March 2019 - Vol.

35, Issue 3

Serving the Municipal Water/Wastewater Industry • www.waterworld.com

Thinking CAPs
Addressing affordability through customer
assistance programs

Also Inside
Creative funding for smart city initiatives
Water 4.0: Learning from history
10 advantages of mobile technology

Special Section
Water Utility Management

Products & Services

Pipes & fittings
Membranes & filtration

Leverage the industry’s

first LoRa Alliance™
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 Featured on WaterWorld.com
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March | 2019 1
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 CONTENTS
MARCH 2019/VOLUME 35/No. 3

Features

16 24

Thinking CAPs Driving Smart City Implementations

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) offers guid- Using creative funding and procurement mechanisms
ance for navigating the often confusing landscape of like performance contracting can help pay for infra-
customer assistance programs. structure and bring energy and operational savings.

INSIDE EVERY ISSUE

From t he We b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1
PRODUCTS 6
V iewpoint ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4
6 Pro d u c t Sh o w c a s e
News Briefs .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 43
27 Pro d u c t F o c u s
Aut omat io n Te c h n ol ogy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
37 N e w Pro d u c t s
Glo bal Perspe c t i ve s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
40 R e s o u rc e Sp o t lig h t
WWEMA Cor n e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Adver t iser In de x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 42 Pro d u c t I n d e x

Case St udy .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 27
Calendar ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

WATER UTILITY MANAGEMENT

20 Make Your Water Utility Future Happen Today 37 40
23 Fostering Innovation in the Water Industry

35 Pro d u c t s & Se r v ic e s : Pip e s & F it t in g s

March 2019 - Vol. 35, Issue 3

36 Pro d u c t s & Se r v ic e s : M e m b r a n e s & F ilt r a t io n

®

Serving the Municipal Water/Wastewater Industry • www.waterworld.com

Thinking CAPs
Addressing affordability through customer
assistance programs
35 36
Also Inside
Creative funding for smart city initiatives
Water 4.0: Learning from history
ON THE COVER:
Utilities are exploring customer
10 advantages of mobile technology

Special Section

assistance programs (CAPs)

Water Utility Management

Products & Services

to not only maintain revenue

Pipes & fittings
Membranes & filtration

reliability but also support

36
Leverage the industry’s
low-income customers.
first LoRa Alliance™
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 ®

28 30

10 Advantages of Mobile Technology Water 4.0: Learning from the Past

Mobile technology for data collection is quite literally How understanding the historical development of ur-
at our fingertips, bringing numerous advantages to ban water systems can inform the water distribution
the water industry. Here are the top ten. channels of today.

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 Editor’s Letter
Building trust through humor
T
oday’s social media landscape can be confusing to
navigate. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Tumblr,
Snapchat, and whichever new ones have sprung into
existence in the last five minutes — the litany of platforms can
be overwhelming. However, despite the mind-numbing prospect
of deciphering the ins and outs of hashtags and mentions, social
media offers a very powerful — and personal — way to engage
with audiences. For water and wastewater utilities, whose services
and infrastructure are primarily out of sight and out of mind,
finding a way to connect with customers on a personal level can
make all the difference.
John Gonzalez knows this firsthand. As the communications
manager for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
(NEORSD), he and his talented team have perfected the art of
customer outreach — and social media plays an important role.
“Customers have so many bits of information coming towards
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Entertainment is one way NEORSD connects with its audience.
them at any moment,” he said, “we need to have something
that’s effective.” It’s about creativity, it’s about timeliness, and
“it’s about trying to step into the worlds that are often so busy
for everybody around us.”
The underlying philosophy at NEORSD is centered around the
three E’s: educate, entertain, and engage. “Any one of those
aspects — or some combination of them — really helps us to be
more effective when it comes to our outreach,” he said.
Entertainment, he said, goes a long way toward effectiveness.
Plus, it’s a lot of fun. “It helps us be relevant for people who are
so distracted in many ways,” he said. “If we can step into the
conversations that are relevant to them then we obtain relevance
2/5/19 10:30 AM
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2/21/19 2:39 PM

in their lives.”
Gonzalez credits the supportive leadership at NEORSD for
allowing his team the flexibility to be playful with their campaigns.
“There is a lot of creative freedom for us to make jokes or step
into an entertainment conversation or the sports world and make
relevant commentary about what we’re doing,” he said, and it
comes from “a level of trust that our leadership has in our team.”
For water or wastewater utilities looking to up their social media
game, Gonzalez offered three guidelines to keep in mind. “First
of all, have a strategy,” he advised. “Try to understand what your
expectations are, what your opportunities are as it relates to social.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew, but try to find ways you
Publisher Timm Dower (918) 832-9237
E-mail: tdower@pennwell.com
Chief Editor Angela D. Godwin (603) 891-9221
Editorial/Press Releases E-mail: Angelag@pennwell.com POSTMASTER & SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE
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CORPORATE OFFICERS
President and Chief Executive Officer Mark C. Wilmoth
Executive Vice President,
Corporate Development and Strategy Jayne A. Gilsinger
Chief Operating Officer Pennwell Media Robert Brighouse
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1903WW04-05.indd 5
John Gonzalez visits with Angela Godwin on The Drop.
can make headway within a specific platform.”
Next is structure: How will you implement and execute your
strategy? Here “you really start to find out what your resources
are and understand what that commitment level might be.”
Ask yourself what you’re willing to expend (in time, resources,
etc.) in order to make gains in customer outreach.
And finally, focus on substance and tapping into what makes
your customers tick. “How do you make your conversation
substantive to your followers? Creativity has value, humor has
value, but the emotional connection you can make with people
on social media — it’s tremendous how powerful that can be.”
Through that emotional connection, he said, customers “come
to trust us, and that helps us, no matter what we’re talking
about. That trust goes a long way.” WW
Editor’s Note: You can follow John and his team on Twitter
at @neorsd. To watch the full interview with John Gonzalez
on Episode 5 of The Drop, visit waterworld.com and click on
WaterWorldTV.
®
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WaterWorld serves engineers, managers, consultants and operations people in the Municipal Water/Waste-
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tions to help them in planning, designing, operating and maintaining their systems.
WaterWorld® (ISSN 1068-5839). WaterWorld is published 12 times per year, monthly, by PennWell® Cor-
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 Product Showcase

Soft starter Rugged laptop

Siemens is launching a new genera-
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Telemetry system
Monitor high or low level conditions
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UV disinfection system
Hallett Potable is a self-cleaning ultra-
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Phased activated sludge system Wireless HD sewer camera

The AquaPASS® Phased Activated Sludge System utilizes time-based Easily understand the condition of sewer lines, manholes, tanks and more
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provides superior nutrient removal performance in a singular wastewater Quickview airHD
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flexible nitrogen control that reduces sludge recycling pump requirements, ciently diagnoses
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which optimizes anaerobic treat- System components are compact, rechargeable and Wi-Fi-enabled for
ment for advanced phosphorus ultimate portability. Learn how this zoom camera can simplify assess-
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Aqua-Aerobic Systems Envirosight
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 News Briefs
RECLAMATION AWARDS MORE THAN $35M TO WATER
RECLAMATION, REUSE PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA
The Bureau of Reclamation is
awarding $35.3 million for six
authorized Title XVI water rec-
lamation and reuse projects in
California. The funding will be
used to improve flexibility
during water shortages and
diversify the water supply. The
six projects selected for funding are:
• City of Escondido, Membrane Filtration Reverse Osmosis
Facility Project, $5,000,000
• City of San Diego, Pure Water San Diego Program,
$9,000,000
• City of San Jose, South Bay Water Recycling Phase 1B
Infrastructure Improvements, $2,545,471
• Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Horsethief Canyon
Wastewater Reclamation Facility Expansion and Upgrade
Project, $2,693,455
• Hi-Desert Water District, Wastewater Treatment and Rec-
lamation Project, $8,668,500
• Padre Dam Municipal Water District, East County Ad-
vanced Water Purification Program, $7,392,351
Reclamation provides funding through the Title XVI Water
Reclamation and Reuse Program for projects that reclaim and
reuse municipal, industrial, domestic or agricultural wastewater
and impaired ground or surface waters. WW
WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECTS IN ST. LOUIS
COUNTY TOTAL MORE THAN $30M
Missouri American Water plans to replace more than 85,000
feet of aging infrastructure in St. Louis County at an investment
of more than $30 million.
The projects cover water mains countywide, with start dates
beginning immediately and running into the spring.
According to Christopher Parrish, Missouri American Water
manager of operations for construction, a company record of
1,200 water main breaks was set in January 2018. “Working
to replace aging infrastructure like this is part of the company’s
effort to get ahead of the kinds of water main breaks that disrupt
customers’ lives,” he said. WW
COMPETITION SEEKS UNIQUE SOLUTIONS TO WATER UTILITY
PROBLEMS
For a second year, the Intelligent Water Systems Challenge is
encouraging participants to use innovation and data to help
solve some of the most difficult issues facing water and waste-
water utilities.
The goal is to demonstrate the value of intelligent water
systems to utilities and foster adoption of smart water technol-
8 March | 2019
1903WW08-11, 43-44.indd 8
ogies, as well as give students, professionals, and technology
experts the opportunity to showcase their talents and innovation
with a focus on leveraging data using the tools to help utilities
make better decisions.
The 2019 Intelligent Water Systems Challenge, which will
run from February 11 to September 23, 2019, will make general
problem statements and example datasets available to partic-
ipants and will use webinars to introduce participants to the
datasets and underlying systems. Scenarios will focus on col-
lection systems, wastewater treatment systems, drinking water
treatment systems, source water/watershed, and distribution
networks. Teams with innovative solutions will be invited to
present their results in person at WEFTEC 2019 in Chicago for
final judging. The winning teams will receive cash awards and
the top team will receive $10,000.
The Challenge is hosted by LIFT, a joint effort by the Water
Research Foundation and the Water Environment Federation,
and is also supported by the American Water Works Association,
Cleveland Water Alliance, International Society of Automation,
Smart Water Networks Forum, The Water Council, and WaterTAP.
Teams have until March 25 to register. WW
N.Y. COUNTY TO USE DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING
ON SEWER PROJECT
Suffolk County, N.Y., voters have approved a $360 million project
that will connect nearly 6,400 homes to public sewers. A mixture
of state and federal grants made available after Superstorm
Sandy in 2012 will fund the project.
Sewer-main construction, and the cleaning and capping of
existing cesspool and septic systems — upon which about
75 percent of the area’s 1.5 million residents rely — will be
covered by the program.
After initial hookup costs, home and business owners will
pay annual maintenance fees to keep the system up and
running.
The sewer project was approved in January 2019, and is
expected to be finalized by 2025. WW
EMISSION REDUCTIONS HELP MWRD REACH CLIMATE
CHANGE GOALS
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater
Chicago (MWRD) has decreased greenhouse gas emissions
by 30.5 percent relative to 2005 levels, and projections show
that after the addition of new infrastructure, those emission
levels will potentially decrease to approximately 50 percent.
The MWRD in late 2018 installed a new primary treatment
and grit removal system that will soon replace aging Imhoff
tanks at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant (WRP). These
upgrades position the MWRD to curb methane emissions and
reduce its carbon footprint by up to 172,000 metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalents.
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2/21/19 2:39 PM NatOil_
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 News Briefs

These reductions support the United States’ pledge to
lower greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent below its 2005
level by 2025 in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Despite the federal government’s intention to withdraw from
the Paris Agreement in June 2017, the MWRD Board of
Commissioners passed a resolution honoring the Paris Agree-
ment by continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The MWRD operates seven WRPs and 22 pumping stations,
consuming approximately 600 million kilowatt hours per year
of electricity. To address climate change, the MWRD identified
strategic goals, including reduction of both greenhouse gas
emissions and energy consumption; recovering resources;
promoting resiliency; increasing flood protection; promoting
greater use of both green and gray infrastructure; and encour-
aging greater use of recycling and reuse.
The MWRD has met many of these goals both directly and
indirectly. By decommissioning 36 older Imhoff tanks at Stickney
WRP, the MWRD lowered biochemical oxygen demand settling
and capture and drastically reduced methane escaping to the
atmosphere. There will be 72 additional tanks replaced by the
new preliminary and primary treatment facilities, and more
work is planned for the future. WW

U.S. EPA OUTLINES PFAS ACTION PLAN

In an announcement that acting EPA Administrator Andrew
Wheeler called historic, the U.S. EPA last month outlined its
plan to address contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) threatening drinking water resources across
the country.

