Water. desalination + reuse

EUROPE Desalination/reuse in UK/Israel water agreement Desalination, water reuse and use of renewable energy in desalination and water reclamation were included in an agreement signed on 21 December 2011 between British Water, which represents the UK water industry supply chain, and MATIMOP, the Israeli Industry Centre for R&D. The memorandum of understanding sets up a framework for both organisations to work together on a range of areas of common interest. It will also facilitate greater joint projects to develop new product applications and processes to be commercialised in the global market. Israel Shamay, executive director of MATIMOP, said: ���We are pleased to be working closer with British Water than we have worked with any foreign trade organisation before. The UK water sector is well respected internationally for its world-leading capabilities, solutions and services, making it the perfect partner to help commercialise and market Israeli innovation and R&D in this sector.��� Ian Bernard, technical manager for British Water, said: ���The agreement with MATIMOP ensures both parties have access to some of the best technological solutions to implement in both the UK and Israel, and will also enable world leading experts in both countries to cooperate for European and international research, development and technical projects.��� AMERIcAS NSF issues commercial/residential water-reuse standard The first US national standard for commercial and residential onsite water-reuse treatment systems was published on 15 November 2011 by NSF International, the US-based public health and environmental organization. NSF/ANSI Standard 350: Onsite Residential and Commercial Water Reuse Treatment Systems sets guidelines for water reuse treatment systems with a key focus on public health and appropriate water quality criteria for reuse applications. The standard (www.nsf.org/info/nsf350) aims to improve awareness and acceptance of onsite water reuse technologies, which can help countries concerned with increasing water scarcity and costs, and aging infrastructure of water distribution systems. Certifying a water reuse system to NSF/ANSI 350 also satisfies requirements for leading green building programs. The US Green Building Council has included reference to NSF/ANSI 350 in its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Building Design & Construction 2012 Draft Standard. NSF developed this American national standard for evaluating onsite water reuse technologies to ensure the systems properly treat graywater (i.e. wastewater generated from activities such as laundry and bathing) and combined wastewater (ie, all sources of wastewater generated within a residence or building) for reuse in non-potable applications. NSF/ANSI 350 establishes materials, design and construction, and performance requirements for onsite residential and commercial water reuse treatment systems and sets water quality requirements for the reduction of chemical and microbiological contaminants for non-potable water use. Treated effluent can be used for restricted indoor water use, such as toilet and urinal flushing, and outdoor unrestricted water use, such as lawn irrigation. As already reported by D&WR (November/December 2011), US-based Bio-Microbics Inc, a manufacturer of clean technologies, has become the first company to earn NSF/ANSI 350 certification for its Bio-Barrier�� membrane bioreactor (MBR). Desalination and reuse in MexicoIsrael water agreement Desalination and wastewater treatment and reuse were part of an agreement signed on 14 November 2011 between the Mexican National Water, Conagua, and Israel���s Ministry of Industry, Trade & Labor. After four years of working together, Mexico and Israel agreed to share and adopt best practices in order to make more efficient use of water, mainly in the agricultural sector, said Jose Luis Luege Tamargo, director general of the Mexican federal agency. MIDDLE EAST NCED/MEDRC workshop will look at red tide and desalination A joint workshop on the dangers of the red-tide marine phenomenon for desalination plants is to be held in Oman by the National Centre for Excellence in Desalination Australia and the Middle East Desalination Research Center. The workshop will take place on 8-9 February 2012. An international panel of presenters will discuss the incidence, control and impact of harmful algal blooms of which red tide is a common form. February-March 2012 | Desalination & Water Reuse | 45 |

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