The latest addition to the Alert Colorimeter range from Applikon Analytical is the new zinc analyser.

The latest addition to the Alert Colorimeter range from Applikon Analytical is the new zinc analyser. Designed for reliability and minimal operator attendance the Alert analyser is perfect for waste water applications. The analyser utilises the unique Differential Absorbance Colorimetry (DAC) methodology to prevent turbidity and sample colour interfering with the analysis result.

The analysis is capable of determining zinc from approximately 0.01 mg/l to 2 mg/l.

Automatic calibration checks are carried out either on a periodic basis or as a conditional action to validate out of range results.

The Alert Colorimeter features extensive I/O capabilities such as high result relays, remote start/stop and analogue outputs.

Additional remote interrogation via GSM modem is also available for isolated installations.

The running costs are kept to a minimum by low reagent use, typically less than 1ml of buffer and 0.5ml of colour reagent per analysis, and minimal consumables.

Attendance for planned maintenance is usually carried out on an annual basis.

Applikon Analytical is part of the Metrohm group of companies and represented exclusively by Metrohm UK.

Partech Instruments has become the first manufacturer to be awarded MCERTS certification for a turbidity monitoring system for effluent discharge installations.

Partech Instruments has become the first manufacturer to be awarded MCERTS certification for a turbidity monitoring system for effluent discharge installations. The certification provides further weight to the Partech claim to have the best range of continuous water monitors for use in the water industry. 'Partech was one of the first companies to put in place a framework for MCERTS and this has now resulted in the Company gaining MCERTS certification,' reports Sales and Marketing Director Angus Fosten: 'With a high product installed base throughout the UK and a fast-growing demand from the EU, having MCERTS will ensure that Partech maintains its strong position and continue to expand on the international front'.

The Partech 7200 Monitor and Turbi-tech 2000LS has been the UK's market leading 'Final Effluent' monitor for many years.

The combination of a highly reliable sensor, easy to use monitor and the Turbi-Tech sensor with the fully integrated self-cleaning system provides users with exceptionally low cost of ownership and high confidence in the information being gathered.

The MCERTS approved system is suitable for monitoring Turbidity in effluent discharges, river water and inlet protection applications in ranges from 0-50 to 0-500 FTU.

It can also be configured to monitor suspended solids and can be provided with a package of mounting accessories and telemetry devices to suit almost every application.

'MCERTS will be a contract tendering requirement,' says Angus Fosten.

'Most importantly, it will create a level playing field in what is becoming a very competitive market and eventually eliminate those products that are not fit for purpose'.

MCERTS certified analysers will give operators the confidence that they are using the equipment that is of the highest standard and will ensure that by doing so they are safe in the knowledge that they are meeting the criteria for safe discharge consents.

And should plant operators have any doubts about conformity and whether they fall under the IPPC scheme, they can always talk to Partech or go to the MCERTS website.

With the internationally patented measuring instrument Cosmos-25, Zullig is setting new standards in the measurement of turbidity and suspended solids in watery media.

With the internationally patented measuring instrument Cosmos-25, Zullig is setting new standards in the measurement of turbidity and suspended solids in watery media.

Due to the use of the latest technology, which is able to analyse 8 different measuring signals, it has become possible to register turbidity as well as suspended solids values for the whole measuring range with only one sensor! Due to its planar measuring system (no cams nor slots) the Cosmos-25 sensor can be used in open channels and basins as well as in pipelines.

This sensor has been designed for use in waste water treatment plants and in the water industry as well as in the chemical industry and other industrial plants.

Delfland Waterboard in the Netherlands has recently installed a Berson InLine 400+ medium pressure UV system, which allows disinfected effluent to be re-used as process water.

Delfland Waterboard in the Netherlands has recently installed a Berson InLine 400+ medium pressure UV system at its Nieuw Waterweg WWTP in Hoek van Holland. The Berson system is used to disinfect effluent, which is then re-used as process water for cleaning and dilution. According to AWZI, the InLine 400+ system was selected as it is more effective than chlorine against water-borne microorganisms such as E coli, it removes the need to handle and store dangerous chemicals, and is reliable, safe, easy to use and maintain.

Another major advantage of the Berson unit is that it uses a stepless power supply, which means significantly lower energy costs and longer lamp life than alternative methods.