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 News Briefs

PFAS comprise hundreds of substanc- 5. The EPA plans to develop a comprehensive risk communication toolbox to
es, including (but not limited to) perflu- help stakeholders and municipalities communicate with their communities about
orooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluo- PFAS.
rooctane sulfonate (PFOS). These Acting Administrator Wheeler emphasized that the agency has every intention
chemicals have been around for more of setting an MCL for PFOA and PFOS, but that in the meantime, the agency will
than sixty years, used in myriad con- continue its enforcement of the current health advisory limit of 70 ppt. EPA has
sumer and industrial products such as executed eight direct PFAS enforcement actions to date. WW
non-stick coatings and fire-fighting
foams. There is evidence indicating that
exposure to these chemicals can lead to
adverse health effects, including inter-
fering with reproduction and hormone
levels, adversely affecting learning and
behavior, and increasing the risk of cer-
tain cancers.
After an extensive outreach effort,
including a National Leadership Summit
held in May 2018 as well as subsequent
community listening sessions, the U.S.
Simplify
EPA has developed a plan to address the
growing concern over PFAS across the Operator
nation. Highlights include:
1. The U.S. EPA intends to move for-
ward with an MCL process for PFOA and
Safety
PFOS, and expects to propose a regula- Don’t put yourself or your
tory determination by the end of year. operator in an unsafe
position. Now you can cut
2. The agency will continue its enforce-
through pipe from one side*
ment actions and cleanup activities, and and not worry about the
will continue to provide technical assis- kickback that can happen
tance to communities as needed. The with a traditional circular
agency has also started the regulatory blade saw.
process for listing PFOA and PFOS as
hazardous substances (which will enable
communities to take advantage of certain Available for gas,
funding vehicles for clean up efforts). hydraulic and pneumatic
3. EPA will expand its focus on mon- powered saws.
itoring and understanding of PFAS in the
environment, and intends to add PFAS See your local dealer or
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 Automation Technology

WaterManagement
Without AI, You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat
BY PRATEEK JOSHI

T
he effective and safe manage-
ment of water in both municipal
and industrial applications is not
just socially responsible, it’s the law. Ad-
vancements in sensor and networking
capabilities, collectively part of the Indus-
trial Internet of Things (IIoT), now allow
organizations to gather operational data
on the health and performance of assets
responsible for the handling and treatment
of water.
This insight can be a huge help. Col-
lecting data from thousands of miles of
pipes and a vast array of devices, including
pumps, leads to a critical need: extracting
actionable intelligence from a tremendous
volume of information.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can rapidly
analyze these enormous data sets and
identify issues really well, leading to ac-
tionable insights. Already, use cases are
emerging that show the great promise
these technologies offer for treating and
handling water and wastewater in mu-
nicipal and industrial environments.
AI AND ML EXPLAINED
There exists a lot of hype and misper-
ception about what AI actually is and what
it can do, ranging from intelligent ma-
chines entirely replacing people to wild
predictions about technology that takes
on a life of its own and takes over the
world. Neither of these is accurate.
AI ENABLES WATER MANAGEMENT
engineers to rely less on intuition and more on relevant data to ensure
operations are optimized.
AI is best viewed as the overarching
term that encompasses a wide range of
intelligent analytical capabilities, and Ma-
chine Learning (ML) is a vehicle to get
there. Other subsets of AI include natural
language processing, computer vision,
speech recognition, and more.
Within water process management,
analytics technology can interpret vast
amounts of operational data. It’s gathered
from numerous sensors throughout a
treatment or manufacturing plant, result-
ing in a fine-grained view of asset perfor-
mance. One of the biggest benefits AI
provides is the speed and consistency with
which it can analyze and convert that data
into actionable insights.
It’s this ability that enables water man-
agement engineers to rely less on intuition
and more on relevant data to ensure op-
erations are optimized. Naturally, working
from factual data is more likely to produce

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PM
 Automation Technology
AI can assist in tracking key performance
metrics for reverse osmosis (RO) systems.
better results and gain the confidence of
top decision makers.
INDUSTRIAL WATER MANAGEMENT
Social and regulatory expectations
place enormous pressure on water usage,
including wastewater treatment and dis-
charge. For instance, within industries
like manufacturing, chemicals, or oil and
AI CAN RAPIDLY COLLECT AND
analyze SCADA data, allowing plant managers to spend more time
executing the elimination of LoF and CoF versus battling with tedious
and cumbersome data spreadsheets.
gas, water plays a key role in delivering
a completed product to consumers. Most
often, it is used as a coolant or a solvent.
However, in segments like food process-
ing and beverage production, it’s also a
basic component of the actual product.
Just like other precious resources, water
necessitates a lot of care. Not only does
it need to be delivered to the plant, it also
has to be discharged without causing un-
due harm to the environment. Efficient
use of water is motivated by ecological
as well as financial considerations that can
greatly impact an organization.
According to Bluefield Research, the
U.S. spent $10.2 billion on water man-
agement in 2017. This includes acquisi-
tion, treatment, reuse, and discharge.
Industrial use of water is estimated to be
around 322 billion gallons per day. De-
14 March | 2019
1903WW12-15.indd 14
Comparing two data streams over the last 90
days for an RO system is easy with an inclu-
sive system.
spite a 60 percent increase in industrial
production since the late 1980s, water
usage has actually decreased by 30 per-
cent over this time.
The reason for this accomplishment is
two-fold: the commitment of industry
leaders to better preserve this natural
resource, and the advancement and ap-
plication of impactful technologies. These
technologies enable greater transparency,
understanding, and management of op-
erational assets.
AI AND WATER MAKE FOR CLEANER
BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING
Water is a key ingredient for large
beverage manufacturers, who also use
it for other purposes such as sanitation.
Breweries and other bottling plants must
remain inspection-ready and Food Safety
Modernization Act-compliant at all
times. When the Food and Drug Admin-
istration (FDA) inspectors pay a visit, they
insist on seeing meticulous record keep-
ing, all indicating that processes such as
clean-in-place (CIP) and water treatment
systems are performing properly.
AI enables plant managers to analyze
and demonstrate on the front end that
Forecasting key business drivers for lifecycle
analysis of an RO system can save plant oper-
ators time and money in the long run.
these systems are operating and handling
water to FDA standards. In addition, they
show that they’re doing so economically
on the back end and to the standards of
the finance department.
Spikes in temperature, pressure, or
energy consumption by assets such as
pumps and membranes can be indica-
tions of a likelihood of failure (LoF). By
detecting that a water membrane is using
20 percent more energy than usual to
accomplish its function, a plant manager
can determine that it’s trending toward
a malfunction. They can then be proac-
tive in maintenance and reduce costly
consequence of failure (CoF), which
would mean unplanned downtime.
If a pump responsible for moving
wastewater is suddenly experiencing a
LoF of higher pressure than normal, AI
can predict a rupture that might result in
the discharge of untreated water into the
water table. Action could quickly be taken
to prevent a CoF that could possibly end
up poisoning people while putting an
organization in legal, regulatory, and
reputational peril.
Being able to rapidly collect SCADA
data and analyze it is where AI delivers.
It allows plant managers to spend more
time executing the elimination of LoF
and CoF versus battling with tedious and
cumbersome data spreadsheets.
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Another direct benefit that AI and IIoT
can bring to water infrastructure is the
reduction of waste. According to the
American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE), water infrastructure in the U.S.
gets a D grade when it comes to delivering
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Root cause analysis can be used to automat-
ically identify anomalous behavior.
fresh water and a D+ for removing
wastewater.1
The ASCE report estimates that 14 to
18 percent of freshwater is lost via leaks
in aging pipes — enough to support
15 million households. By using smart
sensors to capture data across the infra-
structure and then running it through AI
algorithms to identify weak points, pro-
active maintenance of the water delivery
network could save the U.S. an estimated
$20 billion in capital and operating ex-
penses over a 10-year period.
STAYING AHEAD OF THE STORM
AI and IoT are also proving to be critical
tools in the management of wastewater,
which is of major concern for both industry
and municipal organizations like treatment
facilities. As an example, a municipal
wastewater plant in Tennessee, where
changes in climate caused increased an-
nual rainfall across the region, faced seri-
ous overflow challenges.
The rate of influent flow impacts several
aspects of managing and treating waste-
water. For the team at the plant, it became
paramount to be able to predict future
flow rate in combination with the impact
of rain. To accomplish this, the plant de-
ployed AI to process the massive opera-
tional data sets and predict future over-
flows, enabling them to adjust flow rates
in anticipation of approaching rain.
By becoming proactive, they literally
got ahead of the storm. Operators were
able to remove much of the guess work
in planning for rainfall and more effectively
schedule pump runtimes and speeds, han-
dle diversion flow to storage, and ensure
staffing needs were met. The increased
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1903WW12-15.indd 15
Automation Technology
Fleet view of all the systems.
insight into assets and predictive capabil-
ities have enabled the plant to maintain
stability in the treatment process, avoid
overflow violations, and better plan overall
operations and resources.
GAINING MORE FROM YOUR ASSETS
Monitoring and managing assets when
it comes to responsible handling of water
is not a new concept. But the maturation
of AI and ML, along with sensor and net-
working technology, is enabling plant and
facilities operators to abandon the age-old
practice of doing so solely based on intu-
ition or spreadsheets. Contain.
Control.
Technology is delivering new progress,
driven by advanced analytics and greater
Comply.
transparency into all facets of operations.
The benefits are numerous, ranging from
increased operational efficiency to better
ROI on investments. But the greatest ben-
efit is the much more efficient, effective, By forming flexible, durable
and socially responsible way of handling barriers, Plastatech®
water. WW geomembranes are highly
effective in ground-sheet
About the Author: Prateek Joshi is the founder and CEO and leach pad
of Plutoshift (www.plutoshift.com), which provides a applications or for
performance monitoring software solution for industrial freshwater, runoff or spill
water processes in verticals such as food, beverage, water containment. They help
treatment, and chemicals. He is an Artificial Intelligence you control the site and
researcher, the author of nine published books, and a comply with regulations.*
TEDx speaker. Joshi has been featured on Forbes 30
Under 30, CNBC, TechCrunch, and more.
Learn how Plastatech can
help you stay compliant:
REFERENCES
1. “Failure to Act: The Economic Impact 800-892-9358
of Current Investment Trends in Water plastatech.com
and Wastewater Treatment Infrastruc-
ture,” American Society of Civil Engi- *Reference your local and federal containment
regulations for complete compliance requirements.
neers, 2011. Plastatech is a registered trademark of Plastatech
Engineering, Ltd. | Plastatech is proudly manufactured
Circle No. 245 on Reader Service Card in the USA. | CCC_Ad V1 9.30.14
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 Thinkin

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 ng CAPs
ing Addressing affordability through
customer assistance programs
BY KELSEY BEVERIDGE

A
ffordability of services is a growing concern for water and wastewater
utilities across the country. Utilities are responsible for maintaining infra-
structure needs while meeting national regulations and ensuring customers
have a safe, affordable water supply. To achieve this balance, utilities are exploring
customer assistance programs (CAPs) to not only maintain revenue reliability but also
support low-income customers. There are successful examples of CAPs that demon-
strate multiple benefits to utilities and alleviate stressors for customers. However, legal
and regulatory frameworks can be confusing and inconsistent across state lines,
making funding sources for CAPs unclear. The Water Research Foundation (WRF)
has two studies dealing with legal and regulatory barriers for CAPs and using CAPs
to target hard to reach (H2R) customers.

FUNDING FOR CAPS

Arguably the most important limitation to the establishment of CAPs is funding.
Many states have different rules for different types of utilities. For example, the
rules may differ between water or wastewater utilities, or government-owned
versus privately owned utilities. Due to the variation and often confusing regula-
tions around the design of CAPs, many programs are small, with a limited capacity
to help customers.

UTILITIES ARE EXPLORING CAPS

to not only maintain revenue reliability but also support low-income customers.

A research project led by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)
and co-funded by WRF, Navigating Legal Pathways to Rate-Funded Customer As-
sistance Programs: A Guide for Water and Wastewater Utilities, aimed to help facilitate
planning by identifying the current state of regulations. The guide ultimately helps
utilities and affiliated organizations understand the regulatory framework and influence
of how CAPs are funded.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a compendium cate-
gorizing CAPs into five types: bill discount, flexible terms, lifeline rate, temporary

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 Figure 1: The WRF research team identified several key components
assistance, and water efficiency. However, it provides little to implementing a H2R CAP.
guidance to states’ legal framework that impacts program ACT
feasibility and funding sources.
The NACWA/WRF research team evaluated each state’s
statutory and regulatory framework, and identified three
primary legal issues that were thematic among all states. The
most prominent is the absence of judicial interpretation of PLAN COMMUNICATE CHECK
statutory terminology. For example, common language states
that water and wastewater utility rates must be “reasonable”
or “justifiable.” Depending on context and interpretation, this
can vary significantly between utilities.
Another legal barrier is that many states have constitutional DO
gift clauses that limit government entities from granting sub-
sidies to individuals, associations, or corporations. In most Evaluate program options
Implement selected approach(es)
states, utilities have some flexibility if funding for CAPs comes
Reach the H2R
from a source that’s not customer rate revenue, like a foundation
grant or a voluntary bill round-up. Strategy 1 Strategy 2
Provide INDIRECT assistance Work DIRECTLY with the H2R
and/or landlords
CASE EXAMPLE: CITY OF ATLANTA • Raise awareness/support existing • Discounts to landlords
The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management assistance programs • Vouchers
• Partner with community organizations • Discounts through energy utility
started the Care and Conserve Program, which provides financial to support low-income households • Discounts for affordable housing
assistance and plumbing repairs to low-income customers. The • Conservation
program used private donations, grants and, later, royalties. • Shrink the H2R population

