Water & Wastewater Treatment

RESEARCH ROUND-UP 10 Water & Wastewater Treatment Febraury 2014 wwtonline.co.uk Sanitary waste makes up over a fifth of waste discovered submerged along the river bed of the upper Thames Estuary according to new research. Thousands of pieces of plastic have been discovered by researchers at Royal Holloway University of London and the Natural History Museum, but more than 20% of waste was made up of sanitary products. The findings, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, reveal that the most contaminated sites were in the vicinity of two Thames Water sewage treatment works – Crossness and Long Reach. The site with the greatest proportion of sanitary products was Erith Rands with 24.24%; Crossness and Littlebrook had 22.69% and 22.76% sanitary products respectively. The most commonly found sanitary items were the backing strips from sanitary towels and used condoms. A spokesperson for Thames Water said, "Quite simply, London has outgrown its Victorian sewer system. The proposed Thames Tideway Tunnel and Lee Tunnel, currently under construction, are essential to capture the tens of millions of tonnes of sewage and whatever else is flushed down the toilet that currently overflows untreated into the tidal River Thames every year. "This is a big and growing environmental hazard that needs and is getting urgent attention." • An extended article can be found at WWTonline.co.uk What lurks beneath: sanitary waste collected during river sweep Sanitary products contribute to 'river of rubbish' DEHN protects. DEHN (UK) Ltd www.dehn.co.uk Your safety is our concern with - Surge Protection - Lightning Protection - Safety Equipment in many industries: Process Industry Spark Gaps Sewage Plants Wind Energy Photovoltaics Communications Unit N8b Meltham Mills Meltham, Holmfi rth, HD9 4DS Tel: 01484 859111 Fax: 01484 859222 Email: info@dehn.co.uk Rivers at risk from low-flow Explanations of the risk of low-flow in rivers has been revealed in two separate research projects carried out by European universities. Researchers from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the University of Kassel in Germany say urgent action is required to combat drought risk in European river catchments. Their study into water supply in European river basins, which is published in Hydrology & Earth System Sciences journal, shows how they are likely to face reduced water supply by the end of the century as droughts increase. Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands say that human water consumption is the major factor in falling river levels globally. "Our research shows that many river basins, especially in southern parts of Europe, are likely to become more prone to periods of reduced water supply due to climate change," says Giovanni Forzieri, a researcher at the JRC and lead author of the German study. "An increasing demand for water, following a growing population and intensive use of water for irrigation and industry, will result in even stronger reductions in river flow levels." Yoshihide Wada, lead researcher on the Utrecht study, published in Environmental Research Letters journal, said that human water consumption was found to be the main driver of increasing low flows over western Europe, including south-east England . EVENTS 11 February 2014 Water & Wastewater Treatment wwtonline.co.uk T he changes taking place in the water sector today are making their way to the main stage at SustainabilityLive in a big way, with sessions on retail competition, innovation and technology and fracking. The main feature though will reflect on an issue that has been around for a long time. It is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the privatisation of the water utilities in England and Wales. Some £100Bn of investment later, opinion is still divided on this most controversial of issues and perhaps it is returning to the mainstream as the call for renationalisation of the energy utilities re-emerges. Privatised along with companies like British Gas, BT, BAA and National Power during the Thatcher years, the water utilities have seen massive improvements in tangibles like the quality of drinking water, river water and bathing water – necessary to meet the European directives that have also coloured the same period. Service failings too have reduced in number and scale. The investment picture has shifted significantly since 1989 though, with just three of the original ten 'Water PLCs' remaining listed on the London Stock Exchange. Of the 29 Statutory Water Companies in 1989, just 12 remain after a series of mergers and acquisitions – and just two in domestic hands. Further, the sector is still beset with ageing infrastructure and new challenges in terms of climate change, population growth and the new age of economic restraint. Ofwat chairman Jonson Cox will join his predecessor, Sir Ian Byatt, water regulator at the time of privatisation in 1989, to explore how the industry has changed. They will be joined by Wessex Water's executive chairman, Colin Skellett, and Lord Moynihan, former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for water privatisation. Day 2 – 14.30 The water industry: 25 years since privatisation There are some big issues swilling around the UK's water sector and the Keynote Stage at IWEX and SustainabilityLive is one place to hear the latest from those in the know, says Natasha Wiseman Listen-in to the big voices in water Day 1 – 12.30 Retail competition Getting in shape for a new market What's to worry about? Retail competition is still over three years away. Plenty, say the main players, several of whom will join a panel discussion on the topic on the Keynote Stage at IWEX 2014. One of the speakers is Mark Powles, chief executive officer, Business Stream. Powles who helped build one of the world's first separated retail businesses for the Scottish market from 2007. "For incumbents, it might feel like it's three-and-a-half years away, but start now. Start thinking about data, start cleaning data," he says. Of course the 'testing ground' of Scotland with its single public utility presents a very different environment to England where multiple private utility companies co-exist, each with its own legacy data systems. How this information will be opened up to the wider market is still to be addressed. Andrew Beaver, director of strategy at Ofwat will also join the panel and will perhaps have to field some of the most pressing questions. How is Ofwat ensuring a transparent and open market in the new competitive environment? And will the systems and safeguards be ready on time? With Thames Water's commercial director, Piers Clark, and Rob Wesley, head of policy, Water UK, rounding of the panel, a lively debate can be expected. Day 3 – 12.30 Innovation Delivering technology in Amp6 The emphasis on innovation in Amp6 is already changing the way utilities work with their consultants, contractors, technology providers and the wider supply chain. The new shape of alliances and partnerships in the water industry will determine how more strategic investment, greater efficiencies and slicker operations are leveraged. To discuss the changing shape of delivery models, Keith Wishart, head of technology and innovation at Thames Water's new Eight2O alliance, will join Steve Kaye, head of innovation at Anglian Water, and Malcolm Horne, asset creation general manager at Severn Trent Water. Day 2 - 11.45 Water industry technology pitch Site silt inspiration from Singapore In Singapore, the Public Utilities Board carried out a study which found that over 80% of silty water flowing into the drainage system was generated from construction sites. For this reason, legislation was introduced to ensure that all construction sites contain all the rainwater run-off within the site boundaries and carry out a treatment process to remove any silt content to below 50mg/l. Although discharge of silty water from construction sites in the UK is an offence which can carry a heavy fine or even imprisonment, the guidelines do not state a specific permissible silt content limit. Scott Vickers is now bringing its site management system and technology developed for the Singapore market into the UK believing it could work here too. Scott Vickers sales manager (Singapore), Raymond Hoon, will be pitching the system in a special technology innovation session on the Keynote Stage at IWEX 2014. He faces competition from Fibrelite, TT Pumps and Thames Water Commercial in a session moderated by Anglian Water's head of innovation, Steve Kaye. For silty sites – Scott Vickers' treatment system from Singapore Looking back - Ofwat chairman Jonson Cox joins a high level panel to reflect on privatisation

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