WET News

Wet NeWs WATER AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT NEWS News+ Domestic water competition is coming, putting more pressure on water bills. What will this mean for capital delivery programmes? P7 Onsite: Water quality compliance The historic town of Hastings was at risk of failing the revised Bathing Water rules – but not anymore. Find out why, P8-9 Insight: Renewable energy Companies must act now to ensure AD projects secure high subsidy rates. P13, 16 • • Proposals include water trading, where the unrealised benefits are estimated to be £1bn. decades little progress has been made in effective water trading, which involves moving water, oen using rivers and aquifers, across company boundaries, from where it is plentiful to where it is scarce. This could be achieved by "overhauling how information on supplies is shared, and maintaining pres- sure on companies to use the most efficient source". The regulator has published its views, following consulta- tion last summer, on how the water sector should approach the major challenge of deliver- ing resilient systems and ser- vices and how its regulation will encourage companies to do this, in line with its new statu- tory duty. This includes compa- nies understanding how they can withstand current and future shocks, as well as antici- pating and responding to long term trends. And in creating R emoving regulatory red tape to open up the mar- ket for sludge, water trad- ing and introducing direct pro- curement are being proposed by Ofwat as it plans an overhaul of the water sector. Ofwat has warned that the water sector in England and Wales will need to change if it is to meet future challenges such as stretched water resources, dealing with environmental water quality problems, and customers who are struggling to afford their bill. The overhaul includes Ofwat's aim to "kick- start" a water trading market where the unrealised benefits are estimated at around £1bn. Better allocation of water could help keep bills down and better protect the environment, said the regulator. Ofwat has gone out to con- sultation over its proposals, and said that in the past two Oat plans sector shake- up to encourage innovation Water awards entry deadline looms JANUARY 2016 Volume 22 • Issue 1 Pump Hire, Sales & Service Selwood has been manufacturing, hiring and selling pumps for over 60 years. Please call for expert advice on all pumping applications. Models From 50mm To 300mm Selprime Auto Self-Priming Super Silent From 58db(A) Hydraulic Submersibles Electric Submersibles 24/7 Callout Branches Nationwide 08450 733835 www.selwood.co.uk Pump Hire, Sales & Service Selwood has been manufacturing, hiring and selling pumps for over 60 years. Please call for expert advice on all pumping applications. Northumbrian seeks JVs for upgrade T he closing date for entries to this year's Water Indus- try Achievement Awards is just days away – January 15, 2016, in fact. Organised by WET News and Water & Wastewater Treatment, the awards celebrate and reward forward thinking and best practice in the water industry. The winners will be announced at a glittering extravaganza at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on May 17, 2016! Details of the awards are available online at wwton- line.co.uk/awards or by email- ing wiaa@fav-house.com. Eight companies have signed up and are sponsoring categories. Making a welcome return are Ofwat, sponsoring Outstanding Innovation 2016; NM Group, sponsoring Most Innovative New Technology of the Year; the CPSA, sponsoring Sustainable Drainage & Flood Management Initiative of the Year; Asset International, spon- soring Carbon Reduction Initia- tive of the Year; TES and Saint- Gobain PAM, co-sponsoring People Initiative of the Year; Selwood, sponsoring Health & Safety Initiative of the Year; and Teekay Couplings, co-sponsor- ing Engineer of the Year. resilient services it is vital that companies gain a clear view of customers' long term priorities. The regulator's proposals include measures to get compa- nies to source water and use sewage sludge more efficiently, while gaining a richer under- standing of their customers' priorities. Ofwat also wants to encour- age better use of resources in how the sector harnesses energy from waste. Treating wastewater produces sludge, which is being used to create gas. This can be used for energy generation supplied to water companies themselves and fed into the grid, and to fertilise fields. It wants to remove regu- latory red tape to open up the market for sludge and encour- age innovation. The savings made would keep bills down and help meet our energy needs sustainably. N orthumbrian Water has sought joint venture contractors to design and build a new plant as part of its £40M upgrade of the water treatment works at Horsley in the Tyne Valley. As WET News went to press, the company said it was in the tendering process for the project. The consultants for the scheme are MWH and Turner & Townsend, and the project is expected to start in summer 2016 and take two and a half years to complete. The new treatment facilities will be built alongside the current plant, which supplies 800,000 customers and will continue to operate until the new works are complete. Much of the old works will then be demolished. The upgrade will enhance the treatment processes and ensure the works delivers to ever increasing water quality standards. It will also increase resilience. Outline planning permission has been agreed in principle by Northumberland County Council, subject to endorse- ment by the Secretary of State. "…this is the right time for me to look for new challenges" Martin Baggs, Thames Water p2 "Competition can be a primary driver for innovation…" Scott Aitken, Black & Veatch, p7 Ofwat also plans a gradual move to the more legitimate CPI (consumer price index), which will help maintain customer trust and confidence, and could reduce bill volatility. Cathryn Ross, Ofwat chief executive said: "Supplies are already stretched in areas where the population is rising. We want to kick start water trading where this will help keep bills down and stop us taking too much water from our rivers. We also want to deregu- late to free up scope for compa- nies to make better use of sew- age sludge to help meet their own, and the country's energy needs. "If we can encourage com- panies to innovate, and to truly understand what customers want now and in the future, we will be in a strong position to maintain trust and confidence in this vital public service."

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