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 Care and Conserve helped reduce the burden of outstanding
system debt and promoted water conservation.
It is estimated that the financial assistance from the program
collects $14,000 worth of customer revenue for every $42,000
in bill assistance on overdue accounts. Since the program’s incep-
tion, business arguments have been incorporated into the city
codes for allowing rate revenue financing of Care and Conserve
and outlines how assisting low-income customers provides a
“direct and substantial benefit to the drinking water and waste-
water system,” as it retains customers and reduces debt.
TARGETED ASSISTANCE
Another WRF project, Customer Assistance Programs for
Multi-Family Residential and Other Hard-to-Reach Customers,
aimed to provide ways in which utilities could provide targeted
assistance to customers that are difficult to reach. For example,
while many customers receive a bill directly from the utility,
some do not, paying instead through a third party as part of
their rent. In fact, in larger urban areas the majority of a utilities’
customer base may not receive a separate water bill. This applies
particularly to single family units, multi-family housing, and
public housing. Multi-family households account for 78 percent
of the national H2R population, including market-rate housing,
public housing by a local housing authority, private owned rental
housing that receives government assistance, and project-based
subsidized housing owned by a private landlord or corporation.
H2R CAPs help address affordability concerns using bill discounts,
special rate structures, payment plans, and other means to
ensure financially constrained customers maintain access to
drinking water.
The research team identified several key components to
implementing a H2R CAP (see Fig. 1). First, each utility needs
to understand the characteristics of the community they are
trying to serve and develop a program that can meet the needs
of the community. These approaches can include using data
from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS), the
U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), or pairing
utility billing data with tax information or other data sources.
CASE EXAMPLE: DENVER WATER
Denver Water performed an in-depth analysis of affordability
challenges within its service area. The utility looked at ACS data
on key demographics like income levels, household type, poverty
rates, as well as data on renter-occupied or owner-occupied
households to identify the demographics of the City of Denver.
Combining this information with PUMS data, Denver Water
was able to determine that 58 percent of households earning
less than the median household income do not pay Denver
Water directly for services and determined that those customers,
the majority being multi-family renters, are an especially “at-
risk” population and in the greatest need of assistance. The
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1903WW16-19.indd 19
utility can now use that data accordingly to identify customers
that would benefit the most from a CAP.
SUPPORTING A CAP
There are several strategies that a utility can take to either
directly or indirectly support a CAP. For instance, utilities can
provide monetary support to existing programs created by
community groups that have developed trusting and effective
programs to reach H2R customers. Providing funds to established
programs may often help bolster existing programs that have
resources that utilities may not be able to provide on their own.
Similarly, water utility conservation programs for multi-family
buildings can help reduce water demand through targeted
conservation and leak detection and repair programs. Conser-
vation initiatives can result in cost savings not only for the
tenant and landlord but also for the water provider. Denver
Water, for example, worked with Denver Housing Authority
on capital improvements and providing information on water
use. The housing authority was responsible for paying the
water bill and making improvements, meaning that the cost
savings directly benefited the residents and alleviated fiscal
responsibility from the utility.
Utilities can also work directly with H2R customers and/or
landlords to provide direct assistance. Several utilities have
low-income assistance programs that provide relief to H2R
customers in the form of discounts or water vouchers. Seattle
Public Utilities (SPU) has a program that provides credits to
income-eligible water users who do not receive a water or
electricity bill but pay through the landlord. SPU calculates the
combined solid waste, drainage, sewer, and drinking water
credit per household and provides credits directly to the renter
as a voucher that the tenant can use as part of his or her rent
payment. Direct discounts to landlords can serve as an effective
way to maintain an affordable housing market or offset rent
increases.
There are many ways that utilities can directly or indirectly
support customers through customer assistance programs.
While there is no defined, national regulatory framework that
establishes clear boundaries for these programs, there are ways
utilities can make a case for a program by showing its direct
community benefit as well as the economic benefit to the
facility. WW
Author’s Note: The WRF reports mentioned in this article, Navigating Legal Pathways
to Rate-Funded Customer Assistance Programs: A Guide for Water and Wastewater
Utilities (4671) and Customer Assistance Programs for Multi-Family Residential and
Other Hard-to-Reach Customers (4557), can be found online at waterrf.org. Subscribers
have access to the full reports.
About the Author: Kelsey Beveridge is a technical writer at the Water Research
Foundation.
March | 2019 19
2/21/19 2:39 PM
 Water Utility Management
Make Your Water Utility
Future Happen Today
How to clear the hurdles inherent at the intersection of digital and damp
BY KATHLEEN WOLF DAVIS
W
e all have desires; we all have wants — the latest
smartphone, the newest version of our favorite
car brand, the best upgrade on our next inter-
national flight. Those of us fortunate enough to be distracted
by wants hardly ever think about our most basic needs: food,
shelter, water. Food is in the fridge or at the store; shelter’s
all around us all the time; and water comes straight out of
the faucet.
Inside the utilities industry, though, we think quite a lot about
making that water come out of the faucet — and how to make
it do so on time, with pressure and as clean as possible.
And we’ve been thinking about that basic need for quite a
while. The modern water industry may be one of the oldest
industries still up and running, stretching back at least to the
time of Roman aqueducts.
As we go strong into 2019 and ponder the future of this
industry, let’s strategize the best path forward to blend our
industry’s digital desires with our global society’s basic water
needs. How can your water utility innovate with intent this
20 March | 2019
1903WW20-23.indd 20
year without breaking the bank? Here are three new ways of
thinking about your digital wants that should bring better
consequences without requiring more cash.
USE YOUR DATA DETAILS HOLISTICALLY—FROM CLARIFIERS
TO THE CLOUD
Most of the modern global water industry is dealing with
aging infrastructure and the problems it creates — namely
water leaks. Trying to balance those problems with keeping
outages few and far between — plus the growing tide of
recycled water concepts — means figuring out how to make
it all work together and do so better. Some upgrades are
absolutely inevitable, but some won’t happen for a bit. And
both the old and the new need to work together, and work
together well — perhaps better than ever before. So, how do
you get there?
First, you need a more timely view of the system from pipes
to pumps to valves. To do so requires a lot of monitoring, some
good sensors and an integrated asset performance management
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 Water Utility Management

Inside the utilities industry, we have to think quite a lot

about making water come straight out of the faucet —
and how to make it do so on time, with pressure and as
clean as possible.
Photo: Pixabay CC0
plan (with an eye on ISO 55000 compliance).
To get that info out to the field, you need a
mobile workforce strategy. And to get that
information to the customer, it all needs to HOW EFFICIENT IS YOUR
AERATION PROCESS?
tie into your customer care platform.
If you can’t see everything, you can’t plan
for everything — and you certainly can’t op-
timize everything. So, start with digital views
into your pipes (real-time leak detection
through flow modeling, for example) and
work up and out from there, laying software
onto your hardware in pieces, yes — but
pieces thought out as interactive parts of a
larger digital strategy.

FOCUS YOUR INFORMATION PIPELINES ON A

SINGULAR TOUCHPOINT
Automation is a wonderful thing and arti-
ficial intelligence (AI) will help you work smart-
er and faster in the very near future (with
amazing leaps in machine learning being re-
corded in new ways every day, from smarter
outage flags to faster restoration verification).
But, the planning behind that automation and

LET’S TALK
AI strategy needs to incorporate very real, very
human common sense. Furthermore, auto-
mation and AI need to aid that common sense,
Tom McCurdy, Director of Environmental Sales
not replace it. So, rather than thinking outside +1 610 656 1683 tmccurdy@aerzenusa.com

of the human equation, why not plan to en-

hance it?
Take outage management, for example.
Does your dispatcher have data coming in
from every single option at the same speed?
Is he or she tapped into not just the interactive
voice response (IVR) but also unstructured bits
coming in through the web portal, as well as
insights from SCADA and AMI? And is that
information grouped together in smart sets
(like a repeating common source on a series
of trouble calls) or is it all dumped without
help or hierarchy?
Real efficiency means operating the
consumption profiles in wastewater treatment
plants with precision. Aeration consumes up to
80% of total energy requirements; the greatest
savings potential can therefore be found here.
With our Performance3 product portfolio
consisting of Blower, Hybrid, and Turbo
technologies, we always find the most efficient
and tailor-made solution for you.
Benefit from up to 30% energy savings!
LET’S TALK! We’ll be happy to advise you!
www.aerzen.com/en-us
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 Water Utility Management
While the water industry has
traditionally been focused on
the hardware and hard science
of the water business, digital
channels from self-service
web widgets to simple tweets
are all now available to keep
the customer conversation
interactive, educational and
more transparent.
Photo: Pixabay CC0
Modern water utilities are now looking ahead to analytics
to track issues, record those issues and even help resolve those
issues. They’re looking to move from the traditional mindset
of being reactive to the more proactive and prescriptive stance
that’s on the horizon (but inching ever closer).
In the end, though, if each of those smarter digital pieces
isn’t working together toward a larger, more comprehensive,
interactive, interwoven plan that truly helps your employees
work smarter, you’re still stuck in old-school reactive mode, no
matter how fancy your new widgets.
MAKE YOUR DIGITAL CUSTOMER CHANNELS SPEAK
LANGUAGES BEYOND BILLING
Water helps life grow, but some of that growth runs afoul
of keeping water potable — namely in the form of algae and
cyanobacteria. It’s a continual fight to stay ahead of those old
foes, but these days water utilities are also dealing with modern
pollutants and micropollutants, the allowable standards of
which continue to become stricter and more complicated.
(Europe is considering adding a number of new chemicals to
water monitoring lists; and in Australia, one of the biggest
concerns is now microbeads.)
As water and wastewater utilities around the world continue
to invest in new tech to clean water and track issues, one
area that is often overlooked is using digital platforms to
push more information all the way out to the customer.
Websites, mobile alerts and text messaging shouldn’t be
restricted to billing issues. You’re wasting some serious ROI
if you’re not repacking and repurposing some of the hard
22 March | 2019
1903WW20-23.indd 22
work your utility is doing to protect potable water by sharing
through public-facing customer channels. Today’s customer
is more of a partner; keep them informed (and keep them at
the center of all you do).
This is a new driver of change for the water industry, which
has traditionally been focused on the hardware and hard
science of the water business. Digital channels from self-service
web widgets to simple tweets are all now available to keep
the customer conversation interactive, educational and more
transparent, too.
It can be daunting to think about the customer every mo-
ment of every day but putting the customer at the forefront
of your business is no longer an option. Issues like deferred
maintenance, water scarcity, and emerging contaminants have
led to an increase in customer awareness and scrutiny. You
can hide from these moments, or you can use them as oppor-
tunities to make your customer relationships better. WW
About the Author: Despite a creative-minded MFA in poetry
writing, Kathleen Wolf Davis has been crafting logic-based
prose about the utilities business for 20 years, with pieces
for publishers, associations and businesses alike. She’s cur-
rently an industry strategist with Oracle Utilities. (Connect
with her on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kwolfdavis/).
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2/21/19 2:38 PM

Fostering Innovation
in the Water Industry
What will it take and why does it matter?
BY MARIANNE LANGRIDGE MACDONALD
A
ccording to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, an inno-
vation is “the introduction of something new, a new
idea, method or device.” Innovation is certainly a
hot topic in all industries right now, and it begs the question:
Why? Why do we care about innovation? Why do we want
something new?
Innovation is desirable when the status quo isn’t good enough
anymore or when our existing systems are lacking. This is true
today in the water industry. The American Society of Civil En-
gineers (ASCE) in 2017 graded our country’s infrastructure a
D+.1 You cannot attend an industry event without hearing about
the challenges in sustaining our water infrastructure. Deterio-
rating pipes, mass retirements, emerging contaminants, droughts,
floods, lack of funding — the challenges are numerous. We
need new ideas, methods and devices. Why, then, are we
struggling to innovate?
Marianne MacDonald talks with Angela Godwin about fostering innova-
tion in the water industry.
A wise professor once told me that the solution to most
complex problems can be found by looking to a different field
for a simple answer. For example, James Dyson reinvented the
vacuum by reframing the performance problems caused by
filters. The electric industry addressed capacity limits by applying
behavioral economics to drive demand-side management.
There are many examples of how looking outside of your
industry leads to the creation of new ideas, methods and
devices. For the water industry, this means we need to identify
and bring together people from outside of the industry to
imagine new possibilities.
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Water Utility Management
Innovation experts have found that bringing together people
in analogous fields will result in more innovative solutions be-
cause those people are not constrained by historic thinking and
approaches and can draw on different domains of knowledge.2
Even within the water industry, we tend to silo our expertise:
operations and maintenance, capital planning and technology,
water, wastewater and stormwater, public utilities, private utilities,
innovators and academics. There are some forums where there
are opportunities to engage in conversations that cross these
areas, but they are rare and seldom is the conversation sustained
long enough to identify solutions.
What it will take to foster innovation in the water industry
are open, engaging conversations that continually draw in
perspectives from across different aspects of the water industry
as well as those from analogous industries such as the power
industry or supply chain management. Our conferences should
always have a track dedicated to sharing perspectives outside
of our industry with the purpose of defining innovative exper-
iments to try. Ideally, subsequent meetings would involve re-
porting on what was learned so others could build upon and
apply them. It would result in crowdsourcing solutions using
both face-to-face and online collaboration approaches. The
result of an effort like this would be to create a cohesive force,
and through these connections would ignite the creativity needed
to resolve our challenges. That really encapsulates the essence
of innovation! WW
About the Author: Marianne Langridge MacDonald is an experienced executive with
over 25 years of experience in the water industry, leading diverse teams to design and
implement solutions to complex challenges. She served as vice-chair of the New England
Water Environment Association’s (NEWEA) Innovation Task Force and is director of
enterprise programs for CDM Smith, where she defines and leads programs to meet
the firm’s strategic priorities. She oversees the firm’s R&D program and leads change
initiatives by building connections across organizational boundaries.
REFERENCES
1. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 2017 Infrastructure
Report Card, March 2017.
2. M. Poetz, N. Franke, and M. Schreier. “Sometimes the Best
Ideas Come from Outside Your Industry,” Harvard Business
Review, Nov. 21, 2014.
Circle No. 247 on Reader Service Card
March | 2019 23
2/21/19 2:38 PM
 Driving Smart City
Implementations
with Innovative Funding
Using creative
mechanisms like
performance
contracting to pay for
infrastructure needs
BY LISA BROWN

W
hen you hear the term “smart
city” what comes to mind?
For many, it’s the image of
a futuristic metropolis with all the latest
and greatest technologies. While technol-
ogy is a vital component to smart city de-
velopment, the focus is on creating the
safest, most sustainable and efficient en-
vironment possible. The implementation of advanced, integrated In 2016, Martinsville, Va., entered a PC to upgrade its water in-
technologies is a means to an end, allowing local governments frastructure with the goal of capturing lost revenue — more than
to use the resulting data to improve operations for the munic- $170,000 annually — and to invest in the city’s overall sustainability
ipality and create a better quality of life for residents. However, and efficiency efforts.

what most cities struggle with is where to start when it comes

to structuring their approach to smart, vertical urban
planning.
STAYING ON TRACK AND WITHIN BUDGET
As a first step, municipal leaders need to acknowledge that
there is a deep, connected relationship between people and
infrastructure, and buildings are often the conduits to encour-
age people to share ideas, be inspired and influence their
surroundings. This is often a challenge for cities, where much
of their infrastructure is aging and money is restrained, limiting
their smart city journey. Addressing infrastructure upgrades
can be costly and maintaining budget integrity is crucial,
especially at the local level. Putting off necessary upgrades
leads cities further into deferred maintenance and raises their
chances of having bigger infrastructure issues in the future.
Cities often look first at creating or raising taxes to pay for
infrastructure needs, but municipalities can benefit from in-
novative funding mechanisms and procurement methods, like
performance contracting, contingent payment programs or
public-private partnerships.
Driven by legislation at the local and state level, performance
contracts (PC) guarantee that the projected energy and op-
erational savings generated by infrastructure upgrades will
offset the cost of the infrastructure improvements over a fixed
period of time. These guaranteed savings are generated by
the connected technologies implemented to help improve a
community’s operations.
When entering a PC, an energy savings company (ESCO)
will conduct a thorough engineering analysis and visual in-
spections of a city’s infrastructure to reduce the associated
risks from projections and assumptions. After developing the
appropriate plans and costs, the ESCO will design, construct

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 and install energy- and water-savings projects that meet a
city’s unique needs. The ESCO guarantees the savings from
these implementations and will pay if the savings targets are
not met.
In addition to PCs, municipalities can enter contingent
payment programs, which are also designed so that cost
savings uncovered by the upgrade offset the overall project
price. Another alternative procurement option is a public-pri-
vate partnership. With this mechanism, the risk of the project
is transferred to the private sector in exchange for guaranteed
service and fixed payments over a determined period.

Under the PC in Martinsville, Va., updates will provide

a guaranteed energy and operational savings of more
than $582,000 per year over 13 years, offsetting the
initial project cost.

