Water. Desalination + reuse
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/604344
BUSINESS BUSINESS manufacturing company. Sunstone's technology can be applied to processing municipal wastewater effluent to potable drinking water. STW Water Process and Technologies' parent, STW Resources will make Sunstone's technology available for use in disaster relief and recovery. STW said Sunstone's technology increases STW's water treatment capability and takes it closer to the company's model of being a source for cleaning all types of water. Sunstone's technology is currently operating in many countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. STW Water will be taking the lead for marketing and deployment of the process in the US. Under the agreement, Sunstone and STW will combine their technologies to provide municipalities with a water purification services package. In September, STW and Sunstone began a pilot project, subject to the oversight of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), with a Texan city to demonstrate the performance of the system and to also gain acceptance and approval for use commercially in municipalities. While several technologies are on the market for municipal water treatment, Sunstone has developed and patented a system that is far advanced technologically to any other systems available according to STW. DPR – sometimes dubbed "toilet- to-tap" processing – has drawn limited commitment from the industry and its public acceptance has been slow in emerging. But persistent drought in various regions of the US and the rest of the world are making it a growing necessity. Sunstone said its zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system combines several established technologies in the economical and sustainable removal of salt and contaminants from wastewater and other water sources. According to STW it can remove more than 300,000 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS) to recover more than 95% of the fresh water. Seawater reverse osmosis typically can recover freshwater at up to 50% and is not effective at a TDS above 40,000 ppm, said Sunstone. STW will co-manufacture the Sunstone systems in its Midland facility and take the lead for sales and distribution of this technology. President of STW Water, Alan Murphy, said: "[Sunstone's] founder, Elo Nielsen, is one of the brightest engineers that I have ever met. We have the technology to clean and process nearly every type of contaminated water for reuse now. | 12 | Desalination & Water Reuse | November-December 2015 Everyone needs to realize that water is a commodity that has to be conserved in every way possible. Elo has designed and is designing other technologies for our group that are state-of-the-art." TExaS coUNTy dESalINaTIoN SchEmE SlaTEd To SUpply INdUSTry The Texas General Land Office has agreed a deal with desalination firm, Seven Seas Water, to develop a plan for building a seawater desalination plant in the San Patricio-Nueces county. The land office reached a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Seven Seas Water to develop a 50-100 Ml/d plant that would supply industrial consumers, according to a report in a local newspaper. Seven Seas Water would be the operator and majority owner of the facility. Seven Seas Water chief executive officer, Doug Brown, told the newspaper: "Our focus will be on industrial customers, which will relieve stress on the residential customers' system." If constructed, the plant would be the first of its kind in Texas that purifies seawater and sells it to multiple customers, Brown said. "This would allow Corpus Christi to invite new industrial development into the area, which they can't do right now because they can't guarantee water supplies," he added. Brown said no water purchase contracts have been signed yet, but there have been discussions with potential customers in the area. "The great thing about this is you have a MOU with the Texas General Land Office and a competent, experienced water desalination group who are looking at our region to start and expand ocean desalination," said state representative, Todd Hunter, of Corpus Christi. "It's a huge boost for our area, and it's a huge boost for us nationally," he added. The project, which is expected to cost between US$ 100 million and US$ 150 million, would be completely privately financed. Nueces county commissioner, Mike Pusley, was reported as saying Seven Seas Water "can finance their own project which multiple other companies that came to us about this couldn't do." BaNgalorE STraTEgIc plaN coNTracT goES To ch2m India's Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has selected CH2M to develop a strategic plan for the city of Bengaluru to assist in its water and wastewater infrastructure needs to 2050. In its plan, Preparation of Vision and Strategic Master Plan for Water Supply, Sewerage System & Asset Management, CH2M recommended operational moves in which BWSSB is to manage water resources, plan water infrastructure projects and achieve long-term environmental, social and economic improvements. Bengaluru's population has grown rapidly during the past 20 years putting water supplies and infrastructure under acute stress. It is currently at 10 million with a projected figure of greater than 25 million by 2050. CH2M global water business group president, Greg McIntyre, said: "We are looking forward to helping our client develop a holistic plan that balances the city's water and wastewater service and infrastructure needs with its forecasted growth, as well as prepare a water infrastructure strategy and master plan which can be used as a model for other Indian cities in the future." CH2M said the finalized, plan was expected to "promote optimal and integrated use of water resources, promote best practices in water and wastewater infrastructure services and asset management and identify potential alternative sources of water, along with a road map to involve the community in preserving and promoting the city's water resources." JoINT vENTUrE To BUIld dESalINaTIoN plaNT aT raS al KhaImah A joint venture between Spain's Grupo Cobra and Emirates-based Utico Middle East is building a Dh 719 million (US$ 195.7 million) desalination plant in northernmost emirate, Ras Al Khaimah. The facility will generate desalinated water at 110 Ml/d for the emirate and neighbouring areas, according to a statement from the venture partners. Subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based Ghantoot Group, Utico Middle East, and Grupo Cobra have signed an agreement in Dubai to incorporate Al Hamra Water Company, under a 60:40 partnership to oversee the development of the plant. Managing director of Utico Middle East, Richard Menezes, was reported as saying that most of the water will be supplied direct to the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) which supplies electricity and water to Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and some east coast cities.