Colorado, Texas, Water Quality, Saudi Arabia, Brackish Water, Reverse Osmosis, Water Quality, Malta
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Texas wastewater-reuse plant could be first of three
The Colorado River Municipal Water District (CRMWD) in Texas, USA, is anticipating the construction phase early in 2011 of its first regional water reclamation plant, which will be membrane-based and located in Big Spring.
Carollo selected for Texas DPR health check
Carollo Engineers has been selected by the Texas Water Development Board to carry out detailed public health analysis of the first direct potable water reuse (DPR) facility in the USA.
Grant for Texas pilot wind-powered desalination plant
The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) has made a US$ 2.75 million grant to Mitchell County, Texas, towards a US$ 8 million pilot project to use wind power for a brackish-water desalination project.
Land commission looking at Texas desalination
The Texas General Land Commission (GLO) has contracted two consulting firms to investigate the possibility of brackish-water desalination north of New Braunfels.

Finance agreed for Camarillo regional desalter studies
Two water districts and two - possibly three - cities in southern California have agree to finance studies for a regional brackish-water desalination plant to be located near Camarillo.
STW joins HFEIS developer to target power/desalination
STW Resources Holding Corp of Texas, USA, announced on 18 September 2013 a mutual strategic relationship with Colorado‑based Tat‑Tech Inc to remediate oil-sands waste, brackish groundwater and seawater via the construction and operation of proprietary systems developed by Tat‑Tech.
Another TWDB loan for SAWS desalination project
The Texas Water Development Board has given a US$ 50 million loan to the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) towards its first-ever groundwater desalination plant in southern Bexar County.

Further funding for San Antonio BWRO desalination project
Initial project construction for the brackish groundwater desalination program planned by San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in the USA will now be possible following a US$ 24.6 million loan from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).
Texas state funding wind-powered desalination pilots
The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) is offering US$ 1.5 million to smaller local governments in the US state for brackish-water desalination demonstration projects using wind energy. Deadline for applications for the 2010 Desalination Fund is 29 January 2010.
Planned Texas inland desalination plant will be USA's biggest
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is constructing what will become the largest inland desalination plant in the USA. The plant will desalinate groundwater from the Wilcox Aquifer in southern Bexar County, Texas.
STW opens up Texas brackish source project
Water management firm, STW Water Process and Technologies, has started to develop a newly acquired brackish water lease in the Imperial, Texas area. The move is part of STW's West Texas Water Project to discover new brackish water sources.

URS to assist El Paso desalination solar project
The Public Services Board in El Paso, Texas, on 10 November 2010 voted to hire URS Corporation as a consultant to assist with the choice of a solar energy system to power part of the Kay Bailey Hutchison desalination plant.
Parsons lands SAWS brackish water desalination job
Parsons Corporation is leading a joint venture to serve as the construction manager at risk for the San Antonio groundwater desalination program in Texas, USA.
Texas county opens up brackish desalt project
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Texas, US has begun a ten-year phased brackish water desalination programme that will provide the county with potable water at over 150 Ml/d.
AMTA and AWWA announce ward winners
The American Membrane Technology Association and the American Water Works Association recently announced the winners of four awards at this year's Membrane Technology Conference & Exposition.
Yuma desalination plant restarted for pilot run
Representatives from the US Department of the Interior and three municipal water agencies gathered on 28 April 2010 to launch a one-year pilot run of the Bureau of Reclamation's Yuma Desalting Plant.
Drilling starts for SAWS brackish-water desalination
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Texas, USA, launched work on its 25 MGD (95,000 m³/d) brackish-water desalination system on 27 March 2012.
Texas Desalination Association plans September conference
The Texas Desalination Association is hosting its second annual conference Texas Desal 2014: Best Practices and Emerging Technology on 11-12 September 2014 in Austin, Texas.
Texas creates state desalination committee
Following recent severe droughts, a Joint Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination has been created by the legislature in the US state of Texas, including members of both houses.
San Antonio to get brackish desalination in 2016
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Texas has announced that by October 2016 it will start up a brackish water desalination plant that will eventually become the largest in the US.
South Australian town to get new desalination plant
South Australia's water minister, Ian Hunter, announced on 1 May 2013 that a brackish-water desalination plant to deliver improved water quality to the town of Hawker, in the Flinders Ranges 100km north of Port Augusta, had been approved for construction.

