OAK RIDGE, TN -- An award-winning system developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to clean up perchlorate pollution is now also helping scientists determine whether the contamination is natural or man-made.  This latter application could be instrumental in tracking environmental perchlorate, finding its source and resolving resulting liability issues, said ORNL scientist Baohua Gu, who headed development of the treatment system.

Conventional treatments use tiny resin beads to trap the perchlorate, but the spent resin becomes contaminated, and disposal is costly or impractical.

The ORNL system removes and breaks down perchlorate into harmless chloride and water and recharges the resin so it can be reused many times. The process costs up to 80 percent less than conventional methods and is one of R&D Magazine's top 100 inventions for 2004.

But Gu and ORNL colleagues Jusuke Horita and Gilbert Brown along with others from Louisiana State University, University of Illinois, and USGS have found another benefit: the process of removing perchlorate also purifies it, allowing the scientists to isolate trace quantities and examine the compound more closely than ever before.

Using isotopic analysis, they compared naturally-occurring perchlorate from Chile's Atacama Desert to synthetic or manufactured samples and found the natural type had a much higher value of the oxygen-17 isotope (an oxygen atom with 8 protons and 9 neutrons in the nucleus) but a lower chlorine-37 value (a chlorine atom with 17 protons and 20 neutrons in the nucleus).

ORNL has licensed the resin technology to the Purolite company and the regeneration and recovery technology to Calgon Carbon Corporation. The system also is being tested at two contaminated sites in California. Gu will present findings from those tests at meetings this month with municipal water utilities and environmental remediation groups in California.

The Environmental Protection Agency proposed one part per billion in 2002 as the legal limit for perchlorate in drinking water, but that standard is under debate, Gu said.

"The presence of natural or atmospheric perchlorate in the environment obviously has far-reaching ramifications, ranging from public health issues to huge liabilities that could be imposed by agricultural and environmental cleanup needs," Gu said. "It recently has been found in lettuce and milk, which begs the questions: How is it getting there and migrating through the environment? Where is the liability?

Web site: http://www.ornl.gov/

"Shearpeller" Impeller : Design Provides Optimum Solids Handling in Pumps

Seneca Falls, NY -- A-C Pump, one of the premier fluid brands of ITT Industries, is offering the unique Shearpeller® impeller design on its NS Series wastewater pumps. This Shearpeller design concept enables these pumps to handle large, stringy or fibrous solids in suspension, up to 26% entrained air in water by volume, and highly viscous as well as many other hard to pump slurries. Shearpeller impellers are designed to handle those applications that are too difficult for conventional solids handling centrifugal pumps.

With Shearpeller, the pumping action is performed by combining shear forces with the normal lift forces used in centrifugal pumps. The specially shaped Shearpeller radial vanes are narrow near the center to allow large or stringy solids to enter. An unobstructed passage is formed from the inlet to the discharge, because of the vane spacing and its relationship to the casing. Almost anything up to five inches in diameter that enters the impeller can be pumped. The vanes widen toward the outer diameter of the impeller to provide positive pumping action and higher heads than fully recessed impeller pumps. Shearpeller impellers are perfect for pumping wastewater, sludge and other liquids with solids.

ITT industries, Inc. ( www.itt.com ) supplies advanced technology products and services in key markets including: fluid and water management, water treatment, defense communication, optoelectronics, information technology and services, electronic interconnects and switches; and other specialty products. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, the company generated $5.63 billion in 2003 sales and employs approximately 39,000 people around the world.

For additional information on the Shearpeller impellers contact your local A-C Pump/Goulds Pumps Municipal Representative or call 1-800-734-PUMP or visit www.acpump.com

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Today, the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) Board of Directors approved a $22.6 million contract to initiate the development and construction of a 3.1-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) solar energy project that will be one of the largest ever built by a public agency in the United States.

In partnership with Nevada Power Company and PowerLight Corporation, the LVVWD's Distributed Solar Array (DSA) project will generate 5.3 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity per year.

"This is another example of how the Water District is working to foster environmentally friendly, sustainable natural-resource solutions in Southern Nevada," stated Tom Minwegen, deputy general manager of the LVVWD. "This also demonstrates how the community benefits from local utility partnerships."

"This agreement is a great example of parties working together to develop cleaner energy for Nevadans," said Roberto Denis, Vice President of Energy Supply for Sierra Pacific Resources, parent company of Nevada Power. "Not only does it further the development of renewable resources to serve customers, it supports the utility's efforts to comply with the renewable portfolio standard by allowing the purchase of renewable energy credits."

The DSA, which uses no water to generate electricity and creates no emissions, provides a unique opportunity that will benefit the environment and the community as a whole. The solar electricity generated at these facilities will be utilized primarily for daily, on-site operations.

One focal point of the project includes five solar-panel structures at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve that will provide shaded visitor parking as well as clean, sustainable energy. Construction of the DSA will begin at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve in 2005.

