Newsworthy Archives - Page 6 of 15

ESOP – An Excellent First-Resort

As business owners, there is a lot to consider when mapping out future retirement and succession plans. Between 401(k)s, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and other similar options, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each one is critical. While plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs are most common, there is still a large knowledge gap when it comes to ESOPs – and because of this, the ESOP option frequently gets overlooked or viewed as a ‘last-resort.’

With that said, let’s dive into some of the great benefits that ESOPs bring to both employers and employees, and discuss why ESOPs should truly be viewed as a first-resort.

For starters – what is an ESOP?

To keep it simple, companies that launch an ESOP form a trust that purchases some or all of the company’s shares and holds them in retirement accounts for employees. As the stock value increases or decreases over time, so too does the value of the employees’ accounts.

The two main reasons why ESOPs are such beneficial alternatives to the other succession plans out there are as follows:

ESOPs increase employee engagement, thus improving the company’s overall performance
ESOPs offer potentially compelling benefits at the time of sale

Employee Engagement

In terms of employee engagement, studies have shown that employees who participate in an ESOP are more motivated to perform at a higher level than those who do not participate in an ESOP. Research in a study conducted on the effects of ESOP adoption and employee ownership at the University of Pennsylvania showed that individual employee-owners have increased job satisfaction, organizational commitment, motivation and workplace participation. Employee ownership has also been shown to result in increased firm productivity, profitability and longevity. In the largest study on the performance of employee stock ownership plans, Joseph Blasi and Douglas Kruse found that overall, productivity increased by 4% in companies who participate in an ESOP. The National Center for Employee Ownership also found that on average, employee-owners have retirement accounts that are 2.2x larger than those in traditionally owned companies.

Compelling Benefits

The second reason why ESOPs are a great option for business owners is the increased optionality. When the time comes to sell a business, ESOPs give business owners more than one solution to a very complex situation. One example of this can be seen through the decision Dansko, a popular manufacturer of shoes, made to become an employee owned company. When owner Mandy Cabot made the decision to sell her company, she was presented with an offer from Timberland, another massive name in the industry. While the deal offered an attractive price tag and additional benefits like added R&D for Dansko, ultimately Mandy sold her shares to an ESOP. Instead of an outside company running her business, the employee owners who have been ingrained in Dansko’s roots for so long, will continue on with their original commitment to employees, community, and values.

“In any business, employees are the life-blood, they ARE the business,” Mandy said. “Through our employees, Dansko will learn, evolve, and regenerate itself virtually forever.”

Misconceptions of ESOPs

With these benefits laid out on the table, what then gets in the way of owners looking to implement this viable option? Here are some of the major misconceptions surrounding ESOPs:

An owner may not get fair market value by selling to an ESOP – It is true that an ESOP cannot pay MORE than a business’ fair market value – thus, an owner will not be walking away with an offer from the highest bidder. However, the ESOP can pay every dollar of fair market value determined by a market evaluation exercise.
Owners lose operating control of their companies when they create an ESOP – This is also not true. While employee-owners will observe management decisions and strategies to grow the value of the company, ESOP members don’t manage operations.
ESOPs are too complex – Although there are more nuances when it comes to setting up an ESOP, ESOPs are structured under U.S. law as an employee retirement plan. There are many financial advisors out there who are experts on the ins and outs of ESOPs.

In the end, some retirement options may be better suited for certain companies and firms – but at the least, be sure to evaluate the tangible benefits of an ESOP.

Tata & Howard adopted an Employee Stock Ownership Plan in October of 2014 to ensure future success of the company. As a result, Tata & Howard employees own 100% of the company through their ESOP. Since becoming an ESOP company, Tata & Howard still upholds the same core mission and values of teamwork, efficient solutions, client satisfaction, integrity, and positive attitude, originally established more than 27 years ago.

