International Action’s Use of Norweco Chlorinators

Recognized by Clinton Global Initiative

September 25, 2009 – The Clinton Global Initiative presented an award to International Action for their work in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The Clean Water Campaign, administered by International Action, is a non-governmental group (NGO) working around the world providing clean drinking water by utilizing Norweco chlorinators and locally sourced chlorine tablets. Former President Bill Clinton described the Norweco-designed process as the first chlorination system intended for cities in poor countries. 

Andrew Weiss, International Action Board Member, was present to accept the Certificate of Recognition from Clinton during the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. “It’s a great success,” said Weiss. Leaders from other key NGO’s joined Weiss and Clinton in the spotlight. International Action was proud to be in this group because most are far larger and more experienced in Haiti. “Clearly, our chlorinator is a stunning new solution to the clean water problem,” stated Lindsay Mattison, Executive Director of International Action. The recognition attained has brought more attention and requests for assistance with implementation.

In Port-au-Prince alone, there are 150 water systems utilizing Norweco chlorinators to provide clean water to 400,000 residents. The systems are the ideal application because they are “simple enough to be run by local groups and sophisticated enough to clean the water for 10,000 users,” said Weiss. Simple test kits allow the operator to measure how much chlorine is dissolved and  regulate the flow. The use of Norweco chlorinators will continue to expand as more charities learn about the Norweco technology and the success it has had in reducing death and illness in the most remote third world countries.

At the invitation of the Chinese Poverty Reduction Agency, International Action recently began installing chlorinators in the Province of Shaanxi. Pictured to the left are some of the 30 new apartment buildings for 2,500 villagers that will take water from the systems. “The scale of the water problem in China is simply astonishing to us,” proclaimed Mattison. “In Shaanxi Province there are 13,000 water systems and 36,000,000 residents. And, Shaanxi is among the smaller and least populated of the 22 Chinese provinces. Eight hundred million people are at risk.” 

In addition, representatives from International Action visited the Institute in Gansu, China, which trains foreigners in water technology. The Norweco chlorinators will become a part of the curriculum in Gansu, opening doors in many countries. International Action is committed to doing everything in their power to extend the use of the Norweco technology to improve public health conditions for countries in need.

Another NGO utilizing the Norweco technology is Engineers Without Borders. The Model LF2000 tablet feeder is in use in Ghana, a village in Africa, for chlorination of potable water. Engineers Without Borders collaborates with developing communities worldwide in order to improve the quality of life. Few investments can make such a major difference in the health and lives of so many people.

Now Available

Texas “Double Gun” Tool Kaddy 

Norweco Customer Service Manager Bob Fletcher was in Lakeway, Texas assisting local Singulair distributor Eco-Safe and their service technician, Sherman Wipff, checking systems in a gated community. Homes in this development range from 2,500 to 8,000 square feet, many of which sell for more than a million dollars. At his first service call, he and Sherman were approached by an officer, carrying a shotgun, and learned that a search was in progress for two men who had attempted to rob Cristiani’s Jewelry store. A third suspect had been apprehended near the scene by an off-duty police officer.  

Department of Public Safety and Starflight choppers 100 feet above aided officers on the ground as they searched the wooded area surrounding this development. A reverse 911 call was placed to 500 residents with a warning to “lock your doors.” Surprisingly undaunted by the commotion surrounding them, Bob and Sherman diligently continued their work. Only minutes went by before the officer returned and asked, “Do you have a gun in your truck? If so, you might want to put it in your pocket.” The Tool Kaddy was packed with essentials, but no gun. Bob’s level of alarm was heightened by this point and he picked up the pace of his work.

Given the situation, we wonder why Bob and Sherman did not just flee the area. Were they perhaps being held there against their will? That was exactly the suspicion of the officer who returned for a third time to question them. Based on the officer’s concern, Bob and Sherman dropped their tools and took cover.

Realizing they needed their tools for work at other homes, Bob and Sherman returned an hour later to retrieve their tools. The area was saturated with armed officers in bulletproof vests. Helicopters still circled overhead. Given the go-ahead to proceed, it was with haste that the fearless duo ran from their vehicle to collect their belongings. The manhunt continued until the suspects were captured. A witness reported seeing them enter a dumpster less than one-half mile from where Bob and Sherman were working. Police used a K-9 unit to surround the dumpster and both suspects were taken into custody without incident.

Innovation has made Norweco a leader in our industry. This time, innovation means safety. Designed as a result of this real-life, risky adventure, the Texas “Double Gun” Tool Kaddy comes complete with a pair of 300 Weatherby rifles for a small additional charge. Bob says, “Don’t get caught with your guard down.” Are you armed for the job?

