NDA Convention
The 2008 annual convention of the National Drilling Association is scheduled for Oct. 8-10 at the Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark, Ohio, about a 25-minute drive from the Columbus airport. Cherry Valley is the only hotel in the nation that’s also an arboretum and botanical garden. This year’s convention will feature outdoor drilling demonstrations as well as seminars, evening entertainment and a golf outing. A reservation form and additional information may be found at www.nda4u.com.Seminar topics on Thursday include drillers’ and drill management safety, presented by Rick Hutchings of Central Mine Equipment Co.; DOT compliance, presented by Jay Muratore of Motor Carrier Compliance & Safety Co.; the standard penetration test, presented by Alan Lutenegger of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; large-diameter pavement core drilling, presented by Rich Clark of Simco Drilling Equipment Co.; drill fluids for geotechnical applications: soils sampling and coring, presented by Dennis Duty of Baroid Industrial Drilling Products; and geothermal drilling systems, presented by Lenny Rexrode of Aquifer Drilling & Testing Inc.
Outdoor demonstrations Friday morning will be presented by GeoProbe Systems, demonstrating a new high-capacity direct-push rig; USExploration Equipment Co., demonstrating a sonic rig; Baroid, demonstrating proper mixing and handling of components for basic drill fluids and additives; Acker Drill, demonstrating a new track-mounted drill; and CTL Engineering, demonstrating the calibration of a 140-pound hammer.
Special outings also are planned for spouses who attend the event.
Removing Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater
BlueInGreen, an Arkansas-based company that provides systems for dissolved-gas treatment of water systems, recently announced a two-year, $750,000 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to study the cost-effective removal of pharmaceutical residuals from wastewater using a new hyper-ozonation technology.“Without a doubt, the widespread media attention and heightened public awareness surrounding the presence of pharmaceuticals throughout the environment has sparked growing concerns nationwide,” says Charlotte Smith, president of PharmEcology, a company that provides environmental consultation to the healthcare industry. “This study is an important first step in removing pharmaceuticals generated by human activity at the most concentrated point of generation. Widespread implementation of such a system would ensure that both humans and aquatic species have access to water that is free of pharmaceuticals and other chemical contaminants.”
Using a patented hyper ozonation process, BlueInGreen will use a hyperconcentrated dissolved ozone (HyDOZ) unit for large-scale removal of both microbes and chemical components from wastewater. The company will target antibiotic residuals, estrogen-like compounds and industrial chemicals for treatment. The unit has a three-pronged approach to improving water quality – destruction of microbes, removal of chemical residuals, and breakdown of vectors of antibiotic resistance.
This study will examine the use of hyper-ozonation to replace traditional disinfection technologies in use at wastewater treatment facilities. The use of chlorine-based compounds for the treatment of water and wastewater is a common practice. However, according to a 2008 Associated Press report, “Drugs Found in Drinking Water,” the use of chlorine can make some pharmaceuticals more toxic.
“One of the key advantages of the use of ozone is that it breaks down to oxygen during treatment and actually improves water quality,” explains Scott Osborn, chief technology officer for BlueInGreen.
Educational Opportunities This Month
The National Ground Water Association is presenting several short courses in September.Those tasked with remediation and site cleanup will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge at two seminars taking place in Costa Mesa, Calif. “Science and Myths of Indoor Inhalation Pathway,” Sept. 10, explains how to identify sites where this pathway is a concern, and calculate risk-based target concentrations for indoor air, soil vapor, and ground water. “Introductory Statistics for Environmental Professionals,” Sept. 11-12, teaches how to understand environmental data.
Ground water industry personnel will have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the roles fractured rock settings and geochemistry play in evaluating contaminant migration and remediation design at three short courses taking place in Denver. The “Isotopic and Hydrogeological Characterization of Fractured Rock Settings” course, Sept. 15-16, explains how various characterization models and methodologies may be used in establishing aquifer management plans and remediation design. Com-plementary courses – “Fundamentals of Ground Water Geochemistry,” Sept. 15-16, and “Applications of Ground Water Geochemistry,” Sept. 17-18 – explain geochemical principles and how they can be applied in evaluating contaminant migration and remediation systems.
Industry professionals can increase their remediation technology knowledge in two different courses taking place in Baltimore: “Understanding Migration, Assessment, and Remediation of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids,” Sept. 23-25, and “Environmental Isotopes in Ground Water Resources and Contaminant Hydrogeology,” Sept. 24-25.
For more information on these courses, telephone 800-551-7379, or visit www.ngwa.org.
American Ground Water Trust Events
Promoting ground water information, awareness and education since 1986, the American Ground Water Trust presents the following informative programs in the upcoming weeks:- Sept. 15 – “Water Well Performance: The Economic Basis for Operation, Well Rehabilitation & Maintenance Decisions” in Langley, British Columbia.
- Sept. 17 – “Ground Source Heating and Cooling Technology for Residential and Commercial Properties” in Saint Paul, Minn.
- Sept. 22-23 – “Aquifer Storage Recovery VIII: Application of Science and Technology to Ground Water Management” in Orlando, Fla.
- Sept. 24 – “Ground Source Heating and Cooling Technology for Residential and Commercial Properties” in Golden, Colo.
- Oct. 2 – “Water Well Performance: The Economic Basis for Operation, Well Rehabilitation & Maintenance Decisions” in Lakewood, Calif.
- Oct. 7 – “Ground Source Heating and Cooling Technology for Residential and Commercial Properties” in Decatur, Ga.