International Women’s Day 2019

Women in Engineering

For the last 108 years, International Women’s Day (IWD) has taken place on March 8 all around the world. IWD is a global day of recognition celebrating the social, political, economic, and cultural achievements of women.
While the personal meaning of this day may vary, the global theme of equality and celebration resonates with a powerful force. From big cities and sprawling country sides, to tiny villages and corporate organizations, women and men alike are showing their support for all the women who make a difference each and every day.

The Women of Tata & Howard

At Tata & Howard, we feel particularly lucky to work alongside such talented and fantastic women. Of the 60 individuals who make up our firm across seven locations, 22 (or 37 percent) are women. On top of that, our two co-presidents are also women. Karen L. Gracey and Jenna W. Rzaza have more than 43 years in combined engineering experience, and go above and beyond to lead our team to its fullest potential. In an industry that has been predominantly dominated by men for the last several centuries, it prides us to see the strides and achievements being made within our company and others like us around the world.

Some of the Tata & Howard women in the Marlborough, MA office.

On International Women’s Day, and every day, we are thankful for the women who make up our team.
Christine Beliveau – Marketing Coordinator
Katie Carreira – Assistant Project Engineer
Justine Carroll, P.E. – Associate
Molly Coughlin – Assistant Project Engineer
Natalia Close – Engineer
Meghan Davis – Project Engineer
Karen Gracey, P.E. – Co-President
Chelsea Henderson – Engineer
Meagan Heslin, P.E. – Project Engineer
Eyleen Izaguirre – Engineer
Patricia Kelliher – Project Engineer
Jessica Kemp – Marketing Communications Manager
Kasey Kenyon – Engineer
Melissa Leach, P.E. – Senior Project Engineer
Maria Maynard – Manager of Human Resources
Jenna O’Connell – Engineer
Carmen Perkins – Staff Accountant
Jenna Rzasa, P.E, – Co-President
Allison Shivers, P.E. – Project Engineer
Jan Stone – Administrative Assistant
Kaitlin Tallman – Engineer
Mary Vermes – Staff Accountant

A few of the Tata & Howard men showing their support for their colleagues on International Women’s Day in the Marlborough, MA office.

Today we celebrated with our usual ‘Friday treats’ and acknowledged all of the great work our female engineers and staff members do throughout the year.

PFAS to be Classified as Hazardous Substances Under New Bipartisan Senate Bill

The PFAS Action Act

A bipartisan senate bill was introduced on March 1 to mandate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classify Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances eligible for cleanup under the Superfund toxics law, a massive step in efforts to eliminate widespread contamination by these compounds across the country. Under the PFAS Action Act of 2019, legislation would require responsible parties to report the excess release of PFAS into the environment and allow the government to sue polluters to recover the costs of cleanup.

Scott Faber, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) said that “this proposal could assist potentially hundreds of communities throughout the country struggling with PFAS contamination by securing the resources required to begin the cleanup process and holding polluters accountable.”

What are PFAS?

PFAS are manmade chemicals that have been used in both industry and consumer products since the 1950s. The most common products that PFAS are used in include:

Non-stick cookware
Products that resist grease, water and oil
Water-repellant clothing
Stain resistant fabrics
Firefighting foams
Some cosmetics

Exposure to PFAS can happen through a variety of ways including:

Drinking contaminated municipal water or private well water
Eating fish caught from a source that was contaminated with PFAS
Swallowing contaminated soil or dust
Eating food that was packaged in material containing PFAS
Using consumer products including the ones listed above

As PFAS are produced and used, they can migrate into soil and water inducing hugely detrimental effects on the environment, people, and animals. While scientists are still learning about the health effects to exposure of PFAS, some studies show that PFAS exposure may affect:

Growth
Learning
Behavior of infants and children
The ability to get pregnant
Natural hormones in the body
Cholesterol levels
Immune system
Risk of cancer

Why is the PFAS Action Act of 2019 Necessary?

