Water Treatment: Not Just a Third World Issue
Water Treatment: Not Just a Third World Issue
By Donald R. Keer, PE
MDCSystems® Consulting Engineer
In March the United Nations celebrated World Water Day 2013 by choosing Water Cooperation (supplying clean, accessible water to vulnerable communities) as its theme. With continuous pressure being put on populations to use water wisely, attorneys in the construction industry are seeing issues arise that were not present two decades ago. Water treatment is a unique industry with its own problems.
Clean water is necessary in almost every aspect of an industrialized country. Ironically, the greater the industrialization the harder and more expensive it is to treat water to ensure its purity. Water is not just necessary for public consumption. Industries, such as power, chemical, pharmaceutical and healthcare all require a consistent quality of water.
Water is the most essential life-sustaining substance on earth. Ironically it is also a substance that accounts for over 5 million deaths each year (Summit Intro Water Investing 2008), half of them children under the age of five, due to poor sanitation and purification techniques. Three quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered in water yet only ½ of 1% of that water is considered “fresh” water. The majority of that “fresh” water is still unsuitable to drink.
The contamination of water is not just a Third World issue. The North American population is draining the aquifers underlying the land at an alarming rate. Where water was once considered an infinite resource people and governments are realizing it is in fact a renewable resource
Mitch Swann Presents at Numerous Key Seminars this Spring
Mr. Swann, PE, MDCSystems® Consulting Engineer
With more than 30 years of industry experience, E. Mitchell Swann, PE, has been on ASHRAE’s Distinguished Lecturer roster since 2005 and speaks frequently both in the U.S. and abroad. Mitch has been especially active this spring presenting at various professional seminars. Having seen the good, the bad and the ugly of projects, Mitch provided seasoned insights and guidance on a variety of project strategies and risk mitigation.
Design-Build Executing the Project
ASHRAE Baltimore Chapter Meeting on Thursday
2 May 2013
Connecting Green Building Outcomes to Enterprise Sustainability Programs
ECOnference 2013 @ Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
16 April 2013
Jedi Mind Tricks for IPD (…but first, you’ve got to want to.)
ASHRAE Puget Sound Chapter, Seattle, WA
10 April 2013
Design Build for Green Buildings – Integrated Delivery of an Integrated Idea
ASHRAE Mid-Columbia Chapter, Richland, WA
9 April 2013
Specifications, BIM and Design Build for Contractors and Designers.
ASHRAE Pittsburgh Chapter Joint Meeting Night with SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors’ National Association) along with Eli Howard (SMACNA)
21 March 2013
Sustainability: Un-definable Success in a Defined World
ASHRAE DL Presentation at Karachi HVAC & R Expo sponsored by the Pakistan HVACR Society
1 & 2 March 2013
Opportunities for Improved Cleanroom Energy Efficiency
ASHRAE DL Presentation at Karachi HVAC & R Expo sponsored by the Pakistan HVACR Society
2 March 2013
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