Desalitech closed-circuit technology set for BWRO project
Israel-based Desalitech Ltd announced on 7 April 2011 that it had been awarded a contract to design and build a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination system for Environmental Protection Technologies (EPT), a global company that leads the industrial wastewater treatment market in Israel.
New COO and business lines for STW Resources
US water services provider STW Resource Holding Corp announced a new chief operating officer (COO) on 25 October 2012 and expanded business lines, including large-scale desalination and oil/gas water reclamation.
El Paso to explore solar power for desalination plant
The City of El Paso Public Service Board voted on 10 February 2010 to explore the possibility of using solar power at the Kay Bailey Hutchison desalination plant in Texas, USA.
NWC report boosts Australian brackish desalination
Brackish groundwater desalination can be considered a viable community water supply option in some areas, says a report just announced by Australia's National Water Commission (NWC).
MF/RO plant may be Santa Clarita salt solution
A microfiltration/reverse-osmosis (MF/RO) advanced wastewater treatment plant is one of several options being considered by the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District (SCVSD) in California, USA, to deal with excessive chloride levels in the wastewater it discharges to the Santa Clara River from its two treatment plants.
Texas moves towards direct potable reuse
The US state of Texas has taken a step towards direct potable water reuse (DPR) with the Texas Water Development Board awarding a study project to Alan Plummer Associates Inc, consultants based in the state.
Australian mining town to up quality from boreholes close to pit with desalination plant
The Australian arm of water technology firm, Valoriza Agua, has won a design and construct contract to deliver a 16.5 Ml/d water treatment plant to replace an existing facility and provide drinking water for the Western Australian mining town, Newman and the mine. The plant will include brackish water reverse osmosis and an ultraviolet treatment system to treat a mix of flows from drinking water boreholes sited too close to mining activities.
GE expands HERO licensing agreement
GE Power & Water announced on 1 February 2011 that it has completed a new expanded licensing agreement to allow it to continue offering High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (HERO) systems to help more of its industrial customers increase their water usage efficiency and reuse capacity.

Bundamba wastewater reuse plant passes second quality test
The second Water Quality Report for the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant in Queensland, Australia, has confirmed the excellent quality of the purified water it produces and proved that the water is safe to add to the drinking supply, says government agency WaterSecure
Desalination featured on redesigned SAWS website
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has featured its brackish-water reverse-osmosis desalination project as one of the headlines on its newly redesigned website.
Papers invited for 2013 AWWA/AMTA event
With the 2012 AWWA/AMTA Membrane Technology Conference under way this week in Phoenix, Arizona, a call for papers has been issued for next year's event in Texas.
SAWS board goes for expanded desalination project
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) board in Texas, USA, decided on 10 February 2012 to go for expanded desalination rather than importing groundwater.
STW finishes brine concentrator project at Horizon, Texas
Water management firm, STW Resources, has completed a US$ 2.2 million contract for the design, engineering and construction of a reverse osmosis (RO) concentrator for the Texas city, Horizon.

Consolidated Water lines up Mexican mega-project
The Playas de Rosarito seawater RO desalination mega-plant project has been six years in the making. It began as a twinkle in Consolidated Water's eye even before Mexico had introduced its new public-private partnerships law, but the act's introduction in 2012 gave the project a clear structure for moving ahead.

Large EDR river desalination plant opens in Spain
GE Water and Aigües Ter-Llobregat (ATLL) of Spain announced on 19 May 2009 the opening of the 220,000 m³/d electrodialysis reversal (EDR) brackish water desalination plant on the Llobregat river.
RO consumes 4% of Malta's electricity, says new group
Reverse-osmosis desalination plants consume almost 4% of Malta's electricity supply, according to a statement from the newly-formed Malta Water Association (MWA) on 22 March 2011. The group, made up of hydrologists, engineers and other water experts, warned that urgent action is needed to protect Malta's water resources, which "are among the scarcest in the world and under severe stress."
Veolia in mineral recovery partnership at inland desalination plant
Texas-based company, Enviro Water Minerals (EWM), is to deploy its novel mineral recovery technology in a partnership with water and waste giant, Veolia, to produce potable water from brackish water desalination effluent.

