Water & Wastewater Treatment

www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | JUNE 2014 | 13 Comment W elcome to the WWT pump is- sue – full of content about an industry staple – the pump. Just writing 'pump issue' poses the question, what are the issues with pumps? What are the operational chal- lenges around specifying and crucially, maintaining them? Energy is the most obvious. The water industry is the most energy in- tensive industry in the UK and pump- ing systems account for up to 80% of that usage. So mitigating energy con- sumption and the associated cost is clearly high on the agenda and was a key topic at last month's Water Indus- try Innovation Conference organised by WWT, where speakers from across From maintenance to metaphor... the stakeholder spectrum gathered to discuss, debate and examine what's next for the sector (see P41). However, energy isn't the only consideration when specifying a pump as part of any system, nor is it the only ongoing cost. Of course, it needs to be fit-for-purpose and relevant for the application, but assuming an equal playing field in terms of performance and suitability, the crucial factor is maintenance. It's a balance that will be thrown into sharper relief with the move into AMP 6 and totex-based regulation. Water companies are going to need to have a much clearer handle on their maintenance spend and ways in which to drive efficiencies over the longer term. No longer will the horizon stretch for just five years as the incentive to minimise totex allows water companies to adopt a much longer-term view. For some, it's already happening, for oth- ers, it will require a fundamental shi™ in business approach and model as focus falls sharply on fully integrated asset management. It will necessitate a change in approach in everything from WILL PARSONS MANAGING EDITOR wwtedit@fav-house.com data collection and analysis to specifi- cation and procurement. Which brings us back to pumps. Ease of access, disassembly for repair, frequency of service or calibra- tion and ultimately length of life are all key considerations and need to be weighed carefully against any poten- tial energy savings. Whole-life cost means that the most energy-efficient pump may not always represent the best ROI when maintenance demands are taken into account. Going further than that, as South East Water found at their 30-year-old Bray Gravels pumping station (see P23), with an increased emphasis on efficient spending the imperative to re- pair and refurbish rather than replace will only increase. And with that the ripples are felt along the supply chain, service-provision rather than product sales, support and spare parts rather than replacement units. And so it is the humble pump becomes a microcosm of the industry. Whether it's repaired or replaced it has to be seen in the wider context of the whole, of the network , in totex terms. Follow us on twitter @wwtweeting • 4" to 24" diameter • Bronze, Cast Iron, Stainless & Ceramic options • Super High Effi ciency Hydraulics & Motors • Highly Wear Resistant • Inverter ready winding • Extensive options/custom engineering t:+44 (0) 1283 523000 www.wilo.co.uk e:sales@wilo.co.uk f:+44 (0) 1283 523099 At their best deep down (but only one has abrasion and corrosion resistant Ceramic internal options) WILO EMU Borehole At their best deep down

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