All Berson InLine+ systems are compact and can be fitted into existing pipework with minimal disruption.

They also have automated wiping systems, which keep the quartz sleeves surrounding the UV lamps clean.

This means no chemicals are needed for cleaning, and wiping takes place automatically during normal operation, without requiring a by-pass unit.

Based in the Netherlands, Berson UV is a world leader in UV technology for a wide range of applications, including drinking, process and waste-water treatment, dechlorination, ozone removal and TOC reduction.

The company has over 30 years of experience in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of UV systems worldwide.

Mono Pumps has helped United Utilities Operational Services solve the problem of unscreened storm discharge at its sewage treatment works at Little Mill, near Pontypool.

Mono Pumps has helped United Utilities Operational Services solve the problem of unscreened storm discharge at its sewage treatment works at Little Mill, near Pontypool, which it runs on behalf of Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. The installation of a Mono Stormscreen unit now allows the incoming raw sewage to be thoroughly screened at storm level, ensuring large solids are retained in the main flow to treatment and that the stormwater discharge from inlet meets consent requirements. The Stormscreen is designed to provide a self-cleaning, self-powered alternative to existing mesh screens for handling storm overflows.

Ideal for this type of variable flow application, the unit at Little Mill is mounted on a channel overflow weir and has a capacity up to 172 L/sec.

Although the Stormscreen normally acts as a flow-powered unit, the Little Mill sewage treatment works experiences unusually variable flow rates and so requested that a drive motor be added to provide additional power during times of particularly low flow.

The Stormscreen features a 400mm diameter, 1-metre long stainless steel mesh drum that incorporates a brush wheel, fitted with adjustable brushes.

As the water flows through the unit, the mesh removes any solids above 6mm in two dimensions, the brush wheel ejecting solids back into the main flow for further treatment or disposal.

An integrated scumboard extends into the main flow and deflects large floating solids away from the screen, thus increasing its self-cleaning ability.

The standard Stormscreen mesh conforms to discharge consent and AMP 3 guidelines, in line with the Environment Agency strict requirements, and provides a maximum flow capacity of 810L/sec per 2m length, depending on solids content.

The Stormscreen typically requires only the power of the storm flow to operate, and this allows it to offer minimal maintenance requirements and zero power costs.

A modular construction means that the Stormscreen is adaptable to existing civil works, with options on diameters and lengths to suit differing weir configurations.

The Little Mill installation features an optional monitoring system that incorporates status reports and event logging capabilities.

This can be telemetry linked so that instant status is sent if the machine starts, stops, or encounters blockages, which may prevent efficient operation.

There is also an option for either manual start up, or automatic start up via a remote level detection system.

Vexamus Water has completed a successful pilot trial for United Utilities to investigate the treatment of UIDs (Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges, or storm flows) from sewage treatment works.

Vexamus Water has completed a successful pilot trial for United Utilities to investigate the treatment of UIDs (Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges, or storm flows) from sewage treatment works. This award-winning process can be considered as an alternative option to that of constructing storm tanks. During the 10-month trial, which took place at Millom WWTW in Cumbria, Vexamus Water developed an innovative flocculation and clarification process that achieved very high levels of treatment.

The new treatment process (designed not to find a cheaper option, but to find a solution that works) involves chemically dosing the screened storm water before transferring it to the flocc/clarification stages of the StormEasy Process.

Flocculation of the chemically dosed feed is achieved within a non-powered FloccEasy tank that creates a spiralling flow pattern to produce readily settleable floccs.

Clarification of the floccs is achieved in a Lamella Plate Separator that comprises a hopper bottomed steel tank containing rows of flat plates inclined at 55 degrees to the horizontal.

The incoming flow is evenly distributed across the plates, promoting settlement of the solids on the plates and a progressive discharge of sludge into the base of the tank.

Clarified water is collected in horizontal launders located above the plates and discharged from the process.

The bacteriological standards worked to during the trial were an overall bacteriological log kill, between crude sewage and receiving water, of 5.4 for bathing water discharges and 5.25 for shellfish waters.

To achieve this, United Utilities required the StormEasy process to produce an effluent with a suspended solids concentration of less than 15mg/l and a % transmissivity greater than 50%.

This would then allow a UV system to provide the additional treatment to ensure that the log kill figures could be met.

