used simultaneously. And to help the end consumer, Arlington has recently launched the reusable Water Carrier, an emergency five-litre stand-up pouch that makes it far easier for people to take water home. Arlington Emergency Water Tanks have been successfully deployed in many emergency scenarios across the UK, as well as across the Middle East and as a key part of the humanitarian effort following the disastrous Pakistani flooding of 2010. Full details of the product and how to use and order it are available on a dedicated website – visit www.emergencywater.co.uk to find out more.

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MEMbERSUPdATE

CONgRATUlATIONS Congratulations to Colin Skellett (former National President) and John Mowbray (former Northern Area President) who have both received an OBE: Colin for service to business and WaterAid; John for service to the water industry and charity. Colin Skellett is Chief Executive and Chairman of Wessex Water. John Mowbray was until this summer Northumbrian Water’s director of Corporate Affairs. John was awarded the WaterAid 2012 Award for Outstanding Commitment at the Institute of Water President’s dinner in May. Heidi Mottram, Northumbrian Water’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “It would be understandable if people thought that John had water flowing through his veins and his heart instead of blood! “He is a true and dedicated servant of the water industry both at home, nationally and internationally, and has served the people in his beloved North East and further afield in so many and varied ways over an outstanding career. “John has led by example and been an inspiration to generations, in particular, to aid hundreds of thousands of people in Africa and Asia where clean water, which John can take for granted at home, is literally a matter of life and death. “We are proud that all those years of hard work, dedication and commitment have been recognised at the very highest level.”

NEW WEbSITE The Institute has commissioned a new website. Union Room, an Award-Winning Web Design and Development Agency based in the North East will commence the project over the summer, and we are hoping the new site will be live by October; with all membership billing systems moved online by the end of year. Union Room have a successful track record in developing similar and related projects; and have online sales and marketing expertise to help ‘sell’ the online membership proposition. The current website was designed and built in 2007; and was updated in 2009 when the Institute changed its name and rebranded. The Institute’s ‘Water Future's Programme’ has enabled us to be a lot clearer about what we are offering and to whom, and a number of new initiatives and services have been developed along the way. The new website will help us to communicate all of this to non-members in a clear and transparent way. The member log-in area will remain and the website will be updated daily with industry news. A portal for members to record their CPd will also become available next year. This will offer the facility to set plans, objectives, targets and timescales. Supporting evidence can be added via adding documents and URLs and mentor access to records will be available. A website sub- committee has been set up to oversee the project and a random selection of members will be contacted for their feedback on the development of the site.

60 SECOND INTERVIEW Each issue we feature a 60 second interview with a well known figure from the Water Industry. For this issue we interviewed Barrie Light, Leakage Supervisor from Sembcorp Bournemouth Water who organises the Institute of Water National Drilling and Tapping Competition each year. The Drilling and Tapping Competition for anybody not in the know is an opportunity for the Industry to display the skills and attributes of the staff which most of the time are buried below ground! The Competition consists of a team of two people drilling a 150m ductile Iron main and making a simulated connection to a meter box all in the fastest time. Each year the winning team are offered the chance to travel to the USA to compete in the American Water Works Association Competition courtesy of our sponsors St gobain PAM. I organise the National Drilling and Tapping Competition because having competed myself for 11 years, I still have much passion for the Competition. Meeting up with people in the same industry and exchanging information still provides a great buzz. 2013 will see the 25th drilling and Tapping

Competition. This will be special because not only will we be continuing with our normal format of National Champions, Best Contractor, Best Newcomers and of course the Mueller Ladies Competition, we will also be hosting the World Water Cup, where teams from the USA and Netherlands come over to compete in their respective methods. This year’s winners, Balfour Beatty, will be representing the UK. There will be many more surprises as well, so watch this space! More teams should get involved because it’s a great way to network and exchange experiences. It is also a great morale and team building exercise. I do my bit for the planet by constantly being told to recycle everything at home, mind you it must be working as we don’t throw much in the old waste bin now!

Barrie Light

The last place I went on holiday was dallas Texas, with last year’s UK winners Sembcorp Bournemouth Water. The team competed in the WWC. The three things I would take with me to a desert island include a hat - (as the thatch is thinning rapidly); a Rubiks Cube (to see if I could ever complete it) and a solar panelled radio. The best advice I have ever been given is don’t worry about something you don’t have the power to change. I believe the biggest challenge for the water industry is meeting the demands of regulators and the challenges that SIM will bring.

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ENGINEERINGNEWS

Two more Institute of Water members become Engineering Technicians We are pleased to report another two member have attained registration as Engineering Technician (EngTech) Mathew Edwards, EngTech Peter Hamel, EngTech

CAD Technician, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

Network Manager, Jersey Water

Mathew joined Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) last summer after three years with Morgan Marine Ltd, a structural engineering company supplying many of the UK Utilities providers including Scottish Water, Thames Water and United Utilities.

Peter joined Jersey Water in 1978 as a labourer. Since joining he has progressed through the ranks in various positions within the distribution and network department of the company. With support from Jersey Water throughout his career he has progressed to his current position as Network Manager. Peter said “I applied to become an associate member of the Institute in 2007. During this period I felt I should look to gain another level within the Institute to demonstrate my commitment to the industry, as well as gain some recognition from my peers. I applied for my EngTech through the mature route, as I felt with my 34 years’ experience this would be the best way forward for me. The process was a challenge as I needed to sell myself, my work and personal attributes which is not easy to do especially to your peers, some of whom you may have never met but have a lot in common with. I found the information that the Institute provided on the requirements to attain EngTech status, and in particular the guidance on how to compile the report very helpful. I would recommend any one considering applying for the Engineering Technician to do so and really go for it. If like me you thought that you could not achieve it without going down the academic route don’t be deterred. Maybe talk to one of the team at the Institute about your experience or one of the members who have achieved EngTech status. I am sure there are potential Engineering Technicians out there waiting to be accredited. The accreditation can help not just your personal development but also help to raise the profile and skills required to work in the water industry.

During my career I have dealt with a variety of projects. My main project has been installing our 450/600mm high level gravity system, and the decommissioning of our booster stations, which were then no longer required once the gravity system was in place. The company has had to install pressure reducing valves around the Island which we have 53 at present with more to follow. I have used structural spray relining in the last couple of years within the town area of St Helier. I also used pipe insertion in the East of the Islandwhere the ground conditions have Jersey granite. By using this we saved excavation costs which made the reinstatement of relaying the 4” UPVC water main a success. This was important as we do not have many customers on this section of main, so this also made it cost effective. I look forward to working on similar projects and challenges in the future” Howard Snowdon, Managing Director Jersey Water said “ I would like to congratulate Peter on achieving his Eng Tech status which is a demonstration of his work, skills and commitment to Jersey Water and the industry and I wish him continued success”

"I applied for my EngTech through the mature route, as I felt with my 34 years’ experience this would be the best way forward for me."

Mathew has a Certificate of Higher Education in Product Design Technology, a City & Guilds Level 3 Certificated in CAD (2D Computer Aided Design) and last year attained an Intermediate Vocational Qualification in Business Improvement Techniques. His combination of academic and vocational experience plus 3 ½ year’s experience satisfied the requirements for Registration as Engineering Technician and he can now proudly use the letters ‘EngTech’ to demonstrate his expertise and gain greater influence within DCWW and the water sector.

If you are a competent practising engineer and are interested in improving your job security or career prospects why not consider becoming a registered engineer? The Institute is licensed to register Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers and Engineering Technicians. There are different pathways to registration available, and full advice and support throughout the application process is offered. Full advice and support is available throughout the application process. Please contact Head Office for more information: Tel: (0191) 422 0088 or e-mail: info@instituteofwater.org.uk

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SOCENVNEWS

Interview with Alex Galloway, Chief Executive, Society for the Environment Alex Galloway began his role as chief executive of the Society for the Environment (SocEnv) on 2 July 2012. Ben Wood, editor of the CIWM Journal, met Alex to ask what lies ahead and concluded that SocEnv has a new chief executive that most definitely knows what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. “It’s important to meet people and to find out what they want. You need contact with thought leaders outside the sector. I intend to be an outward facing chief executive,” Alex stated. So member organisations of SocEnv can expect to see a fair bit of him in the coming months and years, but who is Alex Galloway and where has he come from? Alex was Clerk of the Privy Council - a role he held for eight years - when SocEnv got its Royal Charter and it was here that Alex says he got interested in professional institutions and professional regulation. He also cites a long career in the public sector and the fact that the “public interest” is “ingrained” in him - a key element in him taking the role, adding that in looking at the job it seemed “a good challenge to focus the activities of 23 different bodies in a way that could add value to what they did and give some credence to one of SocEnv’s aims, as set out in its Charter, to promote best environmental practice.” “I’m well aware that 23 different bodies will have 23 different agendas” he added, “and in the world of the environment one man’s brilliant solution is another man’s anathema, so to that extent it is the job of SocEnv – and particularly its chief executive – to try and not just find the ‘common ground’, but to find common ground that can help take the Society forward, and growth is certainly one of my priorities. We need to grow the number of chartered environmentalists and the constituent bodies, and I shall be working hard to do that.” One area he is hoping to explore is the notion of professionalism.”When people say ‘join the professionals’, they used to mean the army” he explained, “but it’s not a bad slogan. Our job when decisions are taken by Government, whether all our members agree with the decision or not, is to guarantee that environmental professionals are taking it forward; that they are the sort of people that have a qualification that shows they know about the principles of sustainability and that they’re taking good care of the environment.” For individuals the obvious benefit is the Chartered Environmentalist qualification and Alex wants to ensure that is widely seen and recognised as an advantage to those that hold it, telling the real story of the Chartered Environmentalist along

Alex Galloway pictured with Professor Carolyn Roberts, Director of the Environmental Sustainability Knowledge Transfer Network, who was elected as the new Chair of SocEnv at the AGM on the 26th of June 2012 the way – that it is not “impossible lengthy or difficult” to achieve – and that it is more than simply “more letters after your name”. More members – individuals and organisations – is key for the new chief executive but he recognises that through getting those that SocEnv already has fully engaged is a good starting point. Those new member bodies may not be from the most obvious sources and Alex accepts that they come from further afield as more diverse industries develop a “green edge and impact on sustainability”, while there is “something to be said for industries that don’t enhance the environment, but which could be helped to cause less damage to it.” With that in mind, and as we have already said, he intends to be outward facing and engaging with the members, to link with the bodies and provide personal contact. “It’s important to meet people and find out what they want,” he explained, “both members and thought leaders outside the membership – politicians and those that are recognised as household names who would be advantageous to try and engage.”

Revised Requirements for Registration as Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) If you are in the process of or considering applying for CEnv Registration, read on.... The Society for the Environment (SocEnv) has recently completed an extensive review of the Chartered Environmentalist Specification. The current CEnv Specification will be phased out over the coming months and by 1 March 2013 will cease to operate. Anyone thinking of applying, or who has recently applied and is part way through the process, should note the following key dates: 1. If your initial application was made on or before 1 September 2012, you will have the current specification and should proceed according to the advice and instructions already supplied by IWater. 2. For anyone covered by 1 above, you will need to submit your final report by 30 November 2012. If you exceed this date you will have to resubmit, referencing the 2013 Specification.

3. All Professional Review Interviews (the final part of the process) for applicants using the current specification will be completed by 28 February 2013. 4. All applications received by IWater after 1 September 2012 will be processed using the 2013 Specification. The actual application process will remain the same as before; the differences are in the eligibility criteria and in the CEnv Competences. What is new?

Eligibility Candidates must have: a) A relevant masters level degree or equivalent level of knowledge; and b) Sufficient relevant and responsible practical experience to be able to demonstrate the CEnv competences; ordinarily this will be four or more years

CEnv Competences There are 12 competences under four headings: • Application of knowledge and understanding of the environment to further the aims of sustainability • Leading Sustainable Management of the Environment • Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills • Personal commitment to professional standards, recognising obligations to society, the profession and the environment Details of the new eligibility criteria and a copy of the 2013 Specification are available from our website together with the appropriate application forms and guidance notes. If you have any questions regarding your existing application or an application you intend to make, please email info@instituteofwater.org.uk

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lovibond Water Testing for the Discerning Analyst at WWEM ®

Initially, laboratory techniques were developed for the analysis of water quality but the revolution to take this out of the laboratory and into the field took place in the 1960’s. The “eureka” moment came with the discovery of the dPd method for the measurement of Chlorine. Small, portable instruments were introduced to enable in-situ readings such as the hand-held Lovibond® comparator system. gradually other methods and discs were developed and the ability to carry out on-site testing matured.

Visit the lovibond® Stand No 85 at WWEM, Telford, November 7 & 8. Simply bring a copy of this magazine to the stand for the chance to win a free Kindle™. The emphasis on accurate water analysis is becoming increasingly important not only for obvious health and safety reasons but progressively to enable cost reductions throughout the water cycle process.

Comparator systems are still widely used throughout the world and, with over 100 water testing discs available, offer reliable and efficient on-site testing. However, the need for analysis developed, as did the need for more automated systems. Photometric systems were developed based on the colorimetric chemistries and these gave instant, digital results. Again, Lovibond® technology was instrumental: indeed, the Lovibond® Photometer format is one of the most widely used and recognised photometers throughout the world.

Today, the evolution continues with the availability of Multiparameter units using LEd light sources for enhanced stability and life. The Lovibond® Maxidirect, for example, measures over 70 different tests and is uniquely designed to work with tablet, powder, liquid and tube reagents. All these and more will be available on Stand No 85 during WWEM 2012. Visit the Lovibond® team to learn how water analysis can enable cost reductions throughout the water cycle or visit www.lovibondwater.com for further information.

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15/8/12 10:08:53

FEATURE: IWEX REVIEW

Getting down to business at IWEX 2012 IWEX 2012 took place last month at the NEC in Birmingham. Visitors and exhibitors agree that this year’s show was a place to do business. Visitors to this year’s IWEX were keen to get down to business, when the exhibition took place at Birmingham’s NEC on May 22-24. There was positive feedback on the high quality of visitors, with all major names represented with an array of innovative products and services on display. Visitors were queuing to get into the three-day event, organised by Faversham House as part of Sustainability Live. IWEX saw outstanding results, with exhibitors experiencing a high level of footfall. Visitors comprised high level procurement staff from the water companies as well as contractors. There was plenty to see and hear, as visitors filled the exhibition aisles as well as the Water Seminar Theatre. Interflow made its IWEX debut by launching its groundbreaking air filtration system there. The Aero uses nano-technology in a compact and costeffective unit to remove hydrogen sulphide from the atmosphere at source. Interflow has bought this “revolutionary approach” to air purification to the UK market as sole UK distributor for the Finnish-made product. DAB Pumps showcase its submersible drainage and sewage products as well as large booster and pressurisation sets with the new MCE inverters.

The Feka VS 1200 M and Feka 600 SV proved popular with visitors, says DAB. The former has a vortex impeller allowing it to pump sewer and wastewater containing solids up to 50mm while the latter, “is unique” due to its stainless steel pump shaft. Obart Pumps unveiled its Smart Pump, which totally eliminates the need for a float allowing it to work in even the most confined spaces. Available at a value for money price, some 15% less expensive when compared to conventional automatic pumps, the RS-32e Smart Pump, literally thinks for itself, working when water levels reach 25mm. It then checks every three minutes to ensure that levels never go any higher. Severn Trent Services (STS) showcased its full line of analytical services, water purification technologies and operating services. The company’s display included its TETRA NSAF tertiary ammonia removal technology. STS was

awarded a framework recently to provide this technology to Thames Water Utilities. ABB took the opportunity to showcase its latest technologies including the new AquaMaster3 electromagnetic flowmeter, which offers the added option of using renewable wind and solar services. Also, the company featured a range of instrumentation specifically for applications in anaerobic digestion, and these included the direct mass flowmeter SensyFlow and Swirl flowmeter. British Water was on hand to promote its next series of Innovation Exchanges with major contractors/consultants in July and September. The events, open to British Water member and non-member companies, will allow major players in the industry supply chain – those with responsibility for and involvement in the design and procurement decision-making process – to hear first hand of innovative products, processes and systems. The Water Theatre at IWEX was packed throughout the three days as visitors heard a wide range of issues affecting the water industry. Topics included catchment area management; SUDS/ flood management; smart water networks; energy savings in water and wastewater; carbon reduction and innovation in treatment technologies. You can read about the 24th Institute of Water National Drilling & Tapping competition opposite. April 2013 sees the next edition of IWEX Water Live, running alongside NEMEX Energy Live and the new launch Energy from Waste Expo. For more information visit www.iwex.co.uk

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FEATURE:DRILLING AND TAPPING 2

1 1

Lee Maddock (left) and Jason Barratt (right) with David Smoker from Saint Gobain PAM (centre)

Jason Barratt competing.

Sean Maher from Daniel Contractors competing

Crowds watching the competition

Balfour Beatty Crowned Champions 2012 Balfour Beatty were crowned winners of this year’s Institute of Water Drilling and Tapping Competition. Contestants Jason Barratt and Lee Maddock beat off stiff competition securing the win with a time of 2mins 42secs. The competition was held as part of Sustainabilitylive!2012 at the NEC in Birmingham from 22– 24 May. Twelve teams took part in the Annual contest hosted by the Institute of Water which sees contestants drill and tap a 150mm diameter ductile iron main under pressure and connect a service tap. Highlights from the competition can be viewed at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMzb xipV4JY&feature=youtube

The winners will go on to represent the UK in June 2013 at the American Water Works Association Exhibition, Denver, USA, thanks to our main sponsors Saint Gobain PAM UK. Congratulations also go to ‘Sembcorp Bournemouth Water’ on winning the International Competition. Danny Hunt and Peter Haslock

secured the win against the Scottish, Irish and Welsh teams with a time of 2 mins 49secs.

competition with lots of surprises, so if you would like to get involved please get in touch.”

‘Northern Ireland Ladies’ team took the Ladies title for the second year running. Competitors Tracy Mitchell and Jean McAlonan were awarded the new Mueller Ladies Trophy.

The 25th Institute of Water Drilling and Tapping Competition will take place at Sustainabilitylive! 2013 which will be held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from 16 – 18 April.