For further information, please contact Bronson Mack of Las Vegas Valley Water District, +1-702-822-8543, or cellular, +1-702-249-5518.

Source: Las Vegas Valley Water District
Web site: http://www.lvvwd.com/

. Two New Agencies Honored As Certified Biosolids EMS Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and DCWASA are the latest to achieve the EMS “seal of approval”.

AAWRE "Raises the Bar" for Professional Body of Knowledge
The American Academy of Water Resources Engineers today announced the introduction of a Specialty Certification program for water resources engineers.
 

First-of-its-Kind Water Treatment Plant Opens in the Netherlands PWN's water treatment plant in Andijk uses uv-oxidation to disinfect and to act as a barrier to micro-pollutants.

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

Mr. Parissis wants to remove scum:

I am building a small extended aeration plant for 150 PE. I need some information on scum removing devices in the settling tank. I know that some engineers use an "inverted air lift" but I also read that you can use a partially submerged half-slotted pipe. Can anyone provide some design data and hints.
(Click here to post a reply)

Thanks,
Andreas Parissis
ENYA
aparissis@tee.gr

Mr. Hoffmaster needs help with low pressure collection:

I am in the process of modeling a low pressure collection system for a Boy Scout camp. I was hoping someone may have access to a military diurnal curve since this should resemble that of a scout camp. I believe a curve from TRADOC post would be most accurate for this model however any military curve would be great.  (Click here to post a reply)

Thank you,
Eric Hoffmaster
ehoffmaster@hotmail.com

Help Forum:  Share your expertise with others in our Help Forum.

i

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Waste Management & Support Supervisor - Afghanistan

COMPANY SUMMARY
SNC-Lavalin PAE Inc. is a subsidiary company providing civilian personnel in support of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. The Canadian Overseas Tax Credit, competitive wages, hardship allowance, benefits, and paid travel are all part of the employment agreement.

WORK SUMMARY
Reporting to Construction Engineering Manager is accountable for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes.

SUPERVISORY ROLE
Directs and controls the functions of the Waste Management section; sets work priorities; assigns work; ensures that work is performed within designated time frame; evaluates performance; initiates coaching or corrective actions where appropriate; ensures safety and security regulations are enforced; fosters an effective team environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Ensures meters, gauges, and other sensing devices to monitor plant operation are accurately read and monitored; oversees the process control including the adjustment of the flow coming into the plant and monitor its progress through various plant processes; ensures safe operation of pumps, valves, equipment, and chemical-feeding systems; directs the test and adjustment of chemical feed rates; ensures samples are taken to perform routine laboratory tests and analyzes, and interprets the results; ensures a detailed log is maintained of test results, readings, and changes.

Waste Water Treatment plant servicing, maintenance, and preventative maintenance of supply, treatment, and distribution systems; ensures truck dumps are monitored; directs operation of sludge handling systems; monitors and makes adjustment to biological processes; ensures facilities such as wastewater recovery basins, sludge handling facilities, storage tanks, and related equipment are maintained and cleaned.

Approves Statements of Work and directs contracting of Solid Waste activities; manages a budget for Solid Waste contracts.

Prepares and assists in the preparation of waste water reports; operates computer data acquisition, Process Data Collection (PDC), data control, and alarm systems; ensures waste water meets environmental standards.

EDUCATION
Secondary School completion OR acceptable combination of education, experience, and formal training.

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION
A Class One Water Treatment Certification OR Grade III Water Treatment Operator Certificate OR Grade III Water Distribution Certificate OR Water and Waste Water Technician certificate OR Operator-In-Training License and Water Quality Analysis Certification OR an acceptable substitute for any or all above

EXPERIENCE
- Operating a water or waste water treatment facility, preferably in a supervisory capacity.

TO APPLY
To become part of the SNC-Lavalin PAE team please send resumes by email to jobs@snclavalinpae.com or FAX to (613) 544-1711.

We thank all applicants in advance but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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© 1999-2004 Water and Wastewater.com
Home page:  http://www.waterandwastewater.com

Joseph Taylor, Editor
Water and Wastewater Newsletter
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Phone: 904-280-4656
Fax: 904-273-1399

Email:  jtaylor@waterandwastewater.com

Water and Wastewater Newsletter is a 100% opt-in e-mail list of information for the water and wastewater treatment professional.  Do you have company news, a new product, new service or other information you would like to share with our subscribers?  Please submit articles via e-mail, only to:  news@waterandwastewater.com

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Hardcover, 1848 pages, March 2002

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This weeks photo is of ozone generators installed at the Wiggins Water Works in Durban, South Africa. The plant has a design capacity for treating 350Ml/day (92MGD). The three ozone generators (2 depicted) produce 30 kg/hour of ozone each are manufactured by Trailigaz and sold by Ozonic.

Photo courtesy of Leon de Goede of Ozonic - South Africa.

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