MONROVIA, CA -- Until now, testing drinking water for disease-causing bacteria involved a time-consuming process of collecting samples and transporting them to a laboratory, followed by a wait of up to two days for the results. Meanwhile, the water consumer either risked possible illness or was burdened with using expensive bottled water or the continued boiling of non-bottled sources to ensure his or her safety. Adding to such problems is the fact that water quality constantly changes: what was safe two days ago may be unsafe today. The traditional testing method only gives information about yesterday's water quality, not information about what's currently flowing out of the tap.

Now Silver Lake Research of Monrovia, California has solved this dilemma with the introduction of the Watersafe Bacteria Test, the world's first truly rapid test kit for bacteria in water. The test can be performed by the average person without scientific training or sophisticated laboratory instruments.

The test procedure is similar to that of a home pregnancy kit: a small amount of water is placed in a vial, and then tested for bacteria by the insertion of a test strip into the sample. The entire process takes less than twenty minutes to complete and will accurately detect the presence of E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella and other bacteria that can cause anything from common diarrhea to typhoid.

The test is highly beneficial to the U.S. Military, environmental agencies, and disaster relief organizations. SLRC Vice President of Sales Tom Round reports that the military is currently collaborating with Silver Lake Research to evaluate the test in active war zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq, where contaminated water sources are widespread and the previous 48-hour test-wait time imposed a dangerous moratorium on operations and greatly increased the risk of disease. "When you're a soldier braving 120 degree heat in some war zone like Iraq, the last thing you need to be worrying about is contaminated water," says Round.

Silver Lake Research Corporation is a biotechnology company specializing in developing, manufacturing and marketing do it yourself test kits for contaminants in food and water supplies. The company has created the unique process used in Watersafe tests called EAP (Enhanced Affinity Platform). The process produces rapid immunoassays with unprecedented precision and is able to target specific molecules or even a single atom.

Source:  http://www.silverlakeresearch.com/

Chicago, IL -- On September 5th, IDEX Corporation acquired Classic Engineering, Incorporated, based in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Classic Engineering acquisition is a strategic addition to Pulsafeeder, Incorporated, A Unit of IDEX Corporation. This acquisition will compliment Pulsafeeder in its efforts to provide engineered solutions to their customers’ increasing demands for turnkey chemical feed and injection systems.

Classic Engineering designs and manufactures a complete line of standard and custom chemical-feed systems for the Water, Wastewater, Chemical, OEM, Pulp & Paper, Cement, and General Industrial markets.

Pulsafeeder will be showcasing Classic Engineering at the upcoming Water Environment Federations 76th Annual Technical Exhibit and Conference in Los Angeles, California on October 12 through 15, 2003.

Source:  http://www.pulsa.com/

Emeryville, California  – New Logic Research, Inc., makers of the VSEP vibratory membrane filtration system, today announced the availability of the ultra-compact model, P-50, a new addition to its VSEP product line aimed at applications with process flows up to five gallons per minute.

The VSEP P-50 provides all of the benefits of its larger predecessor, the VSEP Series including superior fouling resistance, unbeatable materials compatibility, and high solids capabilities up to 70%.

“For over 15 years, customers have been coming to us with uniquely challenging separation problems. Often times, VSEP is their only option,” said Chief Operating Officer, Greg Johnson. “Unfortunately, for some of the low flow applications, a full scale VSEP system is beyond some budgetary limitations. The P-50 removes that barrier to entry, providing an affordable, powerful system with all the benefits of the full scale units.”

The key to VSEP’s fouling resistance is its patented vibrational drive system. The filter pack vibrates approximately 50 times per second at an amplitude of ¾ of an inch, generating incredible shear force directly on the membrane surface.

“The vibration enables us to perform high solids separations in a single pass—something that is unthinkable in a traditional crossflow membrane system,” adds Johnson.

“VSEP has the flexibility to handle virtually any process stream. If it can flow, we can separate it,” says Johnson.

About New Logic Research

Headquartered in Emeryville, California, New Logic Research is the leading provider of high-performance membrane filtration systems used in a wide variety of applications from pure water and wastewater treatment to chemical process clarifications.

