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Learn more A Distributed Renewable Energy Opportunities and Policy Workshop Recommendations on how water utilities can assess opportunities for distributed energy resource (DER), identify and navigate DER regulations, and build partnerships with energy utilities. Learn More Advances in Water Research The 2020 Year in Review issue of AWR is now live. This issue features water reuse, intelligent water systems, pathogens, and more. Learn More Emerging Technologies for Nutrient Optimization Webcast On March 31 at 10:00 AM MT, learn about emerging technologies for nutrient optimization of existing facilities, including emerging process developments, equipment, treatment and regulatory strategies, and overall system nutrient control approaches. Learn More 01 Symposium 02 Research 03 Magazine 04 Webcast Select Topic Topics of Focus Biosolids Biosolids In the United States alone, billions of gallons of water are treated each day at water resource recovery facilities. Once the water is clean, a different challenge remains: determining what to do with the solids that are removed during the treatment process. The resulting mixture is often a unique semi-solid blend of organic and inorganic materials, trace elements, chemicals, and even pathogens, so there is no across the board solution for handling and processing the combinations of constituents that may be present. Because these solids are often rich in nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus—which also happen to be the perfect ingredients for promoting healthy soil and plant growth—many facilities have turned to land application. Before these solids can be put to use for things like fertilizing farmland, however, they must undergo rigorous treatment to meet stringent regulations, at which point they become known as biosolids. Login to follow this topic In this topic 87 Projects 2 Web Tools Project #4871 Nationwide Meta-Omics Survey of Anaerobic Digestion and Fermentation Processes for Resource Recovery from Biosolids and Other Organics Research Investment $223,250 Completion Year 2020 In Progress Project Highlights With a shift toward more complex anaerobic carbon conversion processes, a better mechanistic understanding of the microbial communities (both structure and function), carbon conversion pathways, and the kinetics therein is needed. This knowledge might also necessitate the enhancement of current... View more details Date Started May 1, 2016 Principal Investigator Kartik Chandran Research Manager Ms. Stephanie Fevig, PE Metro Vancouver Featured Facility 06/14/2019 Metro Vancouver plans to implement over $2 billion dollars worth of wastewater infrastructure over the next 15 years, including two treatment facilities that will be built almost from scratch. The... Silicon Valley Partners for Resource Recovery Featured Facility By Eric Hansen 06/13/2019 Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) has been investigating all aspects of wastewater resource recovery for a while now. Currently SVCW is investigating SAF-MBR for low cost wastewater treatment and water... City of Stevens Point, Wisconsin Featured Facility By Chris LeFebvre 06/14/2019 The City of Stevens Point, Wisconsin is focusing on transforming its Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) to a Resource Recovery Facility. Over the past five years, the wastewater staff has put... Climate Change Climate Change Climate change is already altering the patterns of our natural hydrologic cycle, creating uncertainty when it comes to the quality and quantity of water sources—forcing utilities to rethink practices that have traditionally been effective and seek solutions for more unpredictable conditions. While it is clear that widespread shifts in weather patterns will continue in the foreseeable future, the rate and intensity are not fully known. Even seemingly slight temperature increases can set off a chain of negative effects, such as lower dissolved oxygen levels, higher contaminant loads, reduced stream flows, altered runoff timing, widespread algal blooms, and increased saltwater intrusion. Adding to this challenge is the increased frequency of extreme weather, also linked to climate change. From drought to storms to tidal surges, these events can have devastating effects on critical water infrastructure. Because lack of access to clean, safe water is the single biggest threat to human health and economic livelihood, water service providers must be prepared to address these unstable weather conditions. Login to follow this topic In this topic 28 Projects 2 Web Tools 2 Case Studies 11 Webcasts Project #5054 Using Climate Information in Water Utility Planning Research Investment $25,000 Completion Year 2020 In Progress Project Highlights This project convened a workshop for water utilities in the northwest United States designed to improve the delivery of resources for small- to medium-size water utilities to help them build their resilience to climate change. Through a survey, focus groups... View more details Date Started Jun 1, 2020 Research Manager Ms. Maureen Hodgins WRF Releases Report about Wildfire Impacts on Drinking Water Press Release 11/27/2018 The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has released a new report, Wildfire Impacts on Drinking Water Treatment Process Performance: Development of Evaluation Protocols and Management Practices (4590). The frequency and intensity... 2021 Intelligent Water Systems Challenge Launched Press Release 03/16/2021 The 2021 Intelligent Water Systems Challenge (IWS Challenge) is underway and will showcase innovative ways that intelligent water systems can be utilized by utilities to improve resilience. The overarching goal... Distributed Systems Overview Magazine 03/23/2021 This fact sheet, published by the Water Environment Federation (WEF), was created in collaboration with EPA's Decentralized Wastewater Management Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Partnership. The Water Research Foundation is also... Cyanobacteria & Cyanotoxins Cyanobacteria & Cyanotoxins Aquatic microscopic algae and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) occur naturally in most surface waters, however certain nutrient and temperature conditions can lead them to rapidly multiply, leading to “blooms.” Under certain conditions, some species of cyanobacteria can produce toxic secondary metabolites or cyanotoxins, which may pose health risks to humans and animals. Even when algae is not toxic, it can pro...