Balfour Beatty also won the best contractor trophy, and Northumbrian Water `B’ Won best newcomers.

If you are interested in putting a team in to the competition next year, or would like to find out about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lyndsey Gilmartin in the first instance. Tel: 0191 422 0088, e-mail: lyndsey@

Championship organiser Barrie Light from Sembcorp Bournemouth Water was delighted with the competition and the level of skill and team work demonstrated. Speaking about the event he said: “The camaraderie between teams and friendships that are born from this competition always amazes me. This year we welcomed two new teams from Northumbrian Water and they too were really pleased with all of the help and encouragement they received from everyone involved.” Barrie continues: “Next year sees our 25th competition and we are looking forward to a great

instituteofwater.org.uk

For more information about the competition contact Barrie Light on 07899817532 or visit

www.drillingandtapping.co.uk

Thanks to all of our sponsors: Saint Gobain PAM, Elster Metering, Faversham House Group, GA Vales, GPS, HWM, Hy-Ram Engineering, IVL Flow controllers, Mercom, Merox screen print and embroidery, Mueller International, Philmac, Sarco Stopper, Sembcorp Bournemouth Water, Talis group, Teekay, UTS, Water Direct

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PROFESSIONAl DEVElOPMENT

The Quest for Effectiveness On 16 July, Stephen Covey, one of the most revered personal development gurus, passed away after a lifetime of helping people and organisations to focus on improving their effectiveness rather than just their efficiency. By Simon Phillips, UtilityPro

Efficiency improvements are, of course, always the easiest to see, the quickest to fix and the simplest to measure ROI. However, if you want to make a real impact on the bottom line or create a step change in performance, then the journey towards being more effective is the only viable option. We have a habit in the water industry of implementing change efficiently. When we decide to implement a new system, for example, our procurement and governance processes are second to none, our planning is detailed and precise and our delivery record is, generally, to be admired. However, how often have we realised the full benefit of a new system? Apparently, the average usage of all new systems is limited to less than 7% of functionality and more than 70% of all change projects fail to realise the benefits outlined in the business case. Why is that? Well, the short answer is, because we are not improving our sector effectively. We spend millions every year on training which improves the operational efficiency of our workforce. Some of this is mission critical and all of it could be categorised as important, but it is not comprehensive. We have, as a result, incredibly skilled workers in every part of our industry, but we have not complemented this investment with activity designed to enhance our operational effectiveness. Our ability to be operationally effective is dependent on great leadership and management and these are skills that many feel have been under-resourced. We are one of the few industries, for example, where the concept of continuous professional development has not even hit the radar. In a 2009/10 survey by the Cranfield School of Management, 52% of the utility sector staff said that the most important thing to them in determining their career progression – aside from salary and benefits – was the opportunity for high quality training and development. An even higher percentage of managers marked this as the key methodology by which talented members of staff could be retained. The identification of the best commercial organisations in the UK by The Sunday Times every year, serves only to highlight to ambitious individuals, where staff are valued and the importance placed on personal development. The arguments against investing in the next generation of leaders are both weak and

short-sighted. The weakest one of all is the fear of losing a valued resource after investing in their development. Whilst, of course, this does happen, the knee-jerk response to stop investing in people is unjustifiable. Afterall, the results speak for themselves; the individual just trained has become a more attractive resource (as evidenced by their market value), they are better skilled to lead both people and major change projects and therefore the problem to be solved is surely “what can we do to keep these people?”, “how can we capitalise on our investment?” or “what needs to change inside the organisation to match the ambition of our people?” Of course, the negative reaction to the loss of a good individual is also based on the assumption that it was only their market value driving their desire to leave. In fact, almost every survey, conducted on why people move is topped by relationships, work life balance and career development opportunities, with pay well down the list. Finally, the ability to measure the ROI on professional development has transformed in recent years, further negating the argument against investment. For example, our own Mastering Time programme has been independently measured and found to deliver an average improvement of more than 22 days a year in terms of time effectively utilised on strategic imperatives. The key reasons that MBRSS decided to become the development Partner of the Institute of Water was because we wanted to do two things; (i) increase the opportunities to keep great people inside our Sector and (ii) to help every organisation in the Sector to become more attractive. We will retain great people if we change the way we look at the people joining our Sector. We need to adopt an abundance mentality.

directors will tell you, the search for quality personnel at senior levels is a major challenge

So, what are we doing to help? First, we are kicking off a programme of Institute of Water Endorsed, Open training events, specifically tailored to address some of the biggest challenges within our industry. The list has not been finalised yet, but will include; delivering Sustainable Performance Improvement, Leading a Motivated Workforce, Mastering Time and finally, Managing Stress and Creating Work Life Balance. Secondly, we are meeting with HR leaders to have focused discussions on workforce development and what we can do together to bridge the perceived leadership gap. However, we know that many of the key challenges are not only specific to the Water industry but unique to your individual organisation and we would like to learn more about this and help wherever we can. Contact us for more information. Finally, we are looking to work with the Institute to introduce the concept and the tools to formalise CPd in our industry. By streamlining this process for employers and simplifying the pathway for our workforce we hope to deliver enormous value immediately.

UtilityPro is a division of MBRSS and the leading provider of specialist training and career development services across the Utilities Sector. Simon Phillips is the Development Director of UtilityPro and has spent 20 years working inside the Sector, helping people, teams and organisations to maximise performance.

The Utilities Sector, and the Water industry in particular, is an attractive option for people looking to carve out a career that matters. We need to recognise this and build our organisations confidently. Investing in continuous professional development attracts the best, most ambitious, individuals today and ensures that our business will still be alive and thriving tomorrow. After Financial Services, Utilities is the second most popular industry in terms of graduate applications but that popularity is not duplicated at other points along the career pathway. As most HR

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Rising Stars

Water Industry Rising Stars 2013 Applications are now being accepted for the Institute of Water’s Rising Stars Programme 2013. As part of the Institute’s ongoing work to nurture rising talent in the water sector it has teamed up with the main utility magazine Utility Week to celebrate and reward eight young members who can demonstrate both the potential and an appetite to progress in the water industry.

opportunities that wouldn’t normally be available. I was able to meet and interview Jo Aston, the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland in a relaxed and supportive environment.”

The programme, now in its second year, is designed to encourage the development and raise the profile of 8 individuals under the age of 30 currently employed in the sector.

Speaking about the initiative Chief Executive Lynn Cooper said: “This tailor-made programme is just part of the ongoing work that the Institute of Water is undertaking to help to develop staff across the industry. This is a great opportunity for 8 youngsters and I look forward to following their progress over the coming year.”

The 2013 programme will commence with the 8 youngsters attending the Utility Industry Achievement Awards dinner at grosvenor House Hotel, London in december. Accompanied by Roger Harrington (Md, Sembcorp Bournemouth Water) and another senior industry mentor, the youngsters will be introduced to key figures from the UK Water industry and offered advice on how to network and make best use of the occasion.

Ashley continued: “I would encourage others to embrace this opportunity and apply for the 2013 programme.”

To apply to be part of the scheme candidates will be asked to write a short paper outlining why they consider themselves to be a Rising Star, explaining where they would like to be in 10 years time. They will have to explain what they think the benefit of becoming a Rising Star would be to themselves; their company and the industry. If you are under the age of 30 and wish to be considered for the 2013 programme, please contact Lyndsey gilmartin at the Institute of Water for an application form. Telephone: 0191 422 0088 E-mail: training@ instituteofwater.org.uk Applications must be returned by noon on 21 September.

Roger Harrington and Chris Loughlin (CE, South West Water) will be holding a masterclass for the Rising Stars at their respective company premises during which the youngsters will be able to ask questions about the real experience of leading a major company and any tips they may have for management success. Profiles of the youngsters will be featured in Utility Week and there will be a programme of other initiatives rolling throughout 2013 specifically designed to develop the youngsters. Rising Star Ashley Moule, a Network Asset Engineer from dwr Cymru Welsh Water, is taking part in the 2012 programme. Speaking about how he has benefited from the initiative he said: “The programme has provided me with further opportunity to develop; broaden my experience; see other parts of the industry; and has given me a platform to demonstrate my ability to my company and colleagues. It has also provided

Our 2012 Rising Stars at last year’s Utility Industry Achievement Awards Dinner. From top right clockwise: Ashley Moule, Niall Darrant, Peter Simpson, Kathryn Ayres, Paul Holton, Tim Wagstaff, Lucy Johnson, Roger Harrington, Craig Murray, Cigolene Nguyen.

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MEET THE REgUlATORS WITH OUR

Rising Stars

In our last issue of the Journal three of the Institute’s Rising Stars, Paul Holton, Lucy Johnson and Ashley Moule travelled to meet representatives from OFWAT; the Water Industry Commission for Scotland and the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland.

In this issue Tim Wagstaff reports on his meeting with Dave Foster, Director of Environmental Protection for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), and Craig Murray caught up with James Curran, SEPA’s Director of Science and Strategy.

Tim Wagstaff, Demand Planning Project Manager, Essex & Suffolk Water Tim became a member at the start of his water industry career. He attended our conference the next year and quickly realised the benefits of membership, in particular, meeting people at all levels and from all corners of the water sector. Tim is now Membership Secretary for Eastern Area and is keen to introduce membership to new starters in his company to set their careers off on the right path.

NIEA The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) is an agency within the department of Environment. It takes the lead in advising on, and in implementing, the government’s environmental policy and strategy in Northern Ireland. It carries out a range of activities, which promote the government’s key themes of sustainable development, biodiversity and climate change.

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15/8/12 10:09:34

FEATURE:MEET THE REGULATORS Dave Foster, Director of Environmental Protection for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)

How did you start your career? Dave Foster studied Biological Sciences at University and a particular interest in ecology and biological systems influenced his decision to pursue a career in the environmental sector. On first searching for a role in a private sector consultancy, Dave bumped into his MSc tutor who highlighted a part time role at the National Rivers Authority (NRA). This marked the start of six years at the NRA before moving to the Environment Agency for England & Wales in a variety of operational and policy roles. In August 2010 a family decision to move to Belfast led to Dave landing his current role of Director of Environmental Protection for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) which he admitted was “A bit of a culture change.” He continues,“It was the relationship with other parts of government and that close relationship with ministers that took me a bit by surprise.” What is the future structure of the NIEA? “The setup of the NIEA is being looked at as our minister is keen to setup an independent agency. It is likely that the natural heritage and the environmental protection part of the organisation would stay together and that the built heritage area that’s perhaps less linked would be separated. I don’t think we would see any changes in the near future though as although our minister is keen politically he hasn’t got the support to do it.” How does the NIEA compare with the Environment Agency for England & Wales? “The NIEA is an executive agency of the department of the environment of which the minster is the head so from that point of view, he sets the agenda and he ultimately will make the key decisions within his physical remit. “There would have been a very strong contrast six or seven years ago to how the EA was run particularly at the time of Baroness Young as the Chief Executive, but I think that positions have changed as they have for all NDBP quangos in England & Wales. The current government has made it very clear that they do the ‘policy’ and the agencies do the ‘delivery’ and so I think that the EA and ourselves have perhaps a similar ‘Modus Operandi’, more so than in previous years.” What are the NIEA’s research priorities? “At the moment we have got a big issue with fracking which is causing a lot of political interest. We are working with our colleagues in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)in a phased research approach which is estimated to take three to five years to complete.

“At the moment the minister will make the decisions on planning for fracking as well as making any environmental permitting decisions. I joined the minister recently on a trip to Washington to meet the US EPA about afracking study they are conducting. The minister is very interested in this and he wanted to hear firsthand what they are doing on their study and on drinking water in particular.” How are the NI river basin management plans progressing? Dave said there has been a lot of discussion in the industry around River Basin Management Plans. NIEA’s target was to make the programmes of measures identified in the river basin management plans operational by 2012. By 2015 the aim isto achieve the environmental objectives set for all water bodies under the Water Framework Directive. Relatively challenging targets compared to England were set during the economic downturn meaning a lot of the additional funding required wasn’t met or was only partially met adding to the challenge. He suggested this may well impact ultimately on the achievement of the Water Framework Directives objectives. He went on to say, “A significant part of the first programme of measures was around implementation of the nitrates directive. Northern Ireland has a total territory approach to the nitrates directive, rather than Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, so all farmers are covered in NI.” There has been a significant investment in slurry storage. Slurry storage costs £10-25 per m3 equating to tens of thousands of pounds investment for each farmer to comply. “We have a closed period for slurry spreading from mid-October to the end of January” which stops nitrates leaching into the water course, improving water quality. “There is quite a lot of expectation that this will lead to a reduction in nutrient inputs which is probably one of the key issues in the water environment.”

it effectively. It was thought no one in Ireland would allow it to happen but part of the deal for the EU/IMF bailout for Ireland was that they introduce water charges within a three year programme. Does EU legislation provide greater protection for the environment? “I think in general it has resulted in a lot of environmental improvements over the years. There have been many directives such as the bathing water and urban waste water treatment directive thathave all driven improvements. The question on the drinking water side is how close to 100% do you try and get? Certainly in NI we take a different approach I think to England and Wales. Our compliance is slightly lower than in England as a decision was made on affordability. “The priority substances act is not expected to be as big an issue in NI as in England and Wales as a pragmatic approach to priority substances is being taken with monitoring taking place to assess the situation. The biggest threats to good chemical status are nitrogen and phosphorous.” Dave identified that priority substances, “will be dealt with as part of the second round of plans from 2015 onwards.”He continues,“It is not to say that I do not think it is important. Certainly, the issues around flooding infrastructure might be perhaps more at face value the bigger priority over here.”

Is domesticwater charging something that may be considered in the future?

Do you have a message for new starters to the industry?

“We have non-domestic water charging, we don’t have domestic water charging. Politically that is an area that no one party will go near. There is no realistic hope of domestic water charging in the near future as I think our politicians would rather walk over hot coals than be the first one to suggest we introduce domestic water charges.”

“Look quite widely. In terms of what I have ended up doing with a biology degree; I am now in a position where I am managing waste management, industrial process control, and a lot of things that would be quite a way away from freshwater ecology which is my academic strength. Be open minded about the sector you might end up in, in the same way I ended up with a regulator but you could work in the private sector, a water or a waste management company and still be making a positive contribution to environmental management.”

Lessons could,however,be learnt from over the border in the Republic of Ireland as they are introducing domestic water charges at quite some pace after years of not having any sort of domestic water charging and actually achieving

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15/8/12 10:09:36

MEET THE REgUlATORS WITH OUR

Rising Stars

Craig Murray, Project Manager, Scottish Water Horizons Craig gave a presentation full of pride and passion at our 2011 Conference. He had the ability to present some serious technical data in a language people could understand, so it is no surprise he has been able to engage and challenge ‘veteran engineers’ at Scottish Water Horizons. We need more people with this talent.

SEPA The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator. Its main role is to protect and improve the environment. SEPA is a non-departmental public body, accountable through Scottish Ministers to the Scottish Parliament. SEPA has been advising Scottish ministers, regulated businesses, industry and the public on environmental best practice for over a decade.

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15/8/12 10:09:43

FEATURE:MEET THE REGULATORS Professor James Curran, Chief Executive of SEPA

Professor James Curran is currently the Chief Executive of SEPA having worked in environmental science and regulation for 30 years. He has been a consultant to the Scottish Office and was for some years the Head of Science with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and then Head of Environmental Strategy. In 2006 Professor Curran co-founded and then ran Entrading, the UK’s first comprehensive eco-store and cafe in central Glasgow. This was sold a couple of years later and he has taken up a post, again with SEPA, first as Director Science and Strategy and now as Chief Executive. James was awarded MBE for services to the environment in 2007.Craig caught up with James to ask him about his career, Entrading and about his role now at SEPA. Did you find yourself drawn to the environmental sector from an early stage in your academic career? “I come from a family that is science based. My father was a nuclear physicist in the very early days as was my mother, so I just naturally went into physics. It was never something that I felt totally committed to, it was just an easy route. I remember, particularly when I was very little, being hugely impressed with thunderstorms. One night, when we lived in Newbury, there was a ‘meteorogically classic’ thunderstorm. It was so powerful and impressive I wanted, ever after, to understand what makes these things happen. Since then, this has moved towards wanting to understand and also protect the environment generally and out of that, wanting to persuade others that it’s worth protecting.” You have had a very interesting career but I am particularly interested in your venture in 2006 to open the UK’s first comprehensive eco-store and caféin Glasgow. Why Glasgow and can you tell me about the venture? “I had been trying to get partnerships together to create an Eco park in Scotland which would bring together all the practical aspects of the environment and I felt like I needed a bit of a career change. I thought I’d take the bits that can commercially stand on their own feet and make them happen. So my wife and I took the plunge… and we loved it! It was such hard work but it was great fun. It was our thinking that if you can make it work in Glasgow then you can make it work anywhere. “We spent a lot of time researching what we judged to be the best environmental product in every category. We really did try to do the entire product range with every item chosen to be environmentally the best even though it meant that often there was only one item to choose from. We also had a 100% organic café. “We set it up, opened up and ran it for two years and then sold it on. Ultimately I am disappointed

that we did not achieve our aim which was to main-stream it onto the high street; but our timing was unfortunate leading into the decline of the retail market. However I remain totally convinced that sustainable consumption can be real, and it isn’t that much more expensive.” So your appointment to the head of SEPA is the culmination of a lifetime of working in the environment industry. Were you surprised to be offered the role? Is it one that you had had your eye on for some time and had been interested in previously? “No, absolutely not. It was a real surprise! It was not something I aspired to and I never had any kind of game plan. My career has been something of a random walk!” Scottish Water’s Vision is to become Scotland’s most valued and trusted business, one that we can all be proud of. How do you see Scottish Water’s relationship with SEPA in five years time? “I would like to see Scottish Water needing almost no regulation from SEPA. My ambition would be that we reach that stage that everybody realises that we depend for our lives on the ecosystems that the environment provides to us and that these must, at all costs, be protected, sustained and if possible enhanced. I came across a definition the other day that I like. The definition of sustainable development is the management of ecosystems to increase the asset at the same time as increasing the service provision. That’s exactly what a business does. That seems quite simple to me and if we can arrive at that point then we’ve done it.” What is SEPA doing to assist in the delivery of the Scottish Government’s plans for a Hydro Nation? “I think it is an interesting initiative and aspiration. At the moment it’s a bag of stuff, all of which is good but it needs firming up so that we know what it is we will all contribute to. I was chatting to Scottish Water and the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) and we decided that we ought to get together to see what kind of principles we saw Hydro Nation being built on. So - to focus a lot of the Hydro Nation stuff on low carbon would be a good combination and we certainly emphasised that in our consultation response. SEPA is, definitely within Europe and possibly globally, one of the leading regulators in water environment. So we can play our part and would be happy to.” Does the creation of a Hydro nation conflict in any way with SEPA’s role of protecting the environment? “No I don’t think there needs to be a conflict at all because SEPA is quite clear in what we require in terms of environmental performance. We are happy to maximise economic opportunities

within that constraint and I think that we are pretty expert at trying to make those judgments. We deploy our science to the best of our ability to make that a very evidence-based approach. Sometimes it’s a matter of professional judgment as well, if the science is not that well developed. I am convinced that we can find the right balance between those two agendas and finding that balance ultimately is our job. I don’t see it as a conflict; I just see it as a challenge!” As the case for climate change becomes increasingly compelling, what strategy is SEPA adopting to deal with climate change and how will SEPA involve its stakeholders in implementing this strategy? “The contribution SEPA sees is within our regulatory approach. As an agency, we repeatedly state that at the very least climate change is the largest environmental threat facing us, on a personal level I would drop out the ‘environmental’; it is the biggest threat facing us. Climate change is absolutely at the top of our list of priorities for the country and the planet but directly our statutory powers are quite limited.” With water companies south of the border coming under increasing pressure to manage strained water resources whilst maintaining customer supply and expectations, what are your views on transporting excess water resources ‘down south’? Could abstraction consents be increased in appropriate locations in Scotland to assist meeting demand from England? “My instinct tells me that it would be very expensive moving water around like that. Perhaps there are opportunities since climate change suggests that rainfall in places, certainly in the west of Scotland, is increasing. It means that there should be accumulated headroom to allow a bit more extraction and also potentially put a bit more into the natural system, but that will be very site specific. There is perhaps also the opportunity to take advantage of real-time monitoring to better manage water resources in Scotland, in effect to optimise ecosystem services. We should get a bit smarter on that. It’s nothing new, it has been around for decades, but we’ve never really put that into practice or taken it sufficiently seriously.”

