Working With Water - 09 SEP 2009

8/14/2019 Working With Water - 09 SEP 2009

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WorkingInformation and solutions

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GreeningthedesertWater infrastructure in

the Middle East

Volume 2 Issue 3 2009

Also:


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Information and solutions

for water management at

and

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Greening the desert

Welcome to the latest issue ofWorking with Water. Its around this time of yearthat water issues rise to the top of the news agenda. In the northern hemisphere,there are concerns about depleted reservoirs and water shortages or, toomuch rain and the flooding that this causes. In the southern hemisphere thereare ongoing concerns for rainfall and getting the water supplies built up inanticipation of the summer.

But there is a part of the world that has water issues year round the MiddleEast. Essentially desert, the region has sufficient financial resources thanks to itsoil reserves to be able to pay for the latest water solutions in order to green theirdesert; witness the surge in desalination plants in the area, as well as conferencessharing and calling for expertise when it comes to matters of water. However,despite the ability to throw money at the problem, the political instability inthe region, as well as international environmental concerns and the strugglingeconomy still mean that clean and plentiful water is not all easy.

In this issue we examine some of the most common water infrastructure projectsgoing on in this area, thanks to an article by the McIlvaine Company. We alsotake a look at some of the larger projects going on in this region, including thePalm resort, in an article by Norrie Hunter. Over these two articles, we canexamine the issues, successes and challenges faced by the Middle East.

Elsewhere in the issue, we include a show preview of WEFTEC, North Americaslargest water event, which is being held in Orlando, Florida this year. Workingwith Water spoke to some of the exhibitors to see what is on offer. We also include

articles on improving river water quality; using sustainable drainage; and takea look at a case study featuring a sewage works that needed to avoid downtimeby minimising pump blockages. We also include a technical article by ThermoScientific on fast and accurate sampling.

As usual, we hope you enjoy the issue and find it relevant to your day-to-daywork in the water industry. Our website, www.workingwithwater.net has regularnews updates and features that you cant find in the magazine, and I hope thatyou find this useful too.

Enjoy the issue,

Nova


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Advertisers Index Page

International Desalination

Association 22

McIlvaine 11

Pollutec 13

Porex 7

Veolia

H209 Forum, New York, USA

3rd European Water and WastewaterManagement Conference

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WEFTEC 2009, Orlando, USA

IDA World Congress 2009Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Workingrmation and solutionsfor water managementWaterWith

Recent developmentsand future plans forthe Middle East

5-7

Working with Water

Geographic focus Middle East:Greening the golden desert

Norrie Hunter takes a look at recent

developments and future plans for the area.

Geographic focus Middle East:

Overview of infrastructure projects What are the major types of

infrastructure project in this area?

Thomas Tschanz gives us an overview.

Environmental monitoring:

Multi-elemental analysis ofenvironmental samples A team from Thermo Scientific show an

efficient way of fast and accurate sample

analysis.

Environmental regulation:

Improving river water quality Dr Mike Coffey looks at how river water

quality can be assessed objectively.

Infrastructure management:

Working with sustainabledrainage British Water speak about the

importance of using sustainable drainage

in order to process grey water and

supplement usual supplies.

Show preview: WEFTEC 2009 Working with Water speak to the

organisers and exhibitors at this

event to see whats in store.

Solids handling: Improving

efficiency at sewage works Thames Water and Mono Pumpsimproved efficiency at a treatment works

by preventing pump blockages and

minimising downtime.

The latest industry news3-4

Overview of Middle Eastinfrastructure projects

9-11

Environmental

analysis of samples12-14

Improving riverwater quality

15-17

The importance of

sustainable drainage

8-19

WEFTEC show preview20-22

Improving efficiencyat sewage works

23-24


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Working with Water (a Filtration + Separation and World Pumps publication) Volume 2 Issue 2Industry news4

Water Technology Centre

opens in Singapore

Managementchanges for H2OInnovationGuy Goulet has left hisposition as chairman of theboard of directors and directorof Canadian water treatmentcompany H2O Innovation. Hehas been chairman of the boardsince the companys founding,

but will continue to collaboratewith the company in identifyingand evaluating internationalsales and developmentopportunities.

The H2O Innovation directorshave appointed Philippe Gervaisas the companys new chairmanof the board. Previouslyvice-chairman of the board,Philippe Gervais has been oneof the companys directors sinceDecember 2001. He has also

served on the boards variouscommittees over the course ofthis period. Mr Goulet will notbe replaced on the board.

www.h2oinnovation.com

GE and the National Universityof Singapore (NUS) haveopened the new NUS-GE WaterTechnology Centre in Singapore.

The NUS GE centre, whichwill develop technologiesand solutions for low energysea water desalination, waterreclamation and water reuse, isthe result of US$100 millioninvestment by GE and NUS. Italso aims to develop solutions

for customers in the powergeneration field.

The centre will also becollaborating with governmentand industry in Singapore toassist with solving some ofthe many water challenges inthis region, including waterstress in China, India and theMiddle East.

www.gewater.com

Fairbanks Morse awarded US$65m pump contractFairbanks Morse Pump has wona US$65 million order to supply13 pumps to the US Army Corpsof Engineers for flood control inNew Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

The pump contract is for theGulf Intracoastal WaterwayWest Closure Complex project,which is part of the Greater NewOrleans Hurricane Storm DamageRisk Reduction System.

The Fairbanks Morse pumps

will handle all flows exiting

from 22 miles of levees and

floodwalls and ten pump stations

into Harvey and Algiers Canals

during hurricane events. Eachpump will have a discharge

diameter of approximately

15 feet and will be capable of

pumping nearly 700 000 gallons

of water per minute.

Fairbanks Morse is part ofPentair Incs Engineered Flowbusiness. Were excited toannounce the largest contract inour history, one which highlights

Pentairs and Fairbanks strengthin this key market, said MichaelSchrock, Pentair president andchief operating officer.

www.fmpump.com

Partech appoints French distributorPartech Instruments has appointeda new French distributor as part ofits programme to rebuild its marketshare in France.

The distributor, EquipmentsScientific, is based near Parisand is a specialist supplier ofinstrumentation for the waterindustry. Equipment Scientific iswell-established in this industrysector and its knowledge of thelocal market will enable Partech togain wider exposure for its products.Partechs instruments and systemsare fully compliant with all EUstandards and through Equipments

Scientific it will be able to provideall the technical support servicesthat are available to customers inthe UK.

According to Partechs FinanceDirector Robin Brinckley,Partechs fixed and portableinstruments for the water industryhave had a presence in Francefor a number of years. In recentyears, our export sales have notbeen as strong as we would haveliked, says Robin Brinckley.Changing distributors inFrance is just a first step towardsre-establishing our presence

within Europe where our productshave a good reputation.

We have invested considerablyin our branding and marketingover the past 12 months and weare now in a position where wecan be far more pro-active inEurope. Equipments Scientific inFrance is the type of distributorthat we want to work with as theyhave a full appreciation of ourproducts and where they can beapplied throughout all areas of thewater industry.

www.partech.co.uk

The new NUS-GE Water Technology Centre has been opened at the National University of Singapore.


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Working with Water (a Filtration + Separation and World Pumps publication) Volume 2 Issue 3Feature6

70% of the Kingdoms fresh drinking waterdemand. It also treats some 2 million cubicmetres per day of wastewater. Increasing itsdesalination capacity to 10.7 million cubicmetres per day by 2020 will require thecountry to invest some US$53 billion if it is tomeet expected demand. Not a simple task.

