Widmer and other brewers pay high wastewater treatment costs. To that end, Waste2Watergy collected $150,000 from the Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center, or Oregon BEST.

“We chose to partner with Widmer because they are very engaged in sustainability efforts, their wastewater has an ideal mix of organic materials for our technology, and they use a lot of water,” said Hong Liu, a professor in Oregon State University’s biological and ecological engineering department and a Waste2Watergy co-founder. “Ultimately, we want to be able to reuse the treated water after it flows through the fuel cell instead of sending it to the city for treatment.”

The science behind the concept is complicated, but essentially, the microbes generate electricity that helps decompose organic matter in the wastewater. Julia Person, Widmer’s sustainability coordinator, pointed out that beermakers use water usage ratios, which gauge how much water is needed to make a gallon of beer, to measure their efficiency. “If this technology can help us reduce our water usage ratio by cleaning our wastewater so we can reuse it, and in the process generate some electricity, it will be a real win,” she said.

The average water usage ratio for the brewing industry is between six and eight gallons of water per gallon of beer produced. The BEST grant will help Waste2Watergy install a 1-cubic meter fuel cell at Widmer’s Portland brewery that can treat about 1,000 gallons a day while generating electricity. This is the company’s first pilot project in the field. Person estimated that the technique could save Widmer $400,000 annually.

The researchers believe the same technology could help developing countries treat wastewater while providing enough electricity for lighting or changing mobile devices. Other large food and beverage companies have contacted Liu. Oregon BEST has awarded $1 million in commercialization grants over the past 18 months.

And every time the companies pushing those technologies sound an emphatic no to both. And even to the recycling part.

Today’s no comes from Jim Wood, CEO of ThermoEnergy Corp. in Massachussets, which is trying to hook contracts in the Marcellus Shale and talking with operators in Canonsburg.

Like other companies competing in this space, Wood compares the cost of his water treatment units not to the expense of other technologies but to the cost of trucking wastewater to injection wells in Ohio. That is still standard for the industry, he told me, judging from his conversations with potential clients in the Marcellus. That’s likely due to the slow pace of drilling. If many wells need to be fracked, there’s a market for recycled flowback and produced water. If not, the water still has to go somewhere, he reasoned.

ThermoEnergy has mobile units that separate produced water into steam and a concentrated sludge of solids (metals). It’s called a vacuum-assisted flash evaporation system, and it’s the same basic idea as boiling off the water and collecting the stuff left over. Except in a vacuum, the water flashes to steam at a much lower temperature.

The company’s technology was first developed to treat wastewater from metal plants that used to plate their products with chrome and zinc. The point was the separate the water from the chrome and zinc and reuse the metals in future operations.

Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/energy/2013/05/fracking-wastewater-still-in-the.html?page=all

For US water providers, addressing the impact of climate change will require: finding solutions to maintain adequate levels of water supply to communities; ensuring high standards of water quality in the face of droughts or flooding; and balancing the need for infrastructure improvements while keeping this vital resource as affordable as possible.

Climate change generally refers to changes in average temperature, precipitation, and weather intensity.  Climate experts agree that the main cause of global warming is the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.  While a certain level of greenhouse gases are essential to maintaining the temperature of the earth, higher levels raise the earth’s temperature causing climate change.

Global warming affects water sources in three general ways: changes in annual rainfall; increases in sea levels; and increased runoff which results in decreased raw water quality.  Climate change can alsocan affect the nation’s already compromised water infrastructure. Specifically, buried pipes become more prone to cracking as a result of greater soil movement due to flooding and droughts.  This results in leaking pipes, which causes unnecessary water loss while compromising water quality.

The United States is already seeing changes in the frequency of severe weather conditions, such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes, which have adverse impacts on the nation’s water supply.  The disruption caused by hurricane Sandy on water and power systems along the East Coast only serves to heighten the concerns about climate change. This water-energy nexus means that both the electrical and water infrastructure must be protected to maintain adequate service.

