Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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In the know Novel computer soware that can monitor, control and cut the carbon footprint le by sewage works could also mean cheaper water bills, according to Brunel University London's Dr Evina Katsou. Dr Katsou is the British leader of the C-FOOT-CTRL project that is developing the soware, which is expected to be in use by December 2017. Based in Athens, the €711,000 EU- funded four-year research involves scientists from UK, Greece, Spain, Germany, the US and Australia. Wastewater treatment plants are major energy consumers, pumping out vast amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) - carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide. Most European plants are less than 50% energy efficient. The new soware will enable sewage treatment plant operators to track and limit greenhouse gas emissions at their plant and pinpoint which activities cause most environmental RESEARCH ROUND UP So ware to track carbon footprint of sewage treatment harm. And the soware could even cut household water bills, said Dr Katsou. "Finding ways to decrease GHG emissions and energy consumption in wastewater treatment plants will mean cheaper and more environmentally-friendly sewage purification. And the latter can decrease the bills paid by people to water utilities," she said. "It will have a significant added value for the water engineering sector," continued Dr Katsou. "This new database and soware will guide the wastewater treatment plant operators in sustainable and eco-efficient operation of their plants." Dynamic models will RISING UP MWH has recruited Mark Mulcahy as its principal hydrogeologist to lead its hydrogeology consulting business in the UK. Mulcahy will delivering a range of hydrogeological and sustainability services including environmental risk appraisal, carbon and water footprinting of infrastructure solutions, energy audit and efficiency, sustainability assessment and integrated catchment management for UK water companies and other clients. He will be based in MWH's Redditch office. South West Water (SWW) has appointed Ed Mitchell as deputy chair of its Customer Challenge Group. Mitchell's appointment follows that last month of Nick Buckland as independent chair. The group, to be known as the WaterFuture Customer Panel (WFCP), will assist and challenge SWW during the three-year development of the company's next regulated business plan, which will run from 2020 to 2025. Water2business, a joint venture between Wessex Water and Bristol Water aimed at the business retail market, has announced the appointment of Geoff Smith as Director of Business Retail. His appointment comes as the industry prepares for the opening up of the market for non-household retail competition in England in April 2017. Smith was formerly the director of a number of telecoms sector businesses. Jim Arnold has been appointed chief executive of Morrison Utility Services (MUS) and Charles Morrison has been made its chairman. The appointments, with immediate effect, follow the company's acquisition in July by private equity firm First Reserve. simulate different processes inside the plant, while an online gas analyser logs the amount of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide emitted during biological sewage treatment. Data from the gas analyser then feeds back into the models to predict GHG emission and an online energy meter tracks energy use. A sewage plant's carbon footprint combines GHG emitted directly from sewage treatment and GHG emitted indirectly from the energy used to power the plant. The new soware will help operators reduce both types of GHG alongside its energy consumption. "Lower energy consumption translates to lower cost for sewage purification," said Dr Katsou. "Water customers are charged for both the fresh water they use and the cost of foul water management. By decreasing the foul water treatment cost, the soware tool will allow decreases in water utility bills." ● 24 Innovation Zone: Pesticide removal ● 27 Getting to Grips: Cryptosporidium ● 31 Digging Deeper: Lead pipe lining ● 35 Research Notes: Trace contaminants 2 Nov WWEM Conference, Telford. 10 Nov WWT Water Industry Supplier Conference, Birmingham. 29 Nov WWT Technology Innovation conference, Birmingham. 6 Dec Future of the Water Sector conference, Leicester. COmING UP Farmers could be paid millions of pounds to introduce measures to reduce flood risk and boost water quality as part of a post-Brexit agricultural policy, according to a new report. The report from the Green Alliance and the National Trust proposes a new model for green farming, which it is hoped will create new markets for sustainable land management. Under the scheme groups of farmers working together would sell flood protection and clean water to water companies and public authorities downstream. These 'Natural Infrastructure Schemes' could see savings for organisations currently facing high costs from poor water quality and flooding. Green Alliance calculates the cost of river flooding and water contamination to water companies, local authorities, public agencies and infrastructure operators at just under £2.4BN a year. Contracting to avoid just a quarter of these costs could release as much as £120M for each of England's 100 catchments over a 20-year catchment scale scheme. The proposed model could form part of the UK agricultural landscape post- Brexit as the country will no longer be bound to follow the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Green Alliance and the National Trust say they will be working alongside leading landowners and businesses over the next 12 months, preparing to introduce pilot Natural Infrastructure Schemes in the UK. Report proposes new payment model for green farming to operate post-Brexit www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | NOVEMBER 2016 | 23