MANILA, Philippines--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) has entrusted Black & Veatch to train its professionals and water industry partners in the finer points of biological nutrient removal (BNR) in wastewater treatment.
Dr. James Barnard, a Global Practice and Technology Leader for Black & Veatch’s water business, and Dr. Andrew Shaw, Associate Vice President at Black & Veatch, led the knowledge transfer session. Dr. Barnard was the 2011 winner of the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.
The two-day technology conference was attended by more than 70 water professionals, some 50 of whom were from MWCI. Dr. Barnard and Dr. Shaw shared technology insights, practical experience and recommendations with a focus on advancing Philippines' capacity building and infrastructure development efforts.
"Knowledge transfer is a key component of our projects. We believe strong collaboration and effective knowledge sharing with water utilities, like Manila Water, can help address complexities faced by regional utilities," said William Yong, Vice President and Managing Director of Black & Veatch’s water business in Southeast Asia.
Yong added that knowledge transfer provides Manila Water professionals with more knowledge and awareness in the drive to meet tightened environmental regulations. Understanding of BNR best practices also equips the local teams with capabilities to identify and minimize issues associated with retrofitting existing wastewater assets and building new infrastructure.
Constructing and sustaining infrastructure is central to a country's growth. With talent and skills development at the core of innovation and implementation success, Black & Veatch's knowledge transfer programs benefit global clients in countries as diverse as Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
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Editor’s Notes:
- Dr. James L. Barnard is known globally as the Father of BNR, a non-chemical means of wastewater treatment in which nitrogen and/or phosphorous are removed. Dr. Barnard developed BNR more than 40 years ago, and it is now used worldwide in thousands of wastewater treatment systems in many varied climates.
- MWCI is the concessionaire providing water and sewerage services to the East Zone of Metro Manila. The concession area includes Pasig, Taguig, Pateros, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Marikina, parts of Makati, Quezon City and Manila and the entire Province of Rizal. The idea of a technology conference was conceived when MWCI appointed Black & Veatch, in partnership with DCCD Engineering Corporation, to convert 40 of its sewage treatment plants (STPs) into BNR facilities. The objective of the project is to comply with new Department of Environment and Natural Resources' discharge standards to remove nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in sewage. Approaches to achieve the objective include process retrofit, consolidation of plants and flow diversion. Black & Veatch will be supporting MWCI's efforts through conducting investigations, undertaking detailed design and performing procurement support services.
- MWCI is organizing a market sounding event in May 2019 for the sewer network packages for two sewerage schemes: San Mateo-Rodriguez South Sewerage System; and Mandaluyong West – San Juan South – Quezon City South Sewerage System. Each of the two projects includes a new STP with BNR treatment process.
- Black & Veatch has been operating in the Philippines since the 1960s. The retrofitting project is part of the five-year consultancy framework that the Black & Veatch/DCCD consortium won in 2018.
About Black & Veatch
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