INTEGRATED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SMARTER,

SAFER COMMUNITIES
Once the necessary funding or procurement method is
secured, the next step is to determine which technologies and
systems are the best fit for the city’s needs. Efficiency, safety
and sustainability are the top priorities for most cities, so con-
nected technologies that work with city organizations such as
water management are a great place to start.
For example, implementing smart water meters can provide
city officials with greater insights into operational needs, help
to streamline maintenance to stay ahead of potential damages
and provide higher quality residential service and water man-
agement. Smart meters and sensors can connect to centralized
water and wastewater systems to help ensure accurate readings
of consumption levels, water usage variations and even track
customer payments. These connections help streamline man-
agement and, through data analysis, help public works de-
partments define future priorities related to sustainability, in-
frastructure maintenance and performance.
Additionally, for public works departments, daily monitoring
of city-wide water distribution produces valuable insight into
unseen issues, such as leaks. With the use of acoustic signatures
and additional sensors, a smart leak detection system can frastructure, with the help of a PC, is an obtainable goal. In
detect where leaks are located, uploading the data to a pro- 2016, the city entered a PC to upgrade its water infrastructure
prietary website for analysis. Catching leaks early on can limit with the goal of capturing lost revenue — more than $170,000
costly damages and help prioritize maintenance based on the annually — and to invest in the city’s overall sustainability and
severity, limiting community disturbance. efficiency efforts. The $7.8 million project includes the replace-
ment of nearly 7,000 water meters, most of which were more
CASE EXAMPLE: PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING than 20 years old and were producing inaccurate readings.
Martinsville, Va., is proof that improving a city’s water in- These replacements have helped the city increase meter-reading

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 accuracy and reduce maintenance costs with electronic readings
at offices rather than in the field.
Under the PC, the updates will provide a guaranteed energy
and operational savings of more than $582,000 per year over
13 years, offsetting the initial project cost. Additionally, this
will help improve customer service for residential and business
owners in the city with daily reports that track consumption
through an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). When
AMI is installed during a smart meter upgrade, more accurate
Concrete Waterproofing
by Crystallization
Xypex Crystalline Technology waterproofs and protects concrete in water and
wastewater facilities from harsh chemical attack. For new and rehabilitated
structures, Xypex Crystalline Technology is an effective and permanent solution,
significantly extending the service life of concrete.
readings can be ensured and will capture data on water activity
for each customer. Should there be an unusual decline or in-
crease in water usage, customers can be notified immediately,
and technicians can fix the problem before a larger, more costly
issue occurs.
In some cases, the money saved from water infrastructure
projects can funnel into overall city budgets to allow city of-
ficials to make additional updates to assets, like street lights.
LED lighting can be integrated with centrally managed and
wireless municipal systems to cut down
energy use and improve maintenance
efficiency. Outages can be pinpointed
faster, allowing for quicker repairs and
assuring safety within the community.
For a holistic approach to municipal
infrastructure management, smart me-
ters, LEDs and sensors can be connected
to monitor water level. Flood detection
strategies are an important example of
how a smart water strategy can improve
city services for residents and reassure
community safety. Connected LED street-
lighting can be networked with sensors
and video surveillance to detect floods
and other real-time events, such as a
water main break, and operate as a guid-
ing light through a safe evacuation route.
A city’s entire infrastructure provides
the physical framework for the connected
technologies that comprise a smart city
strategy. Infrastructure upgrades that
provide real-time insights and help cap-
ture lost revenue, reduce maintenance
costs and improve residential services
shouldn’t be overlooked. With captured
data from these smart technologies, mu-
nicipal leaders are better informed to
make current and future decisions. Im-
proving operations with a future-focused
strategy is possible thanks to innovative
funding methods like PCs and offers the
foundational step towards a smarter, saf-
er, efficient and more sustainable city.
WW

Concrete Xypex Crystallization Xypex Crystallization About the Author: Lisa Brown is senior national director
(Untreated) (Initiated) (Mature) of smart cities and municipal infrastructure, North Amer-

Electron Microscope Images are the property and copyright of Xypex Chemical Corporation. ica, with Johnson Controls. Learn more at
www.johnsoncontrols.com.

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 Product Focus

Quality Data Management

Improved operational efficiency from one system

D
ata is important in any industry,
but it is a critical element of
modern water management.
Data exists across all utilities but the
amount and quality of the data can vary.
This can happen for many reasons: quite
often a number of people — or even a
number of divisions — are maintaining
offline copies of critical data, in isolation,
with a significant amount of human effort.
Rarely are any two sources the same and
it is impossible to determine which source
is more correct.
Another common scenario is a number
of custom, in-house apps built to manage The Klir dashboard allows utilities to better quantify and mitigate true risks to the environment
a subset of data. This again leads to mul- and human health.
tiple copies of inaccurate data in addition
to a mounting maintenance bill in order
to carry out upkeep of these apps.
Klir began with a focus on providing
services to regulators and utilities. Through
many years of working closely with both
parties, an intimate understanding of the
environmental and compliance challenges
faced by water utilities was developed.
Using these insights, and through many
meetings across the U.S., Klir came to a Klir allows users to track all individual conditions and requirements, assign them to a user or
conclusion: across all levels in a utility, peo- division and track their progress until completion, all in one place.
ple need to be assisted. They need a better
way to manage compliance and regulations. fines from the regulator, gives time back to all staff members
Klir is a one-stop shop for all urban wastewater and drinking and transforms your organization from having several disparate
water information that allows utilities to better quantify and systems to having a consolidated platform that gives you visibility
mitigate true risks to the environment and human health. across the entire organization.
The Klir Platform starts with a focus on service, where a team Additionally, Klir provides legal certainty by allowing users
of product specialists takes the time to understand the challenges to track all individual conditions and requirements, assign
faced across an organization and to really understand its pro- them to a user or division and track their progress until com-
cesses. From here, Klir works to obtain one copy of data that pletion. Klir sits on top of a complex rules engine that has
everyone can agree is the most accurate available. been developed to include international, federal, state, county
Klir provides improved operational efficiency by allowing and city rules. It automatically flags a non-compliance issue
team members to manage their tasks and communicate across and suggests the corrective action that should be taken,
the entire organization from one system. People from different ensuring you remain compliant and that your hard-earned
departments can work together from a single point and notify brand remains intact. WW
each other of pending tasks. Informed decisions can be made
quicker and easier through analyzing trends in data or by using Klir is a Dublin-based startup that is innovating the way water utilities and municipalities
Klir’s predictive analytics to proactively manage potential com- manage their data. Learn more at www.klir.io.
pliance issues. In doing so, Klir reduces the chance of receiving Circle No. 249 on Reader Service Card

www.waterworld.com March | 2019 27

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 Not only does mobile data collection allow utilities to reduce costs and improve
MOBILE
T
Technology BY AIMEE HAPP
10 Advantages for the Water Industry
T
he world is changing. The exponential growth of the
availability of mobile technology has increasingly led
organizations around the world to explore how mobile
devices can be used for data collection. For the last two de-
cades, people have been using laptops and personal digital
assistants (PDAs) to collect information, but with devices such
as mobile phones and tablets gaining popularity, mobile tech-
nologies are transforming the way organizations think about
data capture.
In the water industry, increasing demands for stringent testing
and compliance makes more efficient alternatives, like mobile
technology, appealing to many utilities. However, mobile tech-
nologies also offer many other benefits, such as the ability to
drastically reduce the time and resources required for field data
collection. This in turn allows utilities to significantly reduce costs
and improve data integrity. Mobile technology is quite literally
at our fingertips, and this article explores the top ten advantages
that mobile technology brings to the water industry.
1. TIME EFFICIENCIES
A lot of time is spent collecting data from the field. Your field
staff work outdoors in all sorts of weather reading instruments
and collecting samples. Once they’ve completed their rounds,
they return to the office, where they or one of the clerks man-
ually types the field data results into an Excel spreadsheet or a
28 March | 2019
1903WW28-29, 42.indd 28
data integrity, it also empowers operators and modernizes operations.
data management system.
However, your clerks might sometimes make transcription
errors or misread the handwriting of your field staff. There also
might be a time delay from when the results are collected to
when they are actually entered into the system. Once the data
is finally entered and mistakes are found, resampling may be
required — starting the cycle all over again.
Mobile data collection saves time because duplicate data
entry is eliminated. Instead, data is only entered once — at the
source. Mobile technology also ensures that data collected in
the field are instantly available in your data management solu-
tion. Because of this, your staff will also have earlier access to
all data, ensuring that any abnormal results are acted upon
quickly and that you stay in compliance.
“My number one priority in everything that I do is to ensure
that it is done efficiently,” said Martin Manucharyan, water
quality supervisor with the city of Glendale. “Over several years,
I explored various methods of taking our field data collection
operations mobile.” Ultimately, he settled upon a remote field
data collection tool called WaterTrax Mobile.
“With [it], our data is entered once and can be reviewed im-
mediately after submission,” he said. “The elimination of redundant
data entry has significantly reduced the possibility of errors and
the need for continued review.
Many utilities who have adopted mobile data collection es-
timate that they save around 120 hours per year in redundant
data entry.
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 2. COST SAVINGS
Mobile data collection allows you to do more with your
existing hardware if you already have it. In addition, once you
have your mobile data collection program up and running, you’ll
realize fewer administrative costs and your staff will be able to
be more productive overall, with less of their time spent fixing
data entry errors.
Utilities that have adopted mobile with data collection typically
see a return on investment (including software and hardware
investments) within six months of implementation.
Before adopting mobile data entry technology, one utility
reported that they used to spend an extra 15 minutes per day
at one of its plants double-recording data collected during daily
operator rounds. At a second plant, they used to spend an extra
30 minutes per week double-recording data.
With mobile data collection, this utility calculated total time
savings per year as:
• Plant 1: 15 minutes per day x 365 days = 5,475 minutes
per year
• Plant 2: 30 minutes per week x 52 weeks = 1,560 minutes
per year
• Total time spent per year entering data twice = 117 hours
per year
With the average cost of labor at a utility
being $48 per hour, mobile technology
brought these plants an annual savings of
over $5,600 per year.
entered for your reporting requirements. Mobile technology
ensures that your staff will be able to save time and make
more informed decisions with real-time information available
at their fingertips.
5. AUTOMATED ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS
Another key benefit to using mobile technology for data col-
lection is real-time, automatic data validation. With mobile data
collection, alerts can be automatically triggered through the app
if any issues are detected with the sample, making those in the
field and back in the office instantly aware if there are any water
quality issues. Your staff can then take the necessary steps to
investigate abnormal results and help you stay in compliance.
6. STRONG SECURITY FEATURES
Mobile technology provides added security features that
simply cannot exist with hard paper copies of data. User au-
thentication, password protection, and automatic backups are
just some of the options available to you. These security features
ensure that no forms are lost and that data is only viewed and
edited by those authorized to do so.
-------- MOBILE con’t ON page 42

3. PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN DATA

INTEGRITY
Are you confident in the quality of your
data collected in the field? Using mobile
technology for data collection preserves
and maintains data integrity. Not only does
it significantly reduce the risk of transcrip-
tion errors, thus ensuring higher quality
data, data collection apps also include fea-
tures such as auto-save and automatic data
validation. Additionally, the audit history
functionality makes it easy to later see which
operator collected which sample in the field.

4. REAL-TIME SYNC WITH YOUR DATA

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
With mobile data collection, data en-
tered in the field from any mobile device
are instantly synced and available in your
data management system, eliminating the
need for double data entry. You can also
set up calculations to be performed auto-
matically once the required data has been
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 Global Perspectives

Water 4.0
Lessons in Innovation
from History
How the historical development of
urban water systems can inform the
water distribution channels of today
BY PAUL O’CALLAGHAN

D
avid Sedlak is professor of civil and environmental
engineering at the University of California, Berkeley,
and his research has focused on chemical contami-
nants and the development of sustainable systems to manage
water resources. Following interactions with the general public
over the introduction of potable water recycling, he was moved
to write Water 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World’s
Most Vital Resource on the historical development of urban
water systems.
“I have a background as an environmental chemist, and in the
1990s I became interested in potable water recycling and whether
the process posed a risk to human health,” Sedlak said. Talking
to utilities and members of the public, Sedlak discovered “there
was so much misunderstanding and there didn’t seem to be any
place people could find out how [water recycling] worked.”
What he discovered through his deep dive into the history
of urban water systems was that solving problems in water
infrastructure was not a story of incremental change and de-
velopment but rather one of rapid catch-up when the problems
became too big to ignore.
“To solve today’s problems, you need to know where the
infrastructure we have comes from and the regulatory back- The first phase of water infrastructure was developed to import water,
ground that brought it into being. It is enlightening to see the like this striking Roman aqueduct which brought water to the city of
ways in which decision makers have been constrained in the Nîmes in southern France.
past and how this has led to cycles of crisis and investment.
Seeing the connection between this past and our current situation SEWAGE SYSTEMS
made me decide to explore this,” he said. Sedlak explained that this first version of water sowed the
The title of Sedlak’s book refers to the fact that urban seeds for the next. Instead of being used only for basic
water systems undergo periods of rapid change, resulting in drinking and hygiene purposes, water was soon being used
a new system. He determines that the most developed coun- for flushing toilets and filling baths, and consequently large
tries have gone through three changes and are on the cusp quantities of sewage were entering the waterways via storm
of the fourth — 4.0. sewers and ditches.
“The first phase was imported water systems,” he explained, “Typhoid fever and cholera reached epidemic proportions
“and this can be traced to ancient Rome and earlier civilizations. and a large part of the problem was untreated sewage in wa-
They picked up steam during the Industrial Revolution in cities terways,” said Sedlak. “Sand filtration and chlorination were
like London and Paris which expanded to over one million introduced, which made it safe to drink sewage-contaminated
people. water and every city began building water treatment plants.”
“They dug canals, built aqueducts and developed gravity-fed The next revolution in water technologies was the response
infrastructure that formed the basis of cities around the world.” to public concerns about surface water contamination that