Each weather event raises the question…is it “climate change”, or is it just freak weather?  There is, in fact, a difference between climate variability and weather, and according to NASA, that difference is time. Weather is short-term, and climate “change” is a long-term, typically 30 year, span. There are two approaches that can be used to address climate change:  1. Utilities can adapt and plan for the effects of long-term climate variability, and 2. Utilities can work to mitigate current contributing factors where possible.

Sandy gave us a hard reminder of the immense power of water. There are many uncertainties associated with changing climate patterns and its impact on water, but there is little doubt that climate variability could seriously disrupt water quality and supply unless we respond with adequate planning and risk assessment. The bottom line is that communities, no matter how large or small, need to come together to better plan around both climate variability and weather.

One of the most basic ways to offset the effects of climate change on the nation’s water supply is to continue to conserve water and develop new water conservation strategies.  Among the most basic, but fundamental, solutions are improved leak detection & repair and investment in infrastructure.

Climate change will result in some areas of the country receiving less water in the future. These areas will need to find new water supplies when conservation alone cannot bring supply and demand into balance. Two rapidly developing solutions for alternative supply include desalination and water reuse.

Utilities also contribute to the global warming problem through their energy use. The technology used for advanced water treatment processes is energy intensive, meaning treatment plants contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, creating an unfortunate link between improved water quality and climate change.  Impaired water quality due to climate change, reuse or desalination will require the increased use of advanced water treatment processes that will increase the energy intensity of potable water systems.

As the accumulation of greenhouse gases leads to global warming, water utilities must continue to assess their own contributions and track greenhouse gas emissions to find ways to reduce their impact on the environment.  There are a number of strategies for energy efficiency starting with regular energy audits, implementation of renewable solar, wind and bioenergy; use of high efficiency pumps and electrical systems; and application of low energy technologies.   .

Global climate change will have widespread implications for water utilities.  An important step in addressing the challenges of climate change is identifying ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions and educating customers about these measures.  While the water utility industry must demonstrate leadership here, it cannot succeed alone.  A unified effort between government, businesses, and consumers is needed to implement near-term solutions and develop broad strategies to address the adverse impacts of global warming on the water industry and the global water supply.

Dr. Mark LeChevallier is director of Innovation & Environmental Stewardship for American Water. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded US water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 30 states as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.

FOCUS 2013, JDA’s annual global conference, is the place to be for supply chain professionals who want to network, share best practices and hear how industry leaders are achieving supply chain, merchandising and pricing excellence. Whether you’re looking for ways to improve your business process planning, drive cost efficiencies or maximize ROI for the supply chain solutions you currently have, FOCUS 2013 delivers unparalleled supply chain expertise.

Ray Kurzweil, Author, Inventor and Futurist: Ray Kurzweil is one of the world’s leading inventors, thinkers, and futurists, with a 30-year track record of accurate predictions. Called “the restless genius” by The Wall Street Journal and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes magazine, Kurzweil was selected as one of the top entrepreneurs by Inc. magazine, which described him as the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” PBS selected him as one of the “sixteen revolutionaries who made America.”

Rudy Giuliani, 107th Mayor of NYC: Rudy Giuliani brings a wealth of leadership experience and executive know-how to the FOCUS main stage. Dubbed the “Mayor of the World” and named Person of the Year by TIME Magazine following the attacks on New York on September 11, 2001, Giuliani was lauded for his bravery and leadership during some of America’s darkest days.

For more information, or to attend this event, visit: http://www.jda.com/focus/speakers.html

Large earthquakes are rare in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. However, the number increased significantly after 2008. The reason is still unclear. If you’d like to review the study abstract, or to purchase the complete study, visit: http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/2013/03/26/G34045.1.abstract.

The Coast Guard last month quietly sent to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget a proposal to allow the barging of fracking wastewater. If the plan is pushed forward, it would become a proposed rule open for public comment and could be finalized sometime in the near future.

Energy analysts say action on the barge issue could be a hint at how the Obama administration will approach fracking regulation in the coming years.

The wastewater is a mix of liquids, including fracking fluid sent down drilling wells to crack rocks and release gas, and so-called produced water from ancient formations deep within the earth that rushes to the surface when natural gas wells start to yield gas.

