Aquatech/IWW: relive the show

November 30th, 2011 by nwp

Relive Aquatech
AmsterdamRAI hosted the International Water Week and the 23rd edition of the water technology tradeshow Aquatech from November 1-4. It made a 5.35 minute video impression of the Aquatech event. In addition to enthusiastic reactions from participants, the video shows footage of highlights such as the meeting of the delegation at the Holland Hospitality Lounge, the Industrial Leaders Forum and the visit by Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte.

Relive the International Water Week
A 3.26 minute video impression of the first International Water Week covering integrated solutions for the entire water cycle. This video footage includes additional impressions of the opening ceremony and several side events such as the young water professional meeting.

Relive the World Drilling and Tapping Championship (1)

Spectacular images of the team of the Dutch water company Waternet, successfully defending its world title. Here seen is Marco Borhem, Arie van Bladeren and Michiel van Meeteren working on the English setup.

At Aquatech the fastest teams from the USA, the UK and the Netherlands battled against each other in an individual competition. The teams performed their tasks three times; once according to the American system, once according to the British and once according to the Dutch.

The 2011 Drilling and Tapping Championships was close match between the Dutch and the American team.

Relive the World Pipe Fitting Competition (2)
Again the Waternet-team now trying to achieve the best time for the American setup.

See you next time
The next Aquatech/International Water Week will take place in Amsterdam from November 4 till 8, 2013.

More information
- Aquatech Amsterdam 2013: www.amsterdam.aquatechtrade.com
- International Water Week: www.internationalwaterweek.com

Posted in News.

Evides Industriewater and Delft University start water reuse research programme for Chinese coal-chemical industry

November 29th, 2011 by nwp

Dutch firm Evides Industriewater has signed a cooperation agreement with the Technical University of Delft (TUD) in the Netherlands, as well as the China-based National Engineering Center of Urban Water Resources of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the Provincial Academy of Environmental Science (PAES).

Under the terms of the agreement, Evides and the three educational institutions will start a five-year Sino-Dutch research programme (SDRP), which will be funded by Evides.

Advanced waste water treatment
SDRP will combine fundamental and applied research for developing advanced waste water treatment technologies, reuse technologies and zero liquid technologies.

The agreement was signed in Xi’an, China, between Evides CEO Peter Vermaat (middle), HIT professor Shi Guangji (left) and PAES director Zhang (right).

Design green-field plant
Evides will utilize its know-how to optimize operations at its chemical waste water treatment plants in the Netherlands. The firm is also planning to design green-field water treatment plants for coal-chemical industry in China and Europe.

The goal of SDRP is to create process designs that contribute to higher sustainability standards while achieving improved reliability at competitive costs.

Water shortages in China
The chemical industry in the Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Ningxia Hui autonomous region, face tough chemical challenges and water shortages.

These issues have demanded the development of new approaches to safeguard the availability of water while limiting the water footprint of the industry on the environment.

Integration of different expertise
Both HIT and PAES hold a track record in specific research and have field expertise with respect to environmental engineering and process integration in the industry. The Delft University is famous for its involvement in the development of numerous advanced (waste) water treatment technologies and already is a long-standing partner of Evides Industry Water.

The news release was originally published on the website of Evides Industiewater:
www.evides.nl/en

Also read the news release on the website of China Daily:
www.chinadaily.com

More information:
Evides Industrial Water
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
+31 10 293 5172
www.evides.nl/en

Posted in News.

Israeli-Dutch joint venture Aqana launches new DANA anaerobic water treatment system

November 29th, 2011 by nwp

During the Watec exhibition in Tel Aviv Aqana BV was officially launched. Aqana BV is a joint venture between Dutch Water technologies BV from Leeuwarden and Aqwise from Israel. The new water technology company Aqana is located on the Watercampus in Leeuwarden. Under the name DANA, Aqana is bringing an innovative biological waste water treatment technology to the market. On the occasion Aqana introduced DACS, an innovative and economic breakthrough for anaerobic water treatment.

Easily embedded
The DANA technology stands for ‘Dynamic ANaerobic Aerobic’ system. The new technology has the big advantage of being cheaper than other systems, more robust and can easily be embedded into existing infrastructure.

