February’s top stories: Libelium’s wireless platform, Abengoa to sell project shares

Libelium launches wireless sensor platform to monitor water quality

Libelium released its water quality monitor Waspmote Smart Water at Mobile World Congress in Spain.

The platform is equipped with multiple sensors that measure a dozen of the most relevant water quality parameters. It is the first autonomous sensor platform for water control.

Waspmote Smart Water is suitable for potable water monitoring, chemical leakage detection in rivers and the remote measurement of swimming pools, spas and levels of seawater pollution.

Abengoa to sell stake in China desalination project

Spain-based energy and environment technology solutions provider Abengoa will sell its shares in Qingdao BCTA Desalination, the project company created to manage the DBOOT desalination project in Qingdao, China.

The company will sell its stake in the project in the north-eastern region of the country to one of its venture project partners, Qingdao Water Group, for €53m.

The desalination plant has been in operation since early 2013. It is capable of treating 100,000m³ a day of seawater through reverse osmosis technology.

Abunayyan and Toray establish water treatment membranes joint-venture

Abunayyan Holding and Toray Industries established a joint-venture to manufacture and sell water treatment membranes and provide technical services in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Over SAR300m ($80m) was invested in the new company, Toray Membrane Middle East (TMME). It aims to construct a world-class production factory by applying Toray’s production technology and global quality control standards.

The factory will start production of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes from 2015.

BBV awarded Scottish sewer infrastructure management contract

A joint-venture comprising Ferrovial subsidary Amey and Black & Veatch (BBV) won a £340m contract to offer wastewater services on behalf of Scottish Water.

Work under the seven-year contract involves programme management, design, stakeholder engagement and construction of sewer infrastructure work across Scotland.

The latest deal forms part of a broader investment by Scottish Water to boost water infrastructure for its five million customers throughout the country.

Veolia to build Shell Canada water treatment facility

European water and waste management firm Veolia Environnement won a contract to build a new water treatment facility for Shell’s Carmon Creek steam-assisted oil sands project in Canada.

The company’s water treatment system will allow Shell to generate 50,000t of steam a day, which gets infused into underground reservoirs to produce heavy oil.

The system will also treat and recycle the water co-produced with the oil recovered from underground, and use it to generate steam. Veolia claims that the system is capable of recycling around 99% of the water used to make steam.

Biwater commissions Florida reverse osmosis system

UK-based engineering, water and wastewater company Biwater commissioned a reverse osmosis system at the Springtree water treatment plant in Sunrise, Florida, US.

The facility, which is already up and running, is assisting the city in meeting requirements for alternative water supply. It is capable of delivering 1.5 million gallons a day.

Biwater designed the two-stage system, which incorporates an interstage energy recovery system that includes a novel manipulated valve control system that it developed in conjunction with Fluid Equipment Development Company (FEDCO).

India obtains rural water supply and sanitation improvement loan

The World Bank granted a $500m loan to improve the supply of piped water and sanitation services through decentralised delivery systems in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh in India.

The project will be implemented over a six-year period and will support the design and implementation of a dedicated rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) programme for low-income states under the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation’s (MoDWS) ongoing national rural drinking water programme.

It is expected to benefit around 7.8 million rural people in the states, which have the lowest coverage of tap water in the country.

Moldova to receive funds for water service improvements

The European Investment Bank (EIB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Union (EU) will provide €59m in financing to Apa Canal Chisinau for improving water services in Moldova’s capital.

The water and wastewater utility will receive €24m each from the EBRD and the EIB, while the EU will contribute an €11m grant through the Neighbourhood Investment Facility.

The existing water network in Chisinau, a city of 800,000 inhabitants, is no longer adequate to meet the city’s demands. The upgrade programme will improve the efficiency of the city’s water network, save energy and contribute towards future compliance with relevant EU directives.