WARMING WARNING

March 24, 2009 – The Environmental Protection Agency has taken the first step on the long road to regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.
 

Politicians and the public, business and industry will have to weigh in along the way, but for now a proposed finding by the EPA that global warming is a threat to public health and welfare is under White House review.

The threat declaration would be the first step to regulating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act and could have broad economic and environmental ramifications. It also would probably spur action by Congress to address climate change more broadly.

The White House acknowledged Monday that the EPA had transmitted its proposed finding on global warming to the Office of Management and Budget, but provided no details. It also cautioned that the Obama administration, which sees responding to climate change a top priority, nevertheless is ready to move cautiously when it comes to actually regulating greenhouse gases, preferring to have Congress act on the matter.

The Supreme Court two years ago directed the EPA to decide whether greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, pose a threat to public health and welfare because they are warming the earth. If such a finding is made, these emissions are required to be regulated under the Clean Air Act, the court said.

"I think this is just the step in that process," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, noting the Supreme Court ruling. Another White House official, speaking anonymously in deference to Gibbs, predicted "a long process" before any rules would be expected to be issued on heat-trapping emissions.

But several congressional officials, also speaking on condition of anonymity because the draft declaration had not been made public -- said the transmission makes clear the EPA is moving to declare carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a danger to public health and welfare and views them as ripe for regulation under the Clean Air Act.

Such a finding "will officially end the era of denial on global warming," said Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., whose Energy and Commerce subcommittee is crafting global warming legislation. He said such an endangerment finding is long overdue because of the Bush administration's refusal to address the issue.

The EPA action "signals that the days of ignoring this pressing issue are over," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., whose Senate committee is working on a climate bill.

Many business leaders argue -- as did President George W. Bush -- that the Clean Air Act is ill-suited to deal with climate change and that regulating carbon dioxide would hamstring economic growth.

"It will require a huge cascade of (new clean air) permits" and halt a wide array of projects, from building coal plants to highway construction, including many at the heart of President Barack Obama's economic recovery plan, said Bill Kovacs, a vice president for environmental and technology issues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Abigail Dillen, an attorney for the environmental advocacy group Earthjustice, which is involved in a number of lawsuits challenging permits for new coal plants, dismissed the dire economic warnings from business groups about carbon dioxide regulation.

"It's to their interest to say the sky is falling, but it's not," she said. "The truth is we've never had to sacrifice air quality to maintain a healthy economy. The EPA has discretion to do this in a reasonable way."

An internal EPA planning document that surfaced recently suggests the agency would like to have a final endangerment finding by mid-April. But officials have made clear actual regulations are unlikely to come immediately and would involve a lengthy process with public comment.

Gibbs, when asked about the EPA document Monday, emphasized that "the president has made quite clear" that he prefers to have the climate issue addressed by Congress as part of a broad, mandatory limit on heat-trapping emissions.

But environmentalists said the significance of moving forward with the long-delayed endangerment issue should not be understated.

"This is historic news," said Frank O'Donnell, who heads Clean Air Watch, an advocacy group. "It will set the stage for the first-ever national limits on global warming pollution and is likely to help light a fire under Congress to get moving."

NAT receives ANSI accreditation

NORWALK, OH - On January 30, 2009, North American Testing, LLC (NAT) received accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a test facility and certification body. This accreditation allows North American Testing to evaluate the performance of wastewater treatment products against internationally recognized standards and certify the results. As a part of the process, the NAT laboratory was also accredited to ISO Standard 17025. These accreditations were earned by developing and adhering to strict operating procedures, making NAT one of only three organizations in the United States to achieve this designation.

NAT began operations in 2006 as a test facility that specializes in onsite and decentralized wastewater applications. The mission of NAT is to become the premier testing and certification organization for the decentralized wastewater treatment industry. Their test facility in Norwalk, Ohio evaluates products using both simulated and real-world conditions. NAT personnel sample the treatment systems for various parameters and conduct the desired laboratory analysis. Upon satisfactory completion of a test protocol, NAT issues a final report to document product certification. The final report displays both the ANSI and NAT trademarks as a demonstration to purchasers and regulators that the product meets industry standards.

ANSI was formed in 1918 to establish an impartial national body to coordinate standards development, approve national consensus standards, and halt user confusion on acceptability. ANSI helped form the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1926 and is still the United States representative to this day. ANSI’s mission is “to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.”

For more information about North American Testing, call (419) 668-1895 or visit www.northamericantesting.org.

