Editor's Note: Each week, Water & Wastes Digest will post an aggregate of business news briefs and networking news items to keep you informed on facility openings, business mergers and purchases, changes in personnel and award notifications, among others in the water and wastewater treatment industries. If you have business news briefs you would like included in this weekly round up, please email the press release, photo and a link to the post on your website to [email protected] with the subject line "Business News Round Up." One news item per company per week will be posted.
CA-NV AWWA Announces New Executive Director & Board Approves New Chair
In a recent press release, the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA) announced changes in leadership by its board of directors at its 2019 Annual Fall Conference and Board Meeting at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, Calif.
Preceding the conference, the board approved Susan A. Mosburg as the next executive director. Mosburg is a program manager at Sweetwater Authority, with responsibility for water use efficiency, employee development and risk management programs. She has served as an American Water Works Association Director representing Nevada’s section. Mosburg chaired the California Water Loss Control Collaborative and led the efforts of the CA-NV AWWA Section in administering the Water Loss Control Technical Assistance Program. She is expected to begin her new position with CA-NV AWWA in Jan. 2020.
CA-NV AWWA’s new chair is Andrew DeGraca. DeGraca is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and a licensed professional chemical engineer. He is the water quality division director for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
Dramm & Ketos Give Growers Real-Time Groundwater Quality Monitoring
Ketos Inc. and Dramm Corp. recently announced a partnership to empower growers across the U.S. and Canada. Understanding the correlation between water quality and food safety, Dramm will use KETOS water monitoring solutions to provide growers with mission-critical water data to help enhance crop yield, quality and taste.
“With agriculture’s reliance on groundwater steadily rising, water quality and food safety must go hand-in-hand. Food quality and food safety needs to start at the source, the water used to grow the crops,” said Ketos CEO Meena Sankaran. “By partnering with Dramm to provide growers an easy way to actively monitor and measure possible water pollutants in real-time, Ketos is helping accelerate data-driven farming by providing actionable insights that can enhance crop yield. Ultimately, our common goal is to enable the delivery of safer food by creating a thriving food supply chain.”
The initial phase of the partnership between Ketos and Dramm will focus on water quality solutions for horticulture, ornamentals and greenhouse specialty crops. Dramm will test the Ketos Shield solution at various North American greenhouses. During these trials, Dramm will work with various facilities with vegetable, ornamental and medicinal crops to identify the specific needs of these customers and showcase the impact that real-time water quality data can have on their crops.
Emerson Facility Receives Environmental Stewardship Recognition
Emerson’s fluid control and pneumatics facility in Florham Park, N.J., was recognized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for its leadership in Environmental Stewardship, according to a press release. The facility was highlighted for voluntary and proactive measures taken to improve the environment and foster sustainability.
This includes the management of wetlands, diversified arboreal investments and meadows development.
The facility is designed to meet LEED Silver standards by using less water and energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Continued implementation of new micro-practices has brought innovations, such as biodegradable containers and increased usage of dispensers to further reduce the environmental footprint.
“We are honored to be awarded by the NJDEP for our efforts in environmental stewardship,” said Manish Bhandari, group president for fluid control and pneumatics at the Florham Park facility. “Emerson recognizes that we have a role to play globally in using energy efficiently, reducing water use and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.”