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WATERCO MICRON FIbREglASS FIlTERS, FIRST CHOICE FOR bASRAH WATER TREATMENT PROJECT After many months of negotiation and working closely with a leading water treatment company, Waterco were delighted to be chosen as the preferred vendor for the supply of our Multi Media SMd2000 Filters in their turnkey RO system. Such system (totaling 40 x Micron SMd2000 tanks) was installed on a Water desalination Plant in Basrah, Iraq. A spoke-person for the company reported that they were very impressed with the quality and the results of the Multi Media Filters. “Such installations attract a lot of interest from many manufacturers from around the world and it’s a great testament to the quality and design of the Waterco range of commercial filters” comments Tony Fisher, Waterco Europe. A total of 4 plants were constructed, each plant consisting of 10 x Micron SMd2000 Multi Media Bobbin Wound Filters, constructed in the Faw region in Basrah, Iraq. The four desalinsation plants each have an output of 100m3/hr and the pre-filtration is about 250-275 m3/hr (system recovery is 35-40%). Each plant has 10 x SMd2000 tanks. Combined pre-filtration for the 4 plants is approximately 1000 - 1100 m3/hr. Waterco currently are able to offer commercial filters from 2.5bar – 8 bar pressure ratings in order to cater for the majority of installations.

For more information regarding the range of Waterco commercial filters and pumps please do not hesitate to contact Waterco Europe at info@waterco.eu or +44 (0)1795 521733.

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Established in 1975, Corrocoat Corrosioneering is one of the world’s leading names in anti –corrosion technology, with over 30 facilities globally and with over 35 years of experience Corrocoat Corrosioneering brings world class coating and Corrosioneering solutions to the water industry with the skills and facilities to repair and corrosion protect the largest of pumps.

Bringing together quality materials and proven anti-corrosion engineering technology, Corrocoat provides an advanced corrosion protection and repair service for industries ranging from water treatment and petrochemicals through to power generation and marine. As one of the global Corrosioneering leaders, our vast technical expertise with proven performance attainments and with our Polymer technology, management and technical services are solving the industry’s most difficult corrosion related challenges.

Providing excellent long term performance, Corrocoat Corrosioneering’s ability to combine mechanical engineering with advanced polymer technology allows even severely damaged pumps, vessels and pipework to be refurbished at a fraction of the replacement cost, often without expensive replacement parts. The use of our advanced, WRAS Approved materials can prevent the need for expensive metallurgical solutions on new pumps, and substantial efficiency improvements can be achieved by utilising the Fluiglide range of materials.

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Capital Expenditure 1989-90 to 2009-10 Source: Ofwat

Water Service

£m

2009-10 prices

Sewerage service

Total Expenditure

6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 1990-91

1995-96

AMP1

2000-01

AMP2

2005-06

AMP3

2010-11

AMP4

Counting the Cost By Paul Mullord, Director, British Water

Ask anyone working for a company in the UK water industry supply chain about roller coasters and the chances are they will not think immediately of the excitement and thrills of Thorpe Park or Alton Towers. They are more likely to be drawn with trepidation to the profile of expenditure they have seen from the water companies in England and Wales since privatisation in 1989. At the start of AMP5, British Water asked its members to supply data on how the five year cycle shown above impacted on their businesses in terms of resources. The question was very simple and related to the number of people employed by them working directly (or indirectly as contractor, sub-contractor or supplier) in the regulated water industry in England and Wales. The three figures requested were: a. the minimum number employed at the transition between AMP3 and AMP4 b. the maximum number employed at the height of AMP4 c. The smallest number since then The results are alarming and show that the number employed at the start of AMP4 (lowest number at AMP3/AMP4 transition) is 40% less than at the peak of AMP4 and that a similar number of jobs were lost from the supply chain between the peak of AMP4 and its end. Estimates published by EU Skills in Autumn 20041 suggest that there were 100,000 jobs in the water industry supply chain. If that number

represents the maximum number employed, then the number of jobs gained and then lost is around 40,000. The CIPd2 estimates the cost of losing an employee (average across all levels) – lay-off, redundancy etc and also the cost of recruitment and if necessary, training to be an average of £16,375. This would indicate that the cost to be approximately £650m for AMP4 or a frightening £2.6bn since privatisation and well over £3.25bn (at 2010 prices) before the end of AMP5. And this figure does not include other hidden costs and intangibles: the cost of employers having to maintain facilities to accommodate the maximum number of employees rather than the average; the cost of knowledge and experience lost to the industry when people leave and do not return; the cost to society of supporting 40,000 extra jobless, albeit (hopefully) temporarily; the human cost and stress to individuals and families brought about by this process. Suppliers also talk of the difficulties they have in planning and developing their businesses in the face of financial turmoil and the impact this has on their ability to innovate. For more than 20 years, whether driven by regulation or by the water companies’ response to it, we have seen this cycle of expenditure and its impact on efficiency. In all that time, whenever this has been pointed out, the regulators have

blamed the water companies and the water companies have blamed the regulators and both have focussed on other things. In February this year British Water held a conference to outline the impact of the cycle and to explore possible solutions. Unsurprisingly, no one single solution was identified although there was a clear consensus that the profile of expenditure could be flattened if the water companies adopted a ‘can do’ attitude and made a concerted effort. It was also felt that no structural changes to the way the industry is regulated were needed for this to happen, although changes are anticipated and these should probably help rather than hinder the process. The conference was supported by Water UK and well-attended by water companies and a joint presentation was given by Ofwat and Infrastructure UK focussing on the ongoing work they were doing to investigate the causes of the cycle and potential remedy. This work is now nearing completion and their report is due to be published in mid-July. British Water has been asked to organise a second AMP Cycle Conference (provisionally 11 September in London) to roll out their findings and recommendations. The report and the conference represent a significant ‘next step’ along the way to a

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FEATURE:SUPPly CHAIN smoother, flatter roller coaster ride that many in the supply chain would welcome. 1 Energy &Utility Skills Labour Market Investigation of the UK Water Industry. Autumn 2004 2 CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) Fact Sheet – Survey Results updated 2010

THE AMP CyClE AND INNOVATION - A SUPPly CHAIN VIEW By David Smoker, Chair, SBWWI Although privatisation of the UK water industry has brought much needed investment in infrastructure, it is my contention that the regulatory regime has not engendered effective uptake of innovation. The recent HM Treasury report1 on smoothing the cyclical nature of the industry considered the implications of a 2012 study carried out by IMS Consulting which looked at the impact of the current 5 year cycle on the industry2. In all the areas considered – morale, resources, staff turnover, profitability, efficiency and innovation – there were consistent negative responses from the supply chain. Interestingly, nearly 20% of suppliers believe that continuation of the current process would either force them to leave the industry or put them out of business, while all 5 responding water companies expected their suppliers to continue as they are now.

WHAT IS AT THE ROOT OF THIS DISCONNECT? Ofwat tasks the water companies to provide efficiencies in order to maintain customer bills at an affordable level.

However, the mechanisms for bringing innovation through are neither clear, nor consistent between the water companies. A straw poll among suppliers indicated that it takes at least 3 years for innovations to go through the process of approval and take up, and that water company materials approval groups often seem to act as gatekeepers to prevent new products being approved and used.

Although innovation can help drive those efficiencies, SBWWI members are concerned that the risk element associated with innovation has not been properly recognised within the determinations leading to reluctance by the water companies to take up truly innovative products and/or processes.

Very few companies want to be a guinea pig so the convoluted product approval process has to be repeated in each company. Innovation is supposed to lead to efficiency but the current process itself is inefficient. We know that every water company claims to be different but why not a ‘clearing house’ for innovative ideas so that we don’t end up reinventing the wheel with every water company?

The expectation is that the supply chain that will bring innovative products or services to the water companies. But one manufacturer has said to me “why should I bother discussing potential innovation with the water companies. I invest my money to help the water company to become more efficient, but at the next determination any efficiency is scooped up by Ofwat under comparative competition, efficiency targets are reset and we are back to talking about cost per unit”. SBWWI believes the incentivisation of innovation could play a significant role in improving service delivery. It is important that incentives for innovation allow for products and services delivering benefits over the medium and long term. It is equally important that the disincentives inherent in the current approach are removed. We would also like to see some ring fencing of funds for innovation that enable water companies to adopt a greater degree of risk taking in this area without a deleterious impact on ongoing activities. We are somewhat encouraged that Ofwat’s ‘Future Price Limits – Statement of Principles’ posits the introduction of Totex, to bring more of a balance between Capital cost and Operational cost. The supply chain (and I am sure the water companies) would like clarity on how Ofwat will treat innovations within Totex and particularly the time horizons that will be allowed. When carbon costing is included in Totex, life cycle analysis must be carried out over time periods inconsistent with the 5 year cycle.

Our suggestions for improving the uptake of innovation: • Water companies acknowledging the impact of the AMP cycle on innovation from their contractors and materials suppliers. • An incentive mechanism established to encourage future R&d investment from the water companies, which in turn would relieve some of the pressure on the supply chain to take all the risk. • Clarity from Ofwat on Totex time horizons to reflect the risk/benefit of innovation uptake. • Best Materials Groups to actively promote innovative products and solutions, rather than acting as gatekeepers. • A water industry clearing house for innovation. Innovation is in the lifeblood of suppliers but innovations can only bring the efficiencies that the Water Industry needs if they are implemented, and in a timely manner. 1 Smoothing investment cycles in the water sector, H M Treasury, July 2012 2 www.britishwater.co.uk/what_we_do/AMP_Cycle_Summit_23_ February_2012.aspx 3 Independent Review of Competition and Innovation in Water Markets, Professor Martin Cave, April 2009

do you agree?

Professor Cave’s report on competition within the industry3 considered moving to a more commercial paradigm, leading to innovation, in turn leading to greater efficiency.

The Institute is keen to hear what you think about this issue for a follow up feature in our next issue.

Water companies need innovation to achieve their stretching efficiency targets and most have appointed innovation champions within their organisations, specifically tasked with bringing innovation on board.

Please contact Lyndsey Gilmartin on 0191 4220088 if you would like to be involved.

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STONBURY

Expanding into Civils Stonbury have recently announced they are extending their services to include a direct civil engineering capability by bringing their largest sub contractor in house. James Stonor, Managing Director of the Stonbury Group was asked a few questions about this news. Q. Why did you decide to branch out in to Civils and why now?

Q. What makes Stonbury different to other Civil Engineering Companies?

believe strongly in refurbishment of assets as a cost effective, low carbon solution to water companies.

A. Whilst we have always been able to offer a minor civils capability through our sub-contract partners, we identified a gap in the market for a specialised civil engineering function within the water industry. It also allows us to refine the civils content of our existing works. We are now capable and interested in schemes with a value range from 10K to £1million solely within the water industry. We had been exploring the idea for some time, as we were being asked by some of our clients to look at minor civils projects. Then the opportunity came up for us to acquire the assets and personnel of our largest civil engineering sub-contractor, perfect timing!

A. With nearly 30 years of experience as a water industry specialist, we fully understand the requirements of our clients, the asset types, the importance of programme, the need to be reactive and flexible. This includes the responsibilities of working in what is a food industry that can effect public health and the extremely high standards that our clients expect in health & safety, quality and the environment. We also feel that we can combine our innovative approach to solutions and technical expertise gained from years of refurbishment with years of civils expertise and knowledge to give a unique ‘one stop shop‘ for our clients all in a competitive, efficient, financial package. Our aim is to be THE No1 specialist contractor to the water industry.

Q. You mentioned the Civils branch have their own Managing Director, does this not mean it will be ran as a separate entity?

Q. Where do you see your business coming from then? A. Well we already have the civils elements of our refurbishment schemes ongoing and this in itself is a significant amount of work, which as I said will now be controlled more effectively as a direct resource. We obviously want to now grow outside of this and initially we will be targeting all of our existing customers within the water industry, both water companies themselves and their partnering contractors, with the long term goal of entering into minor civils framework packages as well as carrying out individual schemes. We will be looking at both clean and waste water schemes, along with civils and drainage works to raw water assets.

Q. Will this distract you from your successful core business of refurbishment? A. Absolutely not, we have a fully dedicated separate team responsible to their own managing director, who has years of experience working through us, on various water industry schemes. They have been fully integrated into the company and work to exactly the same policies and procedures. More importantly they will work to the same ethos and ethics that has given Stonbury its reputation as an industry leader. By adding experienced staff to our internal network including our committees that drive forward innovation, health & safety and standards, it will only be a benefit to our existing business. We continue to

A. No, as I said, the civils resource has already been fully integrated into the business and this was very important to us. With civils being so specialist in nature, its sizeable team required a dedicated Managing Director to run that aspect of the business, who will report to me as Stonbury Group MD. All the staff have now moved into our existing offices, carrying out extension work to provide for this. However, we do now have separate plant storage facilities for our fleet of machinery. All vehicles and plant will be in Stonbury livery and all operatives will be wearing Stonbury branded clothing as they are in any other part of the business. Our clients will retain their client managers within Stonbury for all types of work whether it be refurbishment or new build. Q. What next? A. Well apart from looking forward to seeing our gleaming white and blue machinery set to work we will now be getting our heads down in this busy period of the AMP and concentrating on producing the standard of work our clients expect from us. Stonbury civils can be contacted on our existing office telephone numbers, through our website www.stonbury.com or via enquiries@stonbury.co.uk

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W m t W a n o a

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Wherever you need a solution for professional water management, Mitsubishi Electric is your partner. We understand the key processes involved in all stages of water management. We offer a range of automation systems and solutions for all activities around water processing and supply that have the necessary flexibility and reliability to meet the high demands of the water industry. Our complete solutions take a holistic approach that enables condition monitoring, energy saving,

increased efficiency, safety, cost reduction, security, control and management and life cycle management, amongst many other solutions and benefits. With years of experience working with customers in the water resources industry, we leverage this expertise to develop complete and tailored solutions that are easily customisable and are provided from a single source.

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URS

Hardham Tidal Abstraction Scheme - protecting supply and the environment Protecting supplies to over 100,000 households Southern Water has developed a new tidal abstraction scheme from the River Arun to provide greater resilience during drought. Involving minimal storage space, the innovative design of the scheme has ensured minimal impact on the environment. To combat deficiency between supply and demand, Southern Water contracted Barhale Trant Utilities (BTU) to design and construct a water abstraction and storage scheme at Hardham, known as the Hardham Tidal Abstraction Scheme. It is the first new reservoir in West Sussex for 30 years. BTU appointed engineering consultants URS to design the abstraction point, pumping stations and the 75Ml raw water storage reservoir. It is the first raw water reservoir to be constructed in West Sussex in 30 years. The development is in a sensitive location adjacent a Special Protection Area, Ramsar site and Site of Special Scientific Interest. A particularly rare species of bat also inhabits a nearby Special Area of Conservation. The scheme is also within the South Downs National Park area, and is close to sites of historical and cultural importance. Ecological surveys were carried out for reptiles, Depressed Mussels, Great Crested Newts, Water Voles and Barbastelle Bats. The original design for the reservoir was to be a clay lined construction with a clay core embankment. The ground investigation suggested that an adjacent borrow pit be established nearby to ensure sufficient clay was available to line the reservoir. The original

scheme also required the removal of all excavated material from the site; requiring significant vehicular movements to remove excavated material.

deliver flows under gravity to the Hardham Water Treatment Plant, whereas under the original scheme, 100% of the flow was to be pumped. This provides a significant carbon-footprint saving on the operation and the maintenance of the works. The second value engineered element is the pumping station. The original design located the pumping station in a dry well in a control building. URSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; solution was a separate wet or dry well transfer pumping station at the far end of the reservoir, entirely below ground and saving about 700m of transfer pipeline.

