WWEMA/Boenning Leading Demand Index builds momentum
The Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association and Boenning & Scattergood released the 2016 third quarter WWEMA/Boenning Leading Demand Index, which rates funding conditions for municipal water and wastewater projects. The index increased slightly in the third quarter, reversing a recent downward trend. The index reports that water and wastewater utilities are continuing to expand payrolls. Also, water and wastewater equipment demand has improved, water stocks rebounded sharply in the third quarter, ductile iron pipe prices reversed a second quarter slide, and the housing market remains a wild card that could complicate recovery.

Shirley Nelson Named Director of Sales for OCV Control Valves 
Shirley Nelson has been appointed director of sales for OCV Control Valves. Nelson will oversee customer enhancement initiatives, the company’s global sales team and strategic partnerships. Most recently, she served as regional sales manager for the company’s international fueling division, focusing on military, commercial aviation and terminal fueling. Nelson has nearly two decades of experience in the water and wastewater industry, including 10 years in the control valve industry.

Schneider Electric launches Aquis 7.0 
Schneider Electric has released Aquis 7.0, an advanced software for water distribution network management. The software reduces operation and energy costs by providing behavior forecasts for water networks. Improvements include enhanced hydraulic engine management, faster load and save time of model files, enhanced find functionality, faster master/operator communications for improved collaboration, extended system log facilities, and improved display of control mode of pumps and valves.

Aqua-Aerobic Systems to provide Nereda granular activated sludge process in US
Aqua-Aerobic Systems and Royal HaskoningDHV signed an agreement making Aqua-Aerobic Systems the exclusive provider of the Nereda Granular Biomass Treatment System in the U.S. Aqua-Aerobic Systems will build a full-scale Nereda granular activated sludge process at the Rock River Water Reclamation District in Rockford, Illinois. Nereda replicates the effluent quality of an enhanced BNR facility without the use of chemicals by using aerobic granular sludge technology. The reduced footprint and low energy requirement provide a competitive alternative for high-performance plants.

Joint CHP Venture brings renewable fuel source to CHP
TTcogen LLC  — a joint venture affiliate company of Tecogen and TEDOM — offers a biogas-powered line of CHP equipment. From 35 kW to multi-megawatt units, TTcogen’s clean power products from TEDOM meet the needs of facilities of almost any size.

Ovivo signs exclusive licensing arrangement with DC Water 
Ovivo has signed an exclusive licensing arrangement with DC Water for the utility’s post-aerobic digestion process. Marketed under the brand DigestivorePAD, this approach places an aerobic digester after an anaerobic digester, providing increased volatile solids destruction, enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal, and improved dewatering. The technology will combine DC Water’s years of collaborative research and open innovation with Ovivo’s experience with sludge stabilization at high solids concentrations using anaerobic and aerobic digestion.

Godwin dewatering systems to include Volvo Penta industrial open power units 
Volvo Penta will supply its PowerPac industrial open power units for use in Xylem’s Godwin dewatering pumps. The Tier 4 final diesel units will drive various Godwin pump systems in dewatering applications. The pumps eliminate water build-up quickly and efficiently to ensure productivity is not impeded. The PowerPac units are available in 8-, 11- and 13-liter packages with power ratings from 214 to 543 hp. They are designed for fast and easy installation by OEMs, and come with factory-installed components including all exhaust after-treatment components, engine cooling system (radiator and charge air cooler), air and fuel filters, guarding and shrouding. They use an SCR process with cooled exhaust gas recirculation to meet EPA emission standards without the need for periodic regeneration.

Lystek organic material recovery center services Bay Area
Lystek International is increasing operations at its new 150,000-ton, organic material recovery center at the Fairfield Suisun (California) Sewer District. In addition to a base volume of 14,000 tons per year from FSSD and commitments from other Bay Area agencies, Lystek entered a four-year service contract with Central Marin Sanitation Agency for the diversion and treatment of its biosolids. The agreement lets CMSA diversify its biosolids management program and divert over half of this volume to the new facility, where it will be used to produce LysteGro, a Class A EQ product that is high in organic matter and nutrients and is recognized by the California Department of Food and Agriculture as a licensed fertilizer.

Huckaby joins Sprayroq as director of business development  
Jeremy Huckaby has joined Sprayroq as the director of business development. Huckaby will address the needs of a maturing trenchless technologies market and help expand applications for the company’s products. Huckaby has a background in coatings, including 12 years with commercial and industrial coatings contractors, architects, engineers, owners and city decision-makers for Sherwin-Williams. He also has experience in surface preparation and commercial/industrial coatings recommendations for various substrates.

WERF announces 2016 Paul L. Busch Award winner
The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation awarded Dr. Jeremy S. Guest, assistant professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with the 2016 Paul L. Busch Award. With the $100,000 prize, Dr. Guest seeks to link fundamental research on microalgal metabolism and biochemistry to industry applications at water resource recovery facilities. His proposed research will develop technologies that leverage native phototrophic eukaryotes (microalgae) for biological nutrient recovery from wastewater.

Jett named controller for Washington County Service Authority
Melinda Jett has been named controller for the Washington County Service Authority in Southwest Virginia. Jett will direct WCSA’s financial affairs and serve as a member of the capital improvement funding, planning and leadership teams. She has more than two decades of experience, and she comes to WCSA from Highlands Union Bank in Abingdon, Va., where she served as director of internal audit for 10 years.

Lystek to market LysteGro biofertilizer for St. Marys 
Lystek International and the town of St. Marys, Ontario, have entered into a formal agreement for the marketing and sales of LysteGro, a Class A biofertilizer produced at the town’s wastewater resource recovery center.

“Lystek technology is now featured and/or under way in eight facilities across Canada, and a seventh project is now in the commissioning stage in Fairfield, California. Combined, these facilities are capable of receiving and converting over 350,000 tons of biosolids and other organics into federally recognized biofertilizer products annually,” says Kevin Litwiller, director of Lystek’s business development.

Ruhrpumpen completes API 674 pump order
Ruhrpumpen recently completed an order for a reciprocating plunger pump from INFRA Technology for a plant in Wharton, Texas. The plant will demonstrate INFRA Technology’s solution for making stranded gas fields viable and profitable. The company’s gas-to-liquids technology has many applications for remote, offshore and shale gas reservoirs as well as biowaste resources and coal. Also, it can solve the problem of gas flaring and venting — equivalent to 20 percent of the U.S. or 30 percent of the European Union’s gas consumption per year — by producing synthetic crude from this natural gas, reducing carbon dioxide and other emissions that are harmful to the environment. The RDP-70 will be used for boosting water pressure in the cooling loop.

U.S. Boiler promotes Massey to director of sales 
U.S. Boiler Company announced that Chris Massey, former regional sales manager – N.Y. Metro Region, has been promoted to director of sales – eastern states. Massey will direct sales activities of U.S. Boiler’s sales representatives from Maine through central New Jersey. Massey has 26 years of hydronic sales experience.