The Middle East, according to the WorldBank, has 5% of the worlds population butonly 1% of the water and it predicts that percapita water availability in the region will fallby at least 50% by 2050 and warns of serious,social and economic consequences if countriesdo not adapt their current water managementpractices. In a recent report the World Bankadded that, in its opinion governmentsin the region actually spend a considerableamount of money on the water sector, but notin the most efficient manner. It concludedthat, in a region that is 85 per cent desert

one of the most arid on earth inefficientwater management currently costs economiesin the region approximately 1 per cent to 3per cent of gross domestic product every year.

Recently, Abdullah Al Amiri, Chairman ofthe Emirates Energy Awards, a subsidiaryof the Dubai Quality Group, said that theUAE will need US$10bn to satisfy water andenergy demand for the next ten years, due toincreasing land developments and projectsthat increase by 12 per cent each year.

Using existing resources more efficiently isone of the key strategies in the region with

the concept of virtual water being addressed.

Crop growing uses significant amounts ofwater and so, by importing certain crops, lesswater is required. It has been estimated thatover 90% of all water budgets in the MiddleEast and North African are devoted to the

agricultural sector.

Dubai

As one of seven states in the United ArabEmirates, Dubai is investing heavily. As thecountrys real estate market continues toblossom and with industry and populationgrowth seemingly unrelenting, demands

on the water infrastructure are higher thanever. Current water capacity is 262 milliongallons per day but this is expected to riseto 800 million by 2015. The UAE hasinvested a total of U$50 billion in powerand desalination during the past 10 yearsand Dubai itself has embarked on a missionto more than treble its desalinated watercapacity over the next eight to 10 years. Itwill invest up to U$20 billion in five powerand water projects being planned or underconstruction.

At the recent IDA Congress on Desalinationand Water Reuse 2009, Leon Awerbuch,a board member of the InternationalDesalination Association, said that Dubaisinvestment in new desalination plants itcurrently has six in operation will morethan double capacity when the five newplants will go on stream, each producingaround 120 million gallons per day. Earlierthis year, DEWA (Dubai Electricity and WaterAuthority) announced that it plans to investDh57 billion in new projects that are partof a Dh72 billion programme to boost waterand power production. Statistics released byDEWA show that Dubais annual demand for

water rose by 10 per cent in 2008.

New solutions to meet water and wastewater

requirements for adventurous property development

projects are sought, such as the seawater reverse

osmosis (RO) plant located on the east of the main

crescent of the Palm Jumeirah resort.

Few companies have such a commitment to

the Middle East and North Africa as GE Energy

and their subsidiary, GE Water, with its base in

Dubai. Within the UAE, the company is involved

in many desalination and waste water reuse

projects. Included are the commissioning, this

year, of wastewater reuse plants for the Dubai

Sports City, Dubai Canal City, TECOM Studio

City, International Media Production Zone,

and 2 MBR temporary plants for Jebel Ali Free

Zone. These projects see treated effluent beingused for irrigation. The company has also been

involved in desalination projects on Saadiyat

Island in Abu Dhabi, providing potable water for

labour camps involved in the construction of

Saadiyat Island.

Mohamed Vaid, senior marketing manager

of GE Water in Dubai said: With all the

wastewater reuse projects that we have been

involved with, we feel like we are having a

very positive impact on the environment by

reducing the need for desalinated potable

water for irrigation and district cooling.

Additionally, most of these wastewater plantshave the capability of handling waste water

from outside of the primary development they

are being built for, thus creating capacity that

can be utilised in the event that the Dubai

Municipality waste treatment facilities are

running over capacity.

As part of its growing commitment to

providing water solutions for the Middle

Eastern countries, GE Energy has opened its

second water technology centre, this time in

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Following on

from the recent opening of its first such facility

in Dubai, the new $10 million GE Saudi Water

& Processing Technology Centre at Damman

is similarly aimed at providing critical water

solutions for industrial customers here and in

the wider region. The centre a joint venture

between GE and Al Tamimi Group, a Saudi

engineering and construction company

incorporates a blending plant for water

treatment chemicals while offering local and

regional customers advanced water, water

reuse, wastewater and processing solutions.

The new facility also will serve the municipal

water and wastewater sector.

Since the mid 1930s, GE has played a critical

role in the development of Saudi Arabiasinfrastructure, investing in the region and

supplying technology and services to address

such needs as water management and power

generation.

Recent GE Energy projects include Marafiq,

reckoned to be the worlds largest independent

water and power project with the capacity

to produce more than 2.7 GW of power and

800,000 m3/day of desalinated water.

Among its key projects are the Al Tamimi GET

Water Partnership where GE is providing a

fleet of mobile water treatment systems to

Al Tamimi Group for the rapid deployment of

onsite treatment systems for both sea water

and brackish water treatment, water reuseand water filtration over 60 mobile units are

currently in operation, with each unit capable

of treating up to 1,500 m3 of water per day.

In partnership with the ConocoPhillips Water

Sustainability Centre (WSC) in Qatar, GE

Water is working to develop more efficient

and cost-effective treatment technologies

and will research and develop water solutions

primarily for the petroleum and petrochemical

sectors and also will focus on municipal and

agricultural solutions.

In Jeddah, the company supplied a 300-bed

facility and an advanced membrane bioreactor

wastewater treatment system (it treats 250

m3/day of wastewater to reduce freshwater

usage) at the International Medical Centre.

GE Water


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Working with Water (a Filtration + Separation and World Pumps publication) Volume 2 Issue 3Feature 7

Government policy is, apparently, to takewater industry projects to privatisationhowever, international water quality andenvironmental regulations that must bemet by water providers means a new lookat suitable technologies. As customersdemand improved services, suppliers and

contractors are examining new, emergingtreatment and distribution systems. Inorder to meet Dubais rapid economic andpopulation growth a US$10.89 billion waterand electricity (IWPP) complex in JebelAli is part of the mainstream infrastructureinvestment that Dubai Electricity and WaterAuthority(DEWA) says will ensure that theEmirate will never experience a shortage ofpower or water.

The Hassyan Power and Desalination complexis being constructed in three phases and whencompleted in 2020 will produce some 600million gallons of water per day and 9,000megawatts of electricity.

Added to this, Dubai, in addition to itsUS$3.3 billion infrastructure improvementprogramme, is spending US$168.8 million inthe construction of three massive rectangular,60 million gallon drinking water reservoirs inthe Mushrif area to meet water demand fromnew property developments in the country.This development will take DEWAs currentwater storage capacity from 235 million to415 million gallons. Contractor, the MammutGroup in conjunction with partners, the MaxBoegel Group of Germany, began work in

the Spring of last year (2008) and the work isexpected to take 15 months.

Behzad Ferdows, Chairman and CEO of theDubai-headquartered Mammut Group saidthat this project marked a major milestone inDubais expansion of its utility infrastructure.He said: With rapid population growth andeconomic development driving an exponentialincrease in the demand for water, governmentsthroughout the region are continuouslyboosting supply to keep pace.

Nakheel part of the investment companyIstithmar, and the property developer behind

the Palm Island and the collection of privateislands known as The World off the coast ofthe emirate state had to seek new solutionsto meet water and wastewater requirementsfor this adventurous property developmentproject. In 2004 it was announced that the

Singapore company Hyflux would, in ajoint venture with local Istithmar, procurethe US$400 million water and wastewatertreatment projects. The contracts wereawarded on a design, build, own and operate(DBOO) basis.

The first of the two projects was for a 38,000m3per day seawater reverse osmosis (RO) plantlocated on the east of the main crescent of PalmJumeirah. It now supplies desalinated water tothe developments on Palm Jumeirah includingthe Atlantis Hotel, constructed by Nakheel andresort developer Kerzner International.

The second project was to build a wastewatertreatment plant at the Dubai Metals andCommodities Centre, also an Istithmargroup company. The plant has a capacity of40,000m3 per day, expandable to 60,000m3

per day, and uses membrane bioreactor (MBR)technology to produce an effluent suitable forreuse. The estimated value of the two projectsis $60 million.