Traditionally, the volume of effluent entering a sewage treatment works during a storm event (that cannot be treated by the existing processes) is diverted to storm tank(s) for storage and eventual treatment through the works when influent flows permit.

Typically, the storm tanks are sized to retain 'excess' storm flows for a period of 2 hours and, once full, additional storm water would 'spill' from the tanks to the normal point of discharge from the works.

The availability of more sophisticated software now provides a better understanding of storm events, particularly follow-on storms, with the result that spill frequency targets are likely to become tighter.

United Utilities adopted Continuous Simulation Modelling Techniques to provide a clearer picture of their treatment options for meeting these tighter spill frequency targets.

An internal review of the options concluded that either building additional storm tanks, or ones with larger capacities - normally a cost effective solution - was not always possible, because of operational problems and the difficulty in obtaining more land.

Instead, the ideal solution was to treat the storm effluent on a continuous basis, as it arises, and discharge it to the receiving water.

The combination of the Vexamus Water FloccEasy and Lamella Plate Separator was borne out of the need to develop a process for treating storm water that was efficient, simple to operate, reliable, robust and with low capital and maintenance costs.

At the beginning of the trial, flocculation of the effluent was achieved using a rectangular tank fitted with a variable speed stirrer, which is a standard type used with Vexamus Water Lamella Plate Separators.

Although satisfactory results were obtained, careful consideration was given to improving the overall process by simplifying the operation of the plant and reducing capital and operating costs - without sacrificing plant performance.

The flocculation stage is a key part of the process, since poorly formed floccs will not settle in the Lamella, and it is the only stage that has motorised drives.

Given that the plant is likely to sit idle for long periods and then 'jump' into operation during a storm event, the removal of drives would simplify the process, reduce capital costs and provide a robust plant by reducing the risk of equipment failure at start up.

Thus the development of the FloccEasy began.

On-site colour turbidity and UV transmissivity measurements were made on inlet/outlet samples from the StormEasy process, with the more extensive analysis, to include BOD, SS, faecal coliforms and entroviruses, being undertaken by United Utilities.

The quality of the treated effluent satisfied all requirements.

Increasingly tight discharge consents and improved software further underlines the realisation that the traditional policy of building additional storm tanks, or ones with larger capacities is not always feasible.

This is particularly the case where.

Either the wastewater treatment plant is operating at maximum flow.

Or there are on-site difficulties in operating more storm tanks.

Or when problems arise in obtaining land or permission to construct storm tanks.

The development of the StormEasy process also provides inherent benefits, namely that of saving up to 90% of the area of a conventional settlement tank and therefore conserving the existing valuable land for other processes.

The pilot plant trial at Millom was the first time in the UK that a continuous process had been applied to resolve a UID problem.

Its ability to meet the quality parameters and provide an operator-friendly plant now provides an alternative solution to the building of storm tanks.

Rotork intelligent electric valve actuators with Profibus DP open control system connectivity are helping Wessex Water to improve the sewage treatment regime and protect popular tourist beaches.

Rotork intelligent electric valve actuators with Profibus DP open control system connectivity are helping Wessex Water to improve the sewage treatment regime and protect the popular tourist beaches on the Somerset coast at Highbridge. A new storm overflow tank installation at Highbridge is the first Wessex Water use of the Profibus DP protocol for the monitoring and control of valve actuators, which, says Wessex Water commissioning engineer Iain Harris: 'should provide us with the prototype for similar installations in the future. Wessex Water is always keen to look into using the latest developments in technology in order to continue to be recognised by OFWAT as being the most efficient water and sewerage operator'.

At Highbridge two new storm tanks have been built to double the storage capacity of the existing installation, which receives the flow from eight pumping stations in the surrounding area.

The plant expansion is being designed, installed and commissioned by the principal contractor, MJ Gleeson, in order to meet strict new consent targets introduced by the Environment Agency to minimise the risk of untreated discharges to sea.

At the same time new screens, filters, aeration tanks, settlement tanks and ultra-violet treatment plant have been installed at the West Huntspill STW, which receives the outflow from the Highbridge site, at a controlled rate of no more than 300 litres/second.

Rotork IQ actuators control the flow rate through the Highbridge plant as well as the sequence of filling and emptying the storm tanks when the full flow to site rate is exceeded.