URS reviewed the original design from a constructability perspective and, with BTU, gave priority to minimising the impact and disruption to the environment and the local community. The redesign included three key design features which help minimise impact on the environment whilst delivering a value engineered solution. The first of these features is the HDPE liner which was selected over a clay core. The clay core of the original design would have required double handling as a clay core relies on careful selection of the material and the underlying material is sandy gravels with a transition to clay. The HDPE liner required fewer earthworks, an estimated 50% less than the clay core option, resulting in significantly less vehicle movements. Overall the HDPE option greatly reduced vehicular movements and site construction traffic. Furthermore, it enabled the invert of the reservoir to be raised, allowing 80% of the flow from the reservoir to

A third innovation was in the raw water intake structure. The structure comprises a single sheet piled wall rather than two with connecting slabs. This has resulted in a considerable reduction in the size of structure and a much smaller cofferdam was required. The structure was constructed using recycled hybrid PVC wing walls with GMS tubular piles. Scour protection was formed from stone and geotextile layer rather than RC slab. The Hardham area of West Sussex was identified as the most water stressed area in the southern region, with demand for water predicted to exceed supply at times, during droughts, in the future. In the context of increasing pressure from population growth in the South East and climate change, this scheme will help to relieve this predicted deficit. The scheme was officially opened in March 2012.

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Integrated Design Solutions for the Water Sector. URS offers multidisciplinary professional services in all aspects of water engineering. Our activities encompass the complete water cycle across a broad spectrum of industries. An integrated approach provides our clients with tailored and holistic services that respond to the growing importance of global environmental issues. URS provides a start-to-completion service. Our programme range in scale from specific water projects, such as flood risk assessments or individual treatment works, through to planning for large scale multimillion pound developments and preparation of long term water strategies.

URSGLOBAL.COM

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Euroby

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

GA Valves Ltd Tel: 01484 711983 Fax: 01484 719848 www.gavalves.co.uk

Ross Point SPS Client: Scottish Water Ross Point Pumping Station is adjacent to Burntisland Beach which is one of only seven “Blue Flag” Scottish beaches. “Blue Flag” is an internationally recognized standard for beaches with excellent water quality and are continually monitored to ensure the highest standards are maintained.

Project History:

Site Specifics:

Pumping station rags up on a regular basis which required daily intervention from operational staff to ensure the environmental impact is minimised.

At least twice a week the pumps had to be lifted and cleaned to enable the pumping station to continue to operate.

The pumping station was attracting a higher than average operational spend requirement which prompted the investment into the Deragger II® pump control.

DERAGGER II ® fitted to 2 of 3.1kW DOL pumps. Install date April 2011

Outcomes: No ragging issues since installation. Reduce electricity consumption by 35%. n Cost benefit of £8,112 in first year. n Payback period of 5 months (standard CBA calculation) n

Data: Before: No of operator pump lift and clean due to pump ragging: 2/wk*1

After: No of operator pump lift and clean due to pump ragging: Zero*4

Pump full load current:

4.1amps*2

No of deragging cycles:

297*3

6.7amps*2

The DERAGGER II is a lowvoltage electric motor management system with state-of-theart technology and network communication capabilities that provides Anti-Ragging functionality to wastewater pumps.

3 Almond Road, Falkirk, United Kingdom FK2 9HQ t. 01324 611237 e. info@clearwatercontrols.co.uk www.clearwatercontrols.co.uk

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Euroby A4 ad MAY 09

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AVK UK

offers a full range of pressure reducing valves and air valves to reduce leagkage, minimise air damage and improve the life of the pipeline. Our Clearway hydrant gives ease of pipeline access for inspection and maintenance purposes.

Industry specialists, providing key products and services to help our customers reduce leakage. Tele : +44 (0) 1604 601188 www.avkuk.co.uk

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AVK UK

Water leakage The scale of continuing water leakage and the current condition of much of UK’s aging water network has been well documented. Despite significant investment in upgrading and new lays, much still needs to be done - a fact that unfortunately holds true for the whole industry.

controlled on a time or consumption basis. But caution must be exercised. In a system with high demand but low pressure, for example, pressure reducing valves can be forced closed, resulting in loss of supply to the customer if the incorrect product selection is made with PRV’s unable to react to changing flow/pressure conditions. Choosing the correct valve in both diameter and type will allow water utilities to manage their networks more efficiently during any 24 hour period, and it is here that the valve manufacturer’s knowledge of how best to use his own product really pays dividends. With the correct selection and application, leakage rates can be reduced by upwards of 5%.

Air The relationship between a pipeline system and the air within it is one that is not normally considered. However it has been shown that uncontrolled air within a pipeline will not only reduce the life of the asset, but also cause damage during a transient pressure event. The issue of surge is one that requires in-depth research, but there is no doubt that up-surge and down-surge will result in significant pressures being applied to the pipe. If 0.3 m/sec of fluid velocity is forced to a sudden stop, for example, water pressures increase by 3.45 to 4.14 bar, depending on the pipe materials, topography and other variables. These surge events can cause damage to pumping stations, pipelines and fittings alike.

Although defra and OFWAT acknowledge that leakage rates have fallen by over 30% since the mid 1990s, it is nonetheless estimated that 3.4bn litres of water are still being lost from our networks every day. With a CAPEX program that is increasing yearly and an ongoing review of OPEX spending, what can companies in the supply chain do to assist the industry in improving this unacceptable situation whilst keeping within the funding available? First and foremost, they must have the depth of specialist knowledge of their own products necessary to diagnose the customer’s immediate problem and to recommend a practical solution. And in the longer term they should be able to advise on how leakage should be handled in order to minimise such problems. Suppliers to the UK Water Industry need to be able to confirm that the product they are offering fully comply or indeed exceed, with all relevant standards and approvals that the water companies specify in their scope of supply. Suppliers must be able to demonstrate design, manufacturing and testing procedures that

confirm their suitability which will ultimately pay dividends not only in improving the life cycle costs but reducing leakage compared to products which fail prematurely. In addition to this, for the valve manufacturer, leakage control centres around the management of two variables in the distribution system – pressure and air.

Pressure The relationship between pressure and leakage is widely known and acknowledged; reduce the pressure and you reduce the leakage. generally speaking, periods of low demand, such as overnight, provide the greatest opportunities for taking advantage of this. As a consequence pressure management has become a very useful tool around the world for controlling leakage in pipe networks, predominantly by creating district metering areas and controlled pressure zones. With the installation of a pilot system that can be altered remotely, either via solenoid valves or hydro valves, the pressure in each zone can be

Surge issues are normally addressed to protect pumping stations and their associated networks, which are designed accordingly - but less consideration is given to transients occurring in distribution systems and minor pipelines. yet the effects here can be just as serious, and may result in customer service interruptions and increased repair costs. To control these pressure surges and extend the design life of the pipeline asset, it is essential to consider the complete system and ‘design in’ correctly sized air valves – again, in consultation with a manufacturer who has accumulated sufficient experience to understand how his products can contribute to all the system dynamics. AVK is an expert in both these areas, with a proven track record in the water industry UK and worldwide. A reputable manufacturer offering quality assurance and technical guidance, we can provide all the products essential to the reduction and prevention of leakage and future problems. Contact our UK specialists on +44 (0) 1604 601188. www.avkuk.co.uk By graham Charnley – AVK UK Market Sector Manager, Water

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Finding leaks not bursts protecting Londoners from the effects of catastrophic failures of large water mains With an ageing infrastructure, unsustainable leakage levels, and an ever increasing customer and regulatory pressure to improve service, the challenges facing todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water companies around the world are well documented, and show no sign of abating, as water companies are increasingly required to work with scarce resources under the constraints of tightening operational and capital budgets. But TrunkMinder, a new monitoring technology, is now being deployed across London and the South East of England in numerous locations, making a new tool available to water companies to address and mitigate the effects of ever-growing challenges. The Crossrail project in central London is already using the technology to monitor the effects of massive construction on the existing utility mains that cross the construction corridor, as well as the longer-term effects of any ground settlement. TrunkMinder, built by Syrinix, provides a permanently installed monitoring and surveillance system on pipes greater than 200mm diameter, and at up to 750 metre spacings. The technology monitors a number of parameters including flow, pressure and multiple channel

vibro-acoustic signals from the pipelines, and will automatically report the smallest of changes that may indicate a defect. The system is continuous, fully automated and intelligent, and will detect defects to an accuracy of 1 metre on the ground, as well as reporting bursts within seconds. The system operates in an online, cloud-based environment and is in effect a â&#x20AC;&#x153;fit and forgetâ&#x20AC;? system that automatically sends alerts to the pipeline operator.

the asset planning and expenditure process, targeting precious financial resources where and when they are needed. Contact info@syrinix.com for more information and to find out how the TrunkMinder could benefit your network.

Armed with this technology, the water company is now able to identify emerging defects early in their lifecycle, and take a proactive approach to remedying the problem before it grows larger and eventually a catastrophic failure occurs. Catching small leaks early means that less water is lost, and costly and disruptive emergency works can be avoided. It also ensures that service to customers is not disrupted, and that the entire utility network is safer, particularly minimising risk to those in basement properties, or buildings adjacent to mains pipelines Data from the system can also improve hydraulic modelling and optimisation of networks, as well as identifying sections of pipelines that require capital interventions. This in turn improves

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S URFACE WATER M ANAGEMENT S YSTEMS

StopLogs - Flood Protection

SUDS:

Sur face Water Scr eening & Water Tr eatment Stor m Water Attenuation Flow Contr ol & Flood Alleviation

RIVER FLOW MANAGEMENT

HydroGuard - Flood Barriers

HydroSlide - Flow Control Regulators A proven cost effective technique for controlling flows and alleviating flooding - Maximises permissible downstream flows - Adjustable to Âą 30% from design flow - Minimises upstream storage through constant discharge - Simplifying design and construction of dam structures - Manufactured to meet any design flow requirements - Non-powered mechanical control

HydroSlide - River Flow Control

C LEAN WATER M ANAGEMENT S YSTEMS : This section of the Hydrok portfolio covers solutions for raw water intake screens and managing surface water flow within the water networks - for flow control and the alleviation and prevention of flooding and for miscellaneous water control products.

Hydrok Raw Water Intake Screens

HYDROK RAW WATER INTAKE SCREENS Based on the Hydrok patented wedge wire technology combined with a patent pending dual action screen purging system, developed at the Hydrok R & D facility at their UK manufacturing base.

www.hydrok.co.uk

Hydrok stainless steel wedge wire profiles utilised in all Hydrok CSO screens

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Tiny things cause great concerns? Think in advance. Think about Xylem.

The tiny things we are talking about are traces of pharmaceuticals pesticides or industrial chemicals in our drinking water sources The Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) using combined technologies like UV, Ozone and Hydrogen Peroxide is the right answer for these persistent micropollutants. In fact, AOP is far more than creating a universal product combining in one various technologies. First and foremost it is combining in one a great deal of expertise and experience. We’ve got both. Focusing on your individual issue, we provide three treatment options: UV & H 2 O2 , Ozone & H2 O2 , and the combined power of all three applications. For sure, one of these pre-engineered WEDECO solutions will be the most efﬁcient supplement for your treatment process. To learn more about WEDECO’s cost-effective Advanced Oxidation Process solutions, contact our Wedeco experts on 0115 940 0111 or visit www.xyleminc.com

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PANTON MClEOD

Panton Mcleod achieve a Hat-Trick of Expansions Panton McLeod has been celebrating after winning a three year framework contract with Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water), re-locating its headquarters, and expanding its ﬂeet of service vehicles. The firm have relocated from Newtown St Boswells to nearby Tweedbank Industrial Estate in the Scottish Borders to a 10,000 sq ft headquarters unit, suitably named Amanzi House-the Zulu word for water-in tribute of its founder’s South African background. His son, Jim W Panton, now Chief Executive at Panton McLeod said: “There have been some big developments this year which are very exciting and show how far the company has come since my father founded it in 1994. “He built it from scratch but had a clear vision which undoubtedly gave it the drive to grow from strength to strength earning it the reputation as one of the most prominent names in the water industry. It really is an amazing achievement. To support the framework with dwr Cymru further, Panton McLeod has sourced a base in the traditional country town Monmouth, South East Wales. This development is expected to bring a number of employment opportunities to the area as well as further support to their Severn Trent contract, whilst improving emergency response time in the Southern half of the UK. A range of services will be governed in the three year contract which covers traditional drain-down activities of inspection, cleaning and disinfection, as well as reactive and planned repairs and refurbishments. Iain Weir, Chief Operating Officer at Panton McLeod, said: “We are delighted to further expand our business and service provision coverage across the UK with dwr Cymru. “Securing a three year contract is a strong step forward in aiding the company’s expansion and growth throughout the UK. We will ensure that we strive for the best results and continue to implement the highest possible standards when carrying out our specialist work for dwr Cymru.” Alongside the new premises comes the expansion of its service vehicle fleet, increasing it by five with some specially equipped for cleaning & disinfections.

In addition 4x4 vehicles are on hand to reach sites with difficult access and the underwater robotic department have modified its vehicles to fully operate their machines from their vans onsite. Iain added, “The new premises and vehicle expansion will aid increasing growth the firm is experiencing throughout the UK by giving us the resources to grow our range of services and facilitate our contract with dwr Cymru and hopefully allow us to undertake more projects with our clients throughout the UK.” With Panton McLeod having recently expanded their services which include; repair and refurbishment, robotic inspection, pipeline services as well as their traditional cleaning and disinfection of service reservoirs, the new premises provides additional space for new equipment and staff. JimPanton adds: “The business has grown rapidly in recent years by increasing our client base and scale of services provided which has allowed us to expand our portfolio and in turn has put the company in a strong position within the UK water sector.” Prior to the recently awarded contract Panton McLeod has been involved in project work with Welsh Water which included a range of underwater inspection and cleaning work at service reservoirs in Rogerstone grange, Pengarnddu, Whitbourne, Blaenavon, Tynywaun and Builth Wells. Iain added: “We’ve completed a number of projects for dwr Cymru including the use of our innovative underwater robots to clean and inspect the water storage facilities. We’ll continue to offer our robotic services but this specific contract is for the cleaning and disinfection and repairs of reservoirs. “We are an innovative company always looking to expand our range of services to offer integrated solutions to meet industry challenges and demand and provide value for our clients. We hope that we can continue to provide our services to dwr Cymru and other clients for many years to come.”

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VEOLIA WATER

Creating a better Environment in Edinburgh The Seafield sewage works in Edinburgh processes some 110Mm3 of wastewater from a population of 850,000 equivalent per year - this equates to 300 million litres of wastewater every day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; enough to fill 121 Olympic sized swimming pools. Stakeholder engagement

The site is owned by Scottish Water and in 2007 Veolia Water took over the management of the site from Thames Waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services division.

The odour issue had been a problem within the local community for some time and so in order to get buy-in into the project, an open and honest dialog was essential in terms of initiating a good relationship with stakeholders. Veolia Water established a Stakeholder Liaison Group along with site owners Scottish Water. The local MSP and Scottish Government Minister Kenny MacAskill MSP chairs the group which has representation from the City of Edinburgh Council, the local Community Council and nearby Residents Groups. Regular meetings are held on site and stakeholders are invited to tour the works to see for themselves the multitude of tasks being carried out every day.

The site is a short distance from the Leith community in north east Edinburgh and because of the close proximity of the two, the odour from the works has caused much angst among local residents, with many campaigning for action to be taken to improve the surrounding environment. Since taking on the management of the site, Veolia Water has worked hard with Scottish Water to both improve productivity of the treatment process and at the same time improve the reputation of the site within the community by reducing the odour from the works.

Major improvement project A major improvement project saw the renewal of the inlet works and preliminary treatment process. Eight new screens are removing up to 300t of rags, compared to 140t of screenings previously, and this has hugely benefited the operation of the site with around 50% less blockages. This not only protects downstream processes but it also reduces potential odour issues. The inlet project has had a major impact on the overall performance of Seafield with less wear and tear and less foreign objects entering the works and causing problems.

New odour control units were added to extract odourous air from newly covered areas including the inlet entrance, water channels and weirs, as well as other key areas on site. This has significantly improved the odour problems, as has improved cleaning of the screenings. A new building to completely cover an open area of the site where treated sludge product was occasionally stored has also been completed with odour extraction technology, which eliminates the need for any sludge to be left out in the open. Odour is monitored on a daily basis with complaints now significantly reduced.