As Palm Islands population grows anddemand increases, a further seawater reverseosmosis plant of 35,000m3/d capacity and a5,000m3/d wastewater treatment plant areplanned. Istithmar and Hyflux are pursuingother water projects in the UAE and the widerMiddle East market. Under the deal, Istithmaracquired a 10% holding in Hyflux with anoption to increase its stake to 20%.

Abu Dhabi and Northern Emirates

In Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emiratesthere are also major power and desalinationprojects under construction.

Desalination technology haswithout question, been thesaviour of many parts of theMiddle East and the Gulf,however, its environmentalimpact in the region is nowcoming under scrutiny andbecoming of significant concernto governments, plant operators

and environmental groups.

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Abu Dhabi is investing U$20 billion overthe next 10 years with plans to double itswater production capacity from 630 MIGto 1200 MIG per day. The state-ownedagency is shelling out US$1.3bn for theexpansion of its five existing desalinationplants; one is scheduled for completion

this year, the remaining by 2010. Accordingto projections made by the Abu Dhabi Waterand Electricity Agency (Adwea) demand forwater in country is predicted to grow by 43 percent in the next five years.

The five-year strategy set by Adwea it isthe solitary buyer and seller of electricityand water in the UAEs capital is toincrease water production from its current626 million gallons per day to 969 milliongallons per day by 2013. The Umm Al Nardesalination plant currently produces 165mg/d, the Taweelah plant (231mg/d), theAl Shuweihat (101 mg/d), the Al Fujairah(90mg/d) and the Al Marfa plant (39mg/d).Confirming that increased water demand wasa result of the changes in land ownershiplaws during 2005, Keith Miller, Adwec headof planning and studies department, told arecent conference: The development boomwill require significant quantities of extraelectricity and water capacity over and abovethe normal developments assumed in pastAdwec demand forecasts. The agency saysthat it expects a 33.25 per cent increase indemand. By the end of 2011, three newdesalination plants at Ras Al Khaimah andtwo in Ajman with a total daily output of30 MIG. will be in operation.

Israel Ashkelon

In its common objective with other countriesin the region to overcome water scarcity,Israel developed and launched its DesalinationMaster Plan in 2000 which called for the

building of a number (three) of plants alongthe Mediterranean coast to enable 400 millioncubic metres of desalinated water per year tobe produced for urban consumption within thefirst five years, with future supplies rising to750 million cubic metres per year by 2020.

In September of 2001, the contract for thefirst of these large-scale seawater desalinationfacilities the Ashkelon plant was awardedon a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basiswith the plant being transferred to the Israeligovernment at he end of the 25 year period.By December of 2005 both the North and the

South plants were completed on the massive75,000 sq m. site.

Built by VID a special purpose joint venturecompany of IDE Technologies, Veolia andDankner-Ellern Infrastructure the totalproject cost approximately US$250m. The

three-centre design model adopted for thisRO treatment facility involved arranging thehigh pressure pumps, energy recovery devicesand membrane banks so that they could eachoperate independently and flexibly.

In 2006 the Ashkelon plant was voted theDesalination Plant of the Year in theGlobal Water Awards, mainly as a resultof it delivering, only a year after beginningproduction, its first 100 million cubic metresof water. It now produces some 320,000 cubicmetres of water per day 13% of Israelsdomestic demand at one of the worldslowest prices for desalinated water: $0.52/m3.

However, concerns over the effects ofdesalination can have on the environmentwere revealed in a Gulf News report revealedin June. It stated that each day, over 64 tonnesof antiscalant, 23 tonnes of chlorine andalmost 300kg of copper are pumped back intothe Arabian Gulf from desalination plantsaround the region. Leon Awerbuch, pastpresident of the International DesalinationAssociation speaking at the announcementof the future International DesalinationAssociation (IDA) World Congress, whichwill take place in Dubai in November, said

impacts were not dramatic in this region,although more studies were needed.

He commented: Daily production in theUAE is 8.4 million cubic metres of waterand The Gulf is clearly using more waterthan in any other part of the world but cost

and energy consumption is being reduced.He added that the worse impact was copperand this could accumulate in the marineenvironment. Chemicals for antiscalantsand antifouling are all approved by the Foodand Drug Administration [FDA] and arebiodegradable, he added.

Conclusion

Desalination technology has withoutquestion, been the saviour of many parts ofthe Middle East and the Gulf, however, itsenvironmental impact in the region is nowcoming under scrutiny and becoming ofsignificant concern to governments, plantoperators and environmental groups. Suchis the anxiety that this will be the focusof a major conference of the InternationalDesalination Association (IDA) WorldCongress, which will take place in Dubai inNovember this year.

Although cost and energy consumption tooperate desalination plants are being reduced,experts say that marine environments couldbe seriously affected by chemicals used inthe water production process, with copperaccumulation the most impactive. While

no-one can dispute the need for water in thisregion, the wider environmental effect mustbe considered.

Contact:

Norrie HunterEmail: [email protected]

Abu Dhabi is investing U$20 billion over the next 10 years with plans to double its water production capacity from

630 MIG to 1200 MIG per day.

While no-one can dispute theneed for water in this region, thewider environmental effect mustbe considered.


11/28


An adequate water supply and infrastructureare critically important to the health andeconomic development of all societies.They are even more critically important forcountries of the Middle East for a number of

reasons.

First, the Middle East is the worlds driestregion, which presents daunting issues ofits own. Most countries of the Middle East(with some exceptions including Iran, Iraq,and Syria), consume more fresh water peryear than is available from renewable sources.Some countries, moreover, are experiencingsignificant population growth coupled withincreased urbanisation and industrialisationthat place tremendous additional stress onavailable water supplies and infrastructure.

Industry sources estimate that there are more

than of $100-billion in current and plannedwater and wastewater projects across theGulf region through 2020. This article willtake a closer look at those projects and theunderlying infrastructure that drives them.

Major infrastructure projects

Over the past 40 years and longer, waterprojects in the Middle East have focused onfive major areas of infrastructure includingdams, wells, pipelines, seawater desalinationplants, and water treatment facilities.

DamsThe number of significant dams in the Regionis in the hundreds. Iran has the most dams,followed by Syria, and then Saudi Arabia. Inthe northern and eastern parts of the MiddleEast, dams on major river systems like the

Geographic focus Middle East:

Overview ofinfrastructureprojectsI

n this article, Thomas Tschanz of the McIlvaine Company takes

a look at the major types of water infrastructure projects in the

Middle East, and considers the importance of water to this area.

A map of the Middle East area.


12/28


Tigris, Euphrates, and Karun are a majorsource of hydroelectric power. Iran currentlyhas an active program to significantly increasethe number of dams in the country to meetincreased needs for both water and electricalpower.

In countries such as Saudi Arabia with nocontinuously flowing rivers of significant size,dams are built in wadis to capture brief but

torrential rainfall in winter months, and make itavailable for use throughout the year. In SaudiArabia, despite extensive dam construction,more than one half of the Kingdoms water stillneeds to be provided by seawater desalination.

Problems associated with some dams in theRegion include basic infrastructure issues, aginghydro-electric generators, and reduction inreservoir capacity due to silting.

Wells

Wells have played a critical role in the supply ofwater throughout the ages in the Middle East.

In some areas, water from natural and manmadewells provided virtually the only source ofwater for survival of nomadic desert tribes forthousands of years. In recent times, programs todevelop deep-aquifers have been implementedto supply the water needs of interior cities suchas Riyahd and others. Major projects includingthe Bowaib Water Project and the Wasei WaterProject were undertaken for that purpose.Exploration for new deep aquifers continues inthe Middle East. In June of 2009, a reportedlylarge aquifer at a depth of 225 to 320 meters wasdiscovered in southern Yemen near Al-Ghaliah.The first in a series of wells reportedly provides

water at a rate of 1800 litres per minute. Newdrilling is currently ongoing to further developthe potential of the aquifer.