Sewage spills foul San Francisco Bay over and over

February 26, 2009 - Last weekend, 890,000 gallons of raw sewage and stormwater spilled into San Francisco Bay from an overloaded World War II-era treatment plant. Five days earlier, a ruptured pipe released 400,000 gallons of filth into the bay.  And those were just the big spills the public heard about.  On average, human waste spills into the San Francisco Bay more than five times a day, fouling the waters and shorelines of this environmental jewel and recreational treasure.

Decrepit pipes, outdated municipal sewage treatment systems and poor upkeep have been blamed for many of the spills into one the world's most famous and beautiful natural harbors. And some of the Bay Area's wealthiest communities have been identified as some of the most persistent polluters.  "It's like living in a situation sort of like a Third World country, where there's poor sanitary management," said Sejal Choksi of the environmental group San Francisco Baykeeper.

Some spills have been blamed not only for killing large numbers of fish but for causing respiratory infections, skin and eye irritation and diarrhea in swimmers. Signs warning against water contact are a common sight at beaches and marinas for those who swim, fish or sailboard in the bay, especially after storms.  Rick Avery, 47, of the Dolphin Swimming & Boating Club in San Francisco, said two of his bay swimming companions decided to stay out of the water after the 400,000-gallon spill last week. Avery said he once became sick from swimming after a storm, when sewage systems often are overloaded. He had a stuffy nose and other cold symptoms.  "The water was so dirty that day, and we still swam," Avery said. "That was the only time that I got sick and handful of other people got sick."

In 2008 alone, more than 2,000 spills dumped an estimated 15 million gallons of raw or partially treated human waste into the waters of the bay, state officials said.  On Sunday and Monday, the east San Francisco Bay city of Richmond's more than half-century-old sewage system was overloaded by rain and spewed 890,000 gallons of filth mixed with rainwater. Officials said the system's deteriorating, leaky clay pipes cannot handle the extra load after a storm.  On Feb. 17, a 23-year-old pipe ruptured along the shoreline of Sausalito in well-to-do Marin County and sent a 400,000-gallon plume of waste into the bay, forcing health warnings on nearby beaches for more than a week and the closing of a fishing pier. Officials blamed shoddy workmanship and corrosion.  "A number of California jurisdictions have let their infrastructure age beyond the breaking point," said William L. Rukeyser, a state water board spokesman.

In January 2008, a 2.5-million-gallon sewage spill in Marin County led to fines by the state and federal government and beach closings north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Regulators accused the Sewerage Agency of Southern Marin of holding on to almost $550,000 that could have been used for maintenance for preventing such spills.  And last month, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered the East Bay Municipal Utility District - which provides sewer service to about 10 cities, including hardscrabble Oakland, wealthy Walnut Creek, the environmentally conscious college town of Berkeley, and middle-class Hayward - to spend $2 million a year to fix leaky pipes that were allowing sewage to flow into the bay.

The EPA this week released $283 million in economic stimulus money earmarked for sewage system upgrades in California. But that is only a fraction of the needed repairs. San Jose alone has a sewage treatment plant that is more than 50 years old, and a $1 billion, 10-year plan to fix it.  "The sewer lines in the ground are indeed old. In San Francisco, it's over 100 years old," said Bruce Wolfe, executive officer for the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. "There's a lot of effort that goes into maintenance, but one can only put enough Band-Aids on something for a time. At some point you've got to do a full remodel."

SEWAGE YIELDS MORE GOLD THAN TOP MINES

The pursuit for maximum recycling of materials has reached a new high in the current economic situation – or perhaps a new low: Resource-poor Japan just discovered a new source of mineral wealth – sewage.

A sewage treatment facility in the city of Suwa, Japan has recorded a higher gold yield from sludge than can be found at some of the world's best mines. The high percentage of gold discovered at the facility was most likely due to the large number of precision equipment manufacturers in the area that use the yellow metal. Suwa recently recorded finding 4.2 pounds of gold per ton of ash from incinerated sludge. That is a far higher gold content than Japan's Hishikari Mine, one of the world's top gold mines, which contains approximately an ounce of the precious metal per ton of ore.

The operation started based on research done in 2007, which found that the concentration of gold in the ash was comparable to high-grade ore. At the time, the idea of mining this gold was discarded because the method to extract the precious metal, compared to the potential benefit, was too expensive. That changed when the crisis hit the financial markets and the price of gold skyrocketed.

Then, Suwa sold 1.4 tons of ash to a smelting company that is going to pay $55,810 for the gold they recover. Suwa expects to earn about $167,000 more by the end of March. "How much we actually receive will depend on gold prices at the time," the official said. Some gold industry officials expect prices this year to exceed the all-time high of $1,030 per ounce set in 2008.