Tests performed by the EPA have detected PFAS pollution of public water supplies for 16 million Americans in 33 states, a statistic that is considered a severe underestimate of the scope of the problem. EWG and researchers at Boston’s Northeastern University have tracked 172 PFAS contamination sites in 40 states – a number that does not include public water systems with PFAS contamination. In May 2018, EWG released a data analysis that estimated more than 1,500 drinking water systems, serving up to 110 million Americans, may be contaminated with similar fluorinated chemicals.

The map below from EWG and SSEHRI at Northeastern University shows contamination sites and EPA tap water detections. Click here to view an interactive version of this map. The blue circles show where PFAS chemicals were detected between 2013 and 2016 in public drinking water systems, and the red circles show sites in Northeastern’s PFAS Contamination Site Tracker.

Should this bill be enacted into law, these 1,500 contaminated drinking water systems across the country would soon be cleaned up as part both short-term and long-term actions included in the Action Plan, potentially resulting in clean water supplies and safe drinking water.

PFAS Action Act – Action Items

The EPA is leading the national effort to understand PFAS and reduce risks to the public through implementation of this Action Plan and through active engagement and partnership with other federal agencies, states, tribes, industry groups, associations, local communities, and the public.

Key actions to PFAS related challenges include:

Expanding toxicity information for PFAS
Developing new tools to characterize PFAS in the environment
Evaluating cleanup approaches
Developing guidance to facilitate the cleanup of contaminated groundwater
Using enforcement tools to address PFAS exposure in the environment
Using legal tools such as those in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to prevent future PFAS contamination
Addressing PFAS in drinking water using regulatory and other tools
Developing new tools and materials to communicate about PFAS

(See all priority actions, short-term actions, and long-term actions here.)

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Falmouth Holds Dedication Ceremony for New Long Pond Water Filtration Facility

Tata & Howard Staff Joined Falmouth Selectmen, Public Works Staff, Methuen Construction Staff, and Residents for a Dedication Ceremony and Facility Tours

On October 16, 2018, the Falmouth Board of Selectmen held a public Dedication Ceremony for the town’s recently completed water filtration facility on Gifford Street.

Attendees included Phil MacClellan, Paul Howard, Karen Gracey, and Ryan Neyland.

Several Tata & Howard company representatives attended the event, including Project Technical Reviewer Paul B. Howard, P.E., Project Principal Patrick O’Neale, P.E., Project Manager Ryan Neyland, P.E., Project Engineer Phil MacClellan, P.E., and Company Co-President Karen Gracey, P.E.

T&H Project Principal Patrick O’Neale, P.E., joined Falmouth Public Works Director Raymond Jack in addressing attendees at the Dedication Ceremony.

Project Principal Patrick O’Neale, P.E. joined other key project personnel including Director of Public Works Raymond Jack and Water Superintendent Stephen Rafferty, in summarizing the history of the water supply and key aspects of the facility, as well as Tata & Howard’s role in the pilot study, design, and construction administration of the facility. The facility utilizes coagulation, mixing, flocculation, dissolved air flotation (DAF), ozone, dual-media filtration, and chemical feed systems to provide the community with water that meets current EPA and MassDEP regulations.

Local residents toured the award-winning facility.

Tata & Howard was the lead engineering firm for the design and construction administration of the new facility; Methuen Construction was the general contractor. The new Long Pond Water Filtration Facility is a state-of-the-art water purification facility that received widespread community support. Due to the advanced nature of the facility design processes, this facility became the first Class IV fully automated facility to be permitted in New England.

Tata & Howard was awarded a 2018 Engineering Excellence Silver Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) for “outstanding professional design excellence” for the Falmouth Long Pond Water Filtration Facility. ACEC/MA’s annual Engineering Excellence Awards recognize engineering firms for projects that demonstrate a high degree of achievement, value, and ingenuity. The project also was recently featured in the November-December 2018 issue of World Water Magazine: Falmouth_WorldWaterMag_Nov-Dec2018

Methuen Construction received several awards for the construction of the new 8.4-million gallon per day (mgd) facility. The firm was most recently awarded the prestigious 2018 National Excellence in Construction Eagle Award, the highest level awarded by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). In 2017, Methuen won two Engineering News-Record (ENR) 2017 Best Projects New England awards in Water / Environmental and Safety categories for construction of the facility.