Despite the long history of wells as a reliablesource of water for human populations, wellwater today can rarely meet the agricultural,

industrial, and domestic needs of the much largerpopulations in the Middle East. It is increasingrealised that overuse of water from undergroundaquifers is not a long-term solution to the waterproblem. Deep aquifers in rain-starved areashave extremely long replenishment cycles. Someof the deep ground water, known as fossil wateror paleowater, has been trapped and sealed forthousands of years and is virtually irreplaceable

in a practical time frame of reference.Problems associated with usage of subsurfaceground water include overuse (aquiferdepletion), infiltration by salt water thatcontaminates the source water, and in somecases contamination with natural radioactiveisotopes of radium, such as recently discovered infossil water from the Disi Aquifer in Jordan.

Seawater desalination

The Middle East includes the largest shareof the worlds desalination capacity. SaudiArabia, which operates approximately 30

desalination plants, is the single largest producerof desalinated water. In terms of world ranking,Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, andKuwait hold the number one, three, and fourpositions, respectively. The United Statesholds the second position. In the UnitedArab Emirates, desalination plants currentlyprovide nearly 70% of the countrys water.Similar percentages apply for the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia.

Industry sources estimate an annual 6% increaseper year in the requirement for desalinated waterin the Middle East, compared to a global growthrate of approximately 3%. This is largely dueto the increasing population and urbanisation/industrialisation in the Gulf region. Thedepressed worldwide economy has done little toslow the demand for desalination projects in theGulf because of the pressing need for water atalmost any cost.

The latest desalination plant commissioning inthe Gulf region occurred in April 2009 in SaudiArabia with the opening of the Jubail II facilityby King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. The plantemploys Multiple Effect Distillation (MED)technology, and is the largest of its kind in theworld. The facility includes 27 units, with each

capable of producing 29,630 m3/day of freshwater. The combined capacity of all units is800,000 m3/day. The plant reflects an efficientdesign that uses waste heat from an adjacentpower plant to drive the distillation process.

Desalination of seawater in the Gulf regionis critical to the supply of fresh water.Nevertheless, it is not without environmentalconsequences. Many desalination projectsin the Middle East use thermal desalinationtechnologies such as MED because of theabundance of fuels to generate heat for thedistillation process. This has resulted in hot

waste-water discharges into the Gulf that areincreasing the temperature of the surroundingwaters. The briny waste-water discharges alsoinclude heavy concentrations of salts, alongwith other pollutants including chlorine,anti-scalants, and copper that are increasingthe salinity of the Gulf and contributing tohigher local concentrations of other chemicals.Improved handling of waste water fromdesalination plants is the subject of worldwidestudy by industry and governments.

There is significant cost in economic andenvironmental terms for desalination ofseawater. As a consequence, the rapid growth

in desalination capacity must be balanced withforward-looking water policies to encourageconservation and discourage water wastage.

Pipelines

Water transmission pipelines in the Middle Eastare a critical part of overall water infrastructure.Seawater desalination plants are located alongthe coast, while much of the water is used farinland. In Saudi Arabia, more than 4,000 kmof water pipeline are used to distribute waterthroughout the Kingdom. The Saudi capital cityof Riyahd, located in the middle of the Arabian

Peninsula, is serviced by multiple pipelineswith a combined length of more than 460-kmoriginating at desal plants in the coastal cityof Jubail. The population of Riyadh currentlystands at nearly 6-million people, which placesenormous demands on water supply and waterinfrastructure in the Kingdom. Although thedistances may be lesser in the UAE, Qatar,Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, and other countries inthe Gulf region, the importance of pipelinetransmission of fresh water is equally important.

Current projects include a new pipeline inSaudi Arabia to supply the city of Taif nearthe Red Sea, and a tender for new waterpipelines in Kuwait between Mina Abdulla andWest Funaitees. There are numerous otherprojects throughout the Gulf region, includingwidespread maintenance of existing pipelinesto eliminate leakage that has been cited as asignificant contributor to water shortages.

The Karaj reservoir in Iran. Iran currently has an active program to significantly increase the number of dams in

the country to meet increased needs for both water and electrical power.


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Water treatment facilities

Governments of the Middle East haverecognised that the long-term solution to thewater problem in the Gulf region cannot consistsolely of supply side solutions including moredams, wells, and desalination plants. While these

projects have their secure place going forward,it is widely recognised that major expansion ofwastewater treatment programs is required toachieve the ultimate goal of water sustainability.Water sustainability balances total consumptionagainst total production from renewable sources,and minimises or eliminates dependence onnonrenewable sources such as fossil water. Thissuggests that a much larger portion of water mustbe recycled to reduce the demand for new watersources.

Wastewater recycling is practiced in many partsof the world, and is growing. Water from thetreatment process is typically used for agricultural

irrigation, landscaping, district cooling water,and other industrial uses. Technologiesemployed involve some form of membranefiltration such as micro, ultra, or nanofiltration.

Wastewater treatment is currently experiencinga surge in the Middle East because of the 6%per year increase in demand for water resources.The Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authorityin the UAE has recently contracted to constructtwo waste water treatment plants in Abu Dhabiand Al Ain totaling approximately $91-million.

There are numerous other wastewater treatmentprojects throughout the Gulf region totaling inthe billions of dollars. The need to reprocesswater has also caught on with internationalhotel chains in Doha, Dubai, Riyahd, and othercities that are implementing water reclamationprograms for landscaping and district cooling

water. Some even capture condensate watertaken from the atmosphere by air conditioningunits for secondary use in landscaping and othernon-potable applications.

District cooling using chilled water is gainingpopularity in the Gulf region as a meansto reduce the huge electrical load posed byconventional air conditioning. One drawbackis the large amount of water required forcirculation from a central chiller to surroundingbuildings including hotels, hospitals, universities,government buildings, and other commercialinstitutions. The use ofrecycled wastewater for

this application is an emerging opportunity thatoffers obvious advantages to using valuable andscarce fresh water from desalination plants.

Challenges and opportunities

A number of technology and policy challengeshave been identified in this article. Amongthose challenges are the following:

Minimisation of environmental impacts onseawater from desalination plants;

Minimisation of nonrenewable fossil water as

a water supply solution;

Repair of damaged pipeline infrastructure;

Expansion of waste water treatment to

increase water reuse;

Minimisation of pricing subsidies for water toencourage conservation;

Adoption of water-saving appliances to

reduce consumption.

Many of the issues described are being actively

addressed with the billions in project dollars on

infrastructure expansion and improvements in

the Gulf region. To be sure, additional work is

required. Difficult decisions will have to be made

in the area of legislation and water subsidies to

leverage the gains made possible by the latest

technologies in water desalination and filtration.

However, based on the ambitious embrace oftechnological innovation for water solutions

and on the ongoing critical need for water it

is possible that the countries of the Middle

East may be the first to achieve true water

sustainability.

Contact:

Thomas Tschanz

Senior Consultant, McIlvaine Company

Email: [email protected]

www.mcilvainecompany.com


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Introduction

Analysis of environmental samples for

contaminants is a necessity in order to

restrict pollution and protect public health.

Such analysis provides information regarding

the nature and extent of contamination and

helps specify and prioritise corrective actions

based on potential risks to human health

and the environment. ICP-MS (Inductively

Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy) has

cemented its place in routine environmentalanalysis laboratories offering a wealth of

benefits, including extended elemental

coverage, high sensitivity, superior detection

limits, increased dynamic range, uniqueisotopic ratioing capabilities and greater

sample throughput.