Small footprint
This means that with a much smaller investment than previously required, a faster and easier full biological waste water treatment can be implemented that produces energy in the form of biogas. This biogas can in turn be used as a replacement for natural gas in for example the production process.

Granular technology
The technology is based on an anaerobic and aerobe sludge growing on synthetic base material: a smart synthetic tube on which the bacteria grow. The ‘sludge carrier technology’ was brought to the project by Israeli company Aqwise. DANA offers an attractive alternative to granular based anaerobic treatment followed by a moving bed aerobic treatment in one system, instead of two consecutive reactors.

Down-flow anaerobic system
As part of the DANA technology, the DACS-concept was launched in Tel Aviv. DACS stands for Down-flow Anaerobic Carrier based System. Advantages are that it is simple and robust and can be inexpensively applied to a system that is entirely focused on the anaerobic part of DANA technology.

DACS is especially designed to apply the anaerobic process in a simple tank. Also existing tanks can use the DACS concept with very little modification. With this, Aqana introduces the cheapest anaerobic waste water technology in terms of both investment and operation.

The technique has been developed over the last four years by the Israeli company Aqwise, Dutch Water Technologies BV from Leeuwarden and the Noordelijke hogeschool Leeuwarden (NHL).


f.l.t.r.: the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Israel Caspar Veldkamp, Israeli chief scientist Avi Hasson, CEO Reimond Olthof of Aqana, Israeli Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Shalom Simhon and CEO Elad Frenkel of Aqwise.

More information
Aqana
Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
+31 58 210 09 10
http://aqana.com

Posted in News.

Unesco-IHE has twenty PhD positions available on pro-poor sanitation innovations

November 29th, 2011 by nwp

Twenty PhD Positions are available in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Funded Project on Pro-poor Sanitation Innovations, named Stimulating local innovation on sanitation for the urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia.

Unesco-IHE and 8 partners
Unesco-IHE, in Delft, the Netherlands, and the following partners: Makerere University in Uganda, KNUST in Ghana, AIT in Thailand, 2iE in Burkina Faso, ITB in Indonesia, UCT in South Africa, UFMG in Brasil, and Univalle in Colombia were awarded a 8 million USD grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Local innovation on sanitation
The grant will be used to finance a 5-year capacity building and research project to stimulate local innovation on sanitation for the urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia.

To support the research component of the project 20 PhD positions for junior researchers are funded by the project at 8 host institutions.

Deadline for application: 15 December 2011.

More information
Unesco-IHE, professor Damir Brdjanovic, PhD
Delft, the Netherlands
d.brdjanovic@unesco-ihe.org
www.unesco-ihe.org

Posted in News.

Demo sites for field tests gives boost to development of new water technology

November 26th, 2011 by nwp

Plug and play….

Around the city of Leeuwarden, in the north of the Netherlands, there are a number of sites where water firms can test their latest technology.

Any firm can bring in a pilot installation and conduct field tests at a water facility, e.g. a municipal waste water treatment plant, a drinking water production plant or a hospital.

These demonstration sites are an initiative by Dutch water technology research centre Wetsus, to give a boost to promising new water technology. There are now four such locations as well as plans for several more.

Promising new formula
“The idea is to give companies with new water technologies easy access to a water stream where they can carry out field tests”, Heleen Sombekke explains. She works at Wetsus in Leeuwarden. Sombekke is in charge of this promising new formula.

“I invite water technology firms from all over the world, to ‘plug in and play’.

Easily linked to specific water flows
“We provide the facilities, such as a solid floor, connection points with the host plant and the required permits. A company that wishes to carry out tests only needs to bring its water treatment installation, which can simply be linked up to a water flow”, says Sombekke. Wetsus wants to bridge the gap between lab tests and the construction of a first full scale installation.

Faster to market
Using the demo site can considerably reduce the time required for new water technology to go from laboratory to market. As an example Sombekke mentions the firm Aqua Explorer.

“This small company was able to make use of our facilities and deploy their test rig to carry out practical tests on the thickening of the membrane concentrate released from salt water. Soon after, the company already had its first customer, a Texan oil company.”


