Month: November 2013

5 Delicious Ways to Drink More Water This Holiday Season

 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, a joyful day when we reflect upon all we have and offer thanks. While we all enjoy some well-deserved time off with family, friends, and (of course) food, let’s not forget to drink our water. Staying hydrated offers a myriad of health benefits, including aiding in the digestion of our Thanksgiving feast. So take advantage of the fresh, clean water provided by our public water suppliers and brew up some healthful flavored waters. We have included some festive holiday recipes below to entice everyone in the family to drink more water. Happy Thanksgiving!

Rosemary-orange Workout WaterRosemary-Orange Water

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 whole sprigs fresh rosemary
4 whole slices fresh orange
4 scoop Ice
Water
Directions:
  1. Place two rosemary sprigs in each glass.
  2. Place one orange slice in each glass.
  3. Using a spoon, gently bruise the rosemary and orange by pressing.
  4. Fill glasses with ice; top with water and stir.
  5. Serve cold.

sassy spicedSassy Spiced Water

Ingredients (serves 16):
3 drops lemon essential oil
2 drops grapefruit essential oil
1 drop ginger essential oil
1 drop peppermint essential oil
1 drop cinnamon essential oil
1 gallon water
Ice
Lime wedges
Directions:
  1. Place drops of each essential oil into a gallon of cold water.
  2. Shake well to mix the flavors together.
  3. Pour over ice and garnish with lime. Enjoy!

peachesPeaches ‘n Cream Water

Ingredients (serves 8):
5 very ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
8 vanilla beans sliced down the middle
2 T organic honey
2 liters of water
Directions:
  1. Warm the honey and stir into the water.
  2. Allow water and honey mixture to cool.
  3. Add in the peaches and vanilla beans to the water.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  5. Add ice to glasses and serve!

apple1Apple Cinnamon Water

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 organic apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
Ice
2 liter pitcher of water
Directions:
  1. Add sliced apple and cinnamon to pitcher.
  2. Cover with ice.
  3. Fill the pitcher with water and allow it to set in the fridge for 15 minutes before drinking.

pomegranatePomegranate Blueberry Water

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 pint organic blueberries
1-2 cups pomegranate seeds
Ice
2 liters water
Directions:
  1. Add blueberries, pomegranate seeds, and water to pitcher.
  2. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
  3. Add ice to glasses just before serving.
  4. Add skewers of blueberries to each glass for a festive touch.

Dilla Street Water Treatment Plant Open House a Huge Success

Randytour

On October 26, Milford Water Company held an open house for the newly completed Dilla Street Water Treatment Plant. Tata & Howard’s Randy Suozzo, P.E., Project Manager for the project, and Neil Callahan, Project Manager for R.H. White Construction Company during construction, led attendees on the tour and answered questions.

The event, which lasted four hours, was attended by nearly 150 people and garnered excellent reviews. “I found it very interesting and informative. The technology is incredible,” noted attorney Warren Heller. And attendee Bill Sanborn commented, “It’s good to see our dollars at work.”

Unlike its predecessor, which utilized slow sand filters constructed in the early 1900’s, the new plant uses dissolved air flotation (DAF) to filter impurities. The process, though technologically advanced, is simple to understand: particulates and contaminants are floated to the top of a filter tank and removed, and the resulting water is then further filtered through granulated activated carbon (GAC) and chlorine tanks before being disbursed to water mains. In addition, the new treatment facility utilizes far less chlorine than its predecessor. Noted Milford Water Company Manager David Condrey, “We are putting in half what we put in with the old plant.”

The new facility also integrates multiple safety measures. Every step of the filtration process is precisely controlled by a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) computer system, and the plant itself is monitored 24-hours a day. “There are over 300 alarms in the plant. Everything is tracked,” assured Callahan.

Milford water bottlesOpen House attendees were treated to custom bottled water. The bottles bore Milford Water Company labels and the water itself came directly from the treated water at the plant. Condrey said that Milford Water Company intends to continue bottling small batches of water to be donated at local road races and other community events.

Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3)

glass water against sky smallUCMR3, which was signed into effect on April 16, 2012, is the third round of contaminant testing mandated by a 1996 amendment to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Once every five years, the EPA issues a list of up to 30 unregulated contaminants and requires all public water systems serving more than 10,000 people, as well as 800 representative public water supplies serving 10,000 or fewer and 800 public water supplies serving 1,000 or fewer, to monitor them.

The UCMR3 contaminants requiring monitoring are as follows:

Seven Volatile Organic Compounds
– trichloropropane
– butadiene
– chloromethane (methyl chloride)
– dichloroethane
– bromomethane (methyl bromide)
– chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22)
– bromochloromethane (halon 1011)

One Synthetic Organic Compound
– dioxane

Six Metals
– vanadium
– molybdenum
– cobalt
– strontium
– chromium
– chromium 6 (hexavalent chromium)

One Oxyhalide Anion
– chlorate

UCMR3 testing occurs between January 2013 and December 2015 and helps to determine the geographic prevalence and levels of these contaminants throughout the country. This information, combined with toxicological data, provides baseline data that the EPA uses to determine the necessity of future drinking water regulations.

