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Scarce Water Supplies

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, B.W.I., Oct. 10  -- Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire interests in several companies that would expand the Company's water operations into the British Virgin Islands and Barbados and increase its presence in the Cayman Islands and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

"This series of transactions is consistent with our strategy to expand our operations in the Caribbean basin and in other parts of the world where naturally occurring supplies of drinking water are scarce," commented Jeffrey Parker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. "Following completion of the transactions, Consolidated Water will be producing and delivering desalinated water in five countries and will be a supplier of highly efficient energy recovery systems to desalination plant operators throughout the Caribbean basin."

The aggregate purchase price for the proposed acquisitions approximates $34 million. The total production capacity of the water plants being acquired approximates 8.0 million U.S. gallons per day (USGPD), which would bring Consolidated Water's total production capacity to 10.9 million USGPD. Combined revenues of the five companies being acquired, after elimination of inter-company sales, totaled $8.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2001 and $3.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2002.

Through a series of transactions detailed in the definitive agreements, Consolidated Water has agreed to acquire 100% of the voting stock, non-voting stock and profit sharing rights in Ocean Conversion (Cayman) Ltd., a Cayman Islands company; and 50% of the voting stock and profit sharing rights in Ocean Conversion (BVI) Ltd., a British Virgin Islands Company. Sage Water Holdings (BVI) Ltd. will own the remaining 50% of the voting stock and profit sharing rights and 100% of the non-voting stock in Ocean Conversion (BVI) Ltd.

Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. is engaged in the development and operation of seawater conversion plants and water distribution systems in areas of the world where naturally occurring supplies of potable water are scarce or nonexistent. It currently operates a public water utility in certain areas of the Cayman Islands under a 20-year exclusive license from the Government of the Cayman Islands. The Company also operates reverse osmosis seawater conversion facilities on Ambergris Caye off the mainland of Belize, and in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The common stock of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "CWCO." Additional information on the Company is available on its website at http://www.consolidated-water.com/ .

Tracking Realtime Information

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2002--ViryaNet, a provider of integrated mobile and Web-based software applications for workforce management and the automation of field service delivery, today announced that JEA, the eighth largest municipal utility in the United States with more than 500 technicians servicing 500,000 meters, has expanded its use of the ViryaNet Service Hub for Utilities solution. Originally selected to automate electric meter work, JEA now has expanded its use of the ViryaNet solution to include managing its workforce responsible for water meter installations. Additionally, JEA recently purchased more ViryaNet licenses to accommodate its continued expansion of ViryaNet's solutions throughout the organization.

For over two years, JEA has used the ViryaNet solution to manage the activities of electrical field technicians and the communication of information between these technicians and the customer service staff. ViryaNet automates the process of dispatching field orders for electric meter work, such as re-readings, connects, disconnects, and exception reports, as well as tracking and receiving real-time information from field technicians. In September 2002, field technicians in JEA's water department began using ViryaNet Service Hub for Utilities to receive, report, and close work orders from the convenience of mobile devices and laptops -- anytime, anywhere.

"Dispatching, tracking, and receiving information about water meter installations was a manual process before we began using ViryaNet," stated Bob Neyer, systems project leader, JEA. "We will continue to expand our use of ViryaNet and intend to rely on ViryaNet to handle dispatching orders for other departments in the future. For example, our revenue protection group is another ideal application for the ViryaNet solution, since it could provide our office staff with real-time access to important developments in the field."

Using ViryaNet's solutions, JEA has been able to better utilize its existing workforce, cut response times to customers, and lower operations costs through improved communications, better customer service, and optimized workforce productivity. ViryaNet enables utilities around the world to manage workforces and work orders, schedule and dispatch technicians, receive real-time reports from field engineers using state of the art mobile technology, unite all of the systems and applications across their operations, and access a centralized data mart for real-time reporting.

"JEA is a perfect example of how ViryaNet can manage the full range of service activities for many different divisions within a utility," stated Win Burke, president and CEO, ViryaNet. "With such initiative to improve business processes and streamline operations, it is no surprise that JEA has been able to maintain its position as one of the top utilities in the United States."

About JEA

JEA is the eighth largest municipal utility in the United States providing electricity, water, and wastewater service to more than 750,000 accounts in Northeast Florida. The JEA electric system currently serves more than 370,000 customers in Jacksonville and parts of three adjacent counties. JEA's water system serves approximately 230,000 water customers and 200,000 sewer customers, or more than 80 percent of all water and sewer utility customers in our service area.