Desalination pilot plant at drinking water station Noardurgum.

Save the hassle
According to Sombekke, the demo sites are ideal for small businesses. “Large water technology firms can usually carry out field tests at plants belonging to their existing customers. SMEs do not have such relationships, which is why we set up this solution for them. Since all the basic facilities are present at the demo sites, we reduce costs and save them the hassle of requesting a licence.”

Short lines with research centre
Another important advantage of the demo sites is that they are all situated close to Leeuwarden, keeping short lines with research centre Wetsus. Sombekke: “This means that our scientists have easy access to the data provided by the field test and can adapt their further research to the results of the field tests. Alternatively, a water technology firm that encounters a problem can quickly turn to the Wetsus lab and staff for help.”

“The demo sites are open to everyone, also to foreign companies”, Sombekke assures.

More information
Heleen Sombekke, Wetsus
Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
+31 58 284 62 11
www.wetsus.nl

Posted in Features.

World Toilet Day on Dam square Amsterdam – more clean sanitation

November 23rd, 2011 by nwp

Amsterdam, 19 November 2011 – With a giant toilet on the Dam square in central Amsterdam, the non-governmental organisation Simavi drew attention to the clean water and sanitation crisis on occasion of World Toilet Day 2011.

Over 2.6 billion people still have no access to clean toilets, facilitating the dissemination of infectious diseases such as cholera and diarrhea every day thousands of victims requirements.

Need for more clean sanitation
World Toilet Day is organized annually by the World Toilet Organisation worldwide to raise global awareness of the need for more clean sanitation, as well as the awareness of the health, emotional and psychological consequences the poor endure as a result of inadequate sanitation.

Two protesting toilet ladies
On the occasion Simavi asked the Dutch government – by means of a singing act with two toilet ladies – to continue to play a leading role and keep investing in sanitation projects around the world.

The organisation pointed out that clean safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in the long term cash out in a clear moral and economic efficiency: business-and profiling opportunities for Dutch business and government and at the same time, large health benefits and increased self-reliance of people in poor countries, particularly for women and girls.

More information
World Toilet Day
p/a World Toilet Organisation
Singapore
+65 6352 8921
www.worldtoilet.org

Simavi
Haarlem, the Netherlands
+31 23 531 80 55
simavi@simavi.nl
www.simavi.org

Posted in News.

AGT International partners with China to pilot Flood Early Warning System

November 23rd, 2011 by nwp

AGT International announced a partnership with the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) of the People’s Republic of China, to implement the first milestone in a long-term program for a Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) in the Yellow River.

Prediction of flood situations
Within AGT International the project is led by AGT Netherlands in collaboration with TNO (the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) and draws upon world-renowned expertise in this field. AGT International and YRCC will jointly utilize FEWS to collect local real-time hydrometric and dike stability data, analyze the rules of flood formation and movement, improve dike stability forecasting, predict future flood situations caused by possible dike failure, and send out flood warnings.

Dutch know-how
“By bringing Dutch know-how in water management together with the global experience and expertise of AGT International, we are uniquely positioned to implement this ground breaking system,” said Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje-Nassau, CEO of AGT Netherlands. “Our solution collects real-time information from new and existing systems to generate a real-time assessment of the river conditions. Our advanced prediction and simulation software will generate alerts and recommendations to affected areas. Another key element for the full realization and success of the project is our commitment to turning key project findings into shared learning opportunities.”

Strong Chinese partnership
“Developing a flood warning system to protect the people and infrastructure of the world’s fastest growing country required global collaboration,” said Mati Kochavi, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of AGT International. “AGT International has a strong partnership with the Chinese and I am thrilled to extend this important relationship to assist in creating and implementing cutting-edge solutions. This will not only have a positive impact in terms of helping to ensure the well-being of citizens in the locality of the Yellow River, but also reduce the negative economic impact that unpredictable flooding creates.”


In May 2011 AGT signed a MOU with the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.

