Water. Desalination + reuse
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BUSINESS August-September 2015 | Desalination & Water Reuse | 11 | INdUStry applaUdS US fEdEral plEdgE of caSh to SUpport watEr rEUSE The WateReuse Association said it "applauds" a recent pledge by US secretary of the interior, Sally Jewel, that the federal government will invest US$ 50 million in water reuse and conservation projects in 12 western states. The funding comes from the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSmart programme, which has provided about US$ 250 million in funding since 2010. "Given the tremendous drought facing the west and the identified US$ 2.8 billion funding gap for planned water infrastructure, it is essential that we make adequate funding a priority," said WateReuse executive director, Melissa Meeker. Despite the funding boost, the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation — which supports the western US in its bid to meet water supply demand — will continue to have a backlog of water reuse projects in need of funding support. Communities beyond the Bureau Reclamation's jurisdiction also struggle to find adequate funding to develop resilient water supplies that can withstand drought, climate change, population growth, and other factors. "We are hopeful that the administration and congress will continue to focus on assisting the states and local water agencies to relieve future droughts by supporting innovative water reuse infrastructure funding programmes," Meeker said. ch2M wINS prIzE for raISINg pUBlIc accEptaNcE of watEr rEcyclINg Colorado-based service and engineering company, CH2M, has won the 2015 Stockholm International Water Institute's (SIWI's) Stockholm Industry Water Award, for developing and advancing methods to clean water and increasing public acceptance of recycled water. SIWI's executive director, Torgny Holmgren, highlighted the company's work in raising awareness of the importance of potable reuse: "In working for public acceptance of drinking treated wastewater, CH2M has taken a step beyond engineering, and shown impressive commitment to wise water management. "Through rigorous testing and analysis of both technical processes and societal perceptions, CH2M has created the opportunity to close the urban water loop," the award committee stated in its citation. CH2M has invented, implemented and refined methods for purifying wastewater to drinking water quality while investing significant effort into building public understanding and acceptance of potable reuse. It pioneered the application of social science research to understand better the underlying reasons for why people reject the notion of reuse and what might be done to change that mindset. "While technological innovation is an important part of our contribution to water reuse, many of the pivotal water reuse milestones would not have been built if the public had not accepted them. "Through technology and innovative public education tools, we will continue to contribute to a more sustainable water future," said CH2M's global water technology director, Brock McEwen. In the 1970s, CH2M designed the world's first surface water indirect potable reuse plant, improving the water quality for more than one million people in northern Virginia — raising the bar for cost-effective wastewater treatment. In the early 2000s CH2M worked with Singapore's national water agency, to not only prove the safety of potable reuse, but to win public acceptance with the country's NEWater project. "In a rapidly urbanizing world where the vast majority of sewage spills untreated out into the environment, the transformative technologies and strategic communication of this year's SIWA winner has provided a significant step towards future water security of cities." the Award Committee concluded. The Stockholm Industry Water Award was established in 2000 to stimulate and celebrate outstanding and transformative water achievements by companies in improving production, managing risks, finding solutions and contributing to wise water management. oSMoflo awardEd dESalINatIoN projEct at aUStralIaN port Desalination specialist, Osmoflo, has won a contract to build a desalination facility and supply Fortescue Metals Group at Port Hedland in Australia. Under the build, own and operate deal the new 4,500 m 3 /day seawater desalination plant will supply dust suppression water and provide an alternative to drawing on limited potable and bore water supplies in the region. Osmoflo has, since 2011, supplied a rental plant to Fortescue. Following a review of Fortescue's water requirements, the rental contract has been converted into the current, longer-term contract. "The amalgamation of the original rental contract to a build own operate contract is a result of a great working relationship between Fortescue and Osmoflo," said Osmoflo managing director Marc Fabig. The construction of the facility will include intake and pre- treatment. It will give Fortescue adequate capacity to supply third parties within the Port Hedland region. The plant is scheduled to be operational by July. gE UrgES polIcyMakErS to proMotE rEUSE Engineering giant, GE, has again urged policymakers to consider four major policy options for water recycling and reuse first unveiled at Water Arabia 2015 in February this year. GE has highlighted its February Addressing Water Scarcity through Recycling and Reuse white paper in which it calls on governments that are looking to expand water recycling and reuse to focus on: education and outreach, removing barriers, incentives, and mandates and regulations. "Today's growing populations and economies are creating an unsustainable demand for water. By 2050, the world will demand 55% more water and 70% more energy. Municipalities and governments need to reuse more water to ensure demand equals supply. The goal of our new white paper is to help them think through their options for water recycling and reuse while providing a menu of policy options and concrete examples of how these policies are being applied around the world," said president and chief executive officer of water and process technologies for GE Power and Water, Heiner Markhoff. GE's white paper was showcased on June 3 in San Francisco at an event hosted by GE and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. GE's outlines of water recycling and reuse policy options are: • education and outreach to help overcome any public concerns about the safety and quality of recycled water; • removing barriers to water recycling, starting with economic and other incentives, specific quality standards for recycled water and guidance on the use of the reclaimed water; • mandates and regulations so communities facing severe water restrictions adopt laws requiring the use of recycled water.