Veolia Water also established a Daily Odour Review system with a particular emphasis on assessing odour impact on the nearby community. If there is a risk of odour, all possible mitigation measures are taken before an advanced warning is issued to the community. During the construction phase of the project, Veolia Water held community roadshows, meetings, and issued regular updates to the community to ensure that they were kept up to date on progress and timelines. The work with the community will continue as Veolia Water maintains and develops its relationship with stakeholders. www.veoliawater.co.uk

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Water Industry Products & Services

Comprehensive service including: s Protective coatings & structural waterproofing s Reservoir inspection, cleaning & repairs s Joint replacement & overbanding s Valve & ladder replacement s ROV inspection & robotic cleaning s Pipeline pressure testing & disinfection

Made to measure Asset refurbishment tailored to your needs Tel: 01896 663 330 repairs@pantonmcleod.co.uk www.pantonmcleod.co.uk

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Quite simply, we aim to Go Further

When it comes to trunk mains cleaning, there are plenty of fish in the sea. But are they all swimming in the right direction? When it comes to trunk mains cleaning, there At Fastflow, our innovative European patented system ensures that we are, because it � Cleans up to 1000m requiring excavations and pipe interventions are plenty of –fish infewer the sea. But are they all � Needs only a single pass, using just a fraction of the water consumed by swimming incleaning the methods right direction? conventional spray � Is non abrasive – maintaining the integrity of internal linings At Fastflow, our innovative European patented system ensures that we are, because it � Achieves cleaning standards well within DWI values � Cleans up to 1000m – requiring fewer excavations and pipe interventions � Combines with our highly efficient, large diameter spray chlorination process, which � Needs only a single pass, using just a fraction of the water consumed by can deliver further, dramatic time and water savings conventional spray cleaning methods In addition � Is non abrasive – maintaining the integrity of internal linings � The system is tried and tested over 80 kilometres of 300mm – 1,245mm mains � Achieves cleaning standards well within DWI values � Our end to end service includes design, planning, civils, cleaning and restoration � Combines with our highly efficient, large diameter spray chlorination process, which All can of which time and cost reducing risk and environmental impact. deliversaves further, dramatic timewhile and water savings In addition For further proof that this is no fishy tale, visit � The system is tried and tested over 80 kilometres of 300mm – 1,245mm mains

Come and see us on stand 218 at No Dig Live, www.fastflow.co.uk � Our end to end service includes design, planning, civils, cleaning and restoration October 2-4, Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry. All of saves time191 and cost while reducing risk and environmental impact. call uswhich on +44 (0) 415 7744 or and see that us atthis is no fishy tale, visit Forcome further proof

Stand D1 in hall 3A at IWEX www.fastflow.co.uk 24th 26th(0) May call us on-+44 191 415 7744 or come and see us at

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Stand D1 in hall 3A at IWEX 24th - 26th May

15/8/12 10:12:20

Abb

UPDATE yOUR DRIVES FOR bEST PERFORMANCE

Anglian Water Services saved a total of over £2.7 million on energy costs across a hundred of its sites More and more companies are getting the message about variable-speed drives (VSds) and the energy and process benefits they can bring. your organisation may well be one of them. But, are you getting the most out of your drives? It is estimated that 40 percent of new drives are bought as replacements for VSds purchased within the past 25 years. Today’s drives technology is much more efficient than those introduced in the 1980’s. Users of old drives also miss out on energy saving features such as flux optimisation.This can save up to 10 percent more energy in pump applications.

get the right size drive When assessing an application for drive replacement, it is always best to treat the application as a new installation and base calculations on the present torque requirement of the load. Parameters may have changed while the old drive has been in operation and the conditions that dictated the original sizing of the drive may no longer be valid.

let the savings flow The energy saving benefits that can be achieved is demonstrated by a project for Anglian Water Services (AWS). With ABB’s help it has saved a total of over £2.7 million on energy costs across a hundred of its sites. Part of the programme was to replace existing drives with newer, more efficient versions. The viability of energy savings was proven by monitoring the existing system for a period of time, then installing one of ABB drives Alliance’s hire drive fleet and monitoring again. This ‘try before you buy’ method helped prove to AWS that the proposed upgrade would achieve the savings predicted. With increased energy saving potential and improved control features, modern VSds can offer a significant improvement in the operation of pump driven applications over their forbears. It could be high time to take a long hard look at yourown drives and see what improvements you could make.

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Water workers are company’s ‘GEMS’ Workers with a North East based water infrastructure company have been held up as a shining example of how going the extra mile can improve customer relations.

Alan Fittes, distribution maintenance planning manager with Northumbrian Water, added: “Our company values are embedded in our people and Fastflow’s employees are also able to demonstrate our customer focused approach. It’s great to recognise Fastflow for establishing good working relationships with our customers as their service is an extension of our own.”

Fastflow Pipeline Services teams, working on the installation and repair of the region’s pipeline network, have scooped the Northumbrian Water GEM (Going the Extra Mile) Award for customer focus. The accolade comes after the introduction of a Good Neighbour campaign by Fastflow, which maintains around 450 square miles of the water network, as well as installing meters and responding to bursts and faults. Neil Armstrong, owner and Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is great news, which shows that our efforts to communicate with people in the neighbourhoods where we work, is paying dividends. “We understand that digging up the roads and pavements is disruptive but also know that simply doing a good, quick job is not enough. We need to work considerately and people need to be made aware of exactly what is going on day to day, so that they can plan their lives around it. “We have made a real effort to do this over the past year or so and have received some very positive, unprompted feedback from the public.

Northumbrian Water’s Gary Cassells (left) presents Fastflow’s Keith Gold with the trophy – watched by one of the teams which won it.

The kind of comments which Fastflow’s teams have received include the following from Joyce Borland of Fawdon Lane, Newcastle: “May I take this opportunity to commend you for the excellent choice of staff deployed to install a new water main in my street. The team has been truly professional and is a credit to your organisation.”

It’s great that our client – Northumbrian Water – is also aware of the steps we’ve taken and has recognised it with this award.”

Workers operating in Scotland have also received individual GEM certificates from Scottish Water for customer communications.

The customer focus category in the inaugural NWL GEM Awards required entrants to demonstrate an understanding of customer needs and the management, measurement and improvement of the customer relationship.

To find out more about Fastflow, including its new National Grid approved Energy Services business, visit stand 218 at the No Dig Live event, 2-4 October at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry or log on to www.fastflow.co.uk

Judges said Fastflow had taken on Northumbrian Water’s customer focus values, thoroughly briefed and trained its workforce in positive and proactive communications and as a result attracted significant positive feedback.

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17245 P

technology for network management and leakage control

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Need accurate Pipeline infrastructure advice?

Wouldn’t it be great to know the condition of pipes without interrupting supply? Wouldn’t it be helpful to make renewal/rehabilitate decisions based on thousands of past cases?

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We offer a complete range of services: • Non-Destructive Inspection (NDT):

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WHEN IS A CHAINSAW NOT A CHAINSAW? LET US TELL YOU

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STEVE VICK

ALL NEW AT NO DIG 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STEVE VICK INTERNATIONAL, STAND NO. 45

Achieve legislative compliance without the risk of penalties.

Steve Vick International is taking an outside stand at No Dig 2012 to demonstrate new products in their pipe handling range: a trailer capable of transporting 500 metre coils, two Mini Pipe Handlers which attach to excavators to handle PE pipe on site and the MACAW, a digger attachment for cracking redundant cast iron mains.

First pipe coil trailer of its kind The new trailer has a number of key advantages: By taking a 500 metre coil as opposed to a typical 100 metres, it allows operators to save money by reducing pipe wastage by up to13%. Due to an improved central drum configuration, pipe is dispensed quicker, faster and more smoothly compared with trailers with no central drum.

New Pipe Handler for mini excavators These tools attach to mini excavators to allow PE pipe, up to 180mm in diameter, to be manoeuvred on site and inserted quickly and securely from the safety of the cab. Typical insertion speeds of up to 10 metres per minute are possible.

A Cracking piece of kit The MACAW, suitable for 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 24â&#x20AC;? cast iron mains, makes breaking out abandoned mains a quick, easy and safe job, compared with alternative hand held tooling. A smaller model will be available soon.

ABB Measurement Products is helping utility and industrial operators to comply with the latest potable water and effluent quality legislation, MCERTS and other standards. To find out more about our comprehensive portfolio including flowmeters, water analysers, and data logging devices, plus our verification services, visit www.abb.co.uk/instrumentation or email moreinstrumentation@gb.abb.com ref. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;legislationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

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instituteofwater.org.uk 51 15/8/12 10:13:13

The ‘D’ word

By Hayley Griffith, Communications Officer, South East Water

I’m talking about Drought! It has been hard to escape recent coverage of the drought and as a nation that loves talking (and moaning) about the weather, it certainly seems to have dominated conversations, television programmes and newsbroadcasts for the first half of the year. Two years of exceptionally low rainfall during the crucial winter recharge season awarded the South East with drought status and meant water companies in the South East have been experiencing life in the full glare of the media spotlight for several months. The worsening situation forced seven water companies to introduce Temporary Use Bans at the beginning of April and since then, typically, it hasn’t stopped raining! Or it certainly seems that way. At the time of writing this article the remaining water companies with Temporary Use Bans in place had just lifted restrictions. Once restrictions have been lifted by all water companies, we can begin to look retrospectively on lessons learnt. Aside from the obvious challenge of ensuring the supply of water is maintained to customers’ taps throughout the drought, I set about looking into what communications challenges have been highlighted during this process. It would seem that the challenges emerging from

the start were clear; how will we manage our customer expectations, how will we communicate the various aspects of the drought and Temporary Use Ban to our customers, media and stakeholders and how will we do this and emerge the other side with reputations intact? Of course this isn’t the first drought the country has seen and it certainly won’t be the last. We can take on board lessons learnt during the last drought but communication methods have taken a leap forward since then and so have customer expectations. It is important not to lose sight of customer perception and their understanding of the situation. What has been helpful to observe over the last six months or so is customers’ response and attitude to introducing restrictions. CCWater carried out some interesting research which showed that most customers (9 out of 10) believe that when there is a drought or hosepipe ban in place that it is acceptable for water companies to ask them to reduce water consumption. Customers are clear though that most responsibility for managing the drought and conserving water lies with the water companies. 61% ranked water companies as being most responsible for managing the drought. If we mismanage our customers’ expectations, we

face the risk of reputational damage. I spoke to Nick Ellins, Drought Liaison Advisor for Water UK, and he gave me his thoughts on the reputational risk of the drought: “Beyond the on-going planning to maintain a safe and clean supply of water for customers, now and in the future, the Water UK Board quickly concluded that reputational risk presented a significant challenge to the industry.” He continued, “Previous droughts had seen individual companies easily ‘picked off’ by stakeholders and the media and as a result, consumers were given unhelpful messages.” One silver lining to the dark clouds hovering over the drought and Temporary Use Ban (if you’ll excuse the pun), is that customers from across the South East of England have been extremely supportive of the move to impose necessary restrictions to safeguard water supplies. I’m sure most water companies involved in the drought will report seeing a great response from customers and the important question now is how do we build on this goodwill and secure their continuing support once the drought is over? If the drought has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot control the great British weather; it has also shown us that it continues to be difficult to predict long range forecasts with any degree of accuracy, although if you read the Daily Mail, they

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FEATURE:CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 2

3 report with conviction that every month promises to be the coldest/wettest/hottest month since time began! So keeping our customers ‘on board’ with water efficiency is now the challenge and this will need to be a combined effort. Water companies clearly cannot do this alone and having spent the last few months building on existing relationships with local businesses and councils and exploring new avenues of communication in order to help deliver our drought messaging, it is important that we keep this going. We will need to keep water efficiency firmly to the front of our customers’ minds to try and encourage behaviour change. This won’t stop another drought from occurring but it might just keep our customers engaged ready for when we face the next similar situation.

On a separate matter and another issue that has been brought back firmly into the spotlight throughout this drought period both by our customers and the media, is leakage. Customers’ perception on leakage is that current levels are unacceptable and the drought has highlighted this. The CCWater research showed that customers felt that to prevent future restrictions companies should be fixing leaks as the solution. Leakage is always high up any water company’s priority list but the fact that any leaks at all occur is a difficult argument to win with customers. Re-assuring communities regarding industry management of leakage when water is scarce is something we need to focus on going forward, but also informing customers of their own responsibilities for private supply pipe leaks. Generally, customers are showing greater interest in knowing where their water comes from, how

it is treated and how we can all be saving water – clearly, a great outcome of the Temporary Use Ban and drought. Awareness of how precious this natural resource is and how important it is to prevent it from being wasted is increasing and surely this is a good thing as afterall isn’t this the message that all water companies work hard to promote all year round whatever the weather? I will leave you with parting words from Nick Ellins: “For me personally, my moment of achievement came when a London taxi driver gave me a word perfect explanation of why aquifers were not responding as quickly as above water ground resources, and how it would take a really wet winter to allow the remaining ‘water boards’ to lift their bans.” Surely a measure of success for all involved with delivering the all-important drought messages?

Reference: You can read the CCWater customer research that was carried via an online omnibus at

www.ccwater.org.uk/upload/pdf/ Hosepipe_Ban_Final.pdf

Ardingly reservoir showing the low levels at the height of the drought.

South East Water staff at last year’s Cherry Festival in Faversham speaking with customers about water efficiency

South East Water leakage technician carrying out checks for potential leaks on the Company’s network. WANTED – Jane Gould, Head of Communications at South East Water, showcasing one of the advertising campaigns undertaken by South East Water to raise awareness of the drought.

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selwood group ltd

Selwood offers an unrivalled depth of technical expertise Established for over 65 years Selwood has become one of the largest privately owned plant and pump, hire and sales company serving the UK construction and industrial markets and is now the leading contractors pump supplier in the UK and in addition to this is recognised as being one of the leading plant supply companies. Operating from a nationwide branch network with a reputation built upon the quality of its extensive plant and pump equipment fleet combined with the service provided by its dedicated local teams Selwood offers an unrivalled depth of technical expertise and on-site service to all of the market sectors served. Selwood is the only UK company that manufactures, hires and sells its own range of both mobile surface pumps and diesel hydraulic pumps with over 70% now being exported through a worldwide distributor network. The surface pump units produced at Selwood’s factory in the UK range from 2” to 12” discharge diameter and can be fitted with a variety of different drives including diesel engines and electric motors to meet individual customer requirements. Its own high performance hydraulic submersible pumps are ideal for use in deep excavations. This range comprises of a variety of 2” to 8” models with electric start diesel driven hydraulic power packs fully protected by an automatic shutdown system. The hydraulic system can operate on synthetic biodegradable or vegetable oil that significantly reduces harmful environmental pollution. High specification motors are featured throughout the range and alternative materials, for example stainless steel, are offered for the more arduous pump applications. In recent years Selwood has introduced a new generation of super silent pumps recognised as the quietest pumps on the market today. These have been specially designed for applications in noise sensitive areas and, with noise levels as low as 58db(A) at full speed and load, are the most environmentally friendly pumps available in the market today. As well as developing new pump models Selwood has a strategic pump development programme to continually improve its existing product range. The recent introduction of the Seltorque S100, S150 and S200 super silent pumps and the D80, D100 and D150 super silent in a close coupled configuration is the latest example of this development programme. An awareness of future engine emission requirements is a key part of its ongoing development programme and the advantages of this improved arrangement are reduced noise, reduced vibration, longer coupling life plus ease of maintenance and production.

The Selwood Seltorque S200 pump has also been redesigned to provide a higher flow option to the unique and world renowned S150. The S200 benefits from solids handling of 100mm, flows up to 540m³/h and delivery heads up to 18.5m, resulting in unequalled performance in effluent disposal and slurry handling applications. Even one of Selwood’s oldest pumps, the PD100, has found a new lease of life pumping polymer for ground stabilisation applications. Last year Selwood also launched an automatic self-priming chopper pump that is the ideal solution for pumping solids, sludge and rags. Building upon the company’s market leading reputation, the C150 chopper pump has been developed with its key partners in the process, industrial and water sectors. All have a common requirement to pump and condition liquids that contain a high proportion of solids, organic matter or rags. The pump, with its hardened impeller and cutter plus a cutting action giving 3000 cuts per minute, is more than capable of meeting these arduous applications. All Selwood pumps have a choice of diesel or electric drivers with different chassis options available, including super silent, and most come equipped with Selprime, the unique original Selwood self priming system utilising a water tolerant diaphragm air pump. Today, the company addresses the needs of many industries including construction, marine, environmental and pollution control, mining and industrial effluent management. This broad spectrum demands that a wide range of materials may be handled from water and solids in suspension to bentonite muds, oil and bilge slurries. With a commitment to quality, safety and the environment, Selwood is one of the very few companies within the UK that holds all three recognized standards, ISO 9001, BS OHSAS18001 and ISO 14001. Selwood is registered with the Achilles Utilities Vendor database (UVDB) and has been for many years. The UVDB verify and assessment service, used by the UK utility industry to source suppliers of major products and services, focuses on risk critical issues associated with Safety, Health, Environment and Quality requirements.

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Chem Envir High 1-5 Fully Capa Valid

Drink, cook, bathe, irrigate, clean - and drink it again. Siemens solutions ensure that the water quality is always suitable for intended use. Water and wastewater industry

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ATG UV TECHNOLOGY: atg UV Technology are prime manufacturers of Low Pressure, Low Pressure Amalgam and Medium Pressure UV disinfection / UV Treatment systems. atg UV also offer Special Ultraviolet disinfection systems offering clients an individually tailored service to solve the most complex of disinfection problems. With three decades of experience in the Ultraviolet industry combined with constant product innovation and the development of award winning system designs, atg UV provide versatile and durable solutions for many applications in a variety of industry sectors and operating environments, with ﬂows ranging from a few litres per hour to over 5,000m3/hr in a single compact unit .

www.atguv.com E:info@atguv.com T:+44(0)1942 216161 IOW 175.indd 57

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Ozonation, a step change in process and cooling water treatment Offering enhanced operation, without residual chemical build-up in water systems or the requirement for site storage, it is no surprise that many industries worldwide are turning to Ozone oxidation systems to control pathogens, biofouling and corrosion problems within their process and cooling water systems. But can it really out-perform chemical based treatment? Mohamed Aly, UK Water Treatment Specialist for WEDECO, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading manufacturer of UV & Ozone systems, explains why Ozone will soon become the biocide of choice for the UK industry. Traditionally, industries such as power stations, food and beverage factories and many others have relied on chemical based treatment to treat cooling and process water. Chemicals such as Chlorine however, fail to provide an efficient treatment solution for various reasons. This can be due to the minimal or almost zero effect that they have on pathogens in biofilm; harmful byproducts such as trihalomethanes; and also their tendency to saturate water systems with residual Chlorides causing further corrosion problems to mechanical parts. Another major issue surrounding the use of Hypochlorite (chlorine) is storage. With many industrial facilities having to store and protect

tonnes of Hypochlorite each day, responsibility and safety are key concerns. Stringent regulations for the documentation and protection of stored chemicals can be a time intensive task and the space required to safely contain this product is often a logistical inconvenience. Despite the disadvantages associated with chlorine, it is widely considered to be the cheapest solution on the market which, until now, has been enough to cement its popularity in the UK. But this is starting to change.

The underlying problem Inadequately treated water can pose a major and potentially life-threatening risk. Within the warm and nutrient-rich conditions of an industrial cooling or process water system, naturally occurring pathogenic bacteria, such as Legionella, E. Coli and Cryptosporidium, have the perfect environment to multiply considerably and become a serious hazard. Additionally, there are major operational problems associated with these water systems when the micro-biological activity is not controlled effectively. Two examples would be bio-fouling and corrosion, often resulting in high power consumption due to reduced heat transfer efficiency, costly shutdowns and the expensive

repair and replacement of parts. It is a fact that pathogens and infectious microbes occur in natural water systems, soil & even air and it is therefore the responsibility of many businesses to safeguard against these pathogens.

