American Water Works Association Holds Annual Conference in Dallas June 21-24

N/Ath Annual Conference and Exposition of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is underway in Dallas, Texas. Some of the latest information on water quality, regulatory activity, research advances, management concerns, groundwater and surface water treatment, safety, conservation, and public education is being presented to the drinking water community at the Dallas Convention Center.

More than 70 technical sessions offering several hundred papers, 10 pre-conference seminars, two professional development sessions, four facility tours, and an exhibit hall with approximately 1,000 booths of the latest technologies, services and recently developed products indicate that this is one of the most comprehensive conferences for water supply professionals held anywhere in the world.

The AWWA has more than 54,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The group leads effort to advance the science, technology, consumer awareness, management, conservation, and government policies related to drinking water.

Three drinking water industry company announcements were acknowledged during the AWWA meeting.

<%=company%> announced that is has acquired Houston-based Gardiner Equipment Co., Inc., maker of the Water Champ chemical induction system. This acquisition is a strategic move by U.S. Filter, which aims to become the premier global provider of wastewater treatment products and services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"This merger gives us resources for growth that were unavailable to us as a single product company," said Jack Gardiner, founder, and inventor of the Water Champ.

Carus Chemical Company, a division of Carus Corporation, headquartered in Peru, Illinois, has signed an agreement on June 19 to purchase The Kjell Corporation of Beloit, Wisconsin.

According to this agreement Carus, a manufacturer of potassium permanganate, will acquire essentially all of the assests of Kjell, the manufacturer and marketer of a complete line of Aqua Mag corrosion inhibitors and sequesterants for the water treatment industry. Brech Kauffman, president, and John Vargas, vice president of sales, will continue to direct the Kjell operations and will play a signicant role in the growth of the phosphate business.

Severn Trent Plc., a leader in water and waste utility services companies, has announced the formation of a new company for its U.S. operations. Severn Trent Services Inc. will serve as the umbrella for seven Severn Trent companies currently operating here, as well as those added through future mergers and acquisitions. The move strategically focuses Severn Trent's efforts in the burgeoning utility marketplace, as an increasing number of cities and municipalities seek out competitive bids for water and wastewater management services.