Emergency response
To address China’s unique topographical and population challenges, FEWS features a custom dike monitoring and stability solution with integrated intelligent emergency response system that enables authorities to apply preventative measures, and prepare and react to ensuing crises quickly and effectively. The solution is modular and encompasses unique sensors, software and services that provide tangible benefits to water authorities as well as municipalities and emergency response agencies, providing them with a unified awareness picture.

Cooperation with Yellow River Commission
“Dike safety is the key to preventing floods,” said Shang Hongqi, Director of YRCC’s International Cooperation and Technology Bureau, “Dike hazards and the limited ability to control floods seriously affect our economic growth and the safety of lives and property. AGT International’s solution will enhance our ability to predict the occurrence of breaches, which is the key to preventing costly and dangerous floods.”

“At the same time, the project will build on and increase the collective experience and technologies in flood management on the Yellow River. We are very pleased with the cooperation between YRCC and AGT International and we expect that this project will bring long-term benefits for China’s water and urban management capabilities”, according to the YRCC/director.

In addition to piloting cutting-edge flood management technology, the FEWS initiative was established to effectively protect the safety of Chinese citizens and their property while creating new eco-friendly standards.

Commitment to Chinese market
In January 2011 AGT International announced four partnerships with Chinese agencies to improve the nation’s urban management and water safety systems, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to the Chinese market and the active role it continues to play in supporting the historic growth and progress occurring in Chinese cities. These agencies include the Ministry of Water Resources, the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (ICC-NDRC), the Shijiazhuang Municipal People’s Government, and National Academy for Mayors of China (NAMC).

More information
AGT International/Custodia
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31-70-3634110
www.agtinternational.com

Posted in News.

HKV wins large project for implementation EU Flood Directive in Romania

November 23rd, 2011 by nwp

HKV Consultants assists the Romanian water authorities of the Arges Vedea river basin with the implementation of the EU Flood Directive. The consultancy firm will also play a major role in the development of hydrological models and the development of flood risk maps.

Digital elevation model
The overall project involves the development of a digital elevation model with LIDAR, the surveying of cross sections, creating hydrologic, hydraulic and inundation models, as well as the assessment of mitigation measures.

The study area is almost 18.000 km2, including the capital Bucharest. Furthermore a hydraulic model will be developed for 3.500 km of rivers.

Work began in November 2011 and continues until the spring of 2013.

More information
HKV Consultants
Lelystad, the Netherlands
+31 320 29 42 42 (Marco Hartman)
www.hkvconsultants.com

Posted in News.

Dutch and Chinese authorities start sharing information on Rhine and Huaihe river basin programmes

November 22nd, 2011 by nwp

Rijkswaterstaat and the Huaihe Water Resource Commission started a three year cooperation programme. This is one of the major elements of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the Chinese vice minister Zhuo Ying of Water Resources and the Dutch state secretary Joop Atsma of Infrastructure and Environment. The MOU was signed in Beijing on 16 November.

New flood protection plans
By exchanging experiences on river basin management and using the same methods, both authorities can learn a lot from each other. “Knowledge on the Huaihe river can be of great importance in making plans for the protection of the areas along the Rhine`, said State Secretary Atsma on the occasion of the signing.

Other elements of the MOU include a similar information exchange programmes between Rijkswaterstaat and the Pearl River water resources commission and the Taihu basin authority.

Densely populated and flood prone lowlands
The basins of the Rhine and the Huaihe resemble each other. The water from the mountains in both rivers is quickly transported to a densely populated lowlands that is prone to floods. Rijkswaterstaat can extend its knowhow about the Rhine with data and experiences of the Huaihe. China can learn from the Rhine river basin management systems used by Rijkswaterstaat.

By the knowledge gained, the scenarios that worked for the Rhine accurate. Rijkswaterstaat and Huaihe Commission go a cooperation for three years. Close to the Dutch side also knowledge Institute Deltares and the international water education-UNESCO-IHE Institute with the cooperation.

Visit to the Huaihe
State Secretary Atsma visited the flood defenses of the city of Bengdu in the catchment area of the Huaihe river. The Huaihe has a large number of locks and weirs. At extremely high tide the water is transported to one of the 25 water retention areas.