At this point the additional volume is automatically diverted into the storage tanks until the flow rate returns to normal.

All the processes at Highbridge are controlled on Profibus two-wire networks, linked to a new Mitsubishi Q2AS-S1 PLC utilising a software programme written by Wessex Water automation.

Wessex Water senior automation engineer David Evans explains: 'A total of four independent Profibus networks are installed at Highbridge, each network linking flow meters, high and low level sensors and valve operating equipment from different manufacturers.

This type of flexibility is a particularly useful benefit of using an open system such as Profibus when designing and operating plant processes'.

The software programme fills tanks 1 to 4 one after the other but empties them in an especially configured eight-part sequence to enable the process to react immediately to fluctuating ambient conditions.

For the offsite monitoring and reporting of alarms from the fully automated site, the PLC is linked by a Seprol S500 telemetry output to the Wessex Water Regional Operations Centre at Bath and can be accessed from other communication centres.

Commenting on the decision to use Rotork IQ valve actuators on this significant Profibus application, Iain Harris says: 'Rotork has a good track record of reliability at other Wessex Water sites.

As well as integrating successfully with the other Profibus controlled equipment on site, the IQ actuator gives us greater flexibility with control and instrumentation, particularly with the maintenance and diagnostic abilities provided by inbuilt data loggers'.

Wessex Water operations provide water supply and sewerage services across an area of south west England covering 10,000 square kilometres including Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Bath, most of Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire.

Vexamus Water has completed a successful pilot trial for United Utilities to investigate the treatment of UIDs (Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges, or storm flows) from sewage treatment works.

Vexamus Water has completed a successful pilot trial for United Utilities to investigate the treatment of UIDs (Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges, or storm flows) from sewage treatment works. This award-winning process can be considered as an alternative option to that of constructing storm tanks. The 10-month trial, which took place at Millom WWTW in Cumbria was the first time in the UK that a continuous process had been applied to resolve a UID problem.

Its ability to meet the quality parameters and provide an operator-friendly plant now provides an alternative solution to the building of storm tanks.

The development of the StormEasy process also provides inherent benefits, namely that of saving up to 90% of the area of a conventional settlement tank and therefore conserving the existing valuable land for other processes.

The bacteriological standards worked to during the trial were an overall bacteriological log kill, between crude sewage and receiving water, of 5.4 for bathing water discharges and 5.25 for shellfish waters.

To achieve this, United Utilities required the StormEasy process to produce an effluent with a suspended solids concentration of less than 15mg/l and a % transmissivity greater than 50%.

This would then allow a UV system to provide the additional treatment to ensure that the log kill figures could be met.

Centriquip of Clay Cross in Derbyshire has secured a 5-year framework agreement to provide service, breakdown and repair for all the decanter centrifuges and drum thickeners in Anglian Water.

Centriquip of Clay Cross in Derbyshire has secured a 5-year framework agreement to provide service, breakdown and repair for all the decanter centrifuges and drum thickeners in Anglian Water, geographically the UK's largest water company. Although Centriquip is the UK's largest manufacturer of decanter centrifuges, over 90% of the equipment in Anglian Water has been supplied by other manufacturers. Neil Lacey, aftersales manager for Centriquip, explained that this was not a problem.

'Our workshops and service staff have the ability to service and repair any make of equipment' he explained: 'In fact, as most equipment is manufactured outside the UK, we can often provide a faster, more effective service than the original supplier'.

Anglian Water has approximately 60 decanter centrifuges and 40 drum thickeners.

Centriquip provides a dedicated team of service engineers, with back up from the Derbyshire workshop, and a dedicated contract manager, to give continuous emergency service with a 6hr guaranteed call out.

Richard Montanaro, Centriquip managing director, said that this framework agreement was a major achievement for the company: 'We are a relatively small manufacturer but have proved that we can secure and service large contracts to provide real partnerships with the most successful companies in the sector' he said.

Centriquip also provides a mobile decanter unit on standby to give emergency cover should any critical machine fail during a period of high demand.

Ultra Link offers the world beating non-contacting ultrasonic level measurement of Pulsar combined with the remote telemetry expertise of Churchill, in a packaged solution for CSO and sewer monitoring.