This Japanese treatment facility is not alone in this type of resourcefulness. Jewelry factories near Daluotang, China are discovering gold and silver fillings in their septic tanks. The particles either are washed off workers’ hands and faces or have been ingested accidentally. Processors are paid to sift, pan and finally recycle the contents of the tanks. “The factories watch over the gold powder produced at each stage of their processing,” one man said. “Once, I was carrying some waste water for a boss here, I spilled a little and he began to shout at me for the waste.”

We can only expect similar ingenious processes to keep popping up across the world as we get deeper and deeper into the economic sludge, pun intended.

NORWECO WOMEN COMPETE WITH HOOTERS GIRLS

Not to be shown up by the Hooters Girls, the women of Norweco proved themselves picture perfect at Norweco’s 2008 Company Picnic. With the picnic’s theme of Tailgate MMVIII, the Service Pro "Big Red" service truck, was the ideal backdrop for this spicy photo. Despite the existence of excellent food, plentiful drinks and the opportunity to win great prizes, the picnic came to a dead halt as the women of Norweco climbed aboard Big Red. Some might say it was a concern for their safety, but the ladies had plenty of offers for a “boost” or a hand to strike their poses. Once again Big Red was in the right place at the right time.

In March 2006, Big Red drew the attention of the staff at the Waco, Texas Hooters restaurant, famous for hot wings and “hot” girls. Although not as legendary as the Hooters Girls, the women of Norweco showed that they were up to the challenge. Surrounded by women or not, Big Red is unquestionably an attention getter. The International Truck and Engine Corporation Model CXT has attracted interest around the country. Whether it’s the 310 horsepower MaxxForce engine, six tons of hauling power, or the hope that there are women tucked inside, no one overlooks Big Red.

GLOBAL WARMING CONCERNS HEAT UP

The hot topic of global warming has become very commonplace in news reports, political debates and scientific research. Could there be a more universally relevant and concerning topic? On June 23, exactly 20 years after warning America about global warming, Dr. James E. Hansen, a top NASA scientist, told Congress the situation has gotten so bad that the world’s only hope is drastic action. Man-made greenhouse gases, flowing into the atmosphere and oceans at an unprecedented rate, are leading to large climatic events, rising sea levels and other marked ecological changes.

Risk of species extinction, ecosystem collapse, flooding and droughts are present. Significant changes to the amount and pattern of precipitation, which affect agricultural yields, will devastate many areas. As many as 50 million additional people could face hunger by 2020. Rain dependent crops in Africa would be cut in half in the next 12 years. Between 120 million and 1.2 billion people in Asia will continue to experience some water stress. The most significant impact for the U.S. will result from climate-driven effects on many other countries and an increase in illegal immigration. These circumstances will have the potential to seriously affect U.S. national security interests. “Climate change will provide the conditions that will extend the war on terror,” stated Adm. T. Joseph Lopez, who commanded U.S. and allied peacekeeping forces in Bosnia in 1996.

Global warming is indicated by the increase in average measured temperatures of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans. In 1988, the year of Dr. Hansen’s original testimony, the world’s hottest year on record was experienced. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 14 years have been hotter since. The increase in temperature is caused by the concentration of man-made greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, produced when fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas are burned, is the most dominant of greenhouse gas emissions. Dr. Hansen, who is also the director of the Goddard Institute of Space Sciences, reports that the Earth’s atmosphere has to get back to a level of 350 parts per million carbon dioxide. In May 2007, it was 10 percent higher reaching 386.7 parts per million. Hansen stated, “We’re toast if we don’t get on a very different path.”

The effects of global warming can still be curtailed. To cut emissions, Hansen said coal-fired power plants that don’t capture carbon dioxide emissions should be eliminated. Government bodies have set caps on industry and vehicle emissions. The search for alternative fuel sources and a greater interest in green initiatives continues. Protecting our nation’s water supply by utilizing products that provide the most desirable results, reducing pollution in problem areas and working with the regulatory community to achieve reasonable and enforceable limits and standards are all ways that Norweco is helping in this effort. Norweco water and wastewater treatment products employ non-mechanical and low-power consumption technologies to conserve energy. Ancillary products, such as Norweco Drip Irrigation systems promote water conservation through subsurface reuse and our disinfection systems provide environmentally friendly pathogen reduction. “We see a tipping point occurring right before our eyes,” Hansen told the AP. Now is the time to act to prevent irreversible consequences.

