By Rich Anderson
May 24, 2010

Schenectady (NY) Mayor Brian U. Stratton and Pleasanton (CA) Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, Co-Chairs of the Mayors Water Council, welcomed mayors and city representatives to the 2010 Regional Meeting of the Mayors Water Council. The meeting featured expert panels discussing the water/energy nexus, as well as information on applying emerging technologies to increase efficiencies and public-private partnerships that save money. Mayors and city representatives kicked off the meeting with a discussion of the various water infrastructure and service challenges they are addressing in their communities

Black & Veatch Associate Vice President Clinton Robinson kicked off the discussion on the link between water and energy. He cited several examples where cities incorporate alternative energy approaches in relation to their water and wastewater operations. The Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) installed two wind turbines that generate 600 kW of electricity, and save an estimated $230,000 annually. MWRA also adopted a goal to support 30 percent of their energy demand with alternative sources by 2020. The Hartford Metropolitan District installed a 1.7 MW steam turbine to generate 40 percent of their energy demand by tapping the waste heat from their sludge incinerator. It saves the District $1.4 million annually.

American Water Services PE and President John Young Jr. commented that water is heavy. A thousand gallons of water weighs four tons; and because it is heavy it takes a lot of energy (maybe 85 percent or more of electric consumption at a water treatment plant) to pump it. In addition to pumping, as water treatment levels increase, so does the energy requirement to perform the treatment. Herein lies one of the larger problems in the water/energy nexus. The more energy used to move and treat the water, the greater the carbon dioxide emissions that are generated. Young stated that the wise application of renewable energy sources to offset conventional fossil based energy sources could dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Aclara Technologies Technical Director Kendall Smith addressed the emerging importance of the “Smart Grid.” He stated, “The Intelligent Infrastructure™ encompasses the design and implementation of smart strategies, technologies, and networks that allow utility operations and services to communicate effectively and efficiently while increasing control and automation.” He provided several examples of how cities have improved efficiencies and avoided cost (or even reduced costs) for public services.

East Providence (RI) City Manager Richard Brown and United Water Vice President Gary Albertson presented information on a Design-Build-Operate (DBO) project. Brown stated that the city had to make a substantial capital investment to comply with a consent order involving total nitrogen effluent limits in their permit; and introduce new pump capacity to alleviate collection system overflows. The city hired Camp, Dresser and McKee to help figure out the best design to fix the two problems. The result was an estimated upgrade that would cost $65.8 million. In an effort to economize on the overall cost, the city took the approach that the bid process could state the desired outcome and encourage the bidders to propose solutions to achieve the goal, but not be bound by a preconceived design spec. The city hired Malcolm Pirnie to help with and RFQ/RFP process. As a result, the city chose to enter into a DBO arrangement with United Water. Albertson provided details of how the city shifted the risk for a number of responsibilities to the private partner - United Water. Albertson pointed out that the city entered into a ten-year contract with United, who in turn, partnered with other firms to provide pieces of the project under United's control. This Partnership approach brought the overall price down from $65.8 million to $52.52 million- a $13 million (20 percent) savings over the original project cost estimate.

Veolia Water North America Vice President Farzin Kiani provided an update on a Partnership between Veolia and Schenectady. The partnership covers several elements of the 18.5 MGD city wastewater treatment plant, including: five dry ton-per-day composting system, pump stations, seepage receiving, and oversight of the industrial pretreatment program (IPP). Kiani cited the original problems driving the decision to make changes at the plant. The plant was aging and operating inefficiently. The composting operation had been shut down as a result of odors, mechanical problems and poor product quality. Community relations were strained as nearby residents and businesses expressed concern about the health impacts as a result of the compost odors. Once the city entered into an agreement with the private partner a schedule of activities resulted in sewer cleaning, strategically installed baffles to reduce odors, and a successful resumption of the composting operation. The Partnership contract has been renewed twice, most recently for a ten-year term. The city maintains that efficiencies continue to increase, operational costs remain in check - and there have been no real dollar increases in operational costs based on the contract over the last 20 years.

o reduce odors, and a successful resumption of the composting operation. The Partnership contract has been renewed twice, most recently for a ten-year term. The city maintains that efficiencies continue to increase, operational costs remain in check - and there have been no real dollar increases in operational costs based on the contract over the last 20 years.

Oracle Vice President Guerry Waters focused his remarks on an area that is seldom recognized as critical to local service efficiencies. He stated that all utilities use computers “smartly,” but that the mobile workforce out in the field is often underutilized. He said that Oracle is pioneering what he calls the “computational grid” that coordinates field assignments to qualified workers rather than rely on using a single crew for a single purpose over and over again. Oracle has designed a mobile communications platform that allows field workers to use an interoperable communication system that is capable of communicating over the entire community. Connectedness is no longer an issue because the mobile communication platform places everyone in touch with everyone else; and if the system is upgraded- it happens for everyone, simultaneously. Waters also mentioned that some cities are starting to use this type of system in their utility departments, but are also finding that it works for all departments.

Stratton and Hosterman thanked all the meeting participants. He said that the presentations made in the meeting will be posted on the Conference of Mayors Water Council website in the next few weeks. He also noted that the next Mayors Water Council Meeting would be held June 11 in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Conference of Mayors in Oklahoma City.