At its January 13 meeting, the Water Research Foundation’s (WRF) Board of Directors voted to add three new Focus Areas relating to lead and copper, food waste pre-treatment, and non-regulated disinfection by-products (DBPs) to WRF’s principal research program. The Focus Area Program identifies important water industry issues and solves them with a targeted, multi-year research response.
The Lead and Copper Focus Area will provide resources to assist Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) compliance and inform current and pending LCR regulations by evaluating lead and copper corrosion control mechanisms, developing risk communication resources, exploring lead service line (LSL) issues, analyzing monitoring and sampling requirements, and understanding impacts to wastewater systems.
The Food Waste Pre-Treatment Focus Area will provide utilities with information and tools to make informed decisions about source separated organics (SSO) feedstock pre-treatment and management practices. SSOs are defined as food wastes originating from restaurants (excluding grease), commercial kitchens, and grocery stores, as well as residential food waste that is separated from other household wastes. This is WRF’s first Focus Area exclusively directed towards wastewater and resource recovery systems, and its creation strengthens WRF’s commitment to providing scientific research in all areas of One Water.
The Non-Regulated Disinfection By-products Focus Area will examine the formation of non-regulated DBPs during water treatment processes; develop control strategies that minimize the formation of regulated DBPs while preventing the formation of non-regulated DBPs; identify sources of bromide, iodide, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and develop removal strategies; and provide guidance to utilities to comply with regulations while minimizing unintended consequences.
The Board also voted to maintain 8 existing focus areas. The existing Focus Areas include the following:
- Intelligent Water Networks
- Pathogens in Premise Plumbing and Distribution Systems
- Integrated Water Resource Management
- Water Utility Infrastructure
- Water Demand
- Water Utility Energy Efficiency and Integrated Water-Energy Planning
- Biofiltration
- Cyanobacterial Blooms and Cyanotoxins
Additionally, the Board approved $4.36 million for research funding in 2017, which includes $3.81 million for WRF’s research programs and $550 thousand for other research activities. This research allocation will be significantly leveraged with partnership funding and in-kind support. The portion of research funding allocated to the three research programs will be distributed as follows:
- Focus Area Program: Approximately $2.14 million has been allocated to this program for 2017.
- Tailored Collaboration Program: Board allocates $250 thousand towards the Tailored Collaboration program to fund additional One Water Projects. This brings the total Tailored Collaboration funding in 2017 to $962 thousand. The TC Program enables WRF to partner with utility subscribers on research that may be issue specific or regional in nature, that may have broad water community impacts.
- Emerging Opportunities Program: Approximately $712 thousand has been allocated to this program for 2017. The EO Program enables WRF to respond quickly to emergent subscriber challenges and research ideas identified throughout the year.
In announcing the Board’s decisions, Charles Murray, Board Chair, said, “The Board’s approval of the new Focus Areas, One Water Tailored Collaboration funding, as well as the funding levels for all the research programs, are crucial steps as the Water Research Foundation positions itself to be the leader in One Water Research.”
Please contact John Albert, Chief Research Officer, (jalbert@waterrf.org or 303.734.3413) if you have any questions about the 2017 research budget or Focus Areas.
About the Water Research Foundation
The Water Research Foundation is the leading not-for-profit research cooperative that advances the science of water to protect public health and the environment. Governed by utilities, WRF plans, manages, and delivers scientifically sound research solutions on the most critical challenges facing the water community in the areas of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and reuse. Over the last 50 years, WRF has sponsored nearly 1,500 research projects valued at $500 million, and serves more than 1,000 subscribing organizations. For more information, go to www.WaterRF.org.
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