Aerial view of the new Long Pond Water Filtration Facility in Falmouth, MA.

The award-winning facility was built for the future and will provide a valuable health benefit to the residents of Falmouth for generations to come.Save

Paul Howard Honored at MWWA Annual Meeting

Executive Director Award Presented at MWWA Event at Devens Common Center

Tata & Howard, Inc., a leading innovator in water, wastewater, and stormwater engineering solutions, is pleased to announce that Paul B. Howard, P.E., Co-Founder and Senior Vice President at the firm, has been recognized with the 2018 Massachusetts Water Works Association (MWWA) Executive Director Award for his distinguished accomplishments and professional achievements in the water environment.

The Award was presented at the MWWA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on November 1st 2018. Presented by MWWA Executive Director Jennifer A. Pederson, the Award is in honor of Paul Howard’s commitment to the MWWA and his tireless advocacy on behalf of the water profession. The Award recognizes an active MWWA member whose knowledge and contributions to the profession merit special recognition.

Paul B. Howard, P.E. (center), receives his Executive Director Award during the MWWA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet. Shown with Paul is MWWA President Joe Coulter (l) and MWWA Executive Director Jennifer Pederson (r).

Paul Howard has had a highly distinguished career with more than 36 years’ experience in the water quality environment and long-term dedicated service to the MWWA and its members. He served as MWWA President in 2009 and has an unfailing passion for furthering the advancement of the water quality profession. “Paul is exceptionally deserving of this recognition,” stated Tata & Howard Co-President Karen L. Gracey, P.E. “He has worked tirelessly to help numerous water quality professionals throughout his long and illustrious career.”

“Paul’s vast knowledge and expertise is well-known in the water environment,” said MWWA President Elect for 2019 Patrick S. O’Neale, P.E., Senior Vice President at Tata & Howard. “He brings a unique perspective to the work we do and through his leadership, he has fostered enduring relationships throughout the water community. This recognition is well-deserved.”

Tata & Howard staff joined MWWA President Joe Coulter, and included: Co-Presidents Jenna W. Rzasa, P.E. and Karen L. Gracey, P.E.; Associate Jon W. Gregory, P.E.; Founder and Sr. VP Paul B. Howard, P.E.; and MWWA Board President Elect and Tata & Howard Senior VP Patrick S. O’Neale, P.E. Not pictured, Robert P. Sims, P.E.

Karen L. Gracey, P.E. receives the Presidential Sponsorship Award during the MWWA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet.

Along with Paul Howard being honored, the event included awards for Sponsorship, including one for Tata & Howard’s Presidential Sponsorship presented to Co-President Karen L. Gracey, P.E. Introduction of the elected slate of Officers of the Association also took place and included MWWA Board President Elect Patrick S. O’Neale, P.E., a Senior Vice President with Tata & Howard.

Photo Credit: Massachusetts Water Works Association.

Michael F. Knox Joins T&H as Client Service Specialist

Water and Wastewater Professional Mike Knox to Run Emergency Response Training Programs

Tata & Howard, Inc., a leading innovator in water, wastewater, and stormwater engineering solutions, is pleased to announce that Michael F. Knox, has joined the firm as a Client Service Specialist. In this newly created role, Mr. Knox will concentrate on developing Emergency Response Training Programs to be offered starting this fall.

Prior to joining Tata & Howard, Mr. Knox worked as the Superintendent and Chief Operator for the Cherry Valley and Rochdale Water & Sewer District in Leicester, Massachusetts. He holds a 2C and 3T drinking water license and a 3M wastewater license, and he has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.

In addition, Mr. Knox served as a member of the Massachusetts Water and Wastewater Agency Responses Network (MAWARN) Steering Committee and was the MAWARN Chair from 2008 to 2011. He is a member and Past President of the Massachusetts Water Works Association (MWWA).