Bio-fouling Bio-fouling is the accumulation and attachment of micro-organisms to the inner surface of pipes, as well as the surface of heat exchangers and sensitive process units like reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and Ion Exchange resins. Bio-film usually forms on surfaces that are in direct contact with water, as a result of an extracellular polymeric substance (slime) that is produced by the pathogens in order to encase and protect them against biocides in the bulk water.

Corrosion In favourable conditions the micro-organisms that are protected by the bio-film often promote localised microbial corrosion in process and cooling water systems. An additional contributor to the issue of corrosion is the elevated concentration of oxidizing chemicals within the pipes as well as the vapours generated from the dosing system which cause surface deterioration within the key parts of the plant.

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Pathogen Proliferation Legionella and other pathogenic bacteria are naturally present in environmental water sources such as lakes, rivers etc. and can easily colonise within industrial cooling and process water loops. If this isn’t prevented in any way then there is a serious risk of causing an outbreak. Pathogenic bacteria outbreaks pose a serious threat to human health with Legionnaires’ disease being fatal in 12% of reported cases. (HSE L8, 2000)

The evolution of a complete solution UK industry is beginning to follow in the footsteps of its continental counterparts in accepting Ozone as a true contender for the treatment of water. So why are we seeing opinions change? As with any technology; intensive development and scientific advances over time has generated solutions that are more powerful, more energy efficient, more reliable and easier to use. For industrial water treatment, Ozone is the improved solution. Systems like the Wedeco Ozone Complete System (OCS) series use ambient air to generate Ozone on-site. Ozone is then introduced to the water loop via side-stream injection and in some circumstances it can be introduced directly into the tanks or reservoirs by diffused aeration. Once it has dissolved into the water, Ozone proceeds to oxidise organic contaminants and microorganisms. ”Ozone in ambient air” monitoring instruments are supplied as standard ensuring zero level is maintained at all times. For added convenience, the dosing can be regulated automatically by a programmable logic controller (PLC), which will vary the concentration of Ozone dosed according to the water demand. Controlling the usage of Ozone in this way will optimise the efficiency of the treatment system and ensure the lowest possible operating costs.

of absorbable organic halides (AOX) within the water system as well as decreasing the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). This allows for trouble free compliance with strict discharge regulations. (AOX < 0.15 mg/l and COD < 40 mg/l can be easily achieved).

No transportation or storage of hazardous chemicals

Key benefits of Ozone

Ozone generators produce Ozone on site. The generator, power supply unit, injection system and controls can be constructed on a skid or as a bespoke pre-tested and pre-commissioned containerised system that will occupy a relatively small footprint on any industrial site. The on-site production of Ozone makes compliance with procedures such as COSHH and COMAH as straight forward as possible.

Environmentally friendly

Reduced cost

Unlike halogen-based biocides, once reacted, Ozone molecules decay back into molecular Oxygen which allows cooling systems to operate efficiently at significantly high concentration factors. This improved method of operation can dramatically reduce the volumes of blow down water as well as the consumption rates of antiscaling and anti-corrosion chemicals.

Wedeco Ozone generators include a 10 year guarantee on production electrodes with no consumable-parts over its lifetime. Routine maintenance is normally scheduled for pipe connections, valves and instrumentation servicing & calibration. As for the water system itself, less corrosion and biofouling will ensure maximum plant uptime, saving time and money on costly, unexpected breakdowns.

Increased disinfection efficiencies With an oxidation potential of 2.07V, Ozone is more than 50% stronger as an oxidiser and acts more than 3000 times faster than conventional Chlorine based biocides. This additional power allows Ozone to achieve disinfection by completely rupturing the pathogens’ cell membrane with no possibility for the microorganism to develop any resistance against it.

Consents on discharge Ozone treatment substantially reduces the level

more efficient and reliable oxidation process that combines the three main benefits of less human exposure to hazardous materials, lower operation costs and more importantly, no undesirable residual waste is discharged to the environment. For more information on WEDECO Ozone systems from Xylem Water Solutions, visit www.xylemwatersolutions.com/uk or call

0115 940 0111

The industry across America and Continental Europe has been quick to spot the financial, environmental and performance benefits of Ozone as a complete treatment solution for their water systems. Now the UK is heading in the same direction. As the industrial market continues to strive towards the highest possible standards of working and best practice, Ozone will undoubtedly become the natural choice for cooling and process water treatment. Ozone technology is proving to be the

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WE UNDERSTAND WATER TREATMENT AND ANALYSIS WE UNDERSTAND WATER TREATMENT AND ANALYSIS

Your Challenge. Our Solution. Severn Trent Services' customers benefit from the reach and expertise of Your Challenge. Our Solution. a global supplier of water and wastewater solutions with over 20 offices worldwide and more than 3,000 employees. Severn Trent Services' customers benefit from the reach and expertise of a global supplier of water and wastewater solutions with over 20 offices Which means youthan can3,000 expect: worldwide andthat more employees. -Which We will deliver onyou our can promises means that expect: - Resourceful solutions that deliver quality and address your specific needs -- Responsible and products and services We will deliver on sustainable our promises -- Commitment to your projects and quality supportand in meeting Resourceful solutions that deliver addressyour yourtargets specific needs - Responsible and sustainable products and services Our broad range of products innovative - Commitment to your projectsand andservices support is infocused meetingon your targets treatment technologies, analytical services and contract operating services. Our broad range of products and services is focused on innovative treatment technologies, analytical services and contract operating services. WATER PURIFICATION - Dual Parallel Lateral Underdrains -WATER Secondary Biological Treatment PURIFICATION -- Tertiary Wastewater Dual Parallel Lateral Filtration Underdrains -- Membrane Filtration Secondary Biological Treatment -- Arsenic and Inorganic Removal Tertiary Wastewater Filtration -- Membrane Ultraviolet Disinfection Filtration -- Gas Feed and ChlorineRemoval Dioxide Systems Arsenic and Inorganic -- On-site Sodium Hypochlorite Generators Ultraviolet Disinfection -- Analysers, Controllers and Gas Gas Feed and Chlorine Dioxide Detectors Systems

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- On-site Sodium Hypochlorite Generators - Analysers, Controllers and Gas Detectors For more information on Water Purification visit www.severntrentservices.com or call +44 (0)1827 266 000 For more information on Water Purification For information on Analytical Services visitmore www.severntrentservices.com or call +44 (0)1827 266 000 visit www.stsanalytical.com or call +44 (0)2476 421 213 For more information on Analytical Services visit www.stsanalytical.com or call +44 (0)2476 421 213

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High Efficiency Pumping Solutions

Water Management and Industrial

For more opportunities to succeed go to www.wilo.co.uk

WILO (U.K.) LTD Second Avenue, Centrum 100, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 2WJ T: +44 (0)1283 523000 F: +44 (0)1283 523099 E: sales@wilo.co.uk WILO (U.K.) LTD Second Avenue, Centrum 100, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 2WJ T: +44 (0)1283 523000 F: +44 (0)1283 523099 E: sales@wilo.co.uk

HUBER Technology supply stainless steel equipment to treat wastewater. The equipment supplied is suitable for both municipal and industrial applications. The diverse product range contains a wide range of equipment suitable to treat all applications ranging from inlet works to tertiary treatment. The range of products includes: Inlet screens Course screens Storm screens Sludge thickening and dewatering

Units C&D Brunel Park Bumpers Farm Ind. Est. Chippenham Wiltshire SN14 6NQ

Sludge screening

Tel: 01249 765000 Email: hr@huber.co.uk Website: www.HUBER.co.uk

Membrane Filtration Disc Filters All products are customised to suit individual site requirements and speciďŹ cations and can be supplied complete with control panels.

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Waste Water Pump Problems:

Intelligent Drives Solution

Control Techniquesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intelligent drive solutions for waste water pump control eliminate pump blockages, monitor pump wear and reduce energy consumption. For more information visit www.controltechniques.com/water or call 01952 213700

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PALINTEST

London Aquatics Centre Tests the Water with Pooltest 25 Professional Plus

Mr Mark Cui, Berson’s China Sales Manager, with the Top Ten Brand award

London’s new state-of-the-art Aquatics Centre, one of the main venues for the upcoming events this summer, has recently purchased a Pooltest 25 Professional Plus photometer from Palintest to test the quality of their swimming pool water and make sure it really is a clean competition. The UK’s leading water analysis technology company, Palintest has a history of safeguarding water safety at previous major sporting events – including in Beijing four years ago, and Sydney before that. This Palintest photometer is designed for full-range testing of a swimming pool’s water quality. The Aquatics Centre will use it to measure free residual chlorine, total residual chlorine, pH, alkalinity, hardness, ozone and other water quality parameters. Compared with similar products on the market, the Palintest Pooltest 25 Plus boasts significant technical advantages. Palintest has more than 130 years’ history in the field of water testing and invented the international standard methodology for residual chlorine testing – the ‘DPD test’ or ‘Palin System’. Seamlessly integrating Palintest’s advanced chemical analysis technology with ergonomic design, the Pooltest 25 Plus features easy-to-use, rapid testing, in addition to high stability, compactness and portability. The IP67 ingress protection is especially useful for on-site testing, guarding against splashes, high-humidity environments and even full submersion. Test data can be directly transferred to a computer or control system via a USB port. As well as conventional water testing functions, it also features automatic conversion of balanced water calculations, and will recommend ideal conditioning agent parameters, thus aiding swimming pool maintenance personnel. Palintest can also provide professional water quality analysis and treatment simulation software to be used with the Pooltest 25 Plus. Located in the Olympic Park, the Aquatic Centre boasts impressive architecture, with its iconic concept coming from the fluid motion of water. Hosting swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and other events during London 2012, the National Aquatic Centre accommodates 2,500 spectators.

Berson UV Wins Water Disinfection Equipment Award in China UV disinfection specialist Berson UV-techniek recently won the “2011-2012 Top Ten Brand in Water Disinfection Equipment” award at a ceremony in Beijing, China. It is the second time Berson has won the award. Based on the Annual Satisfaction Index of Water Disinfection Equipment, it is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative and influential awards in the water treatment industry in China. Based in the Netherlands with installations worldwide, Berson is world leader in water disinfection technology. Its closed-vessel UV systems are now capable of treating water and wastewater flows as high as 8,000 m3/hour. The company manufactures UV disinfection systems for municipal drinking water, wastewater and reuse applications and is one of the few non-German UV system suppliers capable of providing a complete range of UV systems with capacities between 10 – 10,000 m3/hour, certified by the German DVGW norm, the highest standard currently possible in the world. The company’s UV systems are also certified by USEPA and NWRI and NSF. Commenting on the award, Mr. Mark Cui, Berson’s China Sales Manager, said: “With the improvement of water quality standards in China, the importance of UV disinfection for water treatment has become much more important. The technology now widely recognized within the industry and has become popular for waterworks renovation projects in China.”

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

AXFLOW corrosives and attack from chemicals. Of the two solutions for preventing pump leakage, the gland packing is much more forgiving than the mechanical seal, but it does have a lot of drawbacks which outweigh its advantages. Packing and repacking a pump can be undertaken without the pump having to be stripped down or taken off-site. Where a pump is fitted with a mechanical seal, the stuffing box has to be opened in order to remove the complete seal arrangement and considerable engineering expertise is required to install the replacement mechanical seal (Fig. 1).

Pump maintenance and mechanical sealing By Mark Redgrove, AxFlow Technical Support Manager Against a background of rising energy prices it is becoming increasingly important for all sectors of industry to consider the operating efficiency and energy consumption of pump systems. Many pump manufacturers are doing their utmost to drive down energy consumption costs by offering energy efficient motors, matching impeller diameters to actual operating conditions and recommending the use of variable speed drives. However, if pump users do not create the best operating conditions and look after their pumps the opportunities for reducing operating costs are compromised. Running a pump without any checks on component wear and maintenance will reduce operating life and increase operating costs over the medium to long term.

Too much maintenance intervention can result in damage to components when they are removed and reinstalled. This is particularly true where the mechanical seal is removed. Misalignment when the mechanical seal is being reinstalled will cause excessive movement and eventual failure of the seal’s faces. Although the majority of new pumps incorporate a suitable mechanical sealing arrangement, it is not uncommon for older pumps to have originally been supplied with packed glands. So when it comes to service and repair, there is an opportunity for the end-user to consider whether or not to change to a mechanical seal. The purpose of a static packing is to fill a gap to stop liquid flow and, because this is between two fixed surfaces, reliability is fairly assured. However, the performance over the long term can be affected by movement, abrasive erosion,

All pumps will display signs of wear, as it is almost impossible to design a pump that is free from operational deterioration. Wear will have an adverse influence on the performance of the pump, causing mechanical losses, leakage and energy (hydraulic) losses. Components most likely to be affected are bearings, mechanical seals, wear rings, rotating elements and the shaft. Unfortunately not all pumps are operated at their best efficiency point or they are left to operate unattended for long periods, so when the pump does eventually crash it is either replaced or fitted with replacement parts without any investigation as the causes of the failure.

What does surprise many pump users is the minimal amount of work that is involved in converting the sealing mechanism on a pump. Generally the shaft sleeve needs replacing as this will have been worn by the packings, but a mechanical seal can be mounted directly onto the existing shaft because it will not cause any wear to the shaft. Fitting cartridge seals (Fig. 2), where all the components pre-mounted on a shaft sleeve, make installation and removal simple tasks to perform. The attraction of AxFlow cartridge seals is that the cartridge unit is built to match the application for the pump and its operating conditions. The result is that that the customer gets the most modern sealing solution available and one that removes the need for frequent inspection by maintenance personnel. Striking a balance between preventative and condition-based maintenance lies in careful monitoring of the pump performance, so that if any symptoms of a problem are noted action can be taken that prevents total pump failure. The pump should only be taken out of service for maintenance after a detailed study of the symptoms and causes has been carried out. If there has been physical or mechanical damage of the pump’s components, then a review of the process operation need to be undertaken in order to identify the cause of the damage. For further information, Tony Peters, AxFlow Ltd, Orion Park, Northfield Avenue Ealing, London W13 9SJ Tel: 020 8579 2111 Email: info@axflow.co.uk

www.axflow.co.uk

Fig.2 AxFlow cartridge seal and mechanical seals.

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fluidity.      

Fig 1 Split seal fitted to a previously gland packed pump – split seal eliminates the need to remove motor and bearing to change seal.

For a gland packing to perform to its design strengths and capabilities, it does need to be lubricated by the pumped media in order to prevent it wearing into the shaft sleeve and the fit becoming loose. Lubrication also prevents the packing from burning out. It is inevitable that there will be some product leakage to the environment. If the pump starts to show signs of unwanted leakage, the packing can be ‘nipped’ or tightened up until a time arrives when complete replacement becomes necessary. In the short term, simply tightening up the gland packing on a regular basis is a relatively cheap method of keeping the pump in service. However, dedicated maintenance personnel have to be readily available to perform what can be a potentially hazardous task.

  

    

                                                                                  

fluidity.      

  

 

                                               

   

    



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Meadowhead and Stevenston Storm Water Transfer Scheme By Craig Jackson Late June saw the Scottish Area Young Member’s Network visit Scottish Water’s largest ever storm water transfer scheme at Meadowhead and Stevenston. The project is midway through its construction phase and is on target for completion in late 2013. The young members and three ‘not quite’ so young members witnessed the grand scale of the project and the meticulous attention to detail at ground level. Alistair Graham (Senior Project Manager, Scottish Water) explained that after three years in planning, the construction phase is going well and is really focused on delivering a quality job with as little disruption to the local customers

as possible. The project team have undertaken a huge amount of stakeholder management to understand historic interests, public use, community activities, geographic aspects and, most importantly, to get to know the people of the Irvine and Kilmarnock areas. Graham Wood (Project Manager, Scottish Water) went on to explain that the construction of 12 miles of pipeline; three substantial new pumping stations; a 10,000 m3 storage tank and several new Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) structures will bring significant environmental improvement to Kilmarnock Water; the River Irvine and to the coastal waters of Irvine Bay in the Firth of Clyde. The new system will substantially reduce unsatisfactory intermittent discharges (UIDs) to the rivers and the Firth.

(l to r) Rebecca Simister, Elaine Macarthur, Angela Dignan, Kevin Moffat, Sharna Richings, Bethan Akgun, Paul O'Brien, Andrew Morson, Craig Jackson.

Attenuation tank under construction

(l to r) Angela Dignan, Bethan Akgun, Andrew Morson, Paul O'Brien, Rebecca Simister, Elaine Macarthur, Sharna Richings, Kevin Moffat, Graham Wood (Project Manager).

(l to r) Kevin Moffat, Bethan Akgun, Paul O'Brien, Elaine Macarthur, Angela Dignan, Sharna Richings, Andrew Morson.

Paul and Bethan getting info from Graham Wood

After the project overview the group were treated to a chauffeured trip round a number of key elements of the project. The group visited two completed pumping stations and river crossings before moving onto the under construction storm attenuation tank, large wet wells, pipes being laid in a river bed and a new storm inlet at Meadowhead WWTW. Three of the young members who attended are first year Scottish Water Modern Apprentices who were really pleased to be given the opportunity to see a project of this scale before it is buried! Andrew, Angela and Paul were all impressed with the range of activities, attention to detail and level of thought and planning that went into both the effect on the customers and the environment during construction.

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SCOTTISHAREANEWS

Scottish Area President “Hangs Around” with some Young Members

Second Golf Charity Day

By Craig Jackson

Paul Maxwell, Scottish Area President took the opportunity to meet and share experiences with some young members in the Scottish Highlands. A group of Scottish Water’s first year modern apprentices were completing their first year with the company by taking part in a week long programme with the Outward Bound Trust at the Loch Eil outward bound centre. The programme provided a challenging outdoor experience for the apprentices reinforcing understanding of Scottish Water’s Vision.

Paul joined the group to see their new planning and project management skills being put into practice and witnessed firsthand, on the end of a rope, the new communication and team working skills the group had gained. Paul added, “As you can see from the picture, I also took the opportunity to show off the President's Cup to the young members, and explained how they had contributed to our area winning this by becoming members!" Team 2: winners of the Texas Scramble By Kathy Auld The Scottish Area held its annual golf day in June to raise money for the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS). Nine groups of four headed out on an overcast afternoon to play a Texas scramble, including the defending champions, ABB. Rain threatened for the duration of play but fortunately held off, providing excellent conditions. The course was in fine form and the staff of Ratho Park Golf Club did the competition justice.