Ultra Link has been developed to provide the ideal flexible solution to the requirement of CSO and sewer monitoring. A partnered product between Churchill Controls and Pulsar Process Measurement, Ultra Link offers the world beating non-contacting ultrasonic level measurement of Pulsar combined with the remote telemetry expertise of Churchill, in a packaged solution. Ultra Link uses the Pulsar ultrasonic transducer and Datum echo processing which are well suited to meet the often difficult operating conditions found within CSO and sewers, coping with chambers cluttered with potentially interfering structures.

The transducers are certified to ATEX zone 1 as standard (Zone 0 IS is also available).

Ultra Link offers low power radio, leased line or GSM transmission media to allow reporting to the outside world.

Low power radio and leased line can communicate with Nano Link and Micro Link base stations from Churchill.

The base station can then route data into RTUs, SCADA, PLCs or Servers.

The GSM option can transfer data and settings to a PC or Server.

The GSM option also allows any mobile phone to use SMS text messaging to receive alarms/current values and send interrogation/configuration messages.

Ultra Link offers, effective 'real time' reporting of levels, high levels, overflows etc via low power radio or leased line, with local logging backup giving an invaluable source of uninterrupted data.

The local log is adaptive, increasing its logging rate frequency during 'events/spills'.

The GSM option offers further logging capacity based on its 'dial up' operation, and includes facilities to exception report 'events' such as 'high level alarms' or 'spills'.

Ultra Link can be supplied with various power supply options including battery (alkaline D Cells) giving minimum 1 year operation based on a 15 minute sampling frequency basis.

An order for 17 Hydro-Brake Flow Controls, for a major stormwater drainage project in the Jordan Valley area, has been completed in just eight weeks for Hong Kong consulting engineers Scott Wilson.

Arc Energy Resources has completed an export order for seventeen Hydro-Brake Flow Controls for Hydro International. The order, which Hydro received from consulting engineers Scott Wilson, was completed to a tight deadline and shipped to Hong Kong pre-Christmas for a major stormwater drainage project for the Jordan Valley area. Hydro-Brake Flow Controls harness the energy inherent in the flow of liquid, so the units have no moving parts and no external energy requirements.

They are individually designed and manufactured for each installation and typically range in size from 50 mm outlet diameter up to almost two metres.

The seventeen made for Hong Kong have a wide range of bore sizes and were fabricated in 304 stainless steel.

They will be used to drain stormwater from roads and hard tarmac areas.

Commenting for Hydro International, spokesman Alex Stephenson says: 'Arc Energy did well to complete this order in just eight weeks which was needed to avoid interrupting the throughput of our work-in-progress.' Arc Energy project manager Neil Cook says the company's flexible working practices make it possible to accommodate orders such as this without inconveniencing other customers.

Flood risk will be assessed more accurately and reliably in the future with the use of HiFlows-UK, a new database launched by the Environment Agency, for UK Scotland and N Ireland.

Flood risk will be assessed more accurately and reliably in the future with the use of HiFlows-UK, a new database launched jointly today (Monday) by the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and the Rivers Agency (Northern Ireland). Accessible online, HiFlows-UK provides flood peak data and supporting information for catchments across the UK. The new database is aimed primarily at professional users of the statistical flood estimation methods set out in the Flood Estimation Handbook (FEH), which is the standard method of flood peak estimation in the UK.

Flood estimates using these methods improve as more data becomes available.

HiFlows-UK updates and improves the data originally provided with the FEH, enlarging the dataset by 40% to provide flood information from 962 gauging stations in the UK.

Peter Spencer, HiFlows-UK project manager, said: 'HiFlows-UK underpins flood risk management in the UK.

This important new source of data for flood estimation will be used over a range of applications, for example, the design of flood alleviation schemes, floodplain mapping, and flood risk assessments'.

The HiFlows-UK project is a joint initiative between the three UK gauging authorities - the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Rivers Agency in Northern Ireland.

Funding was provided by HM Treasury's Capital Modernisation Fund, which provides a secure funding for co-operative projects.

The Environment Agency led the project, supported by Defra and CEH Wallingford.

The aims of the HiFlows-UK project were.

* review existing flood peak data to provide a single authoritative UK dataset.

* improve background information to assist users of the FEH to make valid decisions.

* add recent data and additional sites.

* make data widely available and easily accessible to everyone via the internet.

* establish structures and procedures for future updating and dissemination.

