Open RFPs

This project will deploy a utility survey and other information collection strategies to evaluate the critical needs, tools, gaps, and opportunities for water quality monitoring at potable reuse facilities. The needs, tools, gaps, and opportunities can be framed as the following key questions:

1. What are the most critical water quality and treatment performance monitoring needs in potable reuse?
2. What are the most common tools (i.e., technologies, methods, and/or approaches) being used at any treatment stage in existing facilities?
3. What are the gaps in knowledge or tools required to meet the needs identified?
4. What are the opportunities for innovation or optimization regarding monitoring tools in potable reuse?

The main objective of this project is to conduct research needed to advance the most promising intensive and efficient low-energy nutrient treatment process(es) and innovative process control approach(es) that utilities can employ and reliably operate at their facilities with a balance of cost-effective investments and appropriate levels of process control complexity. While the scope of this project is open to all low-energy biological nutrient removal intensification processes, we encourage proposers to consider the processes and research topics listed under the research approach section below.

Project Objectives

• Develop a synthesis document and guidebook for utilities and municipalities on holistic approaches to flood mitigation planning and modeling under extreme wet weather events and climate impacts.
• Demonstrate the use of an integrated planning framework in support of holistic flood management and mitigation planning with case studies at the community level.
• Synthesize the state-of-the-practice and provide guiding principles for integrated hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling systems that can be used for flood scenario modeling and mitigation planning to support decision making by utilities and municipalities.

The objectives of this project are to develop:

• A holistic assessment of the potential impacts of potential new regulatory levels for HAA5, HAA6Br, or HAA9.
• A defensible database and analysis available to water systems for discussion with regulatory authorities.
• An understanding of the benefits of compliance technologies for a future rule, which will allow water systems to make preliminary evaluations of water treatment improvements they may have to incorporate after the regulations are revised.
• Guidance to water systems and regulators on consequences of implementing changes to respond to a revised maximum contaminant level (MCL) for haloacetic acids (HAAs).

The objectives of this project are to:

• Characterize typical microplastic (MP) numbers, types, and sizes in all waters (including secondary and tertiary treated wastewater, recycled water, stormwater, drinking water supplies—ambient waters, and treated drinking water);
• Develop reliable monitoring and sampling guidelines, based on MP sizes and source media;
• If needed, develop a decision-making framework for MP reduction strategies from the whole water supply cycle. (Note: Thresholds for risk potentials are not defined in this RFP. Some jurisdictions will act on more precautionary thresholds than others [e.g., population vs. organismal effects]. It may be reasonably assumed that with continued input of a persistent chemical into the environment [i.e., plastic], exceedance of risk thresholds is inevitable. Researchers should clearly define and provide a rationale for thresholds for risk potentials within the context of their research project/proposed work plan); and
• Describe the relative effectiveness of various technologies and legislation to mitigate sources and pathways of MPs.

Project Objectives

• Create a methodology for evaluating energy-saving/renewable-energy-producing water, wastewater, and reuse projects using validated past projects.
• Create a framework using the evaluations mentioned above, to be utilized for future projects.
• Create a repository for collecting and sharing verified, framework-assessed projects.
• Provide decision-making and performance-tracking guidance to agencies and utilities considering such projects, including identifying the metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) that are most important to evaluating energy efficiency projects.
• Summarize a list of considerations to be factored in quantification and reporting of project results.
• Create and summarize energy savings from different types of energy efficiency projects. “Energy efficiency projects” is defined as capital equipment retrofits and operational and behavioral changes.