Environmental groups worry the fracking waste could make water unfit for drinking if spilled into rivers by barge accidents or leaks.

While the OMB will not comment on what is in the plan or give an estimate on when it could become a rule, the Coast Guard said late last year it hoped to complete a policy that would allow drillers to ship the waste via barge.

Companies such as Texas-based GreenHunter Water LLC want to ship the waste by barge for recycling or for dumping into disposal or injection wells. Greenhunter says barges are a safer method of transport than trucks and trains, the current methods used to move the waste material that the industry calls brine.

Trucks now routinely carry the waste from Pennsylvania, the center of the natural gas drilling boom in the eastern United States, for disposal at injection wells in Ohio, where gas drilling is in its early stages.

James McCarville, executive director of the Port of Pittsburgh Commission, favors using barges to move the waste.

“We move commodities on the waterways that are much more complex in terms of their makeup and we have a record of safely moving them,” he said.

Examples of products routinely plowing the U.S. inland waterways are petroleum products like gasoline, industrial acids and other chemicals.

DUMPING GROUND

Fracking fluid also contains chemicals added by drillers, while produced water can be laced with heavy metals and radium or other radioactive materials.

“Safe? I beg to differ,” said Melissa English, the director of development at Ohio Citizen Action, an environmental group.

She said the Ohio River, one waterway where companies want to barge the waste, is already polluted from a number of industries. If a barge spills the waste from fracking, it could be dangerous for cities that depend on the river for drinking water.

Cincinnati and other large cities have high-tech systems that could clean the water, but smaller communities lack that kind of infrastructure, she said.

In addition, encouraging investments in barging could solidify Ohio’s growing role as waste depository.

“It would increase the pace at which Ohio becomes the fracking waste dumping ground for other areas of the country – not real appealing,” English said.

One concern is that publicly operated water treatment centers may not be equipped to handle so-called technologically enhanced, naturally occurring radionuclide materials, known as TENORMs, which have accumulated in water drawn out of shale formations.

CLUES ON REGULATION INTENT?

Kevin Book, an energy policy analyst at ClearView Energy Partners in Washington, said if OMB moves forward with the rule it could offer clues on how the Obama administration will regulate fracking wastewater in the future.

The Environmental Protection Agency signaled in 2011 that it could issue rules under the Clean Water Act to regulate radioactive materials and other pollutants from fracking wastewater.

“The pending brine rule may offer a first glimpse of whether – and how – the Obama administration’s interagency gas group could address TENORMs,” said Book.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; editing by Ros Krasny and Kenneth Barry)

Just such a win-win approach is currently being designed and tested by researchers at New Mexico State University. If successful, their system will provide a more sustainable method for treating wastewater, a new viable approach to producing electric power and liquid biofuels, and a revenue stream to offset infrastructure improvements.

The approach is being called the POWER – photosynthetically oxygenated waste-to-energy recovery – system, according to Peter Lammers, research professor and technical director of NMSU’s Algal Bioenergy Program.

Lammers and his colleagues have found that certain types of algae are highly effective in removing carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds from municipal and agricultural wastewater.

“Unlike traditional wastewater plants that use bacteria for this purpose, processing wastewater using algal photosynthesis yields more biomass than the sludge output of current systems,” Lammers said.

“The economic key to the POWER system is converting algal biomass into liquid fuel and electric power.”

The Desert Southwest offers an ideal environment, in many ways, for the production of algae. Abundant sunlight, mild temperatures, and wide open spaces for algae cultivation facilities have attracted new energy companies to the state, including Sapphire Energy, El Dorado Biofuels and Joule Energy.

But one essential component is in short supply in this arid environment: water.

It is this reality that has led researchers to explore using alternatives to fresh water that are less in demand, such as brackish water and municipal wastewater.

The conceptual breakthrough was to go beyond thinking about wastewater as an ingredient in algae production to thinking about algae as an ingredient in a newly designed sewage treatment system.

How will the new system work?