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became progressively more severe as cities grew in the twentieth
century. When sewage and other toxic substances enter lakes,
streams, rivers and oceans they dissolve or lie suspended in
water, resulting in pollution.
“It was in the 1970s that we got serious about the problem,”
Sedlak noted. “Countries in the developed world spent billions
upgrading wastewater infrastructure and waterways became
safe to fish from in Western Europe, but this hasn’t yet happened
in other parts of the world.”
WATER SCARCITY
Which brings us to the emerging fourth revolution and another
period of large investment and rapid change. “There are two
drivers — water scarcity and changes in urban drainage,” said
Sedlak. “Most attention is focused on water insecurity — ex-
panding populations and climate change and competition for
water resources.
“Providing water by importing is no longer as reliable. We are
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1903WW30-34.indd 31
Global Perspectives
seeing different kinds of investments from the recent past: water
recycling, seawater desalination and stormwater harvesting.”
Sedlak pointed out that Southern California is one of the
places that best illustrates the trend, especially the cities of Los
Angeles and San Diego, which are both water-stressed. With
the Colorado River basin drying up, levels in reservoirs are falling
and predictions point to the disappearance of snowpack in the
western U.S., which means long-trusted water supplies are
becoming less reliable.
Southern California has been moving toward alternative water
supplies for a number of years. Potable water recycling — where
water is returned to the aquifer as groundwater recharge after
advanced wastewater treatment — is already taking place.
“Another example is in Orange County,” said Sedlak,
“where all the sewage produced is recycled and the water
returned to the aquifer instead of being discharged to the
ocean. The success of this program has encouraged other
cities to do the same.
March | 2019 31
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 Global Perspectives
“Seawater desalination has also seen growth and over the
last two decades the costs of building treatment plants and of
energy consumption have both come down. Cities in Israel have
a strong uptake and the approach is gaining more interest in
Southern California, for example in Carlsbad — which has the
largest desalination plant in the western hemisphere, processing
200 million liters per day.”
STORMWATER HARVESTING
Urban stormwater harvesting, how-
ever, is proving more challenging to
implement, especially in Southern Cal-
ifornia where the hydrology is not fa-
vorable due to the relatively small num-
ber of storms.
“Stormwater capture can help alle-
viate risk of flooding and pollution, so
it is worth finding ways to capture the UC Berkeley Professor
water,” Sedlak said. “We need to start David Sedlak.
thinking of water supply and wastewa-
ter and stormwater together, not separately, so more opportu-
nities to work together emerge and a greater uptake of tech-
nologies [occurs].”
It’s going to come slowly, he observed, “because there are
plenty of cities where water supply is adequate. In the rapidly
developing world it’s a different matter — they may leapfrog
directly to seawater desalination or potable reuse if they can
afford it.”
DISTRIBUTED WATER
Another emerging trend in new water sources is distributed
water systems, which take care of water at neighborhood, street
or even household level, keeping water within a specific locale.
“In San Francisco, an ordinance states that water-recycling
systems must be built into new skyscrapers and condomini-
ums, which makes a considerable impact on water footprint.
In Bangalore, India — which is struggling with sewage treat-
ment and water supply — they are pushing building-scale
sewage treatment.”
However, Sedlak warned, when office parks and wealthy
communities take care of themselves, even recycling their own
water, “the risk is that resilient and adaptable distributed water
infrastructure may be restricted to the rich people who can
afford them.”
Technologies for potable reuse, seawater desalination, storm-
water capture and distributed water “already exist and are
becoming cost competitive,” he noted. In addition, in cities
where water conservation has not been adequately pursued,
“that may be the least expensive approach.”
Barriers to water recycling still exist and fall into two main
camps: institutional and regulatory. Connecting with the historical
32 March | 2019
1903WW30-34.indd 32
record, Professor Sedlak observed that in the early days of water
recycling there was regulatory concern about public health
where the source was sewage.
“It took time for elected officials to change public perceptions.
Once those were resolved, it was much easier to permit projects.
It is the same for stormwater capture and desalination, it takes
a little more time to get them built.”
The second barrier is financing and investment. Public utilities
usually have budgetary constraints and projects using new
technologies come with a certain amount of risk.
“Early adopters tend to be wealthy cities with few other choices.
Technology diffusion is how new technologies come into practice
and it can be a decades-long process based on a combination of
good luck and sound engineering,” said Sedlak.
“The water industry, unlike other areas, is not a ‘me first’
proposition, it’s a ‘me too.’ Identifying early adopters and working
through pilot projects lowers risk. What determines whether a
technology fails or succeeds is the commitment of researchers
and developers — and building trust and confidence throughout
the process.”
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Sedlak noted that whenever he’s around a group of people
there’s the potential to gain perspective on a shared interest.
“The technologist needs an investor; the regulator needs new
technology and another way of doing things,” he said.
“Through engagement you get a better sense of the way
decision-makers are making selections and tackling problems
facing water providers. You also learn which technologies are
on the horizon and that helps advance the technology
ecosystem.
“We have to remember every city has different needs in terms
of the geography and culture that support its water system,”
he advised. “By sharing experiences we see the tools or the
palette available for creating a secure water supply.” WW
Author’s Note: Professor Sedlak will give the keynote speech at the BlueTech Forum
at Kew Gardens, London, UK, June 5-6, 2019. Learn more about the BlueTech Forum
at www.bluetechforum.com.
About the Author: Paul O’Callaghan is founder and CEO of BlueTech® Research, a
consultancy that provides investors, water companies, researchers and regulators with
the latest information and analysis on emerging water technology market areas.
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 Global Perspectives: News

SWITZERLAND: HUBER MODIFICATIONS

ADDRESS STORMWATER RUNOFF
In Europe, roadside stormwater treatment
plants, called SABA, are helping mitigate
the issues that occur when rainwater water
overwhelms local sewers. To meet the re-
quirements of a “technical” SABA system
(which uses manufactured equipment as
opposed to natural filtration through soil),
HUBER SE has modified its HUBER Disc
Filter RoDisc® especially for this
application.
The runoff treatment plant consists of
several treatment stages: Stormwater flows
to the SABA plant, preferably by gravity. A
coarse-material separator settles out solids,
such as grit and gravel. The wastewater
then flows into a settling tank where finer
suspended particles settle and are removed at intervals via the sludge. In the last treatment stage, the pretreated wastewater with
a volume flow of 30 L/s is directed to the HUBER Disc Filter RoDisc prior to being discharged for infiltration or to a water course.
SABA plants are able to reliably achieve a separation efficiency in excess of 85 percent and remove more than 60 percent of
heavy metals (zinc and copper).
Since the end of 2015, two of these treatment plants have been operating in the Lucerne area of Switzerland. SABA Seetalplatz
is designed for a road catchment area of 3.2 hectares and SABA Frohburg for an area of 2.1 hectares. The roads in the catchment
area of SABA Seetalplatz are frequented by about 50,000 vehicles per day. WW

CANADA: LYSTEK RENEWS MULTI-YEAR BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT CONTRACT

Lystek International, the Cambridge, Ontario-based provider of advanced biosolids management solutions, has executed an
agreement to continue managing the biosolids for the city of North Battleford,
Saskatchewan, for another five years.
The mutually beneficial agreement is especially meaningful because the
forward-looking city was the first community in western Canada to recognize
the many advantages of diverting its biosolids from landfill in favor of converting
it into biofertilizer via Lystek’s Thermal Hydrolysis Process (Lystek THP®).
The contract renewal is a testament to the city’s satisfaction with having Lystek
provide year-round management of its annual biosolids program, including marketing and distribution of the city’s LysteGro®
biofertilizer product. WW

CARIBBEAN: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ENGAGE NEW LEAK SURVEY METHOD BY UTILIS
Utilis and its leak survey method were welcomed by the Ministry of Public Utilities in Trinidad and
Tobago in January. The island nations are moving into their dry season and the Ministry has con-
tracted with Utilis to provide its patented technology to identify subsurface leaks in the municipal
water distribution system.
This project is being supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Utilis and IDB
are assisting the Ministry in reducing the high levels of water loss currently being experienced.
While in the country, the leak detection team carried out several site verification efforts in collaboration with the Water and
Sewage Authority (WASA). WW

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 Global Perspectives: News

MALI: UNIVERSITY WWTP EXPANSION FEATURES LANDIA PUMPS

The West African country of Mali has opted to install four pumps, designed and manufactured by Landia of Denmark, at a new
university campus in the country’s capital, Bamako.
The pumps will be housed in a new inlet pump station at a wastewater plant nearing completion in the district of Kabala,
by the banks of the River Niger. The
expanding university already in-
cludes the National School of Engi-
neers and the University of Law and
Political Science.
Ideal for pumping heavily contam-
inated fluids, as well as effluent with
a high content of solids, the Landia
DG-I 80s are equipped with an ex-
ternal knife system at the inlet to the
pump, which ensures hassle-free op-
erations under conditions that may
cause other pumps to clog.
The Mali-bound Landia pumps will
be supplied via France-based
HYDRANET, the principal distributor
of Landia equipment not only in France
but also in former French-speaking
countries in sub-Saharan Africa. WW

CHILE: IDE TECHNOLOGIES TO DESIGN,

SUPPLY MODULAR SWRO DESALINA-
TION PLANT
IDE Technologies has been chosen by
Teck Resources Limited to design and
supply the desalination plant for the Que-
brada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) project in
Chile. QB2 is an extension of Teck’s ex-
isting Quebrada Blanca operation in
Chile. The desalination plant will be lo-
cated at the port site for the QB2 copper
mine in the Tarapacá region and will be
the second largest seawater desalination
plant in the country.
IDE’s experience encompasses more
than 400 desalination plants worldwide,
with more than 20 successfully operating
desalination plants in Chile.
The new SWRO desalination plant for
the QB2 project will produce high-quality
water for use in the copper concentrator.
IDE’s design of the QB2 desalination plant
will need to meet the stringent environ-
mental requirements and safety regula-
tions in Chile. WW

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 Products & Services: Pipes & Fittings

Pipe fusion Sealless pump line

McElroy’s new pipe fusion Known for over 60 years of manufacturing innovative non-metallic seal-
machines fuse 355-mm to less pumps, Iwaki America is pleased to announce the introduction of its
630-mm (14- to 24-inch) 316 stainless-steel
polypropylene pipe. The metallic sealless
Acrobat with QuikFit car- pump line. Iwaki
riage is designed to break Sanwa offers two
down into multiple components to reduce weight and size. The ability to series of pumps:
assemble the upper and lower jaws of the carriage around the pipe by the MP series features flows to 340 gallons per minute while the small-
hand eliminates the need for extra equipment and manpower that would er MMP series is a fractional horsepower series of pumps with flows to
be required to lift and fit an entire carriage into a cramped space. The car- 24 gallons per minute. Both series incorporate 316 stainless-steel con-
riage is half the weight of alternative machines and can be arranged in 4-, struction, a one-piece, non-welded rear casing and silicon carbide “D”
3- and 2-jaw configurations for an even smaller footprint. bearings allowing for limited dry run operation.
McElroy IWAKI America
www.mcelroy.com www.iwakiamerica.com
Circle No. 206 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 209 on Reader Service Card

Pipeline expansion joints Gripping pipe restraint

EBAA Iron has introduced a new expansion joint to its line of flexible and/or Krausz USA’s HYMAX GRIP 16” restraint coupling is the first restraint
expansive joint products. The Force Balanced EX-TEND® Expansion Joint product of its size with four top-facing bolts and a stab-fit, one-piece
accommodates the stresses of linear movement in a pipeline but without design. The top-facing bolts elim-
the thrust forces associat- inate under-digging for space to
ed with typical expansion crawl under the pipe to tighten
joints. This product now bolts while the stab-fit, one-piece
provides a thrust-neutral design allows for easier and fast-
option for the stand- er installation, eliminating prob-
alone expansion joint. The design allows a pipeline to expand and contract lems such as losing bolts in the
in response to changes in length but its secondary cylinder counteracts the mud. The patented GRIP chain
thrust force from the primary cylinder with an equal thrust component in offers circular restraint around
the opposite direction. Therefore, the imparted thrust force is eliminated. the pipe, unlike typical wedge-style restraints that point-load the pipe
EBAA Iron Inc. and make it weaker. The GRIP’s patented radial closing mechanism
www.ebaa.com holds pipes tightly in place during installation, allowing full control over
Circle No. 207 on Reader Service Card the gap between pipes.
Krausz USA
Pipe and valve support www.krauszusa.com
The new Stress Less® Pipe and Valve Support System from Circle No. 210 on Reader Service Card
GF maximizes the service life of PP, PVDF, HDPE, PVC, CPVC,
and ABS industrial piping systems by provid- No-contact coupling
ing proper support. The pipe only comes in Ford Meter Box’s No-­
contact with a low-friction, molded Contact Lead-Pak Cou-
HDPE insert that allows it to slide pling (patent pending) is
easily with minimal stress or wear designed for connecting
during each thermal expansion existing lead plumbing lines
cycle. The pipe never touches any to other service line mate-
metal bracket that could potentially rials. The coupling prevents
cause wear on the piping because of sharp edges. The pipe guide inserts direct contact of the lead
are designed to have a 3-mm gap around the OD of the pipe, which plumbing line with other metallic water system components. This design
allows unrestricted movement of the pipe in the axial direction. mitigates the possibility of galvanic corrosion.
GF Piping Systems Ford Meter Box
www.gfps.com www.fordmeterbox.com
Circle No. 208 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 211 on Reader Service Card