Donald J. Tata, P.E., and Tata & Howard Receive Awards from MWWA

DJT and PBH MWWA awards 11.13Donald J. Tata, P.E., and Tata & Howard Receive Awards from MWWA

On November 8, Don received the prestigious William H. McGinness Award at the MWWA Dinner. The award is given to an affiliate member whose knowledge and contributions to the profession merit recognition. Tata & Howard also received the Presidential Award for sponsorship supporting MWWA’s initiatives, programs, and events.

3D Printing: More Than Just a Neat Idea

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs

The concept of 3D printing is straightforward and easily understandable. 3D Printing is a new technology that can create objects from digital data. Just as a standard inkjet or laser printer transcribes data from a file onto a sheet of paper, 3D printers turn data into stunningly realistic models using a variety of media, such as silicon and metal. 3D printing is relatively inexpensive and is currently being used throughout the world for a broad range of industries. But before we look at its uses, let\’s answer the big question: how exactly does it work?

Technical Overview
In 1995, a new 3D printing technology, ZPrinting, was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As in many other rapid prototyping processes, the part to be printed is built up from many thin cross sections of the 3D model. In ZPrinters, an inkjet-like printing head moves across a bed of powder, selectively depositing a liquid binding material in the shape of the section. A fresh layer of powder is spread across the top of the model, and the process is repeated. When the model is complete, unbound powder is automatically removed. Parts can be built on a ZPrinter at a rate of approximately one vertical inch per hour.1

For a visual on how 3D printing works, take a look at how Objet utilized 3D printing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park – which just happens to be where the 2013 World Series was recently won:

https://youtu.be/jl2EVSFNY1A

Beyond replicating beloved ballparks, 3D printing offers a myriad of advantages:

  • Print prototypes quickly, obtain feedback, refine designs, and repeat the cycle until designs are perfect
  • Create affordable prototypes early in the ideation stage of product development
  • Improve communication by holding realistic 3D models in your hands to impart infinitely more information than a computer image
  • Compress design cycles by 3D printing multiple prototypes on demand
  • Cut traditional prototyping and tooling costs
  • Identify design errors earlier

https://youtu.be/8aghzpO_UZE

Specific applications in the Engineering Industry will allow engineering firms to better communicate with their clients:

  • Design Prototypes: Create concept models, functional prototypes, and presentation models for evaluating and refining designs
  • Architecture: Print detailed, movable models of architectural designs and prototypes for the design of critical elements
  • Geospatial: Easily convert GIS data into 3D landscape and cityscape models

Basic 3D printing has also become more affordable. Tata & Howard has this lamp that was printed on an $800 home printer:

lamp

Who’s Doing It?
While 3D printing is almost 20 years old, it is only recently starting to gain momentum commercially. Falling costs, more efficient printers, and full color designs utilizing a variety of media are driving more demand for 3D printers.

To better understand the broad capabilities of 3D printers, take a look at these innovations:

NASA
NASA is planning to launch a toaster-sized 3D printer into space next year to assist astronauts. Instead of bogging down the shuttle with an endless supply of tools and spare parts that will likely never be needed, astronauts will now be able to quickly print a spare part or tool that they might need on their mission.

nasa tools

Prosthetics
Massachusetts father Paul McCarthy printed a working prosthetic hand on his son Leon\’s school\’s 3D printer at a cost of $10. A traditional prosthetic for Leon, who was born without fingers on his left hand, came with a hefty price tag of $20,000. With some research, a bit of CAD experience, and the tenacity of a loving father, Mr. McCarthy was able to find an affordable option using 3D printing technology.

leon mccarthy

Nestle’s Chocnology
To celebrate the forthcoming release of Android\’s newest OS Android Kit Kat, Nestle-owned Kit Kat South Africa is hosting “Chocnology,” a delicious exhibition of 3D-printed sculptures designed by South African artists made out of yes, you guessed it, chocolate. To produce the artwork, a 3D printer that typically utilizes a plastic-based filament was manipulated to use chocolate as its base material, allowing the creation of intricate, edible sculptures.

android_kitkat_cropped

And it doesn’t stop there. Under consideration is utilizing a 3-D printer to create metal jet-engine turbine blades with air channels to allow for better cooling. Also, the medical industry has seen the advent of a cell printer. Functioning like an ink-jet printer, this cell printer sprays a precise stream of gel containing living cells. Early tests are looking to cell print a meniscus, the tissue that cushions the knee. And the list goes on.

In Conclusion
3D printing is indeed the wave of the future and is applicable throughout nearly every industry. However, 3D printer operation does require CAD experience and an understanding of 3-dimensional design. Therefore, it seems unlikely that 3D printers will be replacing the traditional household inkjet printer anytime soon. But in the hands of creative engineers with some CAD expertise – the possibilities are truly limitless.