Source:  http://www.vsep.com/

By 2007, the annual orders for membrane desalination equipment will reach $1.8 billion. This in turn will drive the total cross flow membrane equipment market worldwide to over $8 billion in 2007. This is the conclusion of the McIlvaine Company in the latest updates to its online RO, UF, MF: World Markets. Included in this total are orders for reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and microfiltration cross flow equipment.

A number of localities around the world are turning to reverse osmosis (RO) because of contaminated water supply. Wichita Falls, Texas is one of the most recent converts to reverse osmosis. A drought last summer caused the city to tap water with taste problems. The new RO system to be installed next summer will eliminate the taste problem.

California represents a good example of using seawater as the water source. A dozen small desalination plants are now in operation along the California coast. But there is an explosion of activity with twenty plants, including some large ones, now in some phase of development. This activity is driven by the continuing reduction in the operating cost of reverse osmosis systems. Less power and lower operating costs have been achieved due to technology advancements. By contrast, the cost of procurement and treatment of surface water has continued to rise. There, in fact, may come a time when California becomes an exporter and not importer of water.

China represents a big potential market. China ranks low on the list of countries in terms of water resources per capita. One hundred and twenty other countries have higher per capita resources. The water problem is even worse in that the resources are not evenly distributed geographically or monthly. Water withdrawal has increased dramatically in recent years. Under a high growth scenario, demand could increase by over 100 km3/yr. in the 2000-2020 period. Therefore, desalination will be needed. The poor quality of drinking water is also driving sales of bottled water. This is creating a substantial market for reverse osmosis at bottling plants.

The pharmaceutical industry uses RO, UF, and MF for processing applications. Growth in biotechnology and other pharmaceutical sectors will lead to a $900 million market in 2007 for membrane equipment. The U.S. will remain the leader in this sector. Food will be an equally large market for membrane filtration in 2007. Purification of water used in beverages, purification of juices and wine, and many other applications utilize membrane filtration.

Some consolidation is taking place in the industry. General Electric now owns Osmonics. Several pump companies have acquired membrane companies. USFilter has become a major player in ultrafiltration and microfiltration. Dow Chemical has increased its market share in the sale of membranes. So bigger companies now play a larger role in the industry.

Source:  http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/

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

Mr. Jahani is looking for stormwater treatment:

Does anyone on the list know or can refer me to vendors who can build small and inexpensive treatment systems to remove bacteria and metals from water conveyed by hundreds of storm drains apart from each other before entering into a creek or water body?

Chlorination can be a problem when the water may have beneficial uses such as where it enters into a creek and may threaten wildlife activities or beneficial uses as described in the Clean Water Act.

This is a major effort in establishing best management practices for our storm drains in Southern California as part of the Clean Water Act.
(Click here to post a reply)

Thank you,
Fred Jahani
Los Angeles County Public Works
fjahani@ladpw.org

Mr. Hutchinson needs help with brine water:

Greetings, we have two problems:

1)  1.5 million gallons of brine water in a lined pond from a road salt storage facility.  Because molasses was added to the salt last year, the pond now has developed hydrogen sulfide of over 20 ppm.  We are considering sodium or calcium hypochloride which in a small test was effective.  Any suggestions?

2)  How to reduce the amount of sodium (salt) in at least a portion of the water so as to allow us to send that portion to the sanitary sewer?  All the water must be trucked out if sodium is not reduced.
(Click here to post a reply)

Thanks,
Richard Hutchinson
richhutch@att.net

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

Environmental Technician Wanted - Chicago

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derina.barringer@hhgroup.com
TMP/Hudson Global Resources
225 West Wacker Drive, Suite 2350
Chicago IL 60606
Ph: 312-795-4252
Fax: 312-795-4288

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This week's photo is of installation of the patented Severn Trent Services' Tetra "LP" underdrain filtration blocks at a St. Petersburg, Florida water treatment plant. The Tetra block is popular for its easy assembly and low headloss.

Submitted by Beth Rubinkam of Severn Trent Services

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