For related articles on global warming go to http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2008-06-23-globalwarming_N.htm?csp=34 and http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2008-06-25-global-warming-national-security_N.htm?csp=34.

aging Municipal Sewers a Danger

Years of fines and penalties have done little to stop the flow of human waste into U.S. waters, according to a recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  “Waste gurgles from manholes and gushes down streams and rivers somewhere in the USA almost every day.”

In the first quarter of 2008 alone, a damaged pipe spilled 700,000 to 1.3 million gallons of raw sewage and other waste into Grand Lagoon at Panama City Beach, FL (Shortt, March 2008) and about 20 million gallons of sewage flowed into Pennsylvania's Schuylkill River after a 42-inch pipe ruptured near Reading (PA DEP, January 2008).  Heavy rain, deteriorating pipes and operator error sent nearly 5 million gallons of sewage into Northern California's Richardson and San Francisco Bays (EPA, January 2008).

The main culprits for these overflows are the aging combined sewer systems built by cities throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries along with the 1.2 million miles of sewers leading from homes and businesses to the wastewater plants.  “When people flush their toilet they think the sewage is going to the treatment plant,” according to Nancy Stoner of the Natural Resources Defense Council.  “The government isn’t doing enough.”

With lawsuits pressuring local governments, billions of dollars are slated for complex and costly modernization projects expected to take generations to complete.  Ratepayers are being asked to foot much of the bill and sewer rates are already increasing in many of our major cities.

Currently there is legislation before Congress that would require sewer authorities to notify the public of overflows and spills.  While this legislation, if passed, is not a solution to the problem it will reduce the number of people who get sick from even casual contact with the sewer overflows.  Continued effort is required to address this situation.  Decentralized systems, such as those manufactured by Norweco, will continue to play an increasing role in protecting public health and the environment.

For the complete article go to www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-07-sewers-main_N.htm?csp=34

NEW YORK CITY POLICE TAKE EXTRA STEPS TO AVOID SECURITY THREAT BY GAS CHLORINE

Following at least 10 attacks in Iraq involving explosives attached to liquid chlorine canisters and the listing of liquid chlorine as a Chemical of Concern by the United States government on November 20, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and police are stressing the importance of chlorine vendors verifying the legitimacy of their customers before accepting orders or shipping product.  This warning to vendors is in addition to DHS’s earlier requirement that facilities which use or store liquid chlorine register with DHS for a mandatory on-site inspection and risk assessment.

As concern mounts over the transport, storage and use of hazardous chemicals, such as liquid chlorine for disinfection and sulfur dioxide gas for dechlorination, several sewer districts have installed Norweco tablet chlorination and dechlorination systems.  Norweco tablet technologies do not employ hazardous liquids or gas and are exempt from all current and pending Department of Homeland Security reporting and inspection requirements.

The relevant excerpt from the DHS report is as follows:

The newspaper article is as follows:

Bio-Dynamic Potable Water System Protects Schools and Hospitals

"We are surprised at how effective the chlorinators are and how simply

and efficiently they work. Please do one more installation... at our house

for handicapped children."  Kenscoff Orphanage

Kenscoff Children

With the support of studies conducted by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, the Washington, DC based non-profit organization International Action continues their quest to provide affordable, safe drinking water to struggling nations.  Grim statistics from Haiti’s health agencies make this area a top priority.  Without intervention, up to one-third of their children will die before the age of five due to intestinal disorders from dirty water sources.  They recently shared exciting information and new photos regarding their progress utilizing easily installed and operated Bio-Dynamic chlorine disinfection tablet dispensers.  All are from the Kenscoff area outside Port-au-Prince where their crew has been working while civil unrest cools down in the capital.  These photos of the proud team were taken at the hospital Fermathe with Community Organizer Dalebrun Esther in front and local plumber Joanes Bastin behind him.  The young man in the first photo is Dimitri from their partner group.  The second photo shows Laurie Knop, International Action’s partner in Haiti, directing the work.  The chlorinator behind them is used to protect the Hospital Fermathe’s patients.  The word of decline in illnesses has spread and the Hospital Fermathe staff has requested that the organization protect 350 schools they run throughout Haiti.  International Action, along with assistance from the Haitian Minister of Agriculture, is working rapidly to plot out an education campaign including training local residents as Bio-Dynamic Potable Water System installers to speed the availability of sanitized drinking water.  The campaign is titled “Miracle in Haiti” because some residents of the poor neighborhoods call the chlorine system and resulting clean water a miracle and travel long distances to carry away safe water.  They recently surveyed 10 community water tanks in the Kenscoff area that were recipients of chlorinators.  A Haitian mother standing in line for water asked them to share the news that, “It’s a miracle that your organization has brought us clean water.  We are so grateful that our children don’t get sick…as they used to.”  Over the course of the next year, 500,000 people will gain access to these “miracle” systems.  To learn more about International Action's current and future humanitarian efforts in Haiti, click on the following link: www.haitiwater.org.

