Standard & Poor's Forms Relationship with WaterInvestments.com
WaterInvestments.com, an Internet based business and finance portal for water industry executives, has entered into a relationship with Standard and Poor's to enhance the business development and corporate communication efforts of Standard and Poor's to the global water and wastewater industry.
The relationship with Standard & Poor's was structured under WaterInvestments.com's new Strategic Partnership/Sponsorship Program, which was designed to bring together a select and limited group of professional services firms and industry organizations catering to the water industry.
These entities are working with WaterInvestments.com to highlight their unique service offerings. The Partnership/ Sponsorship relationships bring content to the site and broaden the online community's access to quality information.
"Standard and Poor's is exactly the type of company we were seeking to participate with us on WaterInvestments.com and we expect to fill the remaining program spots with companies and organizations of equal caliber in the coming months," said Robert Anfuso, Managing Director of Group Triton.
Group Triton, a financial advisory services firm focused on the water industry, owns, operates and manages WaterInvestments.com.
Standard & Poor's content is available to the community through the Standard & Poor's Resource Center; a new feature at WaterInvestments.com. In light of the Western United States' existing power dilemma, the Resource Center currently provides informational reports and articles about Water & Power including titles such as: "Northwest US Drought to Challenge Utilities" and "California Water and Sewer Utilities: Meeting the Challenge of the Power Crisis."
In addition, articles about Global Water Utilities, contact information for Standard & Poor's Industry Analysts, and links to other relevant information at the Standard & Poor's web site are also available.
"We find the Standard & Poor's Resource Center to be an attractive new component of WaterInvestments.com. It's a win-win situation between the community and Standard & Poor's," said Andrew Werner, Managing Director of Group Triton.
Company to Joint Venture Meter Installation Program
USI (UtiliMan Systems Inc.) has joined with Invensys Metering Systems to install 78,000 water meters for the Salt Lake City utility department. As part of a pilot program, 6,000 of the installed meters will be equipped with radio-read automatic meter reading capability.
"Salt Lake City Public Utilities estimates $1 million to $1.5 million is being lost in annual water sales revenue due to the inaccuracy of old meters in the system," said Jim Lewis, Finance Administrator for Salt Lake City.
Installation of the meters has been scheduled in phases, with installation to be completed in 2006.
Salt Lake City is joining a growing number of utilities that recognize the need to update their metering systems. AMR technology and advancements in water, gas and electric meters have forced municipalities and privately-owned utilities to modernize their equipment.
"Salt Lake City has taken a tremendous step in modernizing and updating its utility department. The equipment today is part of an entire system," said Michael Anderson, CEO of Norcross-based USI. "Advancements in technology allow the city or municipality to become more efficient. For example, when these meters are tied into a sophisticated software package, reading of the meters is more accurate and timely. And of course, when bills are accurate and on time, the residents are extremely happy."
USI is installing Invensys model SR-II and SR meters. City officials are also evaluating several worn large meter installations to determine the feasibility of replacing them with new meters. These meters would also be upgraded to AMR compatibility with minimum expense.
"Installing accurate Invensys water meters that provide a foundation for a streamlined reading and billing network is the first step in overall system efficiency," said Tim Harriger, at Invensys Metering System's Water division.. "Once the system is in place, the utility and customers will realize additional efficiencies in reduced water use. And the technology offered in our meters and AMR devices affords the utility complete system integration with gas meters as well.
USI is one of the nation's leading energy information companies. Among the services it offers its customer base are metering services (sub-metering and AMR turnkey installations for water, gas and electric metering systems as well as maintenance of the systems), billing services (reading, billing and collecting of sub-metering devices as well as comprehensive management and accounting reporting), and AMR with its Screamer Technologies.
Seattle Signs DBO Contract Project to Feature UV, Ozonation
A contract to design, build and operate a facility for treatment of drinking water from the Cedar River will improve water quality and save Seattle ratepayers millions of dollars because of the unique contracting approach used.
The Seattle City Council recently approved the deal. Following Council approval, Mayor Paul Schell authorized Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) to sign the contract with CH2M Hill Constructors.
"The new Cedar Treatment Facility will meet strict water quality standards and provide new, improved treatment facilities that will assure high quality and reliable water for many years to come," Schell said. "What's more, having the same contractor design, build and operate the facility will save ratepayers an estimated $50 million over the life of the contract."
The new Cedar Treatment Facility will feature a state-of-the-art ozonation and ultraviolet light process to treat Cedar River water, which supplies 70 percent of the drinking water to Seattle and suburban water utilities. It will be capable of treating 180 mgd and if in operation today would be the largest UV water treatment facility in the world.
The facility is expected to be operational by the end of the year 2004 and will cost $109 million dollars to design, build and operate for 25 years. A groundbreaking is expected in spring of 2002.
Using the design-build-operate (DBO) contracting approach for the Cedar facility is saving money relative to using a conventional design-bid-build approach by allowing the contractor to customize the design and construction of the facility to fit the site, regulatory requirements and treatment methods developed, resulting in lower construction and operating costs, increased overall efficiency and improved schedule.
SPU first used the DBO contracting approach for the Tolt Treatment Facility in the Tolt River Watershed, which supplies 30 percent of the drinking water to the Seattle metropolitan area. The new Tolt facility began operations in December last year.
"The Tolt DBO project saved the city about $70 million when compared to the cost of implementing the project using a conventional design-bid-build procurement," said Diana Gale, SPU managing director. "The DBO approach is becoming popular in the industry as a way to improve efficiency, increase reliability and significantly cut down on project costs," she added.
The prime contractor for the Cedar Treatment Facility, CH2M Hill, is an employee-owned, full-service project delivery firm that has been providing services within the Seattle area since the 1950s. M.A. Mortenson Construction Company, which has constructed numerous large public works facilities in Washington and nationally, will be a major partner. They will be part of a consortium including several other specialty contractors. The team also has committed to subcontract significant construction work to local small business enterprises in support of the City of Seattle's Boost Program.
CH2M Hill's operations arm, Operations Management International. (OMI), will operate and maintain the facility for up to 25 years.
Company to Research UV Usage For Netherlands Water Company
Trojan Technologies has announced an agreement with N.V. PWN Water Supply Company North-Holland ("PWN") to collaborate in the research, design, optimization and installation of ultraviolet treatment systems using advanced oxidation. These systems will provide both primary disinfection as well as an additional barrier against organic micropollutants, including herbicides and pesticides.
Ultraviolet technology, in combination with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a process called Advanced Oxidation, has been proven to destroy harmful organic contaminants from water and wastewater.
"Drinking water contamination is a growing global concern," said Hank Vander Laan, President and CEO of Trojan Technologies. "We are extremely pleased to have established this relationship with PWN, a recognized leader in the treatment and supply of top quality drinking water in Europe, to implement a lasting solution to a difficult micropollutant problem. Global awareness of contaminant pollution continues to grow and it is important that we develop and prove new solutions to these risks. We believe that as the public and governments embrace the need for more advanced treatment of drinking water, a very significant market will emerge."
Marvin DeVries, Exec. V.P. and COO for Trojan Technologies, said, "This project will optimize the design of a UV treatment system, using Advanced Oxidation, that will effectively treat a much wider range of contaminants."