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 Products & Services: Membranes & Filtration
Ultrafiltration system
Pentair X-Flow Xiga modules are based
on hydrophilic hollow-fiber ultrafiltration
membranes composed of a PES/PVP
blend. The membranes are operated in a
dead-end mode and their high mechan-
ical and chemical strength makes them
suitable for a wide range of applications. The pressurized membrane
modules with inside-out configuration remove bacteria, viruses, suspend-
ed solids, and colloids. For inline operations with reverse osmosis, Xiga
pressurized ultrafiltration membrane modules with inside-out hollow-fiber
configuration offer 99.99% efficacy in the removal of bacteria and viruses
while also providing an effective barrier to suspended solids and colloids.
Pentair
xflow.pentair.com
Circle No. 212 on Reader Service Card
MBR for small systems
SUEZ has expanded its ZeeWeed* 500 family of
membranes to address the needs of smaller mem-
brane bioreactor (MBR) plants. For more than two
decades, the ZeeWeed 500 membranes have been
proven in wastewater and water reuse projects.
Over 2,000 plants worldwide use this technology
to meet or exceed stringent wastewater treatment
and water reuse standards. Build greenfield plants,
expand existing facilities or retrofit unreliable mem-
brane products with this small, configurable series
with integrated aeration to allow for geometrical
and design flexibility.
SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions
www.suezwatertechnologies.com
Circle No. 213 on Reader Service Card
Stormwater filtration system
The Zinc-B-Gone® line of stormwater filters from StormwateRx are
designed specifically for the removal of dissolved zinc and copper from
rooftop stormwater runoff. They easily attach to downspouts and are
guaranteed to remove zinc and copper to allowable benchmark levels.
The new product comes in two configurations: Zinc-B-Gone basic for
attachment to downspouts and Zinc-B-Gone pro for monitored installa-
tions and large or combined downspouts
with more complex water chemistry. For
larger, more complex industrial applica-
tions, Zinc-B-Gone Pro meets the strictest
requirements, removing up to 99.9% of
zinc, 99.7% of copper and a multitude of
other pollutants.
StormwateRx
www.stormwaterx.com
Circle No. 214 on Reader Service Card
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Membrane software with CCRO modeling
Desalitech’s Closed Circuit Reverse Osmosis (CCRO) technology now
comes with the PROTON Membrane Aqueous Chemistry Calculator soft-
ware from American Water Chemicals. It gives application engineers the
ability to design systems using CCRO and operators the ability to optimize
and troubleshoot their existing CCRO systems. The software allows users
to design a membrane array, then compare the performance of any of
the major manufacturers’ membrane elements under identical conditions.
Users can see the impact of various
designs on scaling potential, perme-
ate quality and pressure in real time
as user-defined inputs (recovery,
flux, crossflow velocity, pH, tem-
perature) are adjusted.
Desalitech
www.desalitech.com
Circle No. 215 on Reader Service Card
Super-fine screen
The OR-TEC Blue Whale Micro Bar Screen effectively screens to 2.0 mm to
remove approximately three times the volume of rags, wipes, hair and oth-
er stringy material in wastewater, thereby eliminating downstream matting.
It is self-cleaning, requires zero wash water or brushes and is guaranteed
not to blind. The Micro Bar Screen uses a paral-
lel array of wedge-sectioned bars (not wedge-
wire) with even spaces to form the screen face.
Wedge-sectioned screen bars have only 2 con-
tact points on which material can block, as the
path from the screen face to the back of the
screen is gradually enlarged.
OR-TEC
www.or-tec.com
Circle No. 216 on Reader Service Card
High performance membranes
LANXESS’s just-released HP (high performance) reverse osmosis (RO)
membranes, Lewabrane® RO B400 HP and Lewabrane® RO B440 HP,
feature elements with enhanced brackish water processing capabilities to
serve applications in which
high rejection and energy
efficiency are important.
These Lewabrane® elements
are also used for removal
of CECs (contaminants of
emerging concern) and for removal of micropollutants in potable water
supplies. The RO membrane chemistry and element construction is
designed to provide optimized, low-cost operation for downstream unit
applications including separate-bed or mixed-bed ion exchange units.
LANXESS
http://lpt.lanxess.com
Circle No. 217 on Reader Service Card
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 New Products

Electric actuator Total cost of ownership calculator

GF Piping Systems has added the new EA15 electric actuator to its Type Developed by Bredel, a brand of
EA25-250 Electric Actuator Series. The new EA15 is ideal for smaller Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology
diameter, open/close ball valve Group, the new Bredel TCO cal-
applications in chemical process- culator supports existing users and
ing, refrigeration and water treat- new customers in the hose pump
ment. Key features included in specification process. Designed for
the standard package are: open/ use on a mobile device, the Bredel
close limit switches; easy-to-read, TCO calculator is easy to operate.
7-segment error code display; adjustable internal heating element; and Users simply enter the necessary parameters, including the flow rate and
chemically-resistant polypropylene housing. An optional fail-safe battery pressure, and whether they are using or considering AODD or PC pumps
backup is also available. Designed to operate quarter turn valves, the EA15 for that duty. Once the essential information is entered, the user will be
actuator delivers a nominal torque of 10 Nm and a peak torque of 20 Nm. given a direct comparison to show which model and size of Bredel pump
GF Piping Systems will deliver optimal pumping and cost savings.
www.gfps.com Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group
Circle No. 218 on Reader Service Card www.watson-marlow.com
Circle No. 221 on Reader Service Card
Process control
Metris addIQ control systems, part of the ANDRITZ portfolio of digital Grooved fittings for AWWA ductile iron
solutions, enable users to analyze and optimize processes. Features like Victaulic’s Grooved Fittings for AWWA ductile iron are supplied with rigid
predictive analysis allow oper- radius grooves in accordance with ANSI/AWWA standards and are avail-
ators to optimize availability able in a wide variety of coatings and linings. Victaulic AWWA fittings are
and take preventive action to designed to conform to AWWA C-110 and AWWA C-153 for wall thick-
avoid downtime. Capacity and ness. Fittings are available in
quality are easy to control and sizes 3”–36’’ and can be used
enhance with customizable in applications with maximum
systems. The Metris addIQ control system is based on the latest PLC (pro- working pressures of 350 psi
grammable logic control) and HMI (human machine interface) technolo- (2,413 kPA). Installation is fast-
gies and has an integrated fail-safe system. Features include wide-screen er and easier when combining
touch panels and an intuitive HMI. Mobile connectivity features and a fittings with Victaulic’s Style 31
smart analysis function combine to guarantee operational accuracy 24/7 couplings, and systems can be transitioned from ductile iron to carbon
from any location. steel with Style 307 transition couplings.
Andritz Victaulic
www.andritz.com www.victaulic.com
Circle No. 219 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 222 on Reader Service Card

Stator adjustment unit Water level and temperature datalogger

The xLC® unit from NETZSCH triples the service life of the pump, par- The LevelVent is a vented version of the popular Solinst Levelogger. The
ticularly when conveying difficult, abrasive media. When wear occurs in LevelVent uses a vented pressure transducer
the rotor-stator system, the new xLC® unit allows the performance of the for reliable, accurate (0.05% FS) datalogging
pump to be re-established by adjusting the preload between the conveyor of water levels that are automatically baromet-
elements. To regulate the preload in the rotor-stator system, the elasto- rically compensated. It also logs accurate tem-
mer in the sheath is extended by pulling or shortened by pressing, which perature measurements. Its com-
changes the preload between the pumping elements. In case of wear, pact wellhead fits inside a 2” well
compressing the elastomer cap for simple deployment. The
increases the preload and wellhead connects easily to vented cable
re-establishes the reduced and directly to communication accessories such as the
sealing line. Levelogger App Interface.
NETZSCH Solinst Canada Ltd.
https://pumps.netzsch.com/us www.solinst.com
Circle No. 220 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 223 on Reader Service Card

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 New Products

Chlorine emergency shutoff High performance drive

The Eclipse Chlorine Emergency Shutoff System from Halogen Valve adds
a new level of safety to your chlorine feed system. Stop a chlorine leak
within seconds of detection by automatically closing the ton container or
cylinder valve. The actuator quick-
ly mounts to valve without the
use of any tools, and still allows
the valve to be manually opened
or closed. Halogen Valve Systems
are the only systems that confirm
that the valve was torqued closed
to the institute-recommended
standard.
Halogen Valve Systems
www.halogenvalve.com
Circle No. 224 on Reader Service Card
The Yaskawa GA800 drive provides the ultimate combination of power,
ease of use, flexibility, and performance. Designed to control traditional
and emerging motor technologies through 600 HP, the GA800 handles
applications ranging from simple fans and pumps to high-performance
test dynamometers requiring precise regulation. In addition to its robust
and powerful design, the GA800 provides highly flexible network commu-
nications, embedded functional safety, and easy-
to-use tools featuring mobile device connectivity.
Key features of the GA800 include: high-resolution
multi-language display with setup wizards and
data-logging, Bluetooth and DriveWizard mobile
for convenient and easy interaction, and more.
Yaskawa
www.yaskawa.com
Circle No. 227 on Reader Service Card

Monitor chemical usage, contain spills Dual disc check valves

The SpillSafe LX™ Drum Scale from Force Flow accurately monitors the Val-Matic’s Dual Disc® Check Valve with its compact wafer design and
amount of chemical used low cost have made it a popular choice when space and price are the
and remaining, and also major factors in valve selection. The Dual Disc® Check Valve features
provides protection against non-slam, spring-assisted closing, a pressure-sensitive vulcanized seat that
uncontained chemical spills. provides tight closure at both low and high
An automatically deploying pressures, and a lift-and-pivot disc action
spill bladder keeps overall to reduce seat wear and extend seat life.
platform height to a mini- Available in sizes 2”–60” for pressure
mum for easy drum change-out ranges up to 500 psi. They are available in
while still allowing up to 66 gallons of wafer (ANSI 125, ISO PN10, ISO PN16),
spill containment. The SpillSafe LX™ helps you comply with EPA spill con- lug and grooved end connections.
tainment requirements. Includes Force Flow Performance Guarantee™ Val-Matic
and 5-year warranty. www.valmatic.com
Force Flow Circle No. 228 on Reader Service Card
www.forceflowscales.com
Circle No. 225 on Reader Service Card Rugged tablet platform
Zebra Technologies Corporation’s Xplore L10 rugged platform offers a
Incubated shaker variety of tablet configurations and a shared accessory ecosystem. Each
BEING Incubated Shakers are often custom-configurable XPAD L10, XSLATE L10, and XBOOK L10 tablet offers
used for cell culturing, cell aeration, industry-leading computing performance and fully rugged mobility. All
and solubility studies. In addition to L10 rugged tablet configurations share the same accessory set. Even when
stable temperature conditions, they inventory managers are using the XSLATE L10, supervisors are using the
use an orbital agitation at variable 2-in-1 XBOOK L10, and field technicians are equipped with the XPAD L10
speeds to affect the growth of cell with the hard handle: All will be able to plug into the same office, indus-
cultures. Auto off and alarm occurs when the real shaking speed is 10% trial, and vehicle docks, use
different from setting value, stopping the motor automatically. BEING’s the same batteries and
PID controller provides accurate speed and temperature with timed runs. chargers, and share other
The speed controller ensures smooth start/stop, which can prevent liquid accessories that support
from spilling and damaging the equipment. Features include: colorful LCD their business applications.
display, safety door switch, and a high-efficiency filter. Zebra Technologies
BEING Instruments Corporation
www.beinglab-usa.com www.zebra.com
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 New Products

Ball check valve Predictive maintenance solution

Flomatic® Corporation introduces its new Mod- Griswold™, part of PSG®, a Dover company and a premier manufacturer of centrifugal pumps, is
el 508S6 Ball Check Valve, a simple yet reliable pleased to introduce a new innovation for the centrifugal pump industry, SafeGuard™, an industry-
316 stainless-steel check valve. Among others leading predictive maintenance solution. Featuring wireless access and 24/7 proactive alerts,
features, it has a full-ported valve seat uniquely SafeGuard technology alerts the user when a problem occurs, and also provides actionable guidance
designed to allow a strong phenolic ball to seat on to resolve it. The SafeGuard Preventative Maintenance Solution allows
a nitrile (Buna-N) seat. For vacuum or anti-flood- both the pump and the motor to be remotely monitored 24/7 with
ing valve applications, an optional “floating” continuous cloud connectivity, delivering the true value of Industrial
rather than “sinking” ball is used. Due to its sim- Internet of Things (IIoT).
ple, flow-efficient design, the valve is virtually Griswold™
maintenance- free. www.griswoldpump.com
This valve is com- Circle No. 232 on Reader Service Card
monly used in sub-
mersible wastewater Actionable data
lift station applica- Make data actionable with the Neptune® 360™ Data Management
tions. The optional Platform. Maximize operational efficiencies across your AMI net-
vacuum breaker work. Analyze trends and usage patterns. Resolve customer service
mounted on the calls. Reduce non-revenue water. Ease the burden of installing serv-
access port reduces er upgrades and maintaining IT-related hardware with Neptune’s
hydraulic shocks (water hammer). cloud-based Software-as-a-Service.
Flomatic® Corporation Neptune Technology Group
www.flomatic.com www.neptunetg.com
Circle No. 230 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 233 on Reader Service Card

NSF/ANSI 61 and 372

accreditation
Oxford Flow, a pressure control equipment
specialist for the municipal water, natural gas
distribution and industrial process industries,
has been awarded the NSF/ANSI 61 and 372
accreditation for its polymer water pressure reg-
ulating valve (PRV) range. Developed by NSF
International, a global public health and environ-
mental organization, and the American Nation-
al Standards Institute, the NSF/ANSI 61 and
372 certification sets standards for the health
effects of drinking water system components.
This includes equipment such as mechanical
devices, valves, process media and pipes. The
accreditation — required by 48 US states and
11 Canadian territories — provides municipal-
ities and water utilities globally with assurance
that components
will not leak harm-
ful contaminants,
such as lead, into
the distribution
network.
Oxford Flow
www.oxford-flow.com
Circle No. 231 on Reader Service Card
Circle No. 16 on Reader Service Card

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 Resource Spotlight

New service center New website

Pentair plc has officially opened a state- BATTA Technologies LLC, a family-owned and -operated company with
of-the-art innovation center in Apex, offices in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas and Dubai, has
N.C., to advance smart, sustainable launched a new website. Visitors to the new website will be able to access
water solutions for water treatment. the company’s solutions for
The new facility will primarily serve as water, air and soil contam-
the technology center of expertise for ination, including BATTA
Pentair’s Aquatic Systems business. The 50,000-square-foot site includes Technologies’ petroleum/
an advanced electronics and IoT lab as well as extensive environmental and heavy metals cleanup and
physical testing capabilities. In-ground and above-ground swimming pools filtration systems. Using a
bring complete product testing and integrated pool systems testing capa- thermally treated peat that is harvested in the arctic regions of Sweden,
bilities under one roof. The innovation center also features flexible space the filters are highly effective at removing more than 99% of oil, petro-
that can be configured to develop and design manufacturing cells, facilitat- leum, solvent and metallic contamination. This peat can also be used on
ing rapid prototyping and making extensive use of 3D printing capabilities. its own to treat oil spills on water and to biodegrade land contamination.
Pentair plc Batta Environmental
www.pentair.com http://battaenv.com
Circle No. 234 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 237 on Reader Service Card