“As a former Superintendent and Chief Operator of a Water & Sewer District, Mike brings a unique perspective to this position,” Paul B. Howard, P.E., T&H Senior Vice President stated. “Having worked with Mike in the past, we knew of his experience and expertise improving the safety and security of municipal assets and implementing emergency response programs.”

“We’re excited to have Mike on our team,” Karen L. Gracey, P.E., T&H Co-President said. “Mike’s knowledge and thorough understanding of critical emergency response methodologies and training skills will not only benefit municipal water operations but also help improve their service to the community water systems they manage.”

Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) are mandatory for all public water suppliers, and a minimum of 10 hours of Emergency Response Training is required. ERP training is a process that helps water system managers and staff explore vulnerabilities, make improvements, and establish procedures to follow during an emergency. Preparing and practicing an ERP can save lives, prevent illness, enhance system security, minimize property damage, and lessen liability.

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Tata & Howard’s James J. Courchaine Receives WEF Fellow Award

MARLBOROUGH, MA – Tata & Howard is pleased to announce that James J. Courchaine, Vice President and National Director of Business Practices at Tata & Howard, Inc., has been recognized as a 2018 Water Environment Federation (WEF) Fellow for his distinguished accomplishments and professional achievements in the global water environment.

The WEF Fellows Program recognizes the expertise and professional achievements of members who have practiced in WEF service areas including design, education, operations, regulation, research, utility management and leadership.

Jim Courchaine has had a highly distinguished career with more than 47 years’ experience in the water quality environment and a long-term dedicated service for WEF and its member associations. Jim was nominated for this award by colleagues around the country and was chosen for his professional achievements by a selection committee with final approval by the WEF Board of Trustees.

“He exemplifies the ideals of a WEF Fellow and is exceptionally deserving of this recognition,” stated Rajendra P. Bhattarai, P.E., DEE, WEF Fellow, in his letter of recommendation to the WEF selection committee. “He has an unfailing passion for furthering the advancement of the water quality profession and has worked tirelessly to help numerous water quality professionals throughout his long and illustrious career.”

“Jim’s vast knowledge and expertise is well-known in the water environment,” said Karen L. Gracey, P.E., Co-President at Tata & Howard, Inc. “He brings a unique perspective to the work we do and through his leadership, he has fostered enduring relationships with our clients. This recognition is well-deserved.”

Jenna Rzasa (l), Jim Courchaine (c), and Karen Gracey (r) at WEFTEC 2018 in New Orleans

T&H Co-Presidents Karen L. Gracey, P.E., and Jenna W. Rzasa, P.E., attended the WEF Awards and Presidential Celebration ceremony honoring Jim and all the WEF recognition recipients at WEFTEC 2018. WEFTEC is the largest conference and water quality exhibition of its kind in North America and offers water quality education and training.

For more information about the WEF Fellows Program, please visit: https://www.wef.org/membership/awards-recognition/wef-fellows-program/

Tata & Howard Celebrates Employee Ownership Month (EOM)

Employee Ownership Month (EOM) occurs every year in October and is an opportunity for ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) companies across the nation to educate employee-owners, the media, the public, and government officials about the benefits of employee ownership. It’s a terrific celebration of the spirit of employee ownership.

Here at Tata & Howard, EOM is a time for us to celebrate and thank each of our employee-owners, as the success of our ESOP is a result of their dedication and hard work. Without it, our ESOP wouldn’t be what it is today. We take this opportunity to focus on building our culture of ownership and continue to educate our employee-owners on the benefits of employee-ownership. We also have fun!

T&H kicked off EOM with our Employee Breakfast & Presentation on October 1st. We are encouraging our employees to participate in weekly hosted games and activities to gain points for their teams – which will be modeled after the Houses of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School. The House with the most points at the end of the month will win the House Cup! Other fun activities include a cornhole tournament, poker night, lunchtime Jeopardy, pumpkin decorating, the firm’s Anniversary Lunch, and wrapping up with the Pie in the Eye Day.