SINGULAIR SYSTEM APPROVED FOR EPA NPDES GENERAL PERMIT

Designed for sites where wastewater disposal options are severely limited, the Singulair NPDES system utilizes advanced treatment technologies to meet EPA performance criteria.  EPA General Permits are issued for systems that treat wastewater and discharge effluent to surface waters.  NPDES permits require strict compliance with watershed based performance limits and failsafe operational controls.  The operation and performance of the Singulair NPDES system meets EPA’s General Permit criteria and allows economical land utilization while protecting environmentally sensitive areas.  The primary treatment platform of the NPDES system is the Singulair Model TNT wastewater treatment plant which has successfully completed NSF International’s most demanding evaluation protocol, Standard 245.  Treatment of domestic wastewater is accomplished by the extended aeration process with non-mechanical flow equalization, gravitational settling, tertiary filtration, UV disinfection and effluent re-aeration.

To assure compliance with EPA’s stringent permit limits the electro-mechanical components of the NPDES system providing aeration, filtration and disinfection are monitored 24/7 by Norweco’s exclusive Service Pro telemetry.  Should a system component require maintenance Service Pro immediately notifies the Singulair service provider.  In addition to providing notification of the need for service, the Service Pro system manages operating data and maintenance records with a password protected website for online performance accountability.  Access to the website records of each Singulair NPDES system can be granted to regulatory agencies responsible for operational oversight.  The system owner is provided READ ONLY access to the maintenance records which can be used to demonstrate compliance with permit requirements when renewal of the EPA General Permit is requested.  With performance that rivals the most advanced treatment systems in the world, coupled with Service Pro remote monitoring, the Singulair NPDES wastewater treatment system is another example of how Norweco is engineering the future of water and wastewater to provide today's answer for the protection of tomorrow's environment.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND SOLUTIONS

John and Monica Kubena and their seven children celebrate their new house protected by the Singulair system from Norweco, courtesy of ABC Television’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”  The problem of providing new living quarters for the Kubena family in East Bernard, Texas was solved with the help of a Singulair Bio-Kinetic wastewater treatment system. Norweco's local, licensed Singulair distributor and the design team at ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition installed a Singulair Bio-Kinetic system that was capable of providing the environment the Kubena family needed for their twin girls Tara and Sara who are recovering from Leukemia.  For more information, view the entire Extreme Makeover story on our website.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF "PROGRESS THROUGH SERVICE"

The year 2006 marked the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Norweco and our original parent company. Based on a patent for a burial vault originally issued in 1902, Norwalk Vault Company was incorporated in 1906 to build and eventually license the manufacture of the unique design. Over the years, the burial vault design evolved into designs for septic tanks, bomb shelters, utility vaults and wastewater treatment plants. The company developed into a leading manufacturer of precast concrete, steel molds and wastewater treatment products, which would subsequently become Norweco. The Norwalk Vault Company produced three independent companies and hundreds of distributors who used the word "Norwalk" in their company name. Throughout the history of all the affiliated corporations and their successors, the combination of a deep commitment to the customer coupled with fundamentally sound design, engineering and manufacture has been the common bond.

We celebrated our Centennial with a four-day series of distributor meetings that featured a look back at our history and the introduction of several new products for the future. Distributors from throughout North America attended the event, which was themed "100 Years of Integrity, Reliability and Innovation." New product introductions, new listings and increasing acceptance of advanced treatment technology continues to position Norweco and our distributors on the forefront of the water and wastewater treatment industry. We understand that our continued success, and the success of our distributors, is dependent upon our ability to consistently deliver quality service and products to our customers. The Centennial Celebration was an opportunity to reflect on our past, envision our future and set our sights on growth and opportunity. With a renewed commitment to the partnerships we have forged with our distributors, dealers and customers, we look forward to our next century of "Progress Through Service."

NORWECO DISTRIBUTORS ENJOY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

The Service Pro "Big Red" service truck traveled throughout North America this past year helping Norweco distributors promote their products and celebrate our Centennial.  Big Red is an International Truck and Engine Corporation Model CXT with a nine foot tall cab, 310 horsepower MaxxForce engine and six tons of hauling power that was customized especially for the Norweco Centennial.  Towering over everything else on the street, the International Model CXT is the largest production pickup truck in the world and demands attention wherever it goes.