Online marketplace for chemical products Activated sludge treatment manual

CheMondis, a new global online marketplace for chemical products, DEStech Publications has published Activated
has been successfully launched. Founded by specialty chemicals compa- Sludge Wastewater Treatment: Control and Opti-
ny LANXESS, it is set up as a cross-manufacturer and cross-dealer B2B mization, by Eric J. Wahlberg, Ph.D. Written by
platform on which prod- a former plant operator, the book presents the
ucts can be bought and fundamental science behind the unit processes in
sold. CheMondis currently wastewater treatment plants, including biological
offers around 500 prod- nutrient removal. Some of the highlights of the
ucts from various suppli- book include: scientific and data-driven process
ers. CheMondis is a wholly controls for activated sludge; new ways for understanding, monitoring
owned subsidiary of LANXESS, though it has its own workforce, branding, clarifiers, digesters, aeration basins and more; simplified math problem
IT systems and company headquarters in Cologne, Germany. solving and statistics for control; and strategies for reducing costs and
CheMondis recovering resources.
www.chemondis.com DEStech Publications Inc.
Circle No. 235 on Reader Service Card www.destechpub.com
Circle No. 238 on Reader Service Card
API certification
Corrosion Resistant Alloys LP, a manufacturer of high-grade corrosion-­ Guide for chemical risk assessment
resistant alloy tubes, has announced its American Petroleum Institute To help organize the process of performing compliant and efficient chem-
(API) 5CRA Monogram License. The monogram provides verification that ical risk assessments to protect workers, Graphic Products, a global leader
Corrosion Resistant Alloys quality system in visual communication solutions for compliance and safety, has a new
meets the requirements of API Q1 and free guide, Best Practice Guide for Chemical Risk Assessment. Profession-
that the company is capable of manufac- als in any industry that work with or produce chemicals will learn how to
turing products in accordance with API identify, evaluate, and control chemical hazards to improve safety. Safety
5CRA/ISO 13680. Corrosion Resistant managers can utilize Graphic Products’
Alloys is one of only two U.S. and 12 global manufacturers that possess the new chemical risk assessment guide to
license. The products that the company is licensed to monogram include improve chemical safety and achieve
UNS S31260, S32750, S32760, S39274, N08028, N08535, N08825, compliance. Quickly download this free
N06255, N06985, and N10276 cold-hardened, corrosion-­resistant alloy resource now to keep workers and cus-
casing, tubing and coupling stock. tomers safe.
Corrosion Resistant Alloys Graphic Products
www.cralloys.com www.GraphicProducts.com
Circle No. 236 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 239 on Reader Service Card

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PFAS:
Time Waits for No
Man...or Agency
BY VANESSA LEIBY AND TINA WOJNAR
B
enjamin Franklin is
credited with say-
ing: “You may de-
lay, but time will not.” Could
it be that the U.S. Environmen-
tal Protection Agency (EPA) is
ignoring such sage advice
when it comes to the outright
regulation of per- and polyflu-
oroalkyl substances (PFAS)?
PFAS substances are a group
of manmade chemicals used in
a wide variety of industries
since the 1940s. Certain PFAS
substances, most especially perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and
perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), are persistent, bioaccumula-
tive, and will not naturally degrade in the environment.
In 2016, EPA established Lifetime Health Advisories (LHA)
for PFOA and PFOS, which were among the first PFAS con-
taminants manufactured. LHAs are a non-regulatory option EPA
uses to provide the public information on contaminants that
can cause human health effects and are known to occur in
drinking water.
The LHA levels for these contaminants are set at 70 parts per
trillion (ppt) individually or combined. To put that number into
perspective, it’s equivalent to 70 grains of sand in an Olympic-sized
swimming pool. With that reference, it’s easy to begin to appreciate
their toxicity. Occurrence data for PFAS substances is generally
well documented and not surprising given their widespread use
in a variety of household and industry applications ranging from
food packaging and water and stain repellents on furniture and
carpets to coating applications in varied industries and fire-fighting
foam used at airports and military bases. Risks arise from the legacy
of long-term use and disposal with without regulation.
On February 14, 2019, EPA released a detailed and multi-
faceted plan for managing PFAS. The PFAS Action Plan contains
both short-term and long-term actions, such as establishing a
clearinghouse for PFAS information and developing more drink-
ing water occurrence data for a broad group of PFAS contam-
inants. The agency considers short-term to be an approximate
two-year time frame. Long-term goals are much more ambitious
www.waterworld.com
1903WW41.indd 41
WWEMA Corner
and have no specified timeline, raising questions about whether
and when the agency will ultimately act to reduce risk. Will
maximum contaminant limits (MCLs) ultimately be set for PFOS
and PFOA? Will certain PFAS substance eventually be officially
designated as hazardous and subject to environmental cleanup
regulations? Only time will tell.
In response to citizen concerns, many states have stepped
ahead of EPA in the regulation of PFAS; others are somewhere
in the process or are urging federal action. Currently, states such
as Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, and Washington
have all taken action on water testing or cleanup regulations
and approximately a dozen more are considering action. The
states’ responses range from guidance to required water mon-
itoring or treatment, and public notification. Even when setting
standards, many diverge significantly from EPA’s LHA levels;
New Jersey has adopted a drinking water level of 14 ppt for
PFOA, 13 ppt for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and is still
evaluating PFOS.
In February of this year, a group of 20 U.S. senators sent EPA
a letter urging PFOS and PFOA drinking water standards in
response to media reports speculating EPA might not regulate
these contaminants. The letter emphasized LHAs are non-
enforceable and, in the absence of federal guidance, states have
responded with an uncoordinated “patch work” of varied
regulations, which muddies the water for the treatment tech-
nology market, adds to water treatment and compliance costs,
and results in uneven health protection across the nation.
Given the demonstrated health effects of PFAS substances,
which EPA itself has recognized, public demand, and uncoor-
dinated and varying regulations across the nation, does the
public really have time to wait? Time is often measured in grains
of sand slipping through an hour glass; perhaps we’ve lost 70
grains already! WW
About the Authors: Vanessa M. Leiby is the executive director of the Water and
Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA) and Tina M. Wojnar
manages the association’s policy and member services program. More information
about WWEMA can be found at www.wwema.org and on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/company/wwema/, where you can keep informed about key issues
affecting the wastewater and drinking water industries.
Circle No. 252 on Reader Service Card
March | 2019 41
2/21/19 2:41 PM
 -------- MOBILE con’t FROM page 29
7. CENTRALIZED DATA
Mobile technology allows for your field data to be instantly
available in one place — your data management system. Data
are no longer lying around on different pieces of paper or hiding
away in various binders. With mobile data collection, your data
are automatically centralized and consolidated in real time.
Because data are now more accessible than ever, they can help
you to make better, timelier, and more data-driven decisions.
8. MODERN TOOLS FOR A CHANGING WORKFORCE
Almost everyone has a mobile phone. Since most of your
staff are already familiar with mobile technology, the training
required for mobile field data entry is minimal. Most mobile
technology apps have been built with a workflow-driven design
that is user friendly and convenient, allowing your staff to get
up and running quickly and easily.
Mobile technology also allows you to empower your op-
erators. When you have the tools to collect data digitally,
operators no longer need to rely on clerks to get data into
your system.
Overall, mobile technology allows you to bring your data
collection methods into the 21st century, enabling you to mod-
ernize your operations and attract skilled, digitally-savvy staff.
9. MAXIMIZED SAMPLING PROGRAM EFFICIENCY
Mobile data entry technologies also include additional func-
tionality that will further improve your field data collection pro-
cesses. With mobile data collection apps, you can find your next
sampling point based on your GPS location. You can also view
the previous five results for any sampling point in the app, allowing
you to best understand historical trends of any measurement.
Finally, most mobile data collection apps include an offline mode
and in-app search functionality for the convenience of your staff.
10. GO GREEN – ELIMINATE PAPER!
As many utilities and businesses around the world make
efforts to be better for the environment, you can be satisfied
that mobile technology will allow you to “go green” by elimi-
nating the piles of paper that you’re currently consuming. Not
only is it great for the environment, it also saves you and your
staff the headache of carrying around and keeping track of
physical data on paper. Massive rooms filled with filing cabinets
and three-ring binders are now a thing of the past. With mobile
technology, you always know where your data are and you can
feel good about it, too.
NOW IS THE TIME TO GO DIGITAL
Take your data collection practices into the 21st century by
adopting mobile technology at your utility. Not only does
mobile data collection allow you to reduce costs and improve
data integrity, it also empowers your operators and modernizes
your operations.
Mobile technology is already at your fingertips. Can you
afford not to invest? WW
About the Author: Aimee Happ has been working in the environmental software space
for over 2 years, and she brings her passion for the natural environment and for
technology to her work. Happ is currently a writer for Aquatic Informatics, one of the
largest water data management software companies in the world, where she meets
with clients and researches industry trends to produce high-value educational content
for the water and wastewater industries.
Circle No. 250 on Reader Service Card

Product Index
Page Company Circle Page Company Circle Page Company Circle

PRODUCT P&S1: PIPES & FITTINGS LAB, SAMPLING & ANALYSIS VALVES & RELATED
35 EBAA Iron Inc. 207 38 BEING Instruments 226 37 GF Piping Systems 218
35 Ford Meter Box 211 38 Val-Matic 228
35 GF Piping Systems 208 METERS & METER READING 39 Flomatic® Corporation 230
35 IWAKI America 209
35 Krausz USA 210 39 Neptune Technology Group 233
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
35 McElroy 206
PIPES & FITTINGS
40 Batta Environmental 237
PRODUCT P&S2: FILTRATION 37 Victaulic 222 40 CheMondis 235
40 Corrosion Resistant Alloys 236
36 Desalitech 215 PUMPS, MOTORS & DRIVES 40 DEStech Publications Inc. 238
36 LANXESS 217 40 Graphic Products 239
36 OR-TEC 216 37 NETZSCH 220 40 Pentair plc 234
36 Pentair 212 37 Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group 221
36 StormwateRx 214 38 Yaskawa 227 SHOWCASE
36 SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions 213 39 Griswold™ 232
8 Aqua-Aerobic Systems 202
COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE SAFETY & SECURITY 8 Envirosight 205
8 Panasonic 203
38 Zebra Technologies Corporation 229 38 Halogen Valve Systems 224 8 Siemens 200
38 Force Flow 225 8 Solinst Canada Ltd. 201
FLOW, LEVEL & PRESSURE 8 UV Pure 204
SCADA & PROCESS CONTROL
37 Solinst Canada Ltd. 223
39 Oxford Flow 231 37 Andritz 219

42 March | 2019 www.waterworld.com

1903WW28-29, 42.indd 42 2/21/19 2:38 PM


CALIF. CONGRESSWOMAN LAUNCHES
EFFORT TO REAUTHORIZE WATER
RECYCLING PROGRAM
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano
(D-CA) introduced the Water Recycling
Investment and Improvement Act of 2019
(HR 1162), which aims to significantly
increase the federal investment in major
water recycling and reuse projects in 17
western states.
The bill extends the authorization of
the Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI
competitive grants program, and in­
creases the authorized funding level
from $50 million to $500 million. Due
to overwhelming demand and broad
support in Congress, the program
reached its $50 million limit within three
years of its creation.
In addition to increasing and extending
the authorization for the Title XVI com­
petitive grants program, the Water Recy­
cling Investment and Improvement Act
of 2019 expands the geographic scope
of the program by removing a require­
ment that projects be located in sustained
drought or disaster areas, makes the pro­
gram truly competitive by removing a
requirement that Congress sign off on
each selected project, and modernizes the
individual program funding cap from
$20 million to $30 million. WW
BROWN AND CALDWELL OPENS NEW
OFFICE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Brown and Caldwell, a leading environ­
mental engineering and construction firm,
has opened a new, permanent office in
the Metro Vancouver area to better serve
clients in the region’s municipal and pri­
vate water and wastewater sector. The
new office is located at Metrotower I,
4710 Kingsway, Burnaby.
Brown and Caldwell’s history in the
Lower Mainland dates back more than
60 years, including the development of
Vancouver’s original sewerage plan, the
Rawn Report, in 1953. In the decades
since, the firm has delivered planning
and engineering services on many of
Vancouver’s most complex wastewater
www.waterworld.com
DurInc_WW_1704 1
1903WW08-11, 43-44.indd 43
News Briefs
challenges. Projects include the design it excludes ditches from WOTUS unless
of the original Lions Gate Wastewater they meet the specific criteria for a juris­
Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the Iona dictional water.
Island WWTP, in addition to numerous The new rule also excludes groundwater
upgrades at the Annacis Island and Lulu — even when channelized through drain­
Island WWTPs. WW age — as well as stormwater runoff, such
as sheet flow over upland. The public com­
PROPOSED WOTUS DEFINITION OPEN ment period is open until April 15. WW
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
The U.S. EPA’s proposed new definition CONVERTING WASTE BRINE FROM
of Waters of the U.S. has been published DESALINATION INTO A USEFUL
in the federal register and is now open RESOURCE
for public comment. Much of the defini­ Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute
tion remains unchanged from the 2015 of Technology have a developed a process
rule, with a few notable exceptions: that they think could efficiently and eco­
The new rule combines “Traditional nomically turn waste brine from desali­
Navigable Waters” and territorial seas into nation into a useful resource.
a single category. Their approach involves direct electro­
It excludes ephemeral flows (ones that synthesis to produce compounds like so­
only flow in response to precipitation) dium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid,
from the “tributaries” category. which can then also be used in the desali­
It defines the term “ditch” as an arti­ nation process itself to make it more
ficial channel used to convey water and efficient.
Inside Drop System
RELINER® Drop Bowl
Fits any Structure
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Flexible Pipe Coupler*
RELINER® Stainless
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Bracket @ 4’ Spacing
- Eliminate outside drops
(Min of 2 - Per Drop)
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- Simplify cleaning Down Pipe*
Any Length Drop
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- Install quickly RELINER® Stainless
- Outlets from 4” - 24” Steel Pipe Support
- Optional force line hood
Bend at Outlet*
304 & 316 Stainless Orient as desired
*Supplied by others
RELINER® / Duran
RE D an Inc.
Inc
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Proudly made in the USA
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50
Circle No. 17 on Reader Service Card
March | 2019 43
3/10/17 1:46 PM
2/21/19 2:39 PM
 News Briefs

For example, sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda, $6 million less than what PWSA was requesting.
could be used to pretreat seawater, changing its acidity and PWSA plans to fight charges filed by the attorney general
preventing membrane fouling. alleging that it failed to properly notify residents prior to
Hydrochloric acid could be used for cleaning parts of a replacing lead service lines in 2016 and 2017. PWSA maintains
desalination plant. But both compounds are widely used in that it already paid a $2.4 million civil penalty for the same
other industries too, suggesting market potential as saleable issues. WW
products. WW
TAHLEQUAH TAKES TOP SPOT IN WATER TASTE TEST
PITTSBURGH TO ACCELERATE LEAD SERVICE LINE Tahlequah Public Works Authority,
REPLACEMENT UNDER SETTLEMENT a rural water utility that dates back
Under a new settlement with the Pennsylvania Public Utility to 1970 and serves 7,500 connec-
Commission, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has tions in its community in Tahle-
agreed to make changes to its lead service line replacement quah, Okla., earned the 2019 title
program in 2019. of America’s best-tasting drinking
Among the provisions, PWSA will accelerate its program, water at the 20th Anniversary of the Great American Water
spending $50 million to replace at least 3,400 public-side and Taste Test, held on February 6, 2019, in Washington, D.C., as
2,800 private-side lead service lines at no cost to residents. part of the Rural Water Rally.
The utility will also make free water filters available to eligible A total of 42 entries from all over the United States were
residents, will increase its outreach efforts, and will restrict tested during the event.
partial lead service line replacements to minimize temporary The silver medal winner was Douglas County Utilities, Mon-
lead spikes. tana System of Minden, Nevada; with City of Clay Center,
The settlement also approves a rate increase of $21 million, Nebraska, receiving the bronze medal.
Judges rated each water sample based on its clarity,
bouquet and taste, according to the National Rural Water
Association. WW