In response to the unmatched sensitivity,

precision and consistency of ICP-MS, global

legislative authorities have regulated its use

in environmental applications.

Regulatory outlook

In the USA, the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) holds the legislative

authority to develop standardised analytical

methods for the measurement of various

pollutants in environmental samples from

known or suspected hazardous waste sites.

Among the pollutants that are of concern to

the US EPA is a series of inorganic analytes

and cyanide that are analysed using a range

of techniques, including ICP-MS. Overall,the US EPA specifies the use of ICP-MS for

the elemental analysis of a wide range of

environmental samples.

In January 2007, the Office of Solid

Waste and Emergency Response of the US

EPA published the Multi-Media, Multi-Concentration, Inorganic Analytical Service

for Superfund Method ILM05.4 for water

and soil/sediment environmental analysis2.

According to this method, ICP-MS is used todetermine the concentration of dissolved and

total recoverable elements in water/aqueous

samples. The US EPA also mandates the use

of ICP-MS for monitoring various elements indrinking water (Method 200.8), wastewater

and solid waste (SW-846 Method 6020) and

low level trace in drinking water (Method

1638). Additionally, ICP-MS has beenapproved by the US EPA as the sole multi-

element method for monitoring arsenic and

uranium levels in drinking water.

The International Organization for

Standardisation (ISO) has introduced

Standard 17294-1:20043, which specifies theprinciples of ICP-MS and provides general

directions for the use of this technique for

Environmental monitoring:

Multi-elementalanalysis ofenvironmentalsamplesF

ast and accurate analysis of environmental samples is a must

in order to restrict pollution. In this technical article, a team from

Thermo Fisher Scientific examine a solution for sample analysis that

aims to give fast and accurate multi-elemental analysis of samples.

ICP-MS is used to

determine the concentration

of dissolved and total

recoverable elements in

water/aqueous samples.

The US EPA also mandates

the use of ICP-MS

for monitoring

various elements

in drinking water,

wastewater and

solid waste, and

low level trace in

drinking water.


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determining elements in water. In general, measurements are carriedout in water, however, gases, vapours or fine particulate matter maybe introduced too.

Although ICP-MS offers a wealth of benefits and its use is mandatedthrough legislation, it is also associated with a very importantlimitation: spectroscopic interferences. Combining ICP-MS withcollision/reaction cell (CCT) technology has been found to addressthis shortcoming to a great extent.

Eliminating spectroscopic interferences

Interferences limit the ability of ICP-MS to determine certainelements of interest while also increasing maintenance requirementsand reducing the reliability and quality of the data produced.Eliminating interferences provides numerous advantages includingsignificantly improved detection limits for interfered analytes,analyte confirmation by isotope ratio measurement and superioranalytical confidence in complex matrices.

CCT technology represents a major step forward for ICP-MS. Firstintroduced commercially in 1997 by Micromass (subsequently

GVI), CCT is a technological method of removing the polyatomicions that can form in the plasma and interfere with the analytes ofinterest. As a result, spectral interferences are reduced to negligiblelevels. CCT works by producing interactions, namely reactionsor differential kinetic energy reductions, between the polyatomicions and a reagent gas introduced into a cell between the massspectrometer sampling interface and the mass analyser. CCT-equipped instruments currently account for around 80% of ICP-MSunits sold.

Collision-based analysers use an inert collision gas, helium (He), toreduce the kinetic energy of the polyatomic interferent and preventit from entering the quadrupole analyser. The operation of reaction-based instruments is based on the use of a range of reactive gases suchas hydrogen, methane and ammonia to chemically shift one member ofthe analyte-interferent pair to another mass.

The main difference between reaction and collision cells lies in theirregime. Reactive chemistry is mostly suitable for polyatomic speciesthat react with the gas, thus being either eliminated or modified.The method can also modify analyte ions and analyse them at massesdifferent from their natural isotope mass. Collision technology, on theother hand, achieves separation of all kinds of overlapping molecularand polyatomic analyte ions from monoatomic ions when they have

different kinetic energy. This procedure is called Kinetic EnergyDiscrimination (KED) and offers the important benefit of being able toreject all polyatomic interferences in any matrix. As a result, it is thepreferred method for multi-elemental analysis in complex or unknownmatrices. In order to achieve maximum flexibility and greatestdetection power, several cell regimes should be implemented in thesame application.

An experiment was performed to demonstrate the efficiencyof CCT-based ICP-MS in analysing a variety of commonenvironmental sample matrices.

Application example

For the purposes of this experiment, a Thermo Scientific XSERIES

2 ICP-MS analyser equipped with third generation CCTED collision/reaction cell technology (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen,Germany) was configured with an SC2 FAST system (ElementalScientific Inc.). Immediate benefits provided by the FAST systeminclude considerable reduction of sample uptake, washout times andmatrix load that reaches the plasma. A universal gas mixture was

Environmental samples must be regularly monitoredfor contamination in order to limit pollution andprotect public health.

Agence de l'Environnement

et de la Matrise de l'Energie


16/28


used in the collision/reaction cell for thesuppression of interferences.

Environmental sample analysis

The experimental methodologyimplemented to test the high throughputsetup for environmental samples wasbased on conditions described in MethodILM05.4. Methane was used to improvethe determination of analytes with a highionisation potential. This carbon-loadingenhanced sensitivity for these analytes andimproved long term stability by the reduction

of matrix deposition on the ICP-MS interface.

A sequence of 500 samples, includinga calibration and integrated QC, wasperformed for 23 analytes. A sampleturnaround of approximately 83 seconds,including uptake, analysis and wash,provided an overall batch acquisition timeof 12 hours for the entire 500 samples. Fivesamples were classed as unknown and loopedcontinuously throughout the experiment.

Geological sample analysis

Rock samples weighing 0.5 g were digestedusing an Aqua Regia mix and diluted a further10 times prior to analysis. A sequence of 478samples, including a calibration and integratedQC, was performed for 30 analytes. A sampleturnaround, including uptake, analysis andwash, of approximately 80 seconds resulted

in an overall acquisition time of 11 hours forthe 478 samples. Five samples were classed as

unknown and looped continuously throughout

the experiment.

Discussion

Experimental results have demonstrated that

CCT-based ICP-MS is a powerful multi-

elemental technique with high throughput

capabilities. A prerequisite in order to achieve

such superior results is to use a universal

gas mixture for all analytes. The addition of

methane significantly increases the analytical

sensitivity of the method for analytes witha higher ionisation potential. Such analytes

often exist at lower concentrations in

environmental samples. Methane addition

also improves the long term stability of

CCT-based ICP-MS. Throughput and

stability are further improved and instrument

maintenance is reduced thanks to the

configured FAST system which cuts uptake

and washout time and introduces less matrix

into the plasma over time.

Conclusion

Environmental samples must be regularlymonitored for contamination in order to limit

pollution and protect public health. ICP-

MS has long been established as a proficient

technique for such types of analysis offering

multi-elemental analytical capabilities at a

fast rate. However, the method is associatedwith spectral interferences which limit its

effectiveness. This can be easily addressed by

combining ICP-MS with CCT technology.

Spectral interferences are considerably

reduced and sample throughput is increased

leading to fast and accurate analyses of an

extended range of common environmental

sample matrices.