The project included an extensive testing programme for both data quality and the website, with a complete pilot site released in March 2004 for users to feed back comments and personal knowledge.

Importantly, HiFlows-UK will establish procedures for future annual updates and improvements.

This will keep the data up-to-date, increase the number of stations, and provide further information.

This will ensure also consistency of data collection and reporting across all of the gauging authorities.

The results of ongoing station reviews and data improvements carried out by the three gauging authorities will also be included.

Peter Spencer added: 'There has been considerable interest from practising hydrologists and engineers, who will have ready access over the internet to up-to-date flood data and supporting information such as graphs, photographs and notes on data quality'.

Black and Veatch lead an international study team to complete stormwater management and urban drainage research targeted at understanding of options and costs.

Black And Veatch Corporation today announced completion of a three-year study of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) that will enhance understanding of stormwater quality management technologies and issues in the United States and the United Kingdom. Changes in land use associated with urbanisation can alter the volume and quality of stormwater runoff. BMPs and SUDS are measures used in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively, to reduce adverse impacts to receiving waters.

The study, collectively funded by the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), United Kingdom Water Industry Research (UKWIR) and the Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF), was launched to obtain more detailed information associated with selected BMPs and SUDS.

Professionals from Black And Veatch led teams in both countries in support of the effort that will improve overall stormwater quality management.

'The study demonstrates how experts from both countries effectively collaborated to deliver a report that advances our practical knowledge of stormwater management techniques and costs,' said WERF Research Programme Director Jeff Moeller.

In addition to Black And Veatch, the United Kingdom research team included HR Wallingford, and the Urban Water Technology Centre at the University of Abertay, Dundee, Scotland.

The United States team included the Centre for Research in Water Resources of the University of Texas in Austin and Austin-based Glenrose Engineering.

'The collective expertise and efforts have produced a report that will yield international benefits,' said Black And Veatch Project Director Les Lampe, Ph.D, who is also the Black And Veatch Water Resources Director.

According to Matthew Nott, Environment Business Director for B and V Water-Europe, the research and resulting report significantly contribute to the company's global goal of leading the industry in value creation.

Participants conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature and a survey of existing information on BMPs and SUDS, then performed in-depth assessment of the performance, maintenance requirements and whole-life costs of selected BMPs/SUDS.

Evaluation focused on retention ponds, extended detention basins, vegetated swales, bio-retention systems, porous pavement and infiltration facilities.

The study also resulted in the development of a whole-life cost model that demonstrates that the level of maintenance had a pronounced effect on whole-life costs for most facilities.

Also, in many jurisdictions, vegetation management dominated the maintenance activities rather than sediment, debris and trash removal, or structural repair.

The report, Performance and Whole Life Costs of Best Management Practices and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, is now available from the Water Environment Research Foundation.

'The research results will be of great value to all of our stormwater agencies, particularly in determining the whole-life costs of stormwater management facilities,' said UKWIR Director Michael Farrimond, Ph.D.

UKWIR is planning a one day workshop in London on November 29, where delegates will be able to hear experts from Black And Veatch and HR Wallingford discuss the material.

Attendees will also see the whole-life cost model in action.

Additional information about both the workshop and the report are available through the UKWIR website.

Hawker Electronics were approached to solve a problem monitoring the water levels in Combined Sewerage Overflows - CSOs - especially low and high levels, to prevent flooding.

Hawker Electronics were approached by a well known International Water Company who had a small problem. They wanted to monitor levels in Combined Sewerage Overflows or CSOs as they are better known, especially low and high levels. They had conducted trials with floats for very low levels and found that the float was too large for the application.

They also found that at high levels turbulence caused erratic movement of the float.

Hawker Electronics demonstrated that their electrode system had no moving parts to tangle up or wear out.

Trials were conducted with the Hawker 'Alarum', which is a compact electrode holder with an integral electronic circuit.

The circuit is very low voltage, operating from 24 v DC, and has such low power requirements that it can run from a solar panel or batteries.

A 24v DC 12A/H battery will power it for around 600 hours.

The Alarum had originally been designed for alarms in remote areas or in containment sumps and bunded areas.

Following extensive trials two modifications were requested.

The electrodes needed to be more substantial for higher flows and the unit needed to be ATEX approved for Intrinsically Safe applications demanded by CSOs.