Giving back is an important part of our ESOP culture. Our offices / employees collect donations during October for a non-profit. This year Tata & Howard’s EOM campaign will impact Water for People – we hope we can contribute as much as last year (and maybe more!).

New Law Affects Small Community Water Systems

Effective October 1, 2018, Connecticut’s Department of Public Health (DPH) is requiring all small community water systems to complete Fiscal and Asset Management Plans by January 1, 2021 and update them annually. This new law effects small water companies that regularly serve communities of at least 25 but not more than 1,000 year-round residents.

The Fiscal and Asset Management Plan must include:

A list of all the system’s capital assets;
The asset’s (a) useful life, based on their current condition, (b) maintenance and service history, and (c) manufacturer’s recommendation;
The small community water system’s plan for reconditioning, refurbishing, or replacing the assets; and
Information on (a) whether the small community water system has any unaccounted-for water loss (i.e., water supplied to its distribution system that never reached consumers), (b) the amount and cause of such unaccounted-for water loss, and (c) measures the system is taking to reduce it.

Under the new law, each small community water system must also complete an initial assessment review of its hydropneumatic pressure tanks by May 2, 2019 on a form developed by the DPH.

Failure to complete or update their fiscal and asset management plans on or before January 1, 2021 maybe subject to civil penalties by DPH.

Compliance Concerns?

Tata & Howard has extensive experience with all facets of asset management planning and programming. Our services focus on condition assessment and analyses of critical capital assets, as well as operational evaluations, water audits to reduce unaccounted-for water, and long-term capital planning. Initial hydropneumatic pressure tank inspections can be also be performed in time to comply with the DPH deadline of May 2, 2019.

In addition, Tata & Howard can help secure financing through grants, such as those available through the USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Program.

Hey! I am first heading line feel free to change me

Tata & Howard has assisted numerous Water Companies with their Asset Management Planning. Please contact us for more information.

3 Sustainable Clean Water Ideas for a Warming World

Climate Change Brings New Innovation to the Water Environment

The summer of 2018 saw devastating fires blazing all over the world. Nearly 100 people died in raging fires across the southern coast of Greece. More than 50 wildfires scorched Sweden where the temperature north of the Arctic Circle soared into the 90’s causing drought conditions. Record breaking temperatures across the globe from Montreal to Great Britain topped 98 degrees this summer. In Japan, 22,000 people were hospitalized when temps climbed to 106 degrees. And, in normally cool Oslo, the thermometer climbed to 86 degrees for 16 consecutive days. From Southern California and Arizona to India and Pakistan, withering heat reached a deadly 110 degrees that parched the environment.

Thermometer The most alarming news is the hottest temperature ever reliably recorded reached 124.3 degrees in Algeria this July.

Fires, heat and drought of this scope and scale seem to be becoming the new normal. These extreme events point to a planet that is warming and perhaps faster than scientists have predicted.

Although the effects of climate change may vary widely in different geographic regions, those areas already hardest hit with drought and arid conditions may be in the most critical need of clean drinking water.

This crisis will only get worse as the earth’s population conceivably could grow exponentially in the next 50 years and adequate supplies of water become even more scarce. In addition to supplying all these thirsty people with clean water, the chilling paradox is the increased demand on already-scarce resources means there is a greater chance that existing water sources will become polluted by human waste, industrial toxins, and contaminated agricultural runoff.

It is human nature to postpone change and sacrifice as long as possible. But it is clear that public service announcements warning residents to save water, take shorter showers, plant resilient gardens, and conserve, is not going to be enough to help avoid a global water shortage. Fortunately, scientists and researchers are working diligently to solve some very complex problems to provide innovative and sustainable clean water solutions for the future.

Here are three cutting edge ideas for sustainable water supplies that just may help a warming world.