Contact:

Authors: Julian Wills, Shona McSheehy,

Tomoko Oki, Meike Hamester, Thermo Fisher

Scientific, Bremen, Germany and Bill Spence,Thermo Fisher Scientific, Winsford, UK.

www.thermo.com/icp-ms

References

1. US Environmental Protection Agency, Trace

Metals Analysis By ICP-MS, http://yosemite.epa.

gov/r10/LAB.NSF/1887fc8b0c8f2aee8825648f0

0528583/9f18a1f3cf600033882565e2006d287d

!OpenDocument

2. US Environmental Protection Agency, Multi-

Media, Multi-Concentration, Inorganic Analytical

Service for Superfund (ILM05.4), http://www.

epa.gov/superfund/programs/clp/download/ilm/

ilm54fs.pdf

3. International Organization for Standardization,

ISO 17294-1:2004, Water quality -- Application

of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

(ICP-MS) -- Part 1: General guidelines,

http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_

tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=32957

Environmental samples must be regularly monitored for contamination in order to limit pollution and protect public health.


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Environmental regulation:

Improving riverwater quality

I

n this article, Dr Mike Coffey looks at how river water quality can be

assessed objectively and considers how successful environmental

regulations have been in the UK, especially when dealing withdifficult residual pollution problems.

Introduction

In the 1970s many rivers across industrialisedcountries were polluted, some to the extentthat natural river-life was dramatically impairedand many species simply could not exist in thewater. Industrial inputs, including poorly-treatedsewage and thermal inputs from power stations,caused some of the more serious problems.Policy-makers in many countries recognised thisunsatisfactory state would be best tackled byimproving their enforcement of environmentalregulation and in some cases improving theirlegislative framework. Over the years the modelof a regulatory environmental protection agencyhas been widely adopted and these organisationshave set about improving river water quality,amongst many other objectives. But howsuccessful has this approach been?

The assessment of riverwater quality

The main objective of regulators with regardto water quality is the protection of endemicflora and fauna, and water quality assessmentforms a major part in evaluating how well thisis being done. Accordingly, quality assessmentsacross the world focus strongly on chemical andbiological criteria. Lists of dangerous chemicalshave been drawn up encompassing thosesubstances exhibiting lethal toxicity, severe sub-lethal effects and/or extended environmentalpersistence, which can in turn lead to harmfulbioconcentration. Whilst there are nationaldifferences, dangerous substance lists normallycontain both metals (mercury, cadmium, zinc,copper, etc.) and organic molecules including arange of organohalogen and organophosphoruspesticides and, more recently, endocrinedisrupting chemicals (EDCs). Some regulatorsdivide their dangerous substance lists intomost impacting and less severe categories

(e.g. European List I and List II DangerousSubstances) which ultimately influencesthe degree of release permitted to the

aquatic environment.

Biological assessment has, historically, beenmore complicated to evaluate despite being

the main protective goal. Many schemes relyon a points-based score derived from species

diversity and abundance in collected spotsamples. One difficulty with this approach isthe inherent variability between river systems ofendemic populations making a single meaningfulnational biological assessment system difficult to

establish, as rivers with differing hydrology, pH,conductivity and underlying geology providenaturally differing habitats with associatedvariations in faunal diversity. Neverthelessbiological assessments have necessarily beendeveloped, such as the BMWP (BiologicalMonitoring Working Party) scheme usedin England & Wales and further developed

by SEPAs ASPT Environmental QualityIndex (Scotland). The United States EPA isdeveloping a more sophisticated modellingapproach to its ecological assessment, utilisingGIS mapping together with geomorphologicaldata, plankton survey data and micro- andmacro-faunal information to classify specific

sections of river within specific states. Whilstthis more complex approach may providegood quality local ecological assessment,cross-comparability can prove difficult.

In addition to ensuring environmentalprotection, regulators have other objectivesfor their river quality assessment schemes.Microbiological criteria exist in manycountries with an eye to human healthprotection. Public relations requirements

also mean that many regulators now assessaesthetic quality. This has proved importantas publically-funded regulators have in the

past been criticised for making observablydirty rivers (e.g. garbage on banks, morean aesthetic issue than a genuine threat toriverine ecosystems) of good quality, leadingto public distrust in assessment processes.

Clearly many underlying scientific, objectivecriteria underpin river quality assessments.Regulators generally undertake completion of

their assessments with an output easily digestibleby non-professionals, such as an overall grade.This is normally phrased from excellentto very poor river water quality, thoughnomenclature differs nationally. There is aninteresting difference in the way some regulatorscome to their final overall assessment. Someschemes allocate points to each of the criteria(chemical, biological, microbiological, aesthetic,etc.) and grade the river section accordinglyto an overall aggregate score. Other schemes(e.g. SEPAs) grade each assessment criterionseparately and assign an overall grade based onthe single worst grade. The former approachprovides a sound overall assessment, but mayunder-emphasise particular localised issues withaspects of poor water quality, whilst the latter,arguably harsher, approach can lead to severedown-grading of generally good water, but itfocuses attention on specific problem areas.

Controlling major polluting sources

The control of emissions to the environmentfrom major polluting point sources has playedan important role in improving river waterquality over past decades. Identification of keypolluting sources and the location of dischargeemission is now well established across much ofEurope, the USA and Australia. Furthermore,the recognition of hazardous substances is welldeveloped, with regular reviews of dangeroussubstance lists allowing the incorporation ofnewly manufactured substances or contaminants


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where research has newly identified adverseenvironmental impacts.

Figure 1 shows trends in a river water qualityindicator in England over a period of abouttwo decades together with data indicating thenumber of serious pollution incidents. Here, anational regulator, the NRA (National RiversAuthority) was set up in 1989 following aperiod where water quality monitoring waslargely undertaken by the operators of thewater industry who were some of the moresignificant polluters at the time. The patternof water quality improvement is, however, notcontinuous. Underlying factors must also beconsidered when evaluating the effectivenessof a regulatory approach to environmentalprotection. As the NRA began to widenits monitoring network more stretches ofriver water, including many smaller riversand tributaries with severe existing waterquality problems, were incorporated into theassessment, leading to a steady rise in reportedpollution incidents in England & Wales from1989-1992 (25499, 28143, 29372 and 31673for the respective years, though the severityof each incident is not indicated here). Thiswas a matter of the identification of existingproblems rather than a real deterioration inenvironmental protection. Also, importantly, achange in classification approach to the generalquality assessment scheme occurred in the early1990s, making direct comparisons under priorschemes difficult and sometimes misleading andthe organisation itself changed (to the currentEnvironment Agency, EA) in 1996.

The deterioration in river quality duringthe mid 1990s is notable (Figure 1). Thereason was a period of unusually dry weather,resulting in poorer dilution of dischargesto rivers and hydrological conditions thatreduced natural re-aeration rates. However,the general pattern over the period presentedshows considerable improvement in terms ofboth the extent of higher classified rivers and

in lower annual numbers of severely pollutingincidents, largely achieved through focusedregulation of important point-source pollution.

The regulatory approach to point-sourcepollution has not remained static. Recentdevelopments have moved away slightly fromfixed discharge concentrations (e.g. fixednational environmental quality standards) to anapproach that evaluates an acceptable dischargequality on a site-specific basis (Figure 2). The

ongoing re-licensing of major industry dischargesunder European Integrated Pollution Preventionand Control (IPPC) is a good example ofthis. Here regulators are re-evaluating existingdischarge licenses in the context of the receivingenvironment at specific individual sites oftenutilising impact modeling. Formerly non-licensedsubstances have been added to the controlledreleases in many cases to improve environmentalprotection, whilst other operators havebenefited from a relaxation of their consentswhere modelling has shown their impacts willbe minimal. New licenses now sometimesadditionally incorporate nutrient (N, P) limits to

ameliorate eutrophication or recently recognisedhazardous substances including EDCs.

In principle, a locally informed approach toregulation is sensible, but normally requiresthe collection of monitoring data (both for theambient environment and discharge quality)and adequate impact modeling and assessment,both of which are viewed as expensive exercises.This more specific approach is, however,achievable with modern technologies andtechniques. It is possible to create first-stageimpact models using simple spreadsheet-stylepackages. Discharge fluxes and equations that

simulate a range of dispersive environmentscan generate data indicating whether adverseimpact environmental concentrations are likelyto result. Where this mathematical screeningindicates potential problems, there is a widechoice of modelling software to assist the impactassessor in a refined evaluation.