While visiting Waco, Texas in March, to participate in the annual Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Conference and the Hanson Concrete Products Company Singulair Training Seminar, Big Red may have received a little too much attention.  The Hanson seminar was well attended by installing contractors and the TCEQ conference drew big crowds.  However, the day before the conference when Hanson’s Sales Manager, Chris Davis, and Big Red went missing, the Norweco sales team who were waiting for the truck to arrive in Waco, got a little nervous.  Chris claims he was having Big Red washed and detailed at the local truck wash but this photograph provides proof positive that the detailing job wasn’t the only project Chris was working on that day.  It’s obvious Chris used Big Red’s horsepower to his advantage as he was able to convince an entire staff of waitresses from a local Hooters restaurant to leave their work stations and join him for a joy ride.  Sales of wings, Singulair systems and Blue Crystal chlorine tablets may have suffered briefly, but it looks like everyone had a good time.  Chris claims that he took the truck to a mall that has the only combination truck wash/Hooters restaurant in the state of Texas.  However, when members of the Norweco sales team tried to find the alleged truck wash/restaurant no such facility could be located.
 

We've mounted a Singulair Model 206C aerator into a clear display cylinder to demonstrate its powerful mixing action and air delivery.  The aerator, designed specifically for use in the Singulair Bio-Kinetic wastewater treatment system, turns a four-pronged aspirator at a speed of 1725 RPM.  As the aspirator turns within the contents of the Singulair tank, a vortex is created and air bubbles are released into the aeration chamber.  Air injection provides just the right environment for biological oxidation of the wastewater.  The aerator generates the tank mixing action necessary for complete biological treatment and the mixing also operates the Singulair clarification chamber's sludge return system.  Notice that the mixing action continues even after the aerator is turned off.  The hydraulic currents that are created continue through the Bio-Static sludge return and the sludge return zone of the clarification chamber continues to function even when the aerator is in an off cycle.  Simply click on the image to the right to view the demonstration.

Another reason to worry about global warming: more and itchier poison ivy.  The noxious vine grows faster and bigger as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, researchers report.  And a CO2-driven vine also produces more of its rash-causing chemical, urushiol, according to experiments conducted by Duke University where scientists increased the carbon dioxide levels of a nearby forest to those expected in 2050.  Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that’s considered a major contributor to global warming.  Compared to poison ivy grown in usual atmospheric conditions, those exposed to the extra-high carbon dioxide grew about three times larger and produced more allergenic form urushiol, scientists from Duke and Harvard University reported.  Their study appears in a recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  “The fertilization effect of rising CO2 on poison ivy… and the shift toward a more allergenic form of urushiol have important implications for the future health of both humans and forests,” the study concludes.  (Reprinted from Washington AP, June, 2006)

On August 5, 2005 Norweco, Inc. was honored with the 2005 Governor’s Excellence Award in Workers’ Compensation recognized by The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC).  This prestigious award acknowledges Ohio businesses and public employers that provide a safe, cost-effective workplace for their employees, while supporting their injured workers.  The criteria cited by the bureau for this award are: exemplary commitment to creating a safe workplace, an outstanding cost-containment program, active leadership by senior management, employee involvement and measurable results.  With zero recordable injuries for nearly 3 years, Norweco recognizes that employee efforts were key to achieving this goal.  Norweco’s commitment to a safe and healthy workplace earned them this mark of distinction.  Out of 150 applicants, Norweco is honored to be one of only six Ohio businesses to receive the Governor’s Excellence Award in Workers’ Compensation.  For more information on the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and the safety programs and services that they offer, visit www.ohiobwc.com.

On February 4, 2004 Norweco, Inc. was notified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that the company has achieved SHARP certification.  SHARP stands for Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program and is a highly selective certification that recognizes employers who have partnered with OSHA on-site consultants to establish and maintain an exemplary safety program in the workplace. Norweco’s program meets and exceeds all of the major elements of the Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines outlined by OSHA, including: management leadership, employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention, and safety and health training. Once safety standards were identified, Norweco was graded on a number of attributes relating to hazard anticipation, detection, prevention and control, safety planning, evaluation and training, management commitment, and employee participation.  To complete the program, Norweco worked with OSHA consultants over a period of two years and in 2003, achieved the number one goal of obtaining a record of zero accidents or injuries. The OSHA on-site consulting team conducts nearly 1000 consultations in Ohio each year, and Norweco is proud to be one of only 5 companies to successfully achieve SHARP status.  If you would like more information on the SHARP program, visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/sharp.html

