Award-winning Black & Veatch technology leader to deliver the Singapore Water Lecture

SINGAPORE (30 June 2011) – Dr. James Barnard, winner of the Lee Kuan YewWater Prize 2011, was honored by Black & Veatch with a special celebrationprior to his departure to receive the award at Singapore International WaterWeek (SIWW) on Tuesday, 5 July and deliver the highly anticipated SingaporeWater Lecture.

Barnard, a Global Practice and Technology Leader for Advanced BiologicalTreatment at Black & Veatch, began his professional journey in his nativeSouth Africa and arid Namibia in the 1970s where challenges such aseutrophication were having severe impacts on the countries’ river systems andwaterways.  Inspired to find a more cost-effective and environmentallysustainable solution, he explored the possibility of removing phosphorus andnitrogen from used water through biological means only. The result was theinvention of the Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) process. Today, variationsof the BNR process have been implemented in hundreds of facilities across NorthAmerica, Europe and Africa.

“What’s often misunderstood is that nature is in fact very reliable as longas you can re-create and manage the optimal conditions,” Barnard said. “Thesimplest analogy of how the BNR process works that most people intuitivelygrasp is how for centuries we have understood and harnessed micro-organisms tobrew beer or make cheese.”

The development and implementation of the BNR process has transformedwastewater treatment around the world by substantially reducing the reliance onchemicals for removing phosphorus and nitrogen.  Today, research continuesto focus on improving the efficiencies of the process but also explores ways torecover these life-giving and dwindling natural resources, critical ingredientsin fertilizers.

“Dr. Barnard personifies passion and dedication,” said Dan McCarthy,President and CEO of Black & Veatch’s global water business. “The mannerwith which he carries out his research and advocacy for environmentallysustainable water treatment inspires thousands of our professionals.”

The Lee Kuan Yew Prize recognises outstanding contributions towards solvingglobal water problems by either applying technologies or implementing policiesand programmes that benefit humanity. Barnard stood out from a record of 72high-quality nominations received from 29 countries this year, to become thefourth recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize – one of the highlights of theSingapore International Water Week.

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister and recognized as thenation’s Founding Father, will present the award. Barnard will deliver aone-hour lecture on his life’s work and insights to 1,500 government, businessand academic leaders from around the world.

“The prize applies as much to my work as to thousands of researchers whohave tirelessly worked to fight against eutrophication in our river systems andwaterways throughout the world,” Barnard said. “It’s also an honour to receivethe prize from a country such as Singapore, which has set an example to theworld in all aspects of water management.”

Barnard, who joined Black & Veatch in 1998, has spent his careerresearching, developing and improving processes for treating water andwastewater in a more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendlymanner.

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AboutBlack& Veatch

Black & Veatch (www.bv.com) is a globalleader in the consulting, engineering, construction and operation of what theworld needs now and in the future in the crucial areas of energy, water andtelecommunications and in providing up-to-the-minute services in the fastchanging federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, theemployee-owned, $2.3 billion company operates out of more than 110 officesworldwide and has completed projects in more than 100 countries.

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Hill & Knowlton representingSingapore International WaterWeek 2011