WorldWide Drilling Resource

60 AUGUST 2014 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Sewer Tunnel Replacement in Charleston Adapted from Information Provided by Charleston Water System Since 1999, Charleston Water System in South Carolina, has been working to replace the network of deep tunnels carrying sewage to the Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. The original tunnel system was built in the late 1960s to collect wastewater from shallow sewer lines and deliver it to the treatment facility. Due to the highly corrosive nature of wastewater, the carrier pipe inside the tunnel and the tunnel structure itself have been dam- aged over time. Deterioration left the tunnel at risk of failure, which could block flow in the tunnel causing sanitary sewer over- flows - a potentially serious threat to public health and water quality in the Charleston Harbor. After discovering severe deterioration in 1998, Charleston Water System began an aggressive, multiphased effort to replace the tunnels. With an estimated cost of $186 million, the replacement project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Charleston Water System’s history and is being funded primarily through rev- enue bonds supported by current sewer rates. The six-phase project is in its fifth phase, the West Ashley Tunnel project. Construction of the new tunnel includes drilling a 1.6-mile-long, 120-foot-deep tunnel. The project also involves build- ing a new pump station and piping at the treatment plant, as well as sewer system improvements in several areas. The original West Ashley tunnel carried about ten mi l l ion gal lons of wastewater per day to the treatment plant from West Ashley, parts of John Island, and the towns of Hollywood, Ravenel, and Meggett. At $50.8 million, the West Ashley Tunnel phase is the most expensive of al l six phases. Construction on this portion of the sewer tunnel began in April 2013; it is ongoing with likely com- pletion set for late 2015. Inadequate tunnel capacity caus- es sewer overflows. This overflow occurred behind a West Ashley shopping center during a heavy rain. Flow Meters Expected to see an Increase in Asia-Pacific Area Adapted from Information by Markets and Markets A flow meter is an instrument used to measure the volume of fluid passing through certain point over a given time. It usually consists of a tube, indicator, stop, and scale. Their performance de- pends on the density, pressure, viscosity, and temperature of the fluid. It is meas- ured by accuracy, repeatability, linearity, and range-ability of the instrument. According to a recent report by Markets and Markets, a market research company and consulting firm, the global flow meters market is estimated to reach a value of $7.9 billion by 2019. Rapid industrialization and the in- creasing population in the Asia-Pacific region are driving the demand for flow meters. The region will require huge water and wastewater management infra- structure which presents a great opportu- nity for flow meter manufacturers to expand in this region. The Middle East and Africa region also has potential for flow meter manufacturers thanks to the oil and gas industry. The global flow meters market has witnessed a significant growth over the past few years and this growth is expect- ed to continue. North America, Europe, and Asia- Pacific dominated the global flow meters market in 2013 and accounted for over 84.1% of the market. The U.S. is the lead- ing consumer of global flow meters. This trend is expected to continue, although at a lower rate than the global average. The report, Flow Meters Market by Type (Differential Pressure, Positive Displacement, Magnetic, Ultrasonic, Coriolis Turbine, Vortex and Others) and by Application (Water & Wastewater, Oil & Gas, Refining & Petrochemicals, Food & Beverages, Chemicals, Power Generation, and Others) - Global Trends & Forecast to 2019 , categorizes the global market for flow meters on the basis of product type, application, and geography. The scope of the report in- cludes: Product type - The market for flow meters is segmented by type of products such as differential pressure, positive displacement, magnetic, ultrasonic, coriolis, turbine, vortex, and other types. Application - Applications such as water and wastewater; oil and gas; refin- ing and petrochemicals; power genera- tion; and others, are described in detail in the report. Geography - The market is divided by key regions: Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and the rest of the world. In Memoriam Stephan R. “Steve” Markway (1947~2014) Stephan R. “Steve” Markway passed away April 30, 2014, surrounded by his family. A lifelong resident of the Jefferson City, Missouri area, he graduated from Lincoln University with a degree in accounting. In 1968, Steve helped create PIC Supply Company with his parents and siblings. He worked there ever since, most recently as president and co-owner. He was a member of the Missouri Water Well Association; and enjoyed coaching youth sports and riding bike. Steve is survived by his wife of 35 years, Betty; son Robert; daughter Katie, and extended family. The management and staff of WWDR extend their condolences to Steve’s family and friends. Photo of a flow meter in use courtesy of Eno Scientific.