On January 10, 2003 the USEPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced two actions to clarify their enforcement of the Clean Water Act. The first action was to issue updated guidance language to assist the two agencies with their enforcement efforts. The second action was to announce the USEPA’s intention to publish an Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making, which notifies the public that regulations are slated for review and asks for public comment.  The USEPA decided that clarification of the guidance language was necessary following a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. In January 2001, the Supreme Court ruled that the Corps of Engineers had exceeded its authority when it blocked the construction of a landfill outside of Chicago in the mid-1990’s.  The guidance language reaffirms federal jurisdiction over traditional navigable waters and their adjacent wetlands, but not if they are contained within one state and non-navigable, where the sole basis for jurisdiction would be the Migratory Bird Rule.  The language also encouraged field staff to seek formal, project-specific approval prior to asserting jurisdiction over non-navigable, intrastate waters based on current regulatory definitions of "waters of the U.S."

In December 2002, the EPA and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Board (LARWQCB) took serious action against one frequent violator of the Clean Water Act.  The City of Los Angeles admitted liability for more than 3,600 spills dating back to 1994 that resulted in the discharge of millions of gallons of untreated sewage.  The city’s admission of these violations could force them to pay the maximum penalties with fines totaling over $90 million.  In a separate Federal lawsuit filed by the EPA and state water officials, Los Angeles could be forced to commit to making repairs to about half of it’s 6,500 miles of sewer lines, many of which are a half-century old.  Similar suits have been brought against Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Baltimore and others that would require them to make up to $100 billion in improvements.  However, such an investment may not be enough to keep pace with aging infrastructures.  Some municipalities are offsetting the cost of these improvements and repairs by increasing residential sewer fees assessed to their citizens.  Ultimately, each of us will pay the price or reap the rewards of protecting our water resources for future generations.

Microsoft has created what it calls “the world’s first internet outhouse.”  The iLoo incorporates an internal flat-screen plasma display, wireless keyboard and 802.11b broadband access, as well as 6-channel surround sound.  The keyboard is independently mounted and can be held on the user’s lap.  To address the long lines that could develop if patrons linger too long inside, the unit also has an external plasma screen and a waterproof external silicone keyboard for those who are waiting.  The toilet and sink use vacuum suction to dispose of the waste.  To add reading material, the company is negotiating with toilet paper manufacturers for special rolls with web addresses printed on them.  Security is also of utmost importance for the new device; Microsoft plans to post a guard to protect the hardware.  “If we didn’t post a guard, somebody would probably just lift the whole thing up and walk away with it,” a spokesman said.

The USEPA has published the 2002 update to their Design Manual: Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems, commonly known as the "Purple Manual." This update is meant to provide a more focused approach to onsite wastewater treatment than the last edition which was published in 1980. The 2002 update is not intended to replace the 1980 version, but rather to provide supplemental information about recent developments in treatment technologies, designs and system management.  Information contained in this publication includes an abundance of technical data on traditional and new systems with a performance-based approach to selection and design. A team of experts from public agencies, private groups, professional associations and academic organizations supplied the information for the updated design manual. Norweco is cited in the acknowledgements as making a significant contribution to the development of this important training and reference publication.

The EPA, in an effort to rid drinking water of the microbial pathogen Cryptosporidium, is requiring public water systems which service fewer than 10,000 persons to add tighter filtration system controls. Cryptosporidium is considered by many to be a harbinger of a new type of microbiological risk for the future. Able to survive dormant in the soil for years, Cryptosporidium and similar microorganisms illustrate a potential weakness in traditional sub-surface waste disposal methods. Concern that other pathogenic microorganisms may also survive underground disposal is causing some authorities to require disinfection for both surface and subsurface disposal. Although this is a controversial subject, experimental systems have proven that pathogenic organisms in wastewater can be eliminated without residual chlorine being detrimental to naturally occurring bacteria.

A privately owned wastewater treatment plant in Hillard, OH was closed after 10 years of complaints. According to environmental officials the smell from the plant caused burning eyes, noses and throats and occasionally resulted in canceled recesses at a nearby elementary school.  Norweco’s Singulair, Modulair and Travalair wastewater treatment systems can eliminate the problems of malfunctioning plants and protect the health and quality of life of the citizens they serve.  Reuse of the high quality effluent our systems provide is particularly beneficial to people in areas where potable water supplies are limited.

What do you have in common with a dinosaur? ... The same drinking water. We have about the same amount of water as when the earth was formed. The same water is used over and over again. Try not to think about it too much.

The Chicago Tunnels and Reservoir Plan are noted in the Guinness World Records as the largest sewage tunnel, extending 93 miles with diameter of 9 to 33 feet. In 2004, a total of 109 miles were scheduled to be complete.