Maltese desalination test-bed shows SalTec energy-recovery advantages
Throughout the desalination industry, plant operators are looking for long-term solutions with lower lifecycle cost because of the link between water costs and energy costs. In order to meet operators' demands and requirements, equipment manufacturers are investing considerable resources in the development of new technologies that will reduce energy costs. The Water Services Corporation in Malta is one example of a forward-looking operator of a seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) plant seeking to ensure the production of high-quality drinking water at an affordable price. Established in 1993 to produce and distribute potable water on the islands of Malta and Gozo, WSC has an annual production target of 35 million m to satisfy the needs of its 400,000 residents and in excess of one million tourists. With the drive to produce greater efficiencies and water quality WSC has taken an opportunity to investigate and monitor the potential of a new technology from KSB, the SalTec pressure boosting and energy recovery system. The SalTec DT pressure exchanger in combination with KSB's HGM RO high-pressure pump creates a highly attractive proposition for RO plant designers and operators. The SalTec DT system provides a nominal capacity of 250 m /h, giving it the capability to operate in plants with train sizes ranging between 4,400 m /d and 5,000 m /d of permeate at common recovery rates.

Malta tenders Euro 10 million desalination project
The Water Services Corporation of Malta has issued a tender for a reverse osmosis plant at Hondoq Bay on the Island of Gozo.
Evaporation-pond pilot suggested for Colorado salinity
Public scoping meetings are to be held by the US Bureau of Reclamation in December 2011 on the subject of the Paradox Valley Salinity Control Unit near Bedrock, Colorado.
New Texas desalination plant could reuse fracking water
A new desalination test facility in Loving County, Texas could be deployed in treating water used in hydraulic fracturing - tracking- for shale gas for reuse in the oil industry.
Texas opens public hearings on desalination
The US state of Texas has begun a series of public hearings on desalination costs and benefits that will inform the drafting of new laws next year.
Outfall and intake problems hit OC desalination
The pilot plant for the South Orange Coastal Ocean Desalination Project in California has been forced to close down due to relocation of its outfall pipe due to heavy storms . The project has also run into problems with its intake water.
California district ups desalination and reuse incentive by 36%
Southern California's Metropolitan Water District has increased by 36% the financial
incentive for water agencies to develop and produce recycled water, recovered
groundwater, and desalinated seawater supplies.
AMTA/AWWA 2015 membrane conference abstracts invited
The American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) and the American Water Works Association have issued a call for papers for their fourth joint Membrane Technology Conference to be held in Florida in 2015.
Contamination security white papers released in USA
New security technologies for detecting and monitoring water supplies could be developed as a result of a contamination warning system (CWS) demonstration pilot project in the USA undertaken by CH2M Hill and the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD).
ASTM to develop standard for fracking water quality
The US standards body ASTM International is to develop standards to be used by contract laboratories, water utilities and other requiring or developing methods for hydraulic fracturing in the oil & gas industry.
August Rocky Mountain reuse workshop set for Golden
This year's Rocky Mountain Water Reuse Workshop is to be held at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, on 14 August 2014.
Solar still v RO comparison for S Australia desalination
A full solar distillation plant was compared with reverse osmosis (RO) for a small groundwater desalination project in South Australia and RO was chosen as the preferred option.
Texas treatment company spins off frac water firm
A company called Green Hydro LLC has been spun off by Texas-based Advanced Hydro Inc to use desalination to address increasing demand for water use in hydraulic fracturing.

'Challenges are shared across the border', Mitch Thompson, Otay
Water from NSC Agua's desalination plant in Rosarito, Baja California, is a critical component of Otay's diversification efforts.
Desalination help published with WHO drinking water standards
The World Health Organization launched the 4th edition of its Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality (ISBN: 978 92 4 154815 1) at the Singapore Water Week on 4 July 2011 - and also launched a separate guide for desalination.
Spanish water investment to hit € 1.2 billion this year
Desalination and water reuse projects are likely to be among the new water infrastructure projects worth € 700 million due to be tendered by Spain's Ministry for Environment & Rural & Marine Affairs (MARM) in the second half of 2011.
H2O MBR plants for California and Colorado
H2O Innovation has sold its first membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems into California and Colorado, using its Bio-Brane technology.

AQWATEC opens onsite MBR wastewater reuse plant
The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) Advanced Water Treatment Center (AQWATEC) has opened a pilot-scale wastewater reuse facility in February 2009 on the US school's campus in Golden.
Visalia wastewater upgrade will be largest MBR in California
The City of Visalia, USA, is upgrading its wastewater treatment plant with membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and will be the largest MBR plant in California when it enters service in 2013.

'Challenges are shared across the border', Mitch Thompson, Otay
Water from NSC Agua's desalination plant in Rosarito, Baja California, is a critical component of Otay's diversification efforts.
GRA web seminar to look at California salt plans
CalDesal, the California desalination non-profit organisation, is joining a web seminar on Workflow for Salt and Nutrient Plans on 15 May 2013 presented by the Groundwater Resources Association with the Association of California Water Agencies.

