Graywater Irrigation Study
Graywater – nonpotable water from showers, handwash sinks and laundry – is used for residential landscape irrigation in a number of states in the Southwest; however, little is known about long-term effects of this practice, according to Colorado State University civil engineers.Sybil Sharvelle and Larry Roesner, professors with the Urban Water Center in Colorado State’s College of Engineering, are in the first year of a three-year $370,000 graywater study awarded by the Water Environment Research Foundation to investigate the effects of using household graywater for residential landscape irrigation. They are sampling soil, plants and water at homes with graywater systems in California, Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Four of the homes have graywater systems that have been in place for more than 5 years, and four additional homes currently are having new systems installed. Three homes with systems in place for more than 5 years – in Colorado, California and Texas – have been tested to date.
“We are assessing plant health, soil chemistry and microorganisms in graywater irrigation areas and comparing the findings with samples taken in the same yard where similar vegetation exists that is irrigated with city water,” Sharvelle says. “You can’t just assume that if a plant looks good now, that it has long-term viability. By applying scientific analyses of plant health, soil quality and microbial populations, we will be able to shed better light on whether it is safe to irrigate landscape for long periods with graywater.”
Colorado currently is working to develop regulations for outdoor graywater reuse. “This study will provide scientifically sound information for assessing the safety of graywater reuse in household irrigation,” explains Drew McAvoy, environmental engineer for Procter & Gamble and chair of the steering team overseeing this project. “Results from this study also will help consumer product manufacturers determine appropriate product use and disposal recommendations for graywater reuse systems.”
Trevi Group Expansion
The Trevi Group has completed the acquisition of three companies in three different geographical areas for a total initial investment of about $30 million. The companies are Arabian Soil Contractors Ltd. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Galante S.A. in Bogata, Colombia; and Watson Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas.The Trevi Group is a global entity in the field of soil engineering (special foundations, tunnel excavations, soil consolidation and the building and marketing of special rigs and equipment relevant to this engineering sector); the Group also is active in the drilling sector (oil, gas and water), both in the production of plant and the supply of services, and it also builds automated, underground car parks. The Group was established in 1957, and today has more than 30 branches in as many countries.
These transactions form part of a broader strategy of growth and diversification in foreign markets, which are expected – in the short and medium term – to experience development trends, which will be significant for the realization of important infrastructure projects.
Congratulations to Merrill
Merrill Manufacturing Co. is celebrating its 60th year in business. The company was founded in 1949, when Noel Merrill invented the Any Flow Yard Hydrant in a one-car garage in Iowa. Today, the firm has grown into a large manufacturing, assembly and warehouse facility, serving water well professionals around the world.New Desalination Technology
Oasys Water Inc., the leading developer of Engineered Osmosis (EO) desalination and water treatment technology, has announced the close of a $10 million financing deal. Oasys plans to use the funds for the development of its commercial platform aimed at reducing the need for large amounts of costly electricity for producing clean drinking water from seawater and other non-potable water and wastewater sources.“Water shortages are no longer a ‘far-away’ problem,” says Aaron Mandell, president and CEO of Oasys, which is based in Cambridge, Mass. “California currently is facing the worst drought it has ever seen and cannot maintain the minimum water necessary to sustain living standards. The problem is exacerbated by the rising cost of electricity, as water production already is the single largest use of California’s electrical grid.”
Rob McGinnis, chief technology officer, adds, “Besides the tremendous cost savings and environmental advantages for users everywhere, we are committed to extending these benefits to the developing world as well.” The EO process can produce drinking water at less than half the cost of current desalination methods. This is accomplished by eliminating the need for high pressures used in modern reverse osmosis systems, thereby reducing the electricity and fuel demands by more than 90 percent. The result is a reduction in the economics of seawater desalination that ultimately will bring the cost of producing water from our vast oceans below the cost of conventional surface water.
We've Got Mail
We thank God forNational Driller magazine, which has been very educative and informative about opportunities in the drilling world.Permit me to introduce World Care Ministry International to you. World Care Ministry International is a non-profit missionary group that goes to Africa to dig water wells to provide clean drinking water for the poor African natives at no charge. Over the past 17 years, we have done this well digging by hand, but now it is getting tougher because the water levels are getting deeper. Presently we cannot afford a rig to continue this work of mercy.
I am writing to you to ask if you could in any way help us through your readership and membership, find someone, business or organization that will donate used drilling rig for this worthy cause. All donations are tax deductible.
Information of what we are doing in Africa to help the poor is available on our Web site at www.worldcareministry.org. We can be reached at P.O. Box 442, Dallas, N.C. 28034; call us toll-free at 877-910-2273, or e-mail worldcare@netzero.net.
We will appreciate any help rendered to us to continue helping these poor and needy folks. Keep up the good work.
God bless you.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Moses Nueman Sr.
Caho Joins Diedrich
Diedrich Drill Inc. has announced the appointment of Rob Caho to the position of director of sales and marketing.Caho joins Die-drich after 11 years with Bergerson Cas-well Well Drilling Co. in Maple Plain, Minn., as operations manager responsible for its water/geotechnical/environmental division. He is past president of Minnesota Groundwater Association and past president of the National Drilling Association’s Minnesota Chapter.
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