There has also been significant developmentof the chemical analytical capabilities ofregulators over recent years using highlyautomated sample analysis processes. Datacan be captured directly from the computer-controlled instruments directly into secure

laboratory information systems (LIMS),with full analytical quality-control checks

Figure 2: Regulatory control of point-source releases has resulted in dramatic improvements in river water quality

across the industrialised world.

Figure 1: The left graph presents the percentage of excellent and good quality river and canal length (in England) over time using the chemical water quality indicator for assessment. The

data indicate a general long-term improvement although underlying factors mean a consistent improvement year-on-year is not achieved. The right-hand graph presents the number ofserious polluting incidents reported by the UK Environment Agency for England & Wales since 2000, showing a strong trend downwards over the time as regulatory influence takes effect.


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part of the routine and bar-coded sampletracking. Trigger alert values for samplescan be set so that only those samples withunsatisfactory concentrations of contaminantsneed be looked at specifically by regulators.Technological developments, used for exampleby the UK EA, allow a small number of

national laboratories to manage samples fromextensive national monitoring networks forambient and discharge monitoring.

Tackling difficult residual water

pollution

Many developed countries now have well-established controls over point-sourcedischarges and river water quality hasimproved as a consequence. However, riversstill suffer deteriorated ecological healthdespite direct regulation. Much of thisproblem appears to derive from the cumulative

effect of small inputs across many dischargesthat tend to be under-estimated. Whilst someof these smaller inputs derive from alreadyregulated discharges, some contaminants,notably nutrients, come largely from non-point sources (Figure 3). This is a moredifficult problem to address.

Over the past 5-10 years in particular, the issueof how to tackle non-point source inputs hasbeen a strong focus for regulators. Many havemade efforts to educate polluters (industries,agriculture, urban planners) on how to reducefugitive losses through structural and procedural

best management practices (BMPs). In the USA(e.g. Florida) and elsewhere structural BMPshave been at the forefront in methodologiesto reduce the flow of nutrients, pesticides andparticulates to rivers through the use of retentionand/or detention ponds, many of which flowto designed permanent wetlands. Essentiallycontaminated run-off which formerly was rapidlydirected in rivers is slowed allowing settlement,filtration through soil surfaces and time for adegree of self-purification and microbial clean-up to take place. A similar approach in Malmo(Sweden) utilised old natural drainage mapsto inform planning decisions in how to site

BMP wetlands which also helped with watermanagement from a flood protection viewpoint.Roadside swales are now fairly commonplaceacross the USA and Europe, working to retainoily residues, whilst porous road and pavement-surfaces provide another engineering solution todetain rapid run-off.

Procedural BMPs, under a variety of initiativesand names, have been successful in reducingfugitive losses from both industry and agriculture.For example, control of fugitive loss from largeindustrial sites is specifically evaluated underEuropean IPPC legislation and where fugitivelosses are deemed unacceptable, improvementconditions and associated implementationtime-scales can be imposed. Land managementbest practices and environmentally sensitivefarming procedures have been taken-up to agood degree across Europe and USA with aparticular effort to reduce releases of nutrients,

oxygen-demanding slurries and pesticides torivers. These include planting cover-crops,well managed fertiliser application rates andtechniques made under appropriate weatherconditions, and the sensitive siting of potentiallyharmful substances within farm boundaries.

BMPs have proved successful in USA,Sweden and elsewhere in terms of generalwater management and reductions in rivercontamination whilst also being financiallysound in many locations. Some success in thereduction of nutrient loads in rivers has beenreported, for example in the UK where Nand P concentrations have fallen in targetedbasins. Studies, however, continue to showa very widespread problem with freshwatereutrophication world-wide, and whilst oftenvoluntary BMP practices will ultimatelyhelp reduce nutrient releases, policy-makersand regulators are developing management

frameworks that they hope will tackle thisdifficult polluting impact as part of a newapproach.

Risk-based assessment, in contrast to the settingof fixed environmental quality standards, isbecoming the approach of choice in manycountries. In Europe, the incoming WaterFramework Directive (WFD) sees regulatorslooking at a whole river-basin managementapproach to pollution control and abstractionmanagement. This emulates an approach alreadyused across many US states. A catchment-basedapproach offers several advantages over simpledischarge consents over discrete polluting point-sources. For example, the cumulative effects ofminor inputs of nutrients, metals and organiccompounds over a wide area can result in riverquality deterioration despite each individualsource being either too small to cause significantlocal impact or being of a fugitive nature that isdifficult to monitor accurately. By examining thehealth of the whole basin, specific measures canbe put in place to control problem areas such asover-abstraction or nutrient releases. The WFDcontinues the evolution of quality assessment

methodologies, notably by attempting togenerate a biological quality rating systemusing the worst case model for finalisingoverall quality from a number of criteria thatalso recognises the need for inter-calibrationacross Europe.

To control nutrient fluxes, extra requirementsmay be made of already regulated discharges toimprove nitrogen and/or phosphorus treatment.In combination with a stronger focus onBMP-style management approaches eitherby education or by more direct regulation, itis envisaged that nutrient losses to sensitivewater habitats can be reduced in time and thedifficult problem of eutrophication can begin tobe addressed successfully. Stronger regulation ofreleases may not necessarily result in immediateenvironmental improvements due to otherunderlying factors. Phosphorus may take along time to be naturally removed from a river

system, since it binds strongly to suspendedparticles and sediments to be slowly re-releasedover time. Nitrogen, though much moresoluble, also undergoes complex environmentalcycling processes and may be more difficult toremove than simply shutting off the additionalanthropogenic releases would imply.

Conclusions

River water quality has improved in countrieswhere regulators have focused on the control ofmajor polluting sources and river systems seemto have the capacity to recover relatively quickly

when adverse impacts are curtailed. By targetingthe most serious polluting substances from themajor points of input, good success has beenachieved in terms of environmental protectionand environmental improvement. Regulatorstypically meet additional objectives in theirriver quality classification exercises, includingfair treatment of polluters and achieving areasonable degree of public confidence.

As point-source pollution has been largelywell controlled throughout much of theindustrialised world, regulators have shiftedthe emphasis to control of diffuse and fugitivesources through the promotion of bestpractices, both structural and procedural, withsome evidence of success.

Pollution control has evolved in an effort toachieve environmental improvement. A risk-based approach to discharge control is prevalent,utilising enhanced monitoring and predictiveimpact analyses facilitated by technologicaladvances. More frequently, sites are individuallyassessed for their impacts and their consents areadjusted accordingly. The impacts of fugitive anddiffuse-source releases is being approached moreholistically using a catchment-based assessmentto identify ecologically damaging influences and

making regulatory decisions in the light of moreextensive information.

Contact:

Dr Mike Coffey is a specialist technical author at

Clarity Authoring.

Contact via www.clarityauthoring.com.

Figure 3: Eutrophication of freshwaters remains a

widespread problem globally. Diffuse pollution control

measures and a catchment-wide approach to environ-

mental protection can improve water quality over time.


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Show preview:

WEFTEC 2009T

he 82nd Annual Water Environment Federation Technical

Exhibition and Conference is being held this year in Orlando, USA

from 10-14 October. Working with Waterspoke to the organisers

and exhibitors to see what is on offer at one of the worlds largest

water quality events.

WEFTEC 2009

With more than 290,000 net square feet ofspace on the show floor, and four days ofconference sessions, WEFTEC 2009 aimsto provide both education and networkingopportunities for the water professional.