Ancient Bacteria for Modern Water Purification

Anaerobic or oxygen-averse bacteria to treat wastewater is back in vogue… after a billion years. When the earth was a toxic primordial goo, anaerobic bacteria thrived in the oxygen deprived world forming the first signs of life. Environmental engineers at Stamford University are now bringing back these ancient microorganisms as a more cost-effective wastewater treatment process.

Primordial-bacteria Wastewater treatment plants that use aerobic bacteria must provide oxygen with huge and costly electrically powered blowers for these microorganisms to survive. Anaerobic bacteria treatment processes do not need oxygen and use considerably less energy, making the wastewater treatment process more economical to operate. In addition to saving money, engineers believe these anaerobes can filter household and industrial chemicals better than conventional treatment plants.

Full-scale plants utilizing anaerobic bacteria may soon be capable of processing millions of gallons of wastewater per day into refreshing clean water.

Mega Scale Desalination

Desalination plants may not have been around as long as ancient bacteria, but this technology is not a new concept either. What is news however, is the increasing role desalination will have in the future. Israel’s Sorek desalination plant is the largest seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in the world providing 627,000 cubic meters per day (m³/d) or the equivalent to about 166,000,000 gallons of water per day (gpd) to Israelis.

Desalination plants which were notoriously expensive energy hogs have become less energy-intensive as technologies have improved. Using renewable energy, such as solar, wind and geothermal along with advanced technologies including thin-film nanocomposite membranes, captive deionization (most suitable for brackish water), forward osmosis, and metal–organic framework (MOF) biological cell membranes that requires very little water pressure, water desalination is becoming more efficient and cost effective. The new cutting-edge membranes can even filter out precious metals such as lithium used in batteries.

Saudi Arabia, the largest producer of desalinated water in the world with its 32 desalination plants and growing, will soon be producing a historic 5 million m³/d or the equivalent of about 1,321,000,000 gpd, a global record of desalinated water. Benefiting from this leading-edge technology, Cape Town South Africa may have averted a catastrophic “Day Zero” when the City’s first desalination plant went online, preventing a water doomsday for its residents.With the world’s oceans holding about 96.5 percent of all Earth’s water and with more innovation, desalination may prove to be this thirsty world’s salvation.

Drinking Water from the Air

Another old idea that is gaining favor is converting fog into drinking water. Super-sized moisture collection systems could allow people living in coastal or mountainous areas to convert fog into safe drinking water. Collection traps are made from a 3D mesh that can withstand high wind speeds, while still retaining and accumulating water in storage tanks. With a variety of sizes available, these fog systems can be used for individual needs or supplying water for entire villages.

fog-nets — Super-sized fog nets can capture moisture in coastal or mountainous areas to convert fog into safe drinking water.

Combine this idea with giant Atmosphere Water Generators (AWG), which takes moisture or humidity directly out of the air and converts it into potable water. Even in the driest of lands, the air is loaded with water molecules and enough drinking water converted from AWG’s could provide communities with a continuous and sustainable source of clean water.

On a large scale, the AWG units can be mounted on the roof-tops of commercial or residential buildings. When powered by renewable energy, these systems can create safe local drinking water efficiently and economically. Water districts and municipalities managing these units, can provide as much as 55 m³ /d or about 14,500 gallons per day, enough to service each building independently with water.

AWG Towers — Large scale Atmosphere Water Generators can be installed on roof tops.

Collected water from both fog collection systems or AWG’s may seem farfetched. But consider this, 80 percent of California’s water goes to irrigate farms and the other 20 percent of water use goes to urban use. Collected water from the air could be used to irrigate crops or other commercial watering needs.

Water conservation and alternative technologies such as fog collection systems and AWG units can supplement our increasing demand for clean water and these ideas just might may make a difference.

The Future is for Innovation

Combating climate change and managing our depleting water resources is a reality we can’t ignore. The devasting fires, drought and heat from 2018, is a reminder that our actions today may help avert a global catastrophe in the future. These innovative ideas and others still in development are one step forward to a more sustainable world.

Our future depends on it!

Category: Newsworthy