Modesto water quality project gets Siemens MBR equipment
Equipment for a 12.6 MGD (47,700 m³/d) membrane bioreactor (MBR) system is to be supplied to City of Modesto, California, USA, by Siemens Water Technologies for the Jennings Road Water Quality Control Facility.
Stockholm water week seeks abstracts and seminars
Abstracts and seminar proposals have been invited for the 2010 World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, during 5-11 September 2010.
National Water Co 'to take over 15 Saudi cities by 2014'
The Saudi Arabian company set up to take over privatised water services, including desalination, will have 15 cities on its books by 2014, a senior official told media at the Wastewater Treatment and Reuse 2009 conference organised by MEED.
USEPA to enforce Clean Water Act better
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced on 15 October 2009 at a House of Representatives Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing that the agency is stepping up its efforts on Clean Water Act enforcement.
Massive health grant aids Chino desalters expansion
California's Western Municipal Water District announced on 28 June 2012 that it had received a "monumental" US$ 51 million grant from the state's Department of Health towards the US$ 130 million expansion of the Chino desalination plants.
CH2M reuse promotion drive picks up Stockholm prize
Colorado-based service and engineering company, CH2M, has won the 2015 Stockholm International Water Institute's (SIWI's) Stockholm Industry Water Award, for developing and advancing methods to clean water and increasing public acceptance of recycled water.
SWMOA New Mexico/Colorado workshops in April
The Southwest Membrane Operator Association (SWMOA) is holding two membrane operator training workshops in New Mexico and Colorado in April 2012.
Brackish desalination studied for Oklahoma aquifer
The Central Oklahoma Water Resources Authority (COWRA) in the USA is currently working with local company Guernsey Engineering and California's Separation Processes Inc to do a feasibility study and pilot project to use brackish water from the Garber Wellington aquifer which underlies 3,000 sq miles (7,700 km²) of central Oklahoma.

MTC18 hot topics are ZLD, and public outreach
The Membrane Technology Conference 2018 kicked off in Florida, US, with a panel debate on the pros and cons of membrane treatment technologies.
Texas wastewater plant includes GE pre treatment
The city of Abilene, Texas has completed its installation of GE's membrane bioreactor technology, the LEAPmbr wastewater treatment system, as part of a major upgrade to the city's Hamby Wastewater Treatment Plant.

"We're now at more than $100 million revenue." Doug Brown, AquaVenture chairman and CEO
AquaVenture chief executive Doug Brown has a track record of delivering shareholder value. When he joined water technology and engineering firm Ionics as chief executive in 2003, the struggling business was trading at $16 a share.
Nine desalination studies bag US$ 1.4 million funding
Nine research projects and pilot studies will share US$1.4 million in funding under a desalination and water purification research programme set up by the US Bureau of Reclamation.

Winners of awards for water reuse projects unveiled
America's WateReuse Association has unveiled the winners of this year's awards for leadership in water reuse.

AMTA unveils annual gongs for membrane experts
The American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) has conferred its annual roster of awards for membrane specialists, include its Lifetime Service Award, Hall of Fame Awards, and Operator of the Year Award.

Suez and Middle East plants top 2018 Global Water Awards
Suez has scooped the Desalination Company of the Year Award, and Middle East facilities topped the desal plant categories at this year's Global Water Awards from Global Water Intelligence (GWI).
Brownsville pilot study published
Pilot study results from consultant NRS Consulting Engineers have confirmed that seawater desalination on the shore of the Ship Channel in Brownsville, Texas, USA, is technically feasible.
Wichita Falls set to start up DPR plant in May
Direct potable reuse of wastewater could be making its debut in Texas, USA, in early May 2014, as testing of water produced by the Temporary Water Reuse Project at the City of Wichita Falls continues to show the water is safe to drink.
STW Water bags Horizon, Texas US$ 2.2 million brine concentrator deal
STW Water has won the US$ 2.2 million contract to design, engineer and construct a reverse osmosis concentrator for the Municipal Utility District of Horizon City, Texas.
PoU reverse-osmosis planned for US city's households
The City of Andrews, USA, is likely to submit a proposal to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) at the end of this year for installation of point-of-use (PoU) reverse-osmosis (RO) water treatment on 4,500 city homes.