The first requirement was straightforward.

The second one was more demanding but with the Hawker experience in Intrinsically Safe approved equipment and their background in sewage applications, ATEX approval was achieved in just over 3 months.

CSO monitoring can now provide advance warning of high water levels, signalling into the water company warning systems monitoring potential flood situations in urban areas.

Wallingford Software has unveiled its web server strategy for FloodWorks, the real-time flood forecasting and warning system, which enables remote users to access flood risk data via their web browser.

Wallingford Software has unveiled its web server strategy for FloodWorks, the company's real-time flood forecasting and warning system. The strategy builds on the functionality introduced in version 4.5 of FloodWorks in August this year to enable remote users to access flood risk data via their web browser. Future development phases will extend remote functionality to include the ability to commission flood forecasts and edit flood data remotely.

FloodWorks provides real-time simulation and forecasting of hydrological and hydraulic conditions within river basins, drainage systems and the coastal zone.

Designed for operational use in the control room, FloodWorks is particularly effective for real time flood management, because it both provides forecasts of water level, flood depth and sea state for the hours or days ahead, and automatically disseminates detailed flood warnings as required by local conditions.

Recognizing the need for authorized remote users to access flood risk data, FloodWorks v4.5 adopted thin client architecture so that flood forecast results could be viewed on a password protected web site remotely using a standard web browser.

Hitherto forecast results have been accessible only by users with client computers running the powerful FloodWorks Event Manager software.

Phase two of the web server strategy will extend the remote functionality of FloodWorks to enable authorized users to commission flood forecasts; phase three will build on this further to enable remote users to edit data within FloodWorks.

Tyrone Parkinson, Product Manager for FloodWorks believes this strategy will be widely welcomed by users: 'Flood forecasting is rarely the responsibility of a single individual.

This means that users need flexibility in terms of access to flood risk data, particularly at times of heightened flood risk.

Our strategy for FloodWorks web server directly reflects the user feedback we've been receiving and is further evidence of the Wallingford Software on-going commitment to an ambitious and user-centric approach to product development'.

The phasing of the strategy reflects the different levels of security required in each phase.

Phase one, which was completed with the release of v4.5, involves the external publication of flood risk data to authorised users but involves no other level of user interaction with FloodWorks Web Server.

Using pre-configured XML style sheets for creating flood forecasts, phase two will involve the user inputting data directly into FloodWorks Web Server.

Phase three will build on this further, giving authorized users a similar level of access to data edit functions that is available within the FloodWorks Event Manager software.

'It is essential that we adopt a phased development to ensure that an appropriate level of security is applied to each level of access,' says Tyrone Parkinson.

FloodWorks Web Server is easy to set up with installation available direct from a CD.

Output can also be consolidated from multiple FloodWorks web servers onto a single web site for ease of access.

A portable wastewater sampler made by Aquamatic has been helping Newcastle International Airport successfully monitor surface water discharge, checked periodically by EA approved laboratories.

A portable wastewater sampler made by Aquamatic has been helping Newcastle International Airport successfully monitor surface water discharge, which it sends periodically to Environment Agency-approved laboratories for testing. The largest airport in the North East of England, Newcastle International utilises the Aquamatic sampler to collect and temporarily store wastewater samples for analysis so that any contaminants are safely controlled. During the past four years, this has been particularly effective in the winter, when glycol-based chemicals sometimes have to be applied to aircraft, and when acetate de-icing agents are used for safety reasons to treat airfield areas.

Helen Hayden, Environmental Co-ordinator at Newcastle International Airport, commented: 'The Aquamatic sampler has proved a very durable and reliable piece of equipment, which helps us demonstrate due diligence in environmental monitoring'.

An Aquamatic wastewater sampler is also helping Birmingham International Airport to monitor wastewater discharges by providing a hassle-free facility to gather samples.

The equipment ensures compliance with agreed consent limits laid down by Severn Trent Water .

The world's first wastewater sampler to achieve compliance with the Environment Agency MCERTS Performance Standards for Continuous Water Monitoring systems, the Aquamatic Aquacell P2-Coolbox has proved its superiority at remote sites or where no power is available.

Designed for keeping collected samples at 0-50C, it provides a highly cost-effective and efficient alternative to stationary sampling equipment requiring refrigeration and potentially expensive mains supply installation.