Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | APRIL 2019 | 7 SKELETON SERVICE: Morrison Utility Services is trialling the use on its Yorkshire Water contract of wearable upper body exoskeletons designed to elevate and support arms during manual, chest-high-to-overhead handling tasks. The EksoVest, which has been used in the automotive and aerospace industries, offers a number of health and safety advantages including fewer strain related injuries, a reduction in lost working days and lower fatigue levels. QUOTE OF THE MONTH "What we have said to Thames is that we have looked at the efficiency standards set by other companies and they could deliver this programme for significantly less." Ofwat chairman Jonson Cox explains the regulator's tough stance on Thames' PR19 plans Scottish Water is beginning work on a £12.5 million refurbishment project on the Katrine Aqueduct. The aqueduct, which takes water to treatment works that supply 1.3 million people in Glasgow and west central Scotland, was built in the Victorian era to help transform the health of citizens and continues in full use to this day. The refurbishment project includes structural repairs of three stretches of tunnel and a bridge, improvements to the lining of tunnels and repairs and refurbishments of control valves. It is expected to be completed in 2020 and is being carried out for Scottish Water by contractors George Leslie. 3% The 'ethnic pay gap' at Yorkshire Water, according to the utility's published analysis of pay levels for staff of different ethnic backgrounds. The figure appears in the company's first workforce diversity report. Chief executive Richard Flint said that more companies should follow Yorkshire Water's lead and publish similar figures. £180.5M the net debts of Kier Group, as revealed by a stock market statement by the major contractor. The debts were £50.5 million worse than had been previously stated in the company's accounts, a er certain developments held for resale were not accounted for. GOOD MONTH FOR… Black & Veatch, which has launched a Smart Maintenance business to support utility clients in the UK, with an initial focus on water. The new offering builds upon the company's technology-led asset management consulting experience – and its programme management, logistics and delivery expertise – to create digitally enabled onsite maintenance teams. "Our Smart Maintenance business delivers a major evolution in the approach to delivering maintenance services," Mark Malcolm, Black & Veatch Europe's director for the new business, said. While asset management support is typically delivered at the strategic level, smart maintenance is about helping clients implement those strategies on the ground, he added. BAD MONTH FOR… Irish Water, which has apologised to the public a er a tank failure at Dublin's Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant caused a significant discharge of activated sludge into the estuary of the River Liffey. The failure caused approximately 100 cubic metres of activated sludge to be discharged over the course of 20 minutes to an outfall located approximately 1km from the plant. Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant treats approximately 40% of Ireland's wastewater load. It suffers from ongoing overloading issues, and is being upgraded in a £350M project. GETTING STARTED NUMBERS The Talk: April