More information
Rijkswaterstaat
the Hague, The Netherlands
www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/en

Posted in News.

Aquatech/International Water Week: the highlights

November 20th, 2011 by nwp

Amsterdam hosted the International Water Week and the 23rd edition of the water technology tradeshow Aquatech from November 1-4. Highlights of both events were the first International Water Conference, the second Delta National Congress and the Industrial Leaders Forum.

Significantly more visitors
The broader intent of Aquatech with the International Water Week has had a positive impact on the numbers of visitors, according to fair manager Paddy Young of Amsterdam-RAI. The visitor figure was up with 17 percent. “Both visitors and exhibitors are excited about the broader range of water technology and water management. So here We are going through certainly. We have already decided to combine the next Aquatech in 2013 with the second edition of the International Water Week “, confirms the very satisfied exhibition manager.

Aquatech Innovation Awards 2011
During the official opening ceremony the Aquatech Innovation Awards were presented for five categories. The winners were Ingrepro, Pentair Nijhuis, CapiliX, Quantum Flux, Pentair X-flow. The overall winner was Pentair Nijhuis with their fish friendly pump.


Director Robert Schuuring of Pentair/Nijhuis Pumps received the Aquatech Innovation Award
Read more on the Aquatech Innovation Awards >>


With over 30 water technology companies and organizations, the Dutch Pavilion was the biggest ever at Aquatech

Latest developments on Delta programme
Top day was 3 November with 2nd National Delta Congress where delta commissioner Wim Kuijken informed over 1,200 visitors on the latest developments of the Delta programme, which is supposed to safeguard the nation against floods and drought for the next century.


Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte (center) visited the Delta Parade along with the Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken.

Read more on the National Delta Congress >>

Multinationals in debate with water sector
CEO’s of the multinationals Shell (oil & gas), Unilever (food), DSM (chemical) and the Rabo Bank (finance) joined the Industrial Leaders Forum on 3 November to discuss water issues with CEO’s of the water sector. The multinationals are seriously working on reducing their water footprint. But not enough, according to the water sector. The CEO’s of Amiad Filters and DOW Water Process Solutions complained there is little use of innovative technology and big industrial water users choose too easy for established solutions.


Participating in the Industrial Leaders Forum f.l.t.r. Arik Dayan of Amiad Filtration, Robert Claasen of DSM and Snehal Desai of DOW water & process solutions

Read more on the Industrial Leaders Forum >>

Delegations from 40 different countries
An unprecedented number of delegations visited Aquatech and the International Water Conference. A large number of delegations were invited as participants of the Netherlands international programs Water OS (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Water Mondial (Ministry of infrastructure and environment). One such delegation came from Viet Nam where the Netherlands assists in a climate adaptation programme for the Mekong delta. Another delegation came from Benin to talk about integrated water resource management.

The delegation members visited the countless conferences, the Aquatech fair and took part in the excursions were organized to all sorts of ‘ showcases ‘ in the country, such as the sand engine at Hoek van Holland and the pure water factory in Emmen.


A royal moment in the Dutch Hospitality Lounge with the visit of Prince Pieter-Christiaan who was present because his company AGT that specializes in digital dike monitoring.

World champion pipe fitting
The team of the Amsterdam municipal water company, Waternet, has prolonged its title as world champion pipe fitting. The Amsterdam team of Marco Borhem, Arie van Bladeren and Michiel van Meeteren, is growing stronger each world championship and also this year they left back their American and English opponents. As they did in Chicago at the previous World Championships in 2008. Coach Hans Vlieger was proud of his team. “They play together for years and still getting faster. They learned to remain quiet. You often see teams quickly restoring their mistakes and thereby losing their concentration, “said the coach.

3rd Wetskills for young water professionals
Twenty students from eight countries participated in the 3rd Wetskills Innovation Challenge. As with the two previous editions of Wetskills in Shanghai and Casablanca, went on excursions, attended lectures and teambuilding meetings with water experts. Finally, students were divided into five teams and they had an innovative water plan for the Amsterdam Watergraafsmeer district.

Read more on the 3rd Wetskills competition >>

Posted in News.

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