(l to r) Paul Maxwell (Scottish Area President), Paul MacDonald (WWT MA - Stornoway), Lisa Will (Customer Service MA - Aberdeen)

Scottish Water MAs with Paul Maxwell Scottish Area President (front centre)

Lunch and Learns

By Paul Maxwell

The Lunch & Learn events have got off to a flying start with some terrific response and feedback.

International Development Activities from Nigel Ayton (Scottish Water's Director of International Development.)

We kicked off in April with 3 events on the DifGen Opportunity hosted by Ed Gunn. In May, Paul Maxwell hosted 4 events on Scottish Water's new Intelligent Control Centre. Finally 4 events in June were hosted by Sheila CampbellLloyd on the Digital Platform - Creating Links in the Business. That’s a total of 11 events across 5 locations (Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow & Edinburgh), attended by 150 water industry people. Paul Maxwell made the most of the opportunities to show off the recently won President's Cup, and to seek new members from the audiences in a blatant strategy to help the Scottish Area retain the cup next year at the National Conference in Edinburgh!

Feedback has been excellent, with a number of people emailing presenters afterwards thanking them for the opportunity to learn about some aspects of the water industry in Scotland which they don’t work directly in day to day.

There was also a one-off evening opportunity in May to hear more about Scottish Water's

The increase in Lunch & Learn events (5-fold) in the programme was a key change this year, when the Area Committee recognised the high benefit/low cost of this type of networking activity. It looks to be paying off, generating new members and increasing awareness of the value that people can get from membership of the Institute of Water. A further 7 events will be run in the autumn, three on the capital programme and SR15, and four on Improving Customer Satisfaction by Improving Assets.

The competition was enhanced by a nearest the pin and longest drive. Thank you to Panton McLeod and Nicky Day for providing the bottles of Malt Whisky prizes. The winners this year were Expanded Ltd team 2, captained by Craig Chishom with Colin Martin, Hugo Byrne and Mark Keast. Along with the trophy they were presented with a round of golf for four, courtesy of Ratho Park. Nearest the pin was won by Dave Clark Expanded Ltd team 1 and the longest drive was won by Colin Naules (ABB). A great afternoon was rounded up with a meal and a raffle. Ati generously donated a star prize of 2 tickets for Man U or Man City which was won by Craig Chisholm (lucky man). Altogether the day raised £901 for the charity. Many thanks to those who donated prizes; WGM, ABB, Kathy Auld, IWater Scottish Area, Processplus, Ati and MWH. Ellie from CHAS came along just before dinner to explain the vital work that the organisation does. CHAS is an organisation that cares for and supports parents care for children who are very ill, often terminal. They have a respite care facility but also provide support externally. Quite often it is thought that this is only small children, but teenagers need as much support in coping with the outside world and being aware they cannot experience normal teenage life. Thank you to all at Ratho Park and to the companies that took a four ball or two and I hope to welcome you back next year.

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Experiencing Life Underwater The 16 April was an evening of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;firstsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: my first Institute of Water event since joining the Midlands area organising committee, and my first attempt at swimming underwater with a weight belt and oxygen tank strapped to my back. Incidentally, the event, Introduction to Scuba Diving, was also the first in the 2012/2013 Midlands area events calendar. By Daniel Nelson Upon entering the conference room at South Staffs Water, I was warmly greeted by Jason Ryall and his colleague Craig, both PADI certified scuba diving instructors from the Scuba and Outdoor Pursuits Centre. As the other attendees filed in to the room (there were about 10 of us in total), we made our way to the scrumptious buffet dinner generously sponsored by Severn Trent Water, South Staffs Water, IWS, PN Daly Ltd, and Severn Trent Services. Filled with tasty treats and coffee, we took part in a pub-style quiz on marine conservation. The quiz introduced us to Project AWARE, an initiative started by divers with the aim of promoting marine conservation and sustainable management. Coming from a background in freshwater conservation, I found it useful to learn about problems facing saltwater organisms and habitats. A video followed of a typical weeklong PADI scuba diving holiday on a live-aboard boat in the Red Sea. Images of crystal clear waters and exotic fish certainly incentivised scuba diving and gave a realistic account of what scuba diving is all about. At Barr Beacon Leisure Centre we were equipped with our buoyancy compensator device and other equipment. Fortunately, I had been snorkelling before and was used to swimming with a mask and fins. The difficulty for me was maintaining stability in the water and adjusting my depth with the handheld BCD controller. I found myself crawling at the bottom of the pool, or zooming uncontrollably up to the surface, unable to descend again. The diving

instructor gave me helpful advice and I got my depth under control, cruising through the pool like the hammerhead shark we had saw in the video. The evening turned out to be informative, active, and sociable. It was certainly worthwhile, and a great opening to the Midlands area event schedule.

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15/8/12 10:15:43

MIDLANDSAREANEWS

Waking up to Customers

By Karen Baxter

Delegates at a recent seminar ‘Waking up to Customers’ heard from marketing and customer service experts about the impact that SIM is having upon water companies and some of the tasks that lay ahead to meet the challenges. Chairing the seminar, Barbara Julye (Head of Customer Engagement, South Staffs Water), said there was broad agreement within the industry that “understanding what the customers want and expect are the two most important elements of customer service.” Allan Warren (Customer Experience Programme Director, Severn Trent Water) speaking on video as he was working in India at the time, discussed why Ofwat had introduced SIM. He explained how it enables companies to check that customers are engaged and informed and also to ensure they work hard enough so that if customers were to be given a choice of supplier, they would remain with their current provider. But guest speaker, Matt Rennstam (Managing Director of contact centre benchmarking specialists, Bright UK) warned there was “no ‘silver bullet’ to magically put things right.” He recommended that to measure customer satisfaction, companies measure the areas of service a customer values, not what they themselves deem important or easy to measure.

He also suggested that performance, employee engagement and customer satisfaction were all intrinsically linked. To deliver strong customer service, he used a great analogy of being in a restaurant. When asked “was everything ok with your meal?” the answer is generally ‘Yes’, however the question that should be asked is: “Was there anything else we could have done to improve things today?”. This gives the customer the opportunity to give some specific feedback that can be used to improve the service provided. Phillip Michell (Propositions and Marketing Director with business process outsourcing company Capita) discussed the 8 elements that research has proven are most important in dealing with customers: n Accessibility - Ease of contact n Competence - Quality of the staff they deal with n Customer Recognition - Acknowledgement of the individual customer and their needs

Managing Extremes

n Helpfulness – giving your employees the tools and tie to help n Personalisation - Tailoring the response to individual customers’ needs n Problem solving – allowing employees time and tools to take ownership of each customer n Fulfilment of promises – do what you say you will n Valuing customers’ time – make interactions quick and easy Summing up, Barbara Julye said SIM encourages companies to understand customers’ perspectives – and to be aware that customers will measure water companies against the experiences they have with other businesses, such as Amazon, Waitrose and John Lewis. As a result, water companies must really start to deliver in the customer satisfaction arena.

By Karen Baxter

“Efforts to get the message across that drought is an environmental problem are failing to get through to the public”, said the Environment Agency’s Paul Crockett. Speaking at an Institute of Water event in June, “Managing Extremes,” Paul Crockett (Environmental Planning Manager, EA), said he would be interested to talk to anyone who had ideas about how to get the right message across effectively. “No matter how hard we say that drought is about the environment, people still then ask about hosepipe bans. It’s a difficult message to get across,” he said. At the event held at South Staffs Water headquarters, Paul went on to explain that at the end of May rainfall levels in the Midlands were still about a third lower than usual, due to the dry winter. To help improve the situation for the future, he said he would like to see improved connectivity with more water being pumped around England, and he hoped this would happen in the next 15 years. David Essex (General Manager for Water Strategy,

David Essex and Paul Crocket Severn Trent Water) added: “It’s critical we think beyond boundaries to make better use of the precious resources we already have. We need to have flexible, incremental and adaptable solutions for the future.”

The key elements to this David said is to increase connectivity; ensure that pipes are well maintained so they are available when needed and to respond early and effectively when problems arise.

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15/8/12 10:15:54

WaterAid200 Challenge

By Steve Youell

Last year members of the South East Area took part in the WaterAid Corbett Challenge; it was a brilliant day and the team raised over ÂŁ2000 for the charity. This year we decided to register for the WaterAid200 Challenge. WaterAid 200 aimed to place a team of 4-7 walkers on top of all 200 mountains across the UK and Ireland between 11am and 3pm on the 16 June 2012. Last year our adventure took us to Wales and so this year we decided to head to the Peak District to tackle Kinder Scout with the team consisting of members from Portsmouth Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Primayer and HydroCo. We arrived at our B&B in Hope on the Friday and in true South East Area style we went for a quick practice walk which took us across the road to the pub to watch the England game! The next morning, after breakfast, we arrived at the starting point prepared to tackle the elements. Innovation is rife within the water industry and this could not be highlighted more than Richard Price (Southern Water) who had

the Ordnance Survey map downloaded onto his ipad (in a waterproof pouch) as well as a GPS positioning system attached to his bag. Paul Holton (South East Water) was however keen to show that the route could still be followed using the conventional map and compass! The climb to the top took us through picturesque countryside and mountain scree which made the climb more interesting and challenging. Reaching the top we then decided to proceed to the Trig Point; this resulted in us wading through peat bogs, splashing through river gullys and scrambling over rocks. However we achieved our goal and raised around ÂŁ3000 for WaterAid which will go towards their life-saving work in Nepal.

in peat there was a good team spirit and togetherness. On return to the B&B we all freshened up and headed over the road again to the pub where we chatted about the climb over a curry (delivered to the pub by the local takeaway!) and a few pints A big thank you to all those you took part in the climb and also a special thank you to some of our sponsors; Clancy Docwra, Primayer, HydroCo, WPL Ltd and MTS Cleansing Services.

On our descent the weather eased and we were able to reflect on a tough but thoroughly enjoyable day: even when we were knee deep

technology for network management and leakage control

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15/8/12 10:15:57

SOUTHEASTAREANEWS

AGM

By Steve Youell

This year the South East Area held its AGM at INTECH Science Centre and Planetarium and over 50 members and their families attended. Chairman Jim Marshall welcomed everybody and reflected on another good year for the Area. Reports followed from Trevor Clark (Area Treasurer), Ian Limb (Area Representative) and Steve Youell (Area Secretary). Paul Holton (Young Persons representative) gave a report on the need to bring younger members into the Institute and cited the opportunities and experience that come about from attending events and networking with fellow professionals. Following the election of the committee, the next agenda item was to recognise three members who between them have been members of the

John Bartrum picking up his award from Past President David Port

David Port handing over chain of office to Bob Collington

Institute for 107 years. They have supported the South East Area for all of that time and are always present at events regularly contributing to discussions and debates. The three members are John Bartrum (registered 1964), Malcolm Hall, (registered 1976) and Ray Biles (registered 1989) and as a symbol of their commitment, and our thanks to them for their support Jim presented them each with an engraved glass.

last year and welcomed Bob into the position. In his address Bob provided a bit of background to his career and outlined the challenges facing the industry and the SE Area in particular over the coming year.

Current President David Port (Black & Veatch) passed the chain of office over to Bob Collington (Thames Water). The area expressed its thanks to David for his commitment and support over the

Drought Seminar

After lunch members explored the science centre and took part in some hands on experiments. The day finished with a visit to the planetarium which gave an amazing whistle-stop tour of our Solar System – although many of us were slightly disappointed to learn that Pluto has now been classified as a dwarf planet as it crosses through Neptune’s orbit.

By Steve Youell

You could say that it was down to ‘Murphy’s Law’ that it was raining on the day the South East Area held its Drought Seminar. The seminar was designed to encourage members to think about the wider, long term implications of the drought and how we as an industry can make best use of the opportunity that the increased awareness created by this crisis has created to drive change in approach by companies, customers and consumers. The seminar began with Nick Ellins (National President and Water UK’s Drought Liaison Advisor), giving an overview of how the industry had approached the current drought so far. This included managing the perception of the drought; interviews with media bodies and ensuring that the environmental impact was also communicated. He spoke about the water levels being so low in some aquifers that their characteristics and behavior have not previously been mapped and therefore could be subject to new geological profiles. Delegates later debated whether drought trigger points are too low and how water companies should communicate their leakage levels to customers. Following Nick were four speakers who provided short, thought provoking pieces on the pillars of water resource management and where things could be different in the future. First to speak was Roger Ironmonger (Managing

Director, Primayer) about reducing leakage levels through leakage management and noise loggers. Roger talked through case studies from Singapore and Holland where leakage levels have been reduced 5% and 8% respectively.

resources and communications during the period.

Ian Limb (Human Resources Manager, Portsmouth Water) spoke about the drought having a negative impact on water companies’ water efficiency campaigns as customers reduce demand through the drought period and then revert back to normal behavior afterwards. Ian’s message was that this behavior should be imbedded into the customer so that it becomes normal behavior. He commented that public perception of a drought is rooted in images from African countries, not in England where it is perceived that it rains so frequently.

The final speaker was David Port (Client Centre Director, Black & Veatch) who began by asking the question ‘are we shouting drought too often’? He went on to explain that the UK’s PCC was around 140l/d, whilst in Denmark it is around 100l/d. David asked whether this was a realistic figure that the industry should be looking at. David finished by outlining the additional benefits that reservoirs bring which include environmental and recreational factors. David had calculated that a pipe line from the North of the country down to the South would have to be 1.2m in diameter to even make an impact on overall water usage – now that would be an interesting site visit!

The next speaker was Mark Potter (Water Production Manager, Southern Water) who spoke about the frequency of droughts over the South East region and that water companies should be basing their drought plans on these events as well as hydrological events. He explained that currently company drought plans seem to be a tick box exercise conducted when a drought is announced and instead should be a pro-active way of managing water

The floor was then opened to members to debate and discuss the points mentioned. Metering and tariffs were discussed; communication campaigns and the rewarding of customers who have helped to reduce demand. Jim Marshall (Water UK’s Policy & Business Advisor) then summed up the seminar by suggesting the drought itself had raised the profile of some very important industry and now was the time to push these issues whilst awareness was so high.

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15/8/12 10:16:05

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2012: SUSTAINABILITY IS A UTOPIAN IDEAL THAT WILL NEVER BE ACHIEVED

1 The “Thespians” of World Environment Day 2012 Photographed by Magda Szalachowska (Sustainability Advisor, Halcrow)

By Mandhy Senewiratne For the second year running, the South West Area scheduled an event in lieu of World Environment Day, this year jointly hosted by Halcrow and CH2M HILL. The Seminar saw a range of key industry speakers play ‘Devil’s Advocate’ for the day, and challenge the notion that sustainability was achievable and deliverable.

Synopsis The speakers and chairpersons alike were tasked with convincing the audience that sustainability was unachievable and at no point during the day were they permitted to derogate from their “sustainability is a utopian ideal and cannot be achieved” perspective; and most admirably, none did.

The Prologue Keynote Speaker Sarah Murkherjee (Director of Environment,Water UK, and ex-BBC Correspondent for the Environment) mused of her experiences at UN conferences and none too subtly reminded the audience that Copenhagen resulted in a worse deal for the environment than the Kyoto protocol. If the world’s super powers could not decide on a solution to climate changes, how were we the technical workforce of the world supposed to…? Sustainability 0 : Devils Advocates +1

Act One Session 1 “Sustainability in water and innovation – an oxymoron?” then kicked off chaired by Nigel Goodman (Market Leader Manager for Water, CH2M HILL) who noted that we have invested £98 billion thus far in the water industry and would need a further £44 billion from now until 2020 if we had any hope of sustaining it.

instituteofwater.org.uk

L-R: Mark Browning (Halcrow), Simon Harris (Exwater UK/Institute of Water), Kevin North (Badger Consulting/ Institute of Water), Mark Wray (Technology Strategy Board), Mandhy Senewiratne (Halcrow/Institute of Water), Dr Mike Keil (Severn Trent Water), Ian Walker (WRc), Dr Paul Conroy (Halcrow), Peter Braithwaite (CH2M HILL), Mark Fenton (Halcrow), Dr Jon Atkinson (Halcrow). Front: Nick Stubbs (StubbsRich Architects)

Sarah Mukherjee, (Director of Environment, Water UK) “Does the government,(do we) understand what reducing carbon by 80% means..?”

