The Water Research Foundation Funds 12 New Projects, Seeks Partners

May 19, 2020
Press Release

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has funded 12 new Research Priority Program projects with a total funding amount of $2,125,000. This research allocation will be significantly leveraged with partnership funding and in-kind support. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for these projects will be released in August 2020. The Research Priority Program is WRF's largest strategic research program, addressing broadly relevant subscriber issues, challenges, and opportunities with targeted research spanning a three- to five-year period. 

WRF subscribers are encouraged to partner on these projects by serving as a test facility, providing water samples, responding to surveys, loaning equipment, or sharing staff expertise. Participating utilities gain firsthand knowledge about cutting-edge research and leverage the expertise of leading researchers and other participants across the water community. Interested organizations must complete the UPIR volunteer application form. The 2020 UPIR application deadline is June 26.

Additionally, subject matter experts can volunteer to serve on Project Advisory Committees (PACs) that will oversee each funded project. The 2020 PAC application deadline is June 8. Interested volunteers should complete the PAC volunteer application form. (Please note that you must be logged in to the waterrf.org website to access the UPIR and PAC application pages).

The newly funded projects are as follows:

Linking Nutrient Reductions to Receiving Water Responses (5078)

Funding Amount: $150,000

Assessing Water Quality Monitoring Needs, Tools, Gaps, and Opportunities for Potable Water Reuse (5079)

Funding Amount: $125,000

Assessment of Vulnerability of Source Waters to Toxic Cyanobacterial Outbreaks (5080)

Funding Amount: $150,000

Guidance for Using Pipe Loops to Inform Lead and Copper Corrosion Control Treatment Decisions (5081)

Funding Amount: $150,000

Investigation of Alternative Management Strategies to Prevent PFAS From Entering Drinking Water Supplies and Wastewater (5082)

Funding Amount: $350,000

Advancing Low-Energy Biological Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal (5083)

Funding Amount: $200,000

Holistic and Innovative Approaches for Flood Mitigation Planning and Modeling Under Extreme Wet Weather Events and Climate Impacts (5084)

Funding Amount: $100,000

Impact of a Haloacetic Acid MCL Revision on DBP Exposure and Health Risk Reduction (5085)

Funding Amount: $275,000

Case Studies on Management of Cross-Sector Dependencies (5086)

Funding Amount: $200,000

Driving Implementation of Innovative and Efficient Biological Nutrient Removal Processes through Improvement of Control Systems and Relevant On-line Analytical Measurement Reliability and Accuracy (5087)

Funding Amount: $100,000

Defining Exposures of Microplastics/Fibers (MPs) in Treated Waters and Wastewaters: Occurrence, Monitoring, and Management Strategies (5088)

Funding Amount: $225,000



Developing a Framework for Quantifying Energy Optimization Reporting

Funding Amount: $100,000

Please contact John Albert, Chief Research Officer, (jalbert@waterrf.org or 303.734.3413) if you have any questions about these projects or the Research Priority Program.

About WRF

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) 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 delivers scientifically sound research solutions and knowledge to serve our subscribers and stakeholders in all areas of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and reuse.