Water & Wastewater Treatment

10 | MAY 2014 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk Comment Energy self-sufficiency The rise in energy prices and the government carbon targets are causing industries to con- sider more efficient operation and the search for self-sufficiency in power generation. The biggest highlight for the waste treatment works as it stands today is that we are energy neutral. For example, we produced 1.2MW of energy last week through our sludge treatment plant. In the future we face a tightening of our standards (we currently have a 3mg/litre ammonia standard and in 2017 we go to a 1mg/litre). So we've got to achieve a higher standard and reduce our effects on the Manchester Ship Canal. Traditionally, increasing the amount of power we use on the site would probably have achieved those standards but the highlight of this invest- ment project is that we will maintain our energy neutrality status. We're actually able to treat to a higher standard without affecting the environ- ment. The whole modernisation process at the works has given us an opportunity to look at more efficient equipment as well – with this plant we can start looking at the optimum avail- able technology to help us in terms of our energy challenge. It's just the latest stage in the plant's evolu- tion. It will mean the waste is treated to the highest standards ever, using much less energy. That's good news for the Manchester Ship Canal and good news for United Utilities' custom- ers' bills.Without the development of activated sludge, the world – not just Manchester – wouldn't be how it is today. You wouldn't have the capability to sustain large, urban developments that you do now. In terms of its importance to the world's social and economic development it's been a really impor- tant invention. It might not look like much but activated sludge – or brown goo – revolutionised cit- ies around the world. And the story began in Manchester. About the authors: Marie Hart is responsible for the leadership of the Engineering Disciplines within United Utilities to ensure that the technical knowledge and guidance within the team is developed to support the business streams: delivery, wholesale, strategic asset planning, supply chain, retail and business opportunities. She had been involved in the water industry for around 25 years. Phil Sweeney is the Area Business Manager, West Manchester, United Utilities. He leads a team of asset management planners, engineers and operators, working together to develop short, medium and long term plans and activities to ensure the safe, efficient and reliable provision of wastewater services to over 1 million customers (domestic and commercial) in the Manchester, Salford, Trafford and North Cheshire area. 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 www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | MAY 2014 | 11 Comment R egular readers will know that Natasha Wiseman, former editor of Water and Wastewater Treat- ment, has le the magazine. Until her replacement is recruited, I have the honour of editing the title. I have written extensively for water and utility titles so the magazine is familiar terri- tory for me and in my caretaker role I shall continue in the style created by Natasha with content that includes industry news, comment and opinion, case studies, technical insight and practical guidance, re• ecting the in- terests of Water and Wastewater Treat- ment's engineers and water scientist readers. The theme running throughout this Hello and welcome issue is innovation. The water industry, including its suppliers can pat itself on the back with a celebration of 100 years of water treatment pioneered in Davyhulme by two engineers at Manchester Corporation. Sludge treat- ment, discovered by Edward Ardern and William T Lockett, was published in a scientiˆ c paper in 1914 and sewage treatment plants around the world use the system to this day. Now,100 years later, the new sludge recycling centre at Davyhulme is the largest of its kind in the world with innovations such as sludge conversion into renewable electricity and a high-quality fertiliser for farmers.Œ Innovation is the theme of this issue's lead Project Focus. Southern Water is using groundbreaking new wastewater treatment equipment as part of its work to alleviate the impact on customers of groundwater • ood- ing of its sewers. Southern Water is currently piloting ten of these mobile biological treatment tanks at seven locations in Kent and Hampshire, and carrying out a water quality testing programme to conˆ rm their e• ective- ness. The tanks have been developed DEAN STILES ACTING EDITOR wwtedit@fav-house.com in conjunction with Kent-based engi- neering ˆ rm Atac Solutions. And with the Environment Agency expressing interest in the system we can expect to see more of these in use elsewhere if initial results are conˆ rmed. And innovation was rewarded in the Water Industry Achievement Awards, organised by Water and Wastewater Treatment and sister title, WET News. The awards scheme, now in its eighth year, is dedicated to the UK water sector celebrating and rewarding outstanding innovation. The awards are the main event in the water sector's calendar. Congratulations to the worthy winners. We will return to explore their achievements in depth in future issues of Water and Wastewater Treatment. The awards took place alongside IWEX 2014, one of three interlinked and co-located shows that make up Sustainability Live 2014. The seminar programme provided rich pickings and we will also return to this in future issues to report the themes of the speakers in detail. For further reading please go to wwtonline.co.uk Industry view sponsored by Keith Hayward National Sales and Marketing Manager Hydro International UK Wastewater Division Cyclicality is an ugly word, just as it has now been proven to be an ugly side- eff ect of water industry regulation. It's now widely accepted that the investment peaks and troughs of the fi ve-year AMP cycle have cost up to 40,000 jobs, seen skills lost to the industry and stifl ed in- novation. In his exclusive interview for WWT's sister publication WET News, chair of the Cyclicality Working Group, Richard Coak- ley, set out the progress made in tackling the problem. Key measures include a promise of capital spending brought for- ward from AMP6 into a transition period and the potential for a website to share information about forthcoming projects with the supply chain. Getting tough to tackle boom and bust Hugely encouraging Of course, it's hugely encouraging that this group has been getting to work. We must now make sure that it has suffi cient 'teeth' to make change happen. That starts by considering everyone from the top to the bottom of the supply chain. It's not just about water companies and Tier 1 contractors and consultants. Equipment manufacturers may be at the 'bottom' of the chain, but o en can be the wellspring of new ideas and technologies. "We like established innovation" was how one wry water company executive described the situation to me recently. If we don't take tough measures to ensure that equipment manufacturers are part of a truly transparent supply chain, then the water industry may continue to unwittingly bite the hand that feeds it. Funding or procurement cycle? In fact, cyclicality itself is not the issue: every business has funding cycles. The problem is that the water industry cycle has been interpreted as a cycle for procurement, which is a diff erent matter. Unfortunately it is still in the contrac- tor's interest to leverage the cycle to push down on equipment suppliers. Whilst Tier One partnerships with water companies are well established, the reality at the other end of the sup- ply chain is that lowest price may still triumph over best value. Meanwhile, framework agreements are locking in three, fi ve or even seven year commitments to equipment solu- tions that discourage new entrants and ideas. We are now in the AMP5 trough and, as yet, there has been little encourage- ment fi ltering through to equipment suppliers in the form of brought-forward projects from AMP6. I hope the Cyclicality group have the courage to explore forward-thinking procurement practices with equipment suppliers that could help to support To- tex and through-life costing and thereby save costs for the consumer. For more information from Hydro International's UK Wastewater Divi- sion please call 01353 645700, email enquiries@hydro-int.com or visit www@ hydro-int.com.

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