WRF, EPA TO ADVANCE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) and the Environmental
Corrosion
3 LAYER CO EXTRUDED 3 Layer
Co-Extruded
Polyethylene
Causing
Microorganism Protection Agency (EPA) have signed a Memorandum of
POLYETHYLENE FILM.
(Not Able To Survive

Understanding (MOU) to increase understanding of how smart

Between Wrap & Pipe)
Encasement

INFUSED WITH partnerships and market-based approaches can be used to

ANTI-MICROBIAL ADDITIVE & Corrosion
Inhibitor
Neutralized reduce excess nutrients in the nation’s waterways.
VOLATILE CORROSION molecule
Corrosive

INHIBITOR (VCI) molecule

Through this new partnership, EPA and WRF will collaborate
with the water sector and agricultural community to build
MOST ADVANCED FORM OF
CORROSION PROTECTION Anti- Ductile
capacity and awareness of research, innovative technologies,
and tools that support watershed approaches to nutrient
Microbial Iron
FOR DUCTILE IRON PIPE. molecule Pipe

management.
To accomplish these goals, the MOU aims to: facilitate
N
NOW I ! greater collaboration between the regulated water community,
!!
STOCK technology developers and providers, and agricultural produc-
ers; match innovative nutrient management technologies with
on-farm testing sites, funders for technology demonstrations,
and third-party evaluators; enable producer-to-producer in-
formation exchange regarding technology performance; and
develop and disseminate information on specific topic areas
related to nutrient management and resource recovery and
reuse. WW

WWW.AATHREAD.COM/VB3 | 800.537.7139 | SALES@AATHREAD.COM

Circle No. 18 on Reader Service Card

44 March | 2019 www.waterworld.com
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 To place a classified ad, call 918-831-9863

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44 AA Thread Seal Tape, Inc. SMOKE

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10 CST
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E-mail: konishi-manami@ics-inc.co.jp, masaki.mori@ics-inc.co.jp, takemura-kimie@ics-inc.co.jp
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www.waterworld.com March | 2019 45

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1903WW45.indd 45 2/21/19 2:42 PM

 Easy way to get new product information:
1. Fax: 800-571-7730 (416-620-9790 outside USA)

March 2019 Use before May 2019

1. What is the nature of your organization? (Check ONE only) 3. What is your JOB TITLE? 4. Please check below all PRODUCTS or SYSTEMS that you RECOMMEND, SPECIFY,
02 Water and Wastewater Systems and/or Plants 01 Executive/Administrative Management (i.e., President, VP, PURCHASE or APPROVE PURCHASE (Check ALL that apply)
04 Water Only Systems and/or Plants Board Member, Mayor, Owner, etc. 67 Aeration 01 Process Control Equipment

06 Wastewater Only Systems and/or Plants 03 Engineering & Operations Management (i.e., Division Head, 17 Chemical/Biochemicals 05 Pumps

25 Consulting Firms (incl. Engineering, Contracting & Environmental) General Manager, Superintendent, Section Head, 03 Computers & Software 23 Safety Equipment

17 Industrial Water/Wastewater Facilities or Water Wholesalers Department Head, Manager, Chief Engineer, etc.) 37 Corrosion Control 45 Sampling & Analyzing Equip. & Instr.

29 Federal Agencies (incl. EPA), State Agencies, Public Health Agencies 05 Engineering & Design Staff (i.e., Consulting Engineer, Civil 66 Customer Information Systems 41 SCADA

33 Educational Institutions Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Environmental Engineer, 71 Desalination/Brackish Water 64 Security Equipment Systems

37 Research or Analytical Laboratories Electrical Engineer, Planning Engineer, System Designer, etc.) 07 Detectors, Monitors, Recorders 27 Sludge Dewatering & Processing Eqpt.

41 Manufacturers or Distributors of Equip. & Supplies (incl. Reps) 07 Scientific & Research (i.e., Chemist, Biologist, Biophysicist, 11 Disinfection Equipment 63 Stormwater Equipment & Services

53 Others allied to the field (please specify) ____________ Analyst, Lab Technician, etc.) 21 Engineering & Construction Services 35 Tanks & Structures

09 Operations (i.e., Foreman, Plant Operator, Maintenance 15 Filtration Equipment 70 Trenchless Equipment & Technology

2. This location or facility is: Crewman, Service Representative, Collection Systems, etc.) 13 Flow, Pressure & Level Measuring Eqpt. & Accessories 72 Valves, Seals, Packing & Related Prod.

02 Municipally Owned & Operated 11 Purchasing/Marketing/Sales (i.e., Purchasing, Market 69 Groundwater Treatment 55 Wastewater Treatment Equipment

06 Investor Owned & Operated Representative, Salesperson, Sales Representative, Market 29 Laboratory Equipment, Supplies & Services 43 Water Treatment Equipment

08 Municipally Owned/Investor Operated Analyst, etc.) 68 Membranes 65 Water Well Drilling, Maintenance &

10 Other ___________________________________ 98 Other (please specify) __________________________ 19 Meters & Meter Reading Equipment Monitoring

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 Case Study

Saving Water
in Silicon Valley
San Jose Water uses permanent
leak detection technology to
prevent water loss
BY VIRGIL DIAZ

B
eginning with just one artesian well that served about
400 San Jose residents in 1866, San Jose Water has
grown to serve more than 1 million customers in a
140-square-mile area in Silicon Valley today.
From 2011 to 2017, San Jose, and the state of California at
large, experienced one of the worst droughts in its history. The
dry conditions reduced many of the state’s reservoirs and resulted
in the governor declaring a statewide emergency, calling on res-
idents and utilities to find ways to both cut and conserve water.
“The recent historic drought in California and subsequent
calls for customer conservation raised awareness as well as
customer expectations for San Jose Water to take proactive
steps toward effective and active control of its real-water loss,”
said Jake Walsh, director of capital planning and asset manage-
ment for San Jose Water.
As a result, San Jose Water implemented a pilot water loss control
program that would quickly identify, correct and prevent water
loss within the distribution network, enabling the utility to promote
the long-term sustainability of its limited water resources.
THE SEARCH FOR A STRATEGIC APPROACH
San Jose’s water distribution network consists of about 2,400
miles of water mains. Prior to deploying its new pilot program,
the utility took a traditional approach to leak detection: waiting
for leaks in its buried water mains to surface before it would
intervene, and conducting an annual proactive inspection pro-
gram for its above-grade water mains. For its new water loss
program, however, San Jose Water was in search of a technology
that would allow it to take a more strategic approach to capturing
and preventing water loss within its network.
San Jose Water implemented a pilot water loss control program that
would quickly identify, correct and prevent water loss within the distri-
bution network.
The utility reached out to Echologics® representatives from
Mueller Water Products during the initial phase of the pilot and
EchoShore®-DX cellular sensors were recommended as the
technological solution for the project.
“The EchoShore-DX technology is an acoustic-based system
that is utilized through fire hydrant caps,” explained Corey
Keefer, Echologics strategic account executive with Mueller
Water Products.
The acoustic sensors, embedded into hydrant caps, capture
the sound waves traveling through the pipe and use the resulting
data file to correlate leak locations.
The initial results of the technology were positive for the San
Jose Water pilot project and provided critical information that
was captured upon deployment.
“Prior to investing in acoustic leak detection, we assumed that
leaks were typically surfacing within a few days to a week,” said
Walsh. “However, we’ve found quite the opposite and deter-
mined that some leaks
were non-surfacing for
more than five years!
Within two months of
EchoShore®-DX cellular
sensors were recommend-
ed as the technological
solution for the project.

Figure 1: Max Correlation Peak and Coherence Area Over Time

35 25
Max Correlation Peak
30
Coherence Area 20
Max Correlation Peak

25
Coherence Area

20 15

15 10
10
5
5

www.waterworld.com March | 2019 47

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 Case Study
The acoustic sensors, embedded into hy-
drant caps, capture the acoustic sound
waves traveling through the pipe and use the
resulting data file to correlate leak locations.
commissioning the units, we found 36
non-surfacing leaks ranging from as
small as three gallons per hour to as
large as 30 gallons per minute.”
With the ability to detect underground
leaks long before they surface, San Jose
Water can now focus on regularly as-
sessing the conditions of its water mains. The visualization tools
and graphs allow the utility to track points of interest and make
determinations regarding field investigations.
“The best part of this is that we can schedule these investi-
gations ahead of time, which allows us to more effectively al-
locate our limited resources,” Walsh said.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
EchoShore-DX sensors are a critical part of San Jose Water’s
leak detection and water loss program, allowing the utility to
“stay ahead of existing leaks while monitoring for any potential
new ones,” Keefer said.
San Jose Water has been able to see tangible benefits of
deploying the technology. In addition to an estimated savings
of over 40 million gallons of water to date, there are several
events that have demonstrated the technology’s value.
According to Walsh, one such event occurred shortly after
deployment, when the sensors identified a leak in the middle
of Capital Expressway in San Jose.
“This is a heavily trafficked road and any unplanned emer-
gency repair in this area would disrupt traffic and commutes for
What’s Going On...
March 2019
▲ March 4-6 – WEX Global, Porto, Portugal, http://wex-global.com
▲ March 5-8 – AWWA/WEF Utility Management Conference, Nashville, TN,
www.awwa.org/Events-Education/Utility-Management
April 2019
▲ April 2-4 – Texas Water, Houston, Texas, www.txwater.org
▲ April 3-5 – WWEMA Washington Forum, Washington, DC,
www.wwema.org/washingtonforum.php
For a comprehensive list of the events for the water industry, please visit the “Events” section of our website.
48 March | 2019
1903WW47-48.indd 48
thousands of people,” he said. “Additionally, because of its
proximity to a creek, any leak on this pipe would have a high
consequence of failure because of its potential to discharge
chlorinated water into an environmentally sensitive creek.”
Finding this leak prior to its surfacing allowed San Jose Water
to send crews to repair it outside of normal commute hours,
minimizing disruption and protecting the environment.
San Jose Water will continue to add sensors to its distribution
network of about 19,000 hydrants in multiple upcoming phases.
For a full system deployment of EchoShore-DX, San Jose Water
will need to add about 8,000 more sensors to the 2,000 it has
already deployed.
“We plan to continue to strategically deploy acoustic leak
detection sensors throughout the service area based on a sci-
entific and objective methodology that focuses our efforts on
monitoring pipe segments with the highest probability and
consequence of failure,” Walsh said.
The project has been mutually beneficial for Mueller Water
Products and San Jose Water. While Walsh noted that the
technology has allowed San Jose Water to better serve its cus-
tomers by improving levels of service, reducing real-water losses
and protecting the environment, participation in San Jose Water’s
water loss program has also contributed to the development
and expansion of the EchoShore-DX technology.
“San Jose has played a critical role in the evolution of this
technology,” said Keefer. “A lot of the feedback they’ve provided
has helped us develop and integrate analytics and technology
enhancements that we are currently using today, which has
helped us expand our scalability for other utilities.” WW
About the Author: Virgil Diaz is a senior sales engineer for Mueller Water Products.
Learn more at www.muellerwaterproducts.com.
Circle No. 253 on Reader Service Card
▲ April 10-12 – Design-Build for Water/Wastewater, Cincinnati, OH,
dbia.org/conferences/design-build-for-water-wastewater-conference/
▲ April 23-25 – WQA Convention & Exposition, Las Vegas, NV,
www.wqa.org/convention
May 2019
▲ May 7-10 – WEF Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Ft.
Lauderdale, FL, www.wef.org/ResidualsBiosolids/
▲ May 12-14 – Action4Good/IDA International Conference,
Santa Margherita, Italy, idadesal.org/list-events/action4good-conference
—
www.waterworld.com
2/21/19 2:38 PM
 VISIT US AT WEFTEC! BOOTH #7439

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8/9/18 2:20 PM
 QU•L••Y•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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BU•L•••UGG•D••••UGH••••H••DL•••H••••S••
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•••••••••••••••••••••S.

PRECISION 10,000:1 with High Resolution

TURNDOWN Motor Speed Adjustment

VARIABLE .0002 to 33.3 GPH

FLOW RATE (.0007 to 126 LPH)

4-20mA, 0-10Vdc, and Pulse

inputs for remote external or
INPUT batch control and 0-30 VDC
contact closure remote
start/stop

Scalable 4-20mA or Pulse,

one 250V/3A relay and three
OUTPUT 115V/1A contact closures
assignable to monitor various
pump functions

Equipped with Multi-Tube

DEPENDABLE Heavy Duty Pump Head
Tubing for up to 4X Longer
Service Life

PATENTED Exclusive Built-in Tube Failure

Detection System

N ow g!
Shippin

Standard 61

•H•••LL•••W
•••U••••LY••••SU••S••H•••H•••••L••••D•
••••••••••G•••D•D•S••G••U••S•BY•US••G•
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MS -6 UL••••••••
•H•••••L••••D••
PATENT PENDING
DESIGN

VARIABLE FLOW RATE

LOW PRESSURE DROP

PVDF AND PEEK

The Broadest Flow Range
on the Market

from 10 to 10,000 ml/min

(0.158–158.5 GPH)

Less than 1 PSI

Can Handle Harsh and

Corrosive Chemicals
S••S•• WETTED COMPONENTS Common in the Treatment
of Water & Wastewater

•••SU•••G••H•••••L•• INLINE PIPE FITTINGS Allow for Quick and Easy

Sensor Installation
Standard 61
•••D••S••••••••••L••••••••••••
W•••••••D•W•S••W••••• ACCURATE Unlike Anything the
AND AFFORDABLE Industry Has Ever Seen.
•••••••••.

is
PRECISION CHEMICAL METERING FOR OVER 60 YEARS
ISO 9001:2015 www.proseries-m.com • www.blue-white.com
Cfirtifififi 5300 Business Dr., Huntington Beach, CA 92649 USA • 714-893-8529 • sales@blue-white.com

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PM