Peter V Paul: L-R: Paul Conroy (Halcrow) and Peter Braithwaite (CH2M HILL) shake hands before the epic battle, in a case of Paul (Myopic Dystopics) vs Peter (Sustainability 4)

First in was Dr. Mike Keil (Climate Change and Resilience Manager, Severn Trent Water), who entertained the audience with his detective work as he went off in search of the answer to the ultimate question “Who hijacked sustainability?”) Mike adamantly proved that boardroom discussions regarding sustainability were only about greenwashing slogans. Ian Walker (Innovations Director, WRC) went on to prove that sustainability drove creative minds out of the UK therefore hindering innovation and Dr Paul Conroy (Associate Director, Water Asset Management, Halcrow) wondered why we spend money on asset resilience considering we cannot agree on what it means, we have no means of measuring it and we probably cannot afford do anything about it! Sustainability 0 : Devils Advocates 1+3

Act Two Roland Grzybek (Marketing and Client Director, Flood and Coastal Management,Halcrow) chaired the second session: “The mythical world of sustainable buildings and consultancies.” Roland proudly informed us that when in London, he was never more than 5 meters from a flood barrier, (in order to protect all those apparently sustainable buildings and resilient water infrastructure), that he had personally helped implement as part of his consultancy role, which also coincidentally kept many civil and water engineers in stable employment -isn’t sustainability great? Mark Fenton (Sustainability Advisor, Halcrow) explained that although the focus of BREEAM was

on minimising environmental impacts but it was not a guide to defining sustainable buildings. Mark concluded that BREEAM rated building was a great place to start, but that it certainly should not be the final stop. A truly sustainable building, it seems should go beyond BREEAM. Mark Wray (Lead Technologist, Technology Strategy Board) wholly embraced and encouraged the notion of climate change adaptation (rather than mitigation), as we were a determined species who have faced floods and droughts in the past, and survived. Peter Braithwaite (International Leader for Sustainability, CH2M HILL) implied that corporate decisions regarding sustainability were more successful when linked with a sustainable triple bottom line. Peter used the Olympic Velodrome designed by CH2M HILL as an example. This is the first and only velodrome in the world to use natural ventilation. It was also one of the cheapest to build (owing to lightweight cable net roof) and cheapest to operate owing to the absence of air-conditioning and implementation of rainwater harvesting. It seems that consultancies can only operate as sustainably as their clients allow them to. Sustainability 0 : Devils Advocates 1+3+3

The Final Act The debate followed next, and was chaired by Mark Browning judged who awarded points based on strength and validity of arguments, relevance of topics and somewhat dubiously the complexity of diagrams! The six speakers and two randomly selected audience members (Dr.Jon Atkinson, Sustainability Associate, Halcrow and Nick Stubbs,

SOUTHWESTAREANEWS Architect, StubbsRich Architecture) were split into two teams and it was a case of Peter vs Paul. Peter captained the Sustainability 4 and Paul captained the (ultimately rather short sighted) Myopic Dystopics who argued in favour of the motion that “This house believes that Sustainability is a utopian ideal that will never be achieved.” The Myopic Dystopics passionately argued with a “blank road map” signifying our failed attempts to a) define sustainability b) quantify and locate sustainability, and c) the direction we should travel in order to reach “sustainability”. But the Sustainability 4 shot back with vindication arguing that the complexity of sustainability was by no means a reason to give up on achieving it, and like any other problem we need to journey through this problem and set up milestones to achieve along the way. Sustainability 4 (Sustainability) 17 : Myopic Dystopics (Devils Advocates) 7

Epilogue However the most surprising outcome of day was the environment the non traditional presentations had unwittingly provided; a platform for brutally open and honest discussion for a frank critique of the issues we all face when attempting to integrate sustainability into our various industries. Halcrow’s sustainability team leader Dr. Jon Atkinson summed it up with “This was a very refreshing format and approach and I believe it broke down barriers and allowed people to offer honest opinions. Sustainable development is one of the key issues facing the world. We need to be open to and continually testing our assumptions against new thinking and best practice to ensure that they are relevant” The organisers would like to thank the speakers for taking on the challenge so enthusiastically and with such conviction. They would like to thank those in the water industry for not being put off by an event with “Sustainability” in the title and likewise for those in the sustainable buildings sector, for not being put off by an event associated with “Water,” under the notion that it has nothing to do with the built environment. The day proved that without considering the entire “source-to-tap” journey of water (and indeed other elements) we will never reach a state of sustainability.

Encore To view the day’s presentations and activities in full please log on to: www.halcrow.com/newsletters/ sustainability_debate/ Please note the event was aimed at challenging complacent thinking about sustainability, using paradoxical intervention and advocacy of anti-sustainability principals. The content of the presentations should not be taken out of context, nor misquoted. Photographs are available to view on the Institute’s facebook page.

Saving Every Drop By Frank Van Der Kleij Members enjoyed an afternoon at the picturesque setting of the Bristol Water visitors centre at Blagdon in the Mendip Hills in May. The West Area in conjunction with the CIWEM South Western Branch organised a hands-on afternoon on leakage management.

The competition to find the leaks on the leakage test bed facility proved popular. Prizes for the “closest to the leak” completion made for a healthy level of competitiveness and proved that there are a number of budding leakage technicians out there!

Leakage control and management continues to make headlines. After a successive number of cold winters and a prolonged drought in part of the country, leakage management remains as important as it has ever been to ensure effective network and demand management.

After the presentation we all went for a brief tour of the old pumping station which still contains the original beam engine which used to pump water from the reservoir in the Mendip Hills towards Bristol. Malcolm Baber from Bristol Water did an excellent tour and presentation on the history of the pumping station.

During this well attended event participants were able to learn more about the techniques used in Active Leakage Control. Innovating technologies such as the Ferret (service pipe leak location), Pressure Management (Cla-val), Leakage Location & Detection (Primayer) and Repair Fittings (Viking Johnston) were demonstrated in half hour sessions supported by a team of leakage practitioners from the Bristol Water leakage team.

All in all, this was an excellent event and we all learned more about leakage control and management and the challenges of minimising leakage from our water network. Thanks to Primayer Ltd, Viking Johnson, Ferret Technology Ltd and Cla-Val UK Ltd for their time and efforts put towards this event, and a special thanks to Primayer Ltd for providing the prizes.

Turning Water into WINE This year's SW Area Weekend School will consider customers’ “Wants, Interests, Needs and Expectations”. The event will be held at the Alexandra House Hotel near Wroughton in Wiltshire on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 October. The technical programme will be presented by a range of industry experts talking on subjects that will include; n Customer Service n SIM n Affordability and social tariffs n Communications with customers n Metering and billing

n Environmental impacts of customer demands A panel session and break out workshops make the event a must for anybody with a role in providing a service to water customers. Delegate fees will include all food and accommodation costs, social events and a place at the Area President's Dinner on the Friday night. A partner programme will also be available. Register your interest now by emailing mark.hitchmough@cognica.com

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15/8/12 10:16:16

Delighting Customers

By Lee Bryce

Northern Area President Phil Bentley presents Tony Hanks from Morrison Utility Services with the first Institute of Water Northern Area Innovation Award.

This year’s Northern Area Spring Seminar took place at Longhirst Hall in Northumberland over two days in June. The theme was ‘Delighting Customers’ and given that England were playing on the first night we all hoped that the ‘delight’ would extend a little further! The seminar began with Tony Hanks from Morrison Utility Services, Northern Area’s Innovation Award Winner, presenting on their innovative device, the Water Siren. A break to watch the football followed before a quiz that gave those of us on the committee a clear indication that the planned syndicate group presentations could get just a little competitive! Tuesday brought a packed agenda of speakers along with something a little different. Delegates watched on in horror (and amusement) as a group of actors performed a sketch in which a group of workmen provided some customer service that certainly didn’t delight a ‘hotel manager’ (another actress). Then, having been given the chance to question each of them, delegates were asked to re-write the script based on what they would like to change in Act 2 later in the day! John McGovern (Head of Investment Delivery, Northumbria Water) followed with a presentation that asked ‘Are you being served?’ John gave an excellent overview of Project Insight, a project designed to improve the customer experience of major capital projects. Patrick Hargreaves (Customer Experience Manager, Yorkshire Water) followed and highlighted how engaged employees

really help to deliver better customer service. Following a break for syndicate work and lunch we were all intrigued for ‘The Sequel’ of this morning’s acting session. The events were replayed incorporating the delegates suggested improvements with better customer service results and even more laughs. There was still some room for improvement and it definitely left us all thinking about what we could do better back in our daily roles. We then heard from Graeme Nash (Marketing Manager, Greggs). Graeme shared with us Greggs’ use of social media to meet the demands of a new generation of customers. The presentation included various statistics on social media including research that shows more people now access the internet daily than watch TV or access other traditional form of advertising. This was followed by this year’s Northern Area President, Phil Bentley and his colleague Colin Nichol who provided us with the contractor’s perspective on customer service. This included creating fans rather than customers and providing the ‘wow factor’. After a short break, we were delighted to hear from Andrew Dunn (former Director of Consumer

Protection, OFWAT.) Andrew gave us an overview of the industry’s reaction to SIM and the improvements that the mechanism has brought including companies actually asking customers what it is that they want, rather than assuming. The day closed with John Mowbray (Director of Corporate Affairs, Northumbria Water) sharing his reflections on his career in the industry and how customer service and technology has moved on over the last four decades. The following morning brought the syndicate group presentations. The groups were asked to provide 10 minute sketches on what they had learnt throughout the Seminar and titles included ‘Open All Hours’, ‘Are you Being Served?’ and ‘The Google Helpdesk’. Creativity and competitiveness produced some fantastic presentations and the group with the title “How To Get Out of Doing a Presentation” ironically ran out as winners! The whole event provided insightful and thought provoking views on the importance of customer service within the water industry, with practical tips on how customer service can be improved. It definitely left us all with ideas about how we could do more! A massive thanks to all speakers and to the delegates for making it such a fantastic event.

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15/8/12 10:16:31

NORTHERNAREANEWS

President’s Ball

By Simon Cyhanko

The Northern Area committee hosted their President’s Ball at the glamorous Redworth Hall just outside of Darlington. On this occasion the committee tried something different and went for a Spanish theme. A number of the committee members arrived early on in the afternoon to let their creative juices flow. After approximately 4 hours of decorating chairs and tables, blowing up balloons and attaching flags and other cut out characters to the walls and ceiling – the room was ready, just in time. The guests from Northumbrian Water, United Utilities, Yorkshire Water, Esh Construction, Bentleys and the International Water Association were then treated to a drinks reception that involved, yes you guessed it – lots of sangria. What followed was a buffet dinner which included paella, patatas bravas and some mexican treats too. The raffle provided the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes, including a long break at the Kielder cabins; 2 tickets for a day’s cricket at Chester-lestreet; a Hotel Chocolat gift set; a £50 voucher for Piccolinos and lots of wine.

Following the formalities it was then over to the dancing. The salsa lessons were quite well subscribed with a number of individuals shouting for more. However, the centre stage was well and truly taken by 2 fantastic dancers – the identities of which must be kept anonymous. However one was a young male project manager from Northumbrian Water’s Investment Delivery department. Well done Martin! Following some more drinks most people then chose to help themselves to a range of Spanish mementos before retiring for the evening. Overall the event was a success with individuals having had a great time, lots to eat and drink and lots of money being raised for WaterAid. Given the success of the Spanish theme the northern area are already plotting next year’s Presidents Ball and there is some talk of Bollywood coming to the northern area, so watch this space!

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15/8/12 10:16:44

WELSHAREANEWS

Can the water industry be truly innovative?

Steve Wilson, Area President welcome speech

Round the table discussion

Speakers from top left: Rachel Chalmers, Anna Taliana, Lynn Cooper, Steven Lambert and Mark Smith.

This year’s summer forum asked the question: Can the water industry be truly innovative? By Carol Cooke Almost 50 interested delegates were welcomed to the event in Cardiff by Area President Steve Wilson (Director of Wastewater, Welsh Water). The first session was chaired by one of Welsh Water’s graduates Jessica Deane and started with a presentation by Anna Taliana (Innovation Scientist, Welsh Water) explaining in detail some of the innovation trials being undertaken with the help of various external organisations, including local universities and other water companies. Steven Lambert from the Technology Standards Board followed and he spoke about ‘Driving Innovation’. It seems that TSB have lots of ideas to share but no funding! ‘A Forum for Innovation in the Water Industry’ continued with Mark Smith (Managing Director, WRc) who suggested that the Industry as a whole needed a shake-up, although some £25-27m which is being spent on Research and Development per year. New innovations should involve everyone and are currently required for flood prevention and drought management. Mark finished with the thoughts of Bob the Builder – “Can we fix it? Yes we can!!”

The following Q&A session asked a number of interesting questions: n Why rip out old equipment if it still has life? n Budgets since privatisation have not included money for innovation. Is competition a good thing? n A particular soft drink company has a better understanding of their customer base that most water companies, could this be emulated by selling water to customers? A heated workshop looked at what innovation meant; what it looked liked in the water industry

and asked what the barriers were. The main findings were that innovation within the water industry tends to be seen as regulation driven; problem solving to provide process solutions and to drive down costs. Innovative changes can be low cost initially but often have high maintenance charges. Some recent innovations being utilised are membranes; flow meters; SBRs; and DAF plants – which were then identified as expensive on energy. Barriers to trialling innovation include the lack of measurements before and after the change of equipment to identify savings made; lack of confidence or time to test new kit; the age of the assets and not wanting to waste customers’ money. After a fabulous hot and cold buffet lunch the afternoon session restarted under the guidance of Helena Machin, another of the Welsh Water graduates. ‘What Drives Innovation?’ Rachel Chalmers, (Director for Crypto at Public Health Laboratories Wales at Singleton Hospital Swansea) explained that innovations are usually borne of outbreaks or other events that make people sit up and take notice, and that was how her unit was set up. Innovation requires monitoring for several reasons which include health and primary risks. Rachel talked about the type of testing carried out and how clinical lab reports are not a stand-alone assessment. Other information such as a patient’s health and location are required to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the cause of any outbreak. Several members of Welsh Water staff are often seconded to Public Health Wales to allow mapping of outbreaks should they occur. The next presentation ‘Innovating for a Network’ was delivered by Roger Hey (Networks Manager, Western Power Distribution). He talked about smart, smarter and smartest, describing how this fits in his organisation. WPD has 7 District

Network Operators and 4 out of the 14 licensed areas. It is a national monopoly funded by customer bills, but it neither produces nor sells energy. WPD has some 7.6m customers and covers 55 sq km, and has the largest length of the UK network. Some of the issues facing the company are changing customer needs, changing climate, technologies, solar energy, with mobile working also having an impact. Bob Small (Area Sales Manager for ABB: variable speed drivers VSD) provided the Supply Chain Perspective. He described how VSD are utilised within the water industry, saving costs and improving efficiencies. ABB has 145k employees in 100 countries, at 12 main locations in the UK, and raises $38b in revenue. They have been pioneering technology since 1883 and there have been several VSD innovations over the years. Our final speaker was Lynn Cooper (Chief Executive, Institute of Water) who talked through what the Institute of Water has been doing to provide a platform for innovation to be recognised across the sector. Lynn talked about the Institute of Water National Innovation Awards, and how this year each Area of the Institute put shortlisted winners forward to the competition which was a massive achievement. Following a second lively Q&A it was down to Area Chair Dominic Scott to close the event. He highlighted that communication is the key to sharing and using innovative ideas, especially those of the innovations team within Welsh Water. Dominic thanked the team for organising this event in particular Adrienne Walsh and Steve Hennah and the graduates who chaired the session and kept us to time. Presentations from this event are available to view and download on the Archived Events section of the Institute of Water website.

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Better Governance for NI Water Sector 1

3 1

Paddy Hillyard (Keynote Speaker)

NI Conference delegates. From left: Joe Byrne MLA, Roy Beggs MLA, John Simpson, Stuart Dickson MLA

From left: George Butler, Richard Bartlett, Ivan Grimes, Jo Aston

The Northern Ireland Area Annual Conference was held in the seaside setting of the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, Co.Down in April. The Keynote speaker was Professor Paddy Hillyard, Chairman of the Independent Water Review Panel (IWRP). Paddy outlined the background to the setting up of Northern Ireland Water and its handover to the NI Assembly. He looked at the IWRP’s role and their recommendations that the Minister for Regional Development should assume overall responsibility for the entire Water Policy Development and that NI Water restructure as a “Customer Company.” Professor Hillyard concluded that the IWRP recommendations still provide a blueprint for the way forward for NI Water and it is now up to the NI Assembly members to take this forward. Mark Ellesmere (Company secretary, NI Water) spoke about the current governance model. Mark looked at the history of the company; its legal status; who the Board of Directors are and how the company is regulated. Mark highlighted the powers invested in NI Water; and considered the key stakeholders. The DRD Minister is due to make his views known on a future model in 2012 and stakeholder views will be taken into account. Mark suggested that in the future NI Water should be self financing, publicly owned but commercially focused and subject to appropriate economic regulation. Ronnie Mercer (Chair of Scottish Water) was next to give a presentation on the Scottish model. Ronnie stated that water utilities are a special type of company with short term financing against long term liabilities. Ronnie talked about the benchmarking that took place and the ministerial objectives that were set when Scottish Water was set up. The challenge for Scottish Water was to reduce costs by 40% and deliver £2.3 billion investment at the same time of improving customer service. Thomas Kelly of Kelda Water was the final speaker of the morning on the Public Private Partnership

(PPP) model. Thomas gave a brief history of the company and its commitment to the water companies in the UK and NI Water in particular. Thomas suggested PPP’s should be innovative, efficient, cost saving and risk sharing. Thomas then demonstrated the benefits of PPP’s to both the client and the company. After lunch it was the turn of the politicians to give their party views on the best governance model for NI Water in a session chaired by the well known local independent journalist John Simpson. Roy Beggs presented the views of the Ulster Unionist Party; Joe Byrne presented those of the SDLP and finally Stuart Dickson the Alliance Party views. A lively debate concluded that the politicians were opposed to full privatisation and domestic charging. There were presentations about Northern Ireland’s Silent Valley Reservoir and Mourne Heritage Trust, and Dermott McCurdy (Head of Wastewater Capital Procurement) spoke about the Newcastle drainage plan and Wastewater Treatment Works upgrade due for completion by May 2013. The President’s Dinner drew Thursday to a close with a murder mystery evening with a titanic theme. Ivan Grimes (Principal Officer, Department of Environment Community and local Government, Dublin) was the first speaker on Friday to discuss the Republic of Ireland model for which the Department of Environment are responsible for policy and legislation and EPA for regulation. In March 2011 the programme for government committed to creating Irish Water (a new state company) to run water and sewerage services and to introduce fair funding. The government has decided that that water charging will be based on metered consumption and regulation will be by the Commission for Energy Regulation. The opportunity is there to build a fit for purpose operating model

to deliver water services in the most efficient manner. The metering programme is to commence by end of 2012 but will initially exclude expensive or technically difficult properties. There was a very interesting presentation by Richard Bartlett (Head of Corporate Debt and Risk Solutions at The Royal Bank of Scotland) who outlined the characteristics of the water industry and the three main financing models. Nigel Smyth (Director of the CBI in Northern Ireland) spoke on improving the governance of NI Water Sector. He outlined the role of the CBI in representing businesses. The CBI has played an active role in water reforms and prefer metering as a fair form of charging for all. The final speaker was Sean Hogan (Chairman of NI Water) who talked about the leadership challenges that NI Water has faced since 2007 and the fact that there are too many stakeholders. Area President George Butler closed the Conference thanking all speakers and delegates for their time and input.

Funds for WaterAid George Irvine NI Area Secretary recently presented a cheque for £730 to Trevor Haslett Honorary Chairman of the WaterAid NI Area. The money was raised at the Northern Ireland Area President’s Dinner in April.

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