Conference sessions

A wide range of topics and focus areas allowattendees to design their own learningexperience while continuing education hours.Sessions include: Collection Systems; Membrane Technologies; Plant Operations and Treatment; Regulations; Research; Residuals & Biosolids; Utility Management; Water Reuse/Recycling; Water Quality & Watershed Management.

The exhibition

In 2008, WEFTEC drew almost 21,950

attendees and showcased 1,111 exhibitingcompanies. Working with Water spoke to someof the exhibitors about their new products andwhat they hope to get out of the show.

Alfa LavalBooth 3633, Hall B

What is driving the water marketplace?

Todays industry is extremely environmentally-conscious. Reducing the amount of energyused during wastewater and biosolidstreatment processes has become a critical issue.Customers are looking for higher efficiency

solutions that offer better performance, whilereducing their overall environmental footprint.

What new developments are you working on?

Alfa Lavals product technology solutions havebecome significantly more power efficient,offering the industry high efficiency solutions,

while reducing overall power consumption.Alfa Lavals technology solutions offer morethroughput and better performance with lessimpact on the environment.

What products are you showcasing?

Alfa Lavals skid-mounted decanter centrifugesystem: Self-contained, compact system,designed with all the key components requiredfor dewatering and thickening biosolidson-site. It can be customised to fit specificrequirements offering total flexibility and

reliability. This mobile system features theALDEC G2-45 decanter and our latestinnovation the 2Touch core control system.

Well also showcase our innovative Parts andService offerings, including Power Plates,which ensure a considerable reduction in thepower consumption of decanters and resultin cost savings, Backdrive and Conveyorupgrades, which result in savings on powerand disposal costs, as well as our CustomerTraining programs and packages andaround-the-clock service and support.

What applications are these suitable for?

Biosolids handling and treatment.

What makes these products more suited toapplications than past products?

Our solutions are more efficient and require lessenergy. In response to energy-related issues, wehave invested in Research and Developmentto develop innovative, power-conscious

solutions for the industry. We are committed tocontributing to a better future.

What does the future hold?

Alfa Laval is a market leader and will continueto develop innovative product solutions thataddress the industrys demands and needs.

What are you looking forward to at WEFTEC?

We are looking forward to promoting andreinforcing the benefits of our producttechnology solutions to the end user and the

market. We want to continue to set the baras the market leader in the biosolids handlingprocess marketplace.

AmiadBooth 3715, Hall B


Were seeing much more awareness of theimportance of return on environment (ROE) the benefits of minimising back flush water,optimising chemical use, and reducing theamount of consumables that need to bedisposed of when we treat our water.

Behind all that is the increasing pressure onwater treatment professionals pressure toconserve water, to treat water to high specsthat allow re-use in a variety of ways, and tocomply with increasingly tight regulations onwater for discharge to the environment.


Our automatic self-cleaning filtration systems areengineered to perform with high efficiency andextremely high ROE, or return on environment.Our AMF automatic microfiber filtration systemjust received approval for removal of turbidityfrom wastewater under the State of Californias

Title 22 regulations.What products are you showcasing?

We will be showcasing our AMF automaticmicrofiber filtration system, which recently wasapproved under Californias Title 22 regulationsfor removal of turbidity in wastewater. We will

Alfa Lavals decanter centrifuge system will be on

display at WEFTEC.


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also have our automatic self-cleaning screenfilter technology on display.


The AMF automatic microfiber filtrationsystem is available in the 20, 10, 7, 3 and2-micron levels of filtration. They have been

installed worldwide for a wide variety of uses,from treatment of drinking water and beverageingredient water to the removal of turbidityfrom wastewater. The AMF has been extremelysuccessful in pre-filtration for RO membranesand UV disinfection systems where it replacescartridge filters, it eliminates the need topurchase and dispose of costly cartridges.

Our automatic self-cleaning screen filtersare a cornerstone of efficient, cost-effectivefiltration across the spectrum of irrigation,industrial and municipal water use. Theydeliver extraordinary return on investment(ROI) and return on environment (ROE).


Our products employ 21st century technologyto address 21st century challenges. In manyapplications they are the cornerstone in a multi-barrier approach to water treatment. They areengineered to operate with minimal power,minimal back flush water, no consumablesto dispose of, and on a very small physicalfootprint all important factors in an era whereconservation is a paramount concern.

What does the future hold for Amiad?

We are seeing excellent growth in our sales andwill continue along our path of innovation,finding ways for automatic self-cleaning filtrationto serve a wide variety of water treatmentapplications around the world.


WEFTEC is an outstanding conference, a placeto meet many of the innovators in water qualitytechnology, attend great sessions, and see the bestthat industry has to offer. We always come awayfrom WEFTEC charged with great ideas andgreat optimism for where our industry is headed.

AquionicsBooth 3821, Hall B


Specifically within the US, the marketplacecontinues to be driven by increasing demandsfor diminishing water resources, by our aging

infrastructure, and by efforts to continuallyfind safer, less expensive treatment options.These drivers, combined with the AmericanReinvestment and Recovery Act requirements,are starting to increase investment in the waterinfrastructure but more is required.

What new developments are you working on?Aquionics has recently expanded operations toinclude US manufacturing for our Inline UVwater disinfection products. These same unitswere recently validated to the NWRI standardsand to the Drinking Water standards. We arealso working on additional product offeringswhich we plan to showcase at WEFTEC.


Our entire line of UV water disinfection units.


Aquionics covers a wide range of UV

disinfection including municipal drinking,reuse and waste water applications as well asmany industrial applications.


The drinking water and NWRI standards arerigid to ensure water safety. We are proud tosay that our systems have met this standard.The US manufacturing allows us to bring ourservice offering to a higher level.

What does the future hold for your company?

We are carefully optimistic that the future

for UV water disinfection is positive and wecontinue to invest in our technology. As notedabove, with the requirements of the ARRA,we have recently expanded our US operationsto include manufacturing in the US. This isallowing us to create US jobs and Aquionicswill continue to make progress in this market.


Our customers! We treasure their feedback onour market, our company and our products.

Dow Water and Process Solutions

Booth 2929, Hall A


Water is the single most important chemicalcompound for the preservation of life andhuman progress, yet close to a billion peoplelack access to clean, safe drinking water. Whatonce was a local issue has become a global

one, due to population growth, urbanisationand aging infrastructures.


DW&PS is working aggressively to makesolutions available in water-stressed parts of theworld, making the undrinkable drinkable. We

have developed a line of products to enable theremoval of contaminants to levels below currentand new regulatory requirements. Developmentis focused on improving these products as wellas developing new products specific to emergingcontaminant challenges.

In June, we opened a new R&D center inShanghai that will become our research hub forthe Asia-Pacific region. We also confirmed ourcommitment to innovation by breaking groundon our Tarragona facility earlier this year. Weare committed to continuing development inRO, IX, ultrafiltration, and electrodeionisationto address changing global water needs.


We will be showcasing our recently-launchedbrackish water RO element, DOWFILMTEC BW30XFR-400/34i, which allowsdemineralisation and other water treatmentsystems to operate more consistently with lesscleaning and maintenance. This product makesessential industrial and potable water treatmentprocesses more affordable for power plants,manufacturing operations and municipalitiesaround the world. This technology reducessystem operating and maintenance costs throughimproved water quality and extended membrane

life, contributing to a lower cost of purified water.What does the future hold for Dow?

DW&PS delivers the science behindsustainable and plentiful supplies of water andother products critical for the 21st century,creating economic, environmental and socialbenefits for customers and communities aroundthe world. DW&PS unique and differentiatingapproach to service and collaboration providesevery customer with an unmatched level ofattention after the sale and our commitmentto this business model will continue to driveinnovation across the water industry.

We will

Documents

Working With Water - 09 SEP 2009