Algae will be cultivated in sewage water outdoors in large enclosed plastic bag containers – “closed photobioreactors” – that prevent evaporative water loss. They heat up much like a greenhouse but are much cheaper. Such PBRs also retain carbon dioxide, a nutrient for the algae, thus fostering high-density algae production, and they keep wastewater odors and potentially harmful microbes contained.

The main inputs, in addition to sunlight, are the wastewater, the algae and the CO₂.

The enclosed PBRs, given the appropriate strains of algae, will produce large amounts of algal biomass in a short period of time, while removing nutrients to yield clean discharge water.

The output of these PBRs is a broth that is then separated into biosolids that move into the fuel production components.

The success of the above system as a sustainable approach relies on efficiency at every stage. One challenge of the enclosed PBRs in desert environments is to prevent the intense summer heat from killing the algae.

The standard PBR solution to this problem is to regulate the temperature of the water using a cooling system, but of course that requires lots of electricity.

To view this article in it’s entirety, please visit: http://westernfarmpress.com/management/renewable-energy-wastewater-win-win-system

Under the Canada – British Columbia Labour Market Agreement (LMA), government is investing more than $454,000 for the Introduction to Water and Wastewater Training program, which will provide up to 32 participants with a foundational knowledge of the industry and the many opportunities for employment within it. The six-week course will cover a range of topics, including:

· Introduction to water and wastewater systems.

· Supervisory skills.

· Safety in the workplace.

· Chlorine handling.

· Occupational First Aid 1.

· Preventing waterborne illnesses.

Course participants will spend four weeks in the classroom learning about the industry and gaining basic skills in technical operations. Once the classroom component is complete, participants will gain hands-on experience through job shadowing in the field for two weeks. By the end of the six-week introductory course, BCWWA hopes participants will be excited about pursuing a career in the water and wastewater industry.

Possible opportunities in this field include positions for operators who maintain and operate water or wastewater treatment facilities, outside workers who maintain the distribution systems, or positions requiring a background in science or technology, such as monitoring water quality. The course will run in two cohorts – one at Douglas College in New Westminster starting Feb. 25, and one in Kelowna at Okanagan College starting May 6.

BC Water & Waste Association is a not-for-profit association whose mandate is to safeguard public health and the environment by providing education and training and being a voice for the water sector. BCWWA’s 4,700 members ensure the delivery of clean and safe water to B.C. homes and businesses, and help protect the environment through the treatment and management of wastewater. Members include operators, engineers, policy makers, municipal, utility and government employees at all levels, as well as educators and consultants.

The LMA will cover the costs of tuition and supplies for eligible participants, including employed and low-skilled individuals, or those who are unemployed and not eligible for employment insurance. For those who qualify, transportation costs may also be available.

Under the BC Jobs Plan and BC Skills and Training Plan, government is actively creating awareness and encouraging people to consider careers in the trades and technical occupations through an investment of $75 million for new capital and equipment to complement $500 million in annual investments in employment and skills training programs.

Quotes:

Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Pat Bell –

“Government is committed to ensuring that British Columbians are first in line for jobs here in B.C. That’s why we’re providing funding to industry leaders like the BC Water and Waste Association to develop courses that will give people the skills they need to take full advantage of the many opportunities across the province.”

Minister of Environment Terry Lake –

“The BC Water and Wastewater Association’s member organizations are responsible for ensuring that British Columbians have safe and healthy drinking water and that the environment is protected in the process. Through government’s new partnership with the BCWWA, course participants will learn about the industry and how they can seize opportunities within it.”

BC Water and Waste Association CEO Daisy Foster –

“BCWWA’s new Introduction to Water and Wastewater Training program will create awareness for participants about the water sector and the many opportunities for careers in this area. We hope that they will be excited about all the opportunities in this field and will continue to pursue a career in water and wastewater management.”

Quick Facts:

· The Canada – British Columbia Labour Market Agreement (LMA) funds programs and services for employed people who are low-skilled and for unemployed individuals who are not eligible for Employment Insurance.

· As a direct result of federal LMA funding, thousands of British Columbians are receiving training that will advance their careers, assist in securing new employment and ultimately improve the social and economic outcomes of individuals in B.C. and Canada.

For more information please visit http://www2.gov.bc.ca