WET News

News+ BSI Kitemark for BIM to act as seal of approval for companies quali ed to deliver projects at the design and construction phase. P4 Onsite: With odour levels at its Saltend WwTW having reached 'unacceptable' levels, Yorkshire Water opted to replace the existing rake drive system. P10-11 Insight: Renewable energy The nancial and green credentials of wastewater AD are clear, which is why CHP engines need to be kept in tip-top condition P16-17 WET NEWS WATER AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT NEWS international engineering group concerned that infrastructure investment will impact the skills shortage further. D o you think your organisation or team's innovative e orts in the water and wastewater sector are a cut above the rest? Then enter this year's Water Industry Achievement Awards. You need to be quick, though, as the deadline for entries is just days away – January 20, in fact. There are plenty of categories to select – from partnerships, training and customer service to product innovation and carbon reduction – and all companies can enter regardless of their size or focus. The winners will be announced at a glittering extravaganza at The Vox, Birmingham, on May 23, 2017! Companies have already signed up and are sponsoring categories including the CPSA, sponsoring Sustainable Drainage & Flood Management Initiative of the Year, and Asset International, sponsoring Carbon Reduction Initiative of the Year. Visit wwtonline.co.uk/ awards to enter – prove your company individual and team e orts are a cut above the rest by entering now. Laing O'Rourke creates ten-point plan to tackle skills shortage JANUARY 2017 Volume 23 • Issue 1 Biwater wins $1.2bn Kurdistan water deal B ritish water engineering company Biwater has been awarded a US$1.2bn (£0.9bn) contract by the Kurdistan Regional Government to deliver urgent water infrastructure works across Kurdistan. Biwater will deliver water and wastewater treatment solutions for Erbil and Sulaimani in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to alleviate the current strain on existing infrastructure and reduce the region's reliance on dwindling groundwater reserves to deliver long-lasting environmental bene£ ts. Erbil will get a 600,000m 3 / day state-of-the-art water treat- ment plant, while Sulaimani will see water treatment plant upgrades and the construction of wastewater treatment works and sludge treatment facilities. Sir Adrian White, chairman of Biwater, said: "The signing of this contract in Kurdistan is a major landmark in providing technological and £ nancial solutions that address complex water-related challenges in the region." The loan for the development works is being £ nanced by UK Export Finance (UKEF). "Our regulatory structure is not looking at the issues from a catchment flow perspective." Mark Fermor, ESI Consulting. P4 "2016 also gave us a reminder of how suddenly and violently flooding can happen..." Chris Graham, Sykes. P12-13 Water 'Oscars' entries deadline looms C reating regionally focused skills pipelines and reviewing options for career transitioning apprentice- ships are among recom- mendations by Laing O'Rourke (LOR) aimed to help the construction and infrastructure sector tackle the increased skills gap. The recommendations are part of a ten-point plan developed by the international engineering group that it believes will overcome the critical skills issues facing the industry. LOR's concern has been heightened with infrastructure investment having taken centre stage in the government's Autumn Statement. Titled A ten-point plan to overcome the UK's Construction and Infrastructure skills gap, the report presents a series of recommendations to govern- ment, industry and education providers on how a uni£ ed approach can help to deliver the skilled workforce that our infrastructure and economy needs. The recommendations include: • Create regionally focused skills pipelines • Review options for career transitioning apprenticeships • Introduce GCSEs and A-levels in Design, Engineer and Construct disciplines • Foster collaboration between industry and government to deliver a broader range of improved careers advice for construction and engineering • Seize the opportunity of the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy • Support the creation of a single construction / infrastructure skills body • Facilitate the ongoing professional develop- NEED TO KNOW • Infrastructure UK estimates that more than 150,000 engineering construc- tion workers will be needed by 2020 • A YouGov survey said 67% of the public would never consider a career in the construction sector • Construction employers are struggling to ll one in three vacancies ment of a directly employed workforce LOR said the recom- mendations are realistic and achievable, and will help tackle the crisis facing the country, and will help advance the skills agenda moving forward. John O'Connor, Laing O'Rourke's human capital director, said: "Our plan highlights that there is a worrying skills shortage in the UK construction and engi- neering sectors and presents a clear series of practical recommendations to help close the skills gap in the design, manufacturing, engineering and construction spaces." Alison Watson, creator of the Design Engineer Construct! curriculum, said: "The UK could be a world leader in built environment education, but for too long, we've delivered student engagement that focuses on quick wins instead of long-term impact. Laing O'Rourke was an early supporter of the DEC! learning programme, and are now seeing the rewards of their commitment through the young, exciting talent they have helped to develop. I wholly support LOR's plan – the skills are out there in today's digital generation; there's simply a lack of awareness that they can be applied in the construction industry." * Scaled pricing: 1 to 3 units £460 | 4 to 9 units 10% discount | 10+ units, price on request Further information: www.vega.com/wls61 Call +44 1444 870055 to order Low-cost radar sensor for water level measurement Radar sensor £460*

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