What’s the Word on the Water and Wastewater Markets?

According to a 2010 report by the Equilibrium Capital Group, the U.S. Water and Wastewater Market in 2015 is expected to reach $150 billion, which includes municipal utilities and the industrial sector’s operating and capital expenses. During the VMA Market Outlook meeting in August 2012, experts in the field stressed that, while the markets for water and wastewater valves have slowed down somewhat in North America, the growing urbanization of developing nations is creating a boom in infrastructure building. Desalination, water re-use and the need for improved wastewater management are especially important in those developing countries.

As valve, actuator and control manufacturers are among the key players in this industry, and a good portion of our readers are end users who work in these markets, we’ve decided it’s time for a column dedicated to the water and wastewater industry in its entirety.

Issues such as scarcity of water resources, environmental regulations and the lack of financial resources for upgrading and maintaining municipal infrastructure provide challenges to the valve industry, but they also provide opportunities. This column will explore both angles. It will also look at new technology that makes it possible to safely re-use urban water and generate power from wastewater and discuss how valve manufacturers can contribute to the efficiency and viability of new projects. Our goal is to share information in this column that will facilitate even more technological advances.

VALVE Magazine approached some VMA members who make products for water applications to ask them what they see as vital issues for the valve industry in the water and wastewater market and what they would like to see covered in this column. Here’s what they said:

MEMBERS TALK

Robert Abbott, director of corporate marketing communications at Mueller Co., said that VALVE Magazine is important for his company as a manufacturer of flow control products for the potable water distribution industry because it focuses specifically on valves in all their variations. Because editorial is not tied to the myriad of water distribution issues and products that other water-related industry publications have to cover, it can give valves and actuators more comprehensive coverage. In this way, “we can reach the readers in the water works industry whose responsibilities involve the application and use of valves.”

What Abbott said is reflected in the sentiments of Jeff Bricker, general manager at Bernard Controls, who said, “I believe our customers in water are looking at the magazine to find out what new technologies are out there and how they can best be utilized to make their operations more efficient.” He said the column provides an opportunity to bring new products and innovations to the attention of the industry.

Jeff Bowman, president of Lined Valves, provided an example of recent innovations that affect performance and enhance efficiency and that might be reported in this column. Those include new fabrication techniques and improved materials, which he said are vital because they are changing the water treatment industry.

Anne Sophie Kedad, marketing manager of Emerson Industrial Automation, ASCO Valve, Inc., sees this new column as an opportunity to present information about market development as well as the environment and products used by industry professionals.

For instance, she suggested coverage of key trends and major concerns in the water treatment/wastewater market and the most effective ways to manage utilities’ water resources. Kedad also suggested the column “detail new and future MRO and capital investment growth or plant expansion and upgrade plans.”

New environmental regulations will also be vital going forward, Kedad added. Of particular concern is how these markets are handling the new lead-free regulations, as enacted in the “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act,” signed into law by President Barack Obama on Jan. 4, 2011 and set to take effect on Jan. 4, 2014. The law reduces the permissible levels of lead in wetted surfaces of faucets, pipes and pipe fittings to 0.25% from the previous national standard of 8.0% maximum. While many manufacturers in the plumbing industry are already meeting these reduced standards, the uniform national standard to harmonize requirements will tie together the patchwork of requirements across the country. A consortium of plumbing manufacturers and industry trade associations has been formed to spread the word about this new legislation. A communications campaign by the “Get the Lead Out of Plumbing Consortium,” directed toward contractors/apprentices, distributors, plumbing engineers and code officials is launching in January 2013.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

VALVE Magazine wants to know what concerns or issues readers would like to see addressed in this column. For example, as an end user, do you have a particular product or application that could use improvement? As a valve, actuator or control manufacturer, do you have a new technique or technology that can increase efficiency or decrease costs for end users?

We will be seeking contributors for this column, as well as other educational articles to publish in VALVE Magazine or on VALVEmagazine.com. If you have a technical article or case study that you feel would be a good fit, please email kkunkel@vma.org.

Kate Kunkel is senior editor of VALVE Magazine. Reach her at kkunkel@vma.org.