Wave-powered desalination about to be installed
A company in Texas, USA, is preparing to demonstrate the use of desalination with the wave-power facility it is about to install in the Gulf of Mexico.
Three desalination workshops follow IDA World Congress
Three different aspects of desalination will be covered in workshops announced on 10 September 2009 by the International Desalination Association (IDA), which will follow its upcoming World Congress in Dubai.
Reverse osmosis plant put on hold after rainfall.
After rainfall boosted Lake Palo Pinto in Texas, US to almost 30% capacity, officials at the city of Mineral Wells have elected to delay completion of a reverse osmosis facility for at least 12 months.
Joint venture aims to treat Texas frac water
A joint venture to treat brackish/produced water sources has been set up in Texas by STW Resources Holding Corp and CK Investments Energy Company (CKI).
AdVE desalination pilot plant approved for Laredo
A 50,000 gpd (190,000 L/d) advanced vapor compression desalination (AdVE) pilot plant is to be constructed and operated for the City of Laredo, Texas. The City Council has approved a US$ 1.6 million joint proposal by Terrabon LLC and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES).
Tunisia and Malta to share desalination expertise
Tunisia has signed an agreement with the Mediterranean island of Malta involving sharing of expertise on desalination plants.
Ceramic nanofiltration company gets big investor
ItN Nanovation AG, a start-up company in Saarbrucken, Germany, making nanofiltration ceramic products for the water industry, announced on 9 December 2010 a framework investment agreement with the US investment fund YA Global Master SPV Ltd, part of the Yorkville Group.
AMTA schedules workshops up to 2016 conference
The American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) has published a list of workshops and conferences up to and including its 2016 Membrane Technology Conference, which will be held with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in San Antonio, Texas, on 1‑5 February 2016.

Gradiant Energy Services appoints Jimenez as CEO
Gradiant Energy Services (GES) has appointed Danny Jimenez as chief executive with a brief to oversee strategic direction and growth, including expanding its offer to oil and gas operators.
Desalination "part of Reclamation's toolkit", AMTA told
Commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation Mike Connor believes "desalination has to be part of the toolkit" that the bureau uses to address the issue of shrinking water resources in the western United States.
US Army launches Net Zero water, waste and energy initiative
The US Army identified six of its camps on 19 April 2011 to become "net zero" water installations - limiting consumption of freshwater resources and returning water back to the same watershed so as not to deplete annual water resources in that region in quantity and quality.

Most-read: our top 20 stories of 2018
The year 2018 was dominated by big project tenders in the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia. Water. desalination + reuse rounds up the top stories from our industry.
Arizona panel makes water-reuse recommendations
More than 60 recommendations including many on wastewater reuse have been forwarded to the governor of the US state of Arizona by a "Blue Ribbon" panel formed by the governor, Jan Brewer, in 2009.
A grand conference is AMTA/ AWWA's fourth
One thousand attendees turned up at Orlando, Florida for the fourth Membrane Technology Conference (MTC) hosted jointly by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) last week.
LA utility tops US water bond risk says report
A report published on 21 October 2010 by Ceres and Water Asset Management alleges that few participants in the US water and electricity bond market -- including investors, bond rating agencies and the utilities themselves -- are accounting for growing water scarcity, legal conflicts and other threats in their analyses.

AMTA names 10 new board directors
The American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) has named 10 new board directors who will serve for two years from 2017 to 2019.

US DoE awards $21 million for solar desalination projects
The US Department of Energy has unveiled funding of $21 million for 14 projects to advance solar-based thermal desalination technologies.
1,100 US counties face water supply crisis by 2050, says report
A new analysis for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), examining the effects of global warming on water supply and demand in the contiguous United States, has found that more than 1,100 counties will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as the result of global warming.
Inge's ultrafiltration technology wins place in desalination upgrade
Subsidiary of chemical giant, BASF, Inge, will supply its ultrafiltration technology for San Jose Water Company's upgrade of its 40-year old Montevina Water Treatment Plant. Inge forecast the project will be "well noted in the industry."
Energy Recovery bags US$ 1 mlllion US deal duo
Flow energy technology firm, Energy Recovery, has won US$ 1 million in deals for desalination projects in California and Texas.

Yuma desalination plant pilot run concluded successfully
The year-long pilot run of the revamped Yuma desalination plant on the Colorado river in the USA has ended in success, the Bureau of Reclamation announced on 1 April 2011.

Chilean solar desalination demo precurses pilot project
A demonstration solar-powered desalination plant was installed in mid‑March 2013 in Arica, Chile, by Fundación Chile, in advance of a pilot project for irrigation purposes.