For more information visit:  http://www.viryanet.com/

The Reading Room

Ask Tom! Column

Using Vibrating Membranes to Treat Oily Wastewater
Guest article by Greg Johnson of New Logic Research

You can read Mr. Johnson's article at:
http://www.waterandwastewater.com/www_services/asktom.htm

Past Ask Tom! Archived Articles
http://www.waterandwastewater.com/www_services/ask_tom_archive/toc.htm

We Need Your Guest Articles!
Do you have an area of expertise in water and wastewater treatment, have you solved a difficult problem? Share your knowledge with others and promote yourself by contributing an article to the Ask Tom! Column.  For more information, please contact Tom Keenan at:  info@nesa.ie

Operated by USFilter

CLEARWATER, Fla., Oct. 16, 2002 - One of the nation's largest design-build-operate (DBO) projects for water services has officially come on line serving the Tampa Bay region in west-central Florida. The project, a 66-million-gallon-per-day regional surface water treatment plant, played host to hundreds of local and national water industry professionals last week looking to get a glimpse of the new, state-of-the-art facility. The facility is owned by regional utility Tampa Bay Water, but was designed, built and will be operated for the next 15 years by USFilter Operating Services. The public-private partnership is USFilter's largest in Florida, and the plant is among the most technologically sophisticated in the world.

Tampa Bay Water officials said that the $144 million DBO project will save the region $80 million over the 15-year term of USFilter's contract with the utility-a key benefit of the DBO process. Costs are a significant issue in the Tampa Bay region because the agency is required to cut groundwater pumping at long-producing groundwater wells at the end of this year, and the plant is the cornerstone in the first phase of its regional Master Water Plan. Because the new sources of water are more expensive to develop and supply than the area's traditional groundwater, the agency-and the region's water customers-are concerned with rising costs.

"Eighty million dollars represents compelling savings," said Jerry Maxwell, Tampa Bay Water general manager. "These savings translate into lower water rates for our residents. Forward-thinking utilities have to consider the benefits of working with a private-sector partner that provides access to the latest technology and operational economies of scale."

USFilter Services Group President Mike Stark said public-private partnerships are serving local governments quite well, noting that USFilter currently serves more than 600 communities. "It's not practical for every municipality in the nation to develop leading-edge technology-they just don't have the resources, nor do they have the ready access to the scientific and technical talent needed to develop it. Tampa Bay Water is one of the many public entities that have realized the benefits of partnering with the private sector, and today they have a new water plant that was designed and built using an extremely cost-effective and efficient process that incorporates some of the water industry's most advanced technology."

In March 2000, Tampa Bay Water awarded USFilter the contract to design, build and operate the facility. The agreement represents an essential component of Tampa Bay Water's plan to meet the region's need for new drinking water supplies. The new water treatment plant uses USFilter's patented process called ACTIFLO. ACTIFLO is widely used throughout the world and is particularly advantageous when treating large flow rates with variable raw water quality - the conditions confronting the regional water treatment plant.

Maxwell applauded the facility for being built on time and on budget. "This public-private partnership has been a win for the region from the start. USFilter's technological strength and its depth of experience in operating water treatment plants have been evident throughout the process and we look forward to a long, successful partnership," he added.

The contract specifies water quality criteria that are stricter than those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Act and the even tougher parameters set forth in Tampa Bay Water's governance agreements with its member governments.

Tampa Bay Water has set strict performance measures and has linked them with compensation. If USFilter doesn't meet specific performance metrics in customer service, water quality, capital improvements and operations, the company loses revenues.

"Provisions like these are becoming standard with public-private partnerships, and they serve not only as incentives, but also as strong assurances that we'll perform as promised," Stark added.

USFilter partnered with Camp Dresser McKee and Clark Construction for design and construction assistance on the project.

Source:  http://www.usfilter.com/

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18,704 Attendees

(Alexandria, VA) - WEFTEC 2002, the Water Environment Federation's (WEF) 75th annual technical and educational conference, attracted a record-breaking attendance of 18,704 during last week's event. Held September 28-October 2 in Chicago, IL, WEFTEC 2002 broke several attendance records, featured 793 exhibitors, covered 201,540 square feet of floor space, and received recognition as the most successful show at McCormick Place this year.

WEFTEC 2002's extensive technical program, sprawling exhibition, and special events offered water professionals the latest in water quality research, technology, and services. Designed to cover of a wide spectrum of today's critical water quality issues, a total of seventy technical sessions and 25 conference workshops brought innovative information about topics such as infrastructure security, utility management, watershed management, and biosolids/residuals management. 

