Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/944532
www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | MARCH 2018 | 5 FAT CHANCE: The Museum of London is giving visitors the opportunity to see a section of the Whitechapel fatberg – the solid block of fat and sewage material removed from the sewers beneath London last year – in a new exhibition that began in February. United Utilities has recruited a sniffer dog to find leaking water mains. The dog, named Snipe, has been trained to help pinpoint problem pipes in rural areas where the water does not always show on the surface. The cocker spaniel is the first dog in the UK to assist in finding leaks and has been learning how to recognise the tiniest traces of chlorine. QUOTE OF THE MONTH "This report shows companies stepping up to deliver improvements in services in some areas, but also highlights where they need to do more... looking towards the next price review period, Ofwat expects all water companies to set even more ambitious commitments." Ofwat Senior Director Aileen Armstrong on its Service Delivery Report Irish Water has commenced work on an €80M, 400,000-population-equivalent upgrade to the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant. Ringsend is the largest wastewater treatment plant in Ireland and was built to treat the wastewater for the equivalent of 1.64 million people. Currently the plant services over 40% of the national population and is treating wastewater for the equivalent of 1.9 million people. The upgrade is expected to take approximately two years to construct and will accommodate the current demand, support planned housing and economic growth and improve environmental water quality. £90BN The amount it could cost to renationalise the English water companies, according to analysis produced by the Social Market Foundation. The report, which warned of a potential 5% increase in government debt levels if Labour's plan were to go ahead, was commissioned by Anglian Water, Severn Trent, UU and South West Water. £13.5BN The amount paid to water company shareholders since 2010, according to Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, who said such profits showed renationalisation would be "cost-free". The Conservatives said nationalisation would mean higher prices and taxes. GOOD MONTH FOR… Biomaterial company CustoMem, which has received a €1.4M (£1.24M) European Commission grant that will accelerate the pilot phase of its next-generation granular media, which is optimised to capture and recycle specific challenging micropollutants found in industrial wastewater. The award will enable the company to bring to market its CustoMem Granular Media (CGM). BAD MONTH FOR… England's water companies, a er Environment Secretary Michael Gove told Ofwat he is prepared to give the regulator more power to take on water companies over "excessive profits" and "financial structures based in tax havens". Gove, writing to Ofwat chairman Jonson Cox, said the financial situation at some water companies was "deeply concerning" and felt the public mood could sour if restrictions such as hosepipe bans are required. He added that "the government will consider what changes could be made" if Ofwat feels it lacks the power to address the matter. GETTING STARTED NUMBERS DOGGIE PADDLE