Business News: 06/19/2020

EPA Announces $513 Million WIFIA Loan to San Francisco for Wastewater Upgrades

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $513 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) in California to help finance needed pretreatment and other related improvements to its Southeast Treatment Plant, according to a recent press release. 

“Not only will this project provide environmental and public health benefits, it will create more than 3,000 jobs in the Bay Area,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. “Rebuilding our aging water infrastructure at low cost to communities is a top priority for EPA.”

The Southeast Treatment Plant Improvements Project will replace the two outdated headworks treatment facilities at the Southeast Plant with a new centralized preliminary treatment facility.

Additionally, the California State Water Board Clean Water State Revolving Fund will finance approximately $244 million with the remaining project funds coming from revenue bonds, according to the press release, saving the SFPUC an estimated $226 million. Project construction and operation are expected to create 3,355 jobs as well. 

Grundfos Acquires Eurowater

Grundfos has entered into an agreement to acquire Eurowater.   

“Eurowater brings a broad portfolio of solutions and a deep understanding of water treatment applications and end-users. This will enable us to strengthen our value proposition to customers. When complete, this acquisition will further advance us in our important work to address water challenges on a global scale,” said Ulrik Gernow, Group Executive Vice President, CMO, at Grundfos. ”Eurowater is an outstanding company and we are truly impressed by its organization and the people we have met”.

Read the full press release here.

OriginClear Launches Water System Rental Program

OriginClear Inc announced that it signed its first-ever short-term rental contract for commercial water systems, intended to speed up sales of water projects. The company is internally funding the rentals for now, but also exploring partnerships with established financing providers to handle expected demand.

“We are testing three new markets for our pilot rental program,” said Riggs Eckelberry, OriginClear CEO. “The first one is a mobile pool recycling system called the Pool Preserver that saves water and pools, now deployed in Phoenix, Arizona.”

Atlas Copco Provides Fresh Drinking Water to Navajo Nation Through Can’d Aid

Atlas Copco USA’s employee-driven Water for All program launched its second round of COVID-19 relief to support the distribution of fresh drinking water to Navajo Nation. 

Atlas Copco will provide $25,000 to Can’d Aid, enabling the organization to deliver more than 50,000 cans of fresh drinking water to the area, according to a recent press release.

The June fulfillment will be distributed to the White Mountain Apache Tribe in Whiteriver, Arizona.

“The fact we can support this project bears testament to the generosity of our employees and the support they have given to Water for All over the last decade. The great work our partner Can’d Aid is doing in the United States does not go unnoticed, and the speed and agility in which they can move to support projects is truly inspiring,” said Paul Humphreys, vice-president of communications for Atlas Copco North America.

Grundfos Sponsors Children's Book 

Grundfos partnered with Danish publisher Milton Around The World to develop an illustrated children’s book to help shed light on coronavirus.

According to the recent press release, the book was developed for children aged 5-8 years. 

The story titled ‘Milton and the Invisible Coronavirus’ follows the rabbit Milton, and his two friends, Amanda the butterfly and Conrad the hedgehog, as they navigate the various challenges in their daily lives as a result of the pandemic, including social distancing to ensure personal hygiene.

"Milton and the Invisible Coronavirus" is available free for digital download on Grundfos’ website.

Brown and Caldwell & Carollo Engineers Joint Venture Selected for South County Ag Program

A joint venture of Brown and Caldwell and Carollo Engineers has been selected by the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) to provide capital program management services for the $375 million South Sacramento County Agriculture & Habitat Lands Recycled Water (South County Ag) Program.

The South County Ag Program was established to meet Regional San’s long-term goal of increasing its use of recycled water by using highly treated tertiary effluent as irrigation water instead of groundwater. — representing a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. 

“In 2007, Regional San identified the South County Ag Program as an opportunity to significantly increase and expand the use of recycled water in the Sacramento region. We have been involved in the planning and permitting efforts ever since. We’ve cleared a number of significant hurdles to get to this point of actually being able to make it a reality,” said Regional San Program Manager Mike Crooks. “Restoring groundwater levels while ensuring the long-term sustainability of regional agriculture and providing ecological benefits is important to the entire community, and the use of recycled water produced by Regional San is a reliable, safe, and efficient means of accomplishing these goals.”

The program’s next steps include continuing planning efforts with local farmers and beginning the preliminary design of a new recycled water pump station, transmission main, and distribution system pipelines, reported the press release. The first phase of the recycled water delivery system is expected to be operational by late 2023.

Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company Celebrates Golden Anniversary 

Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company is celebrating its Golden 50th Anniversary in business in 2020.   

“We’re living the American Dream! Reaching this milestone of 50 years is very gratifying for me, the entire Thompson family and the folks who stood side-by-side with us serving our customers and building our company,” said Bill Thompson, chairman of Thompson Pump.“I wish my father, my brother and many of the fine individuals who played significant roles with us on this journey could be here to experience and celebrate this achievement with us, but I’m honored to share this with my two sons, Chris and Bobby, who are helping lead the company into the future.”

As for the next 50 years, Thompson says the company is refocusing on the design, development and manufacturing of new products, according to the press release. 

Franklin Electric Acquires CPS Pumps

Franklin Electric Co., Inc. has finalized a strategic acquisition of CPS Pumps to expand its product offerings focused in the large submersible and industrial pump business segments. Franklin Electric has acquired the product lines and assets of CPS Pumps, along with its current manufacturing process in Rossville, Tennessee.

Moving forward the acquired product lines will operate under Franklin Electric’s FPS brand, are available through the company’s existing industrial and groundwater distribution channels, and can be found by visiting franklinwater.com and franklinengineered.com.

Networking News:

• McFadden Engineering recently announced Brad Newton, P.E., as a new partner at the firm. 

• Brian Irsch joins Schnabel Engineering as a Dams and Levee Engineering Business Unit Associate. 

• Hach Company announced that co-founder Kitty Hach-Darrow died at her home in Loveland, Colorado. She was 97. 

“Kitty is a legend in our Hach business family,” said Hach President Hermes Gonzalez. “She had a remarkable story that was instrumental in building a successful business founded on innovation and ingenuity. Kitty’s mark is very much still felt in the way Hach does business on a global scale today.”