Workshop attendance increased to over 1,200 attendees, exceeding 800 from the previous year. According to WEF Executive Director Bill Bertera, "WEF strives to put together a program designed to meet the needs of our members and the water quality profession. During this time of stringent economic conditions, the outstanding attendance of WEFTEC 2002 serves as a testament to the strength and value of the WEFTEC program. As always, we remain committed to delivering high quality products and services that WEF members have become accustomed to receiving."

Conference highlights included a keynote address by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Governor Christine Todd Whitman during the Opening General Session on Monday, September 30th. Whitman utilized the forum to announce and discuss the release of EPA's highly anticipated report, The Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis. In addition to Whitman's remarks, the Opening General Session program also featured a presentation by Dr. Claire Parkinson (NASA) on NASA's Aqua Satellite Mission and a review of the past year by 2001-2002 WEF President Jim Clark.

For fun and excitement, Operations Challenge continued to be a big draw for attendees. The 15th annual "wastewater Olympics" honored the skill and professionalism of over 200 wastewater professionals competing on thirty-six teams from across North America. Winners included: Division I: Virginia Water Environment Association Team HRSD Bio-Force (1st Place), California Water Environment Association L.A. Wrecking Crew (2nd Place), Water Environment Association of Texas TRA CRWSers (3rd Place); Division II: Nevada Water Environment Association Totally Chaotic (1st Place), Water Environment Association of Texas Austin Blues (2nd Place), and New England Water Environment Association Crustaceans (3rd Place).

Preparations are already underway for WEFTEC 2003 in Los Angeles, California. Scheduled for October 11-15, 2003.

More details will be coming soon to www.weftec.org .

Help Forum

People post their requests for help and offer their suggestions to others in our open forum.

Mr. Sinha wants to know more about corrosion:

Hi! friends, I am looking for data, information on effects of corrosion, fouling, deposition in the pipelines carrying water (fresh) on the various parameters such as velocity, flow restriction, frictional losses, energy losses etc.

I would appreciate receiving curves, case studies etc. on the issue more specifically on the energy conservation. Any help would be appreciated.
(Click here to post a reply)

Regards
Ashwini Sinha
ashwinisinha@vsnl.com

Mr. Voaides needs help with wastewater treatment:

I am the president of a non profit organization that owns a camp for young people in Romania.  We need to build a wastewater treatment plant and because we have seasons when we have a lot of people and than seasons when we have just the staff at our camp we need to build a natural system based on a waterbed and plants.

This is very new to Romania and even if there is no such plant installed the department of environment is open to the idea. We really need your help to convince them first of all that it works and than later on to do it. Is there any way that you can send us some information in the following areas:

• How is the plant functioning in the winter time at minus 15 and minus 25 Celsius degrees?
• Can you send us any technical information about how to build it or about how yours is built (our capacity will be 350 people) (drawings, plans, etc.)?
• Is there a problem with the smell around it?
• We need a company to do the design of the project. There are chances that after we have the project we can use a local contractor
• Are you interested or can you recommend one?
• Can you estimate how much it will cost?

We will very much appreciate any information either by email or regular mail.

Here are a few details about the location. It is in the mountains, we have a stream flowing through the middle of our land and the level of the water in the ground is quite high - about one kilometer. We do have about 1500 sqm that we can use for the plant which is in the lowest point of our land so the water can go by gravity. The land is quite a bit lower than all our buildings so if needed we can build it on land without digging. (Click here to post a reply)

Thanks  
Cristian Voaides
President
cristianv@exaltingjesus.ro

Our mailing address is:
Fundatia Integro
Bul. 1848 nr. 11E/7
Targu Mures 4300
Romania

Share your expertise with others in the Help Forum.

Photos Wanted

This week's photo is of multiple VSEP Series filtration units in operation. Utilizing vibratory shear enhanced processing (VSEP), this patented, fouling-resistant membrane filtration system uses vibration to enhance flow - delivering sustained, precise separation in a single pass.

Submitted by Mr. Greg Johnson of New Logic Research, Inc.

We would love to have your photo of a water treatment process, new plant or equipment "action shot" for our home page.  If you have a favorite photograph of water treatment at its best, please e-mail us a jpeg or gif of the photo with a description of what is in the photo for our home page.  

Send your photograph and description to, mailto:news@waterandwastewater.com

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Water and Wastewater Newsletter
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