Accelerating Innovation that Enhances Resource Recovery in the Wastewater Sector: Advancing a National Testbed Network

Mihelcic, James R.; Ren, Zhiyong Jason; Cornejo, Pablo K.; Fisher, Aaron; Simon, A J; Snyder, Seth W.; Zhang, Qiong; Rosso, Diego; Huggins, Tyler; Cooper, William J.; Moeller, Jeff; Rose, Bob; Schottel, Brandi L.; Turgeon, Jason

doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b05917

Cited by 56 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…As a result, a more fundamental approach that focuses on defining treatment performance inventory data as environmental performance metrics is adopted in this study. Environmental performance metrics can be divided into four groups: (a) influent and effluent water quality, (b) process inputs, (c) recovered products, and (d) wastes and emissions (Mihelcic et al., ). Specifically, the concentrations of the constituents needed to perform balances on heat and the mass of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen demand summarized in Table represent the proposed environmental performance metrics for the FAST Water Network.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Metrics and corresponding units, or the way to measure metrics, are written in parentheses (adapted with permission from Mihelcic et al., ). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These barriers are largely encountered at the local level, in which decisions about wastewater treatment and resource recovery are made and include a lack of consideration of sociopolitical and other external macroeconomic factors (McConville, Künzle, Messmer, Udert, & Larsen, ), a failure to make a clear business proposition for resource recovery that offers a clear return on investment and does not adversely affect taxpayers (Coats & Wilson, ), and the lack of financial or regulatory incentives (Ries, Trotz, & Vairavamoorthy, ). The need to spur innovation in the wastewater sector to accelerate the adoption of reliable technologies has also been recognized as an important factor for WRRFs (Mihelcic et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The need for innovation and technology adoption has led to the formulation of the concept of a test bed network. This test bed network has been defined as “an entity that connects appropriate physical testing facilities (bench‐, pilot‐, and full‐scale demonstrations) with other activities of an innovation network, to researchers, investors, technology providers, utilities, regulators, educators, and other stakeholders in the WRRF sector to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies and processes” (Mihelcic et al., ). Accordingly, the Water Research Foundation (WRF, formerly the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation or WERF) has developed an international test bed network and directory called the Facilities Accelerating Science and Technology (FAST) Water Network (formerly the National Water Resource Recovery Test Bed Network).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, the objective of this paper is to present key metrics that should be measured and reported when a new technology is evaluated within the FAST Water Network. The development of a common set of metrics that span the triple bottom line (social, environmental, and economic sustainability) can assist efforts to accelerate innovation by (a) providing quality reproducible and consistent data, (b) enabling transparent comparison of technologies and processes through standard data collection procedures, and (c) enhancing the state of knowledge guiding design, policy, and education of the next generation of scientists and engineers (Mihelcic et al., ). Furthermore, the common set of metrics can be used to inform the decision‐making process for communities and utilities interested in moving toward energy‐neutral or energy‐positive treatment facilities that also recycle nutrients and reclaim water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainability metrics for assessing water resource recovery facilities of the future

Cornejo

Becker

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et al. 2019

Water Environment Research

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The recovery of water, energy, and nutrients from water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) is needed to address major global challenges, such as increasing water demand and decreasing availability of non-renewable resources. To meet these challenges, innovative technological developments must lead to increased adoption of water and resource recovery processes, while addressing stakeholder needs (e.g., innovators, practioners, regulators). A testbed network of over 90 partner facilities within the U.S. and abroad will help accelerate innovation and widespread adoption of novel processes through multi-scale testing and demonstration of technologies. In this paper, we define a common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics for innovative technologies that will meet the needs of multiple stakeholders in the decision-making process. These triple bottom line performance metrics can be used to track the sustainability of technologies in a consistent and transparent manner, while aiding the decision making process for WRRFs of the future.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Metrics and corresponding units, or the way to measure metrics, are written in parentheses (adapted with permission from Mihelcic et al., ). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainability metrics for assessing water resource recovery facilities of the future

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Becker

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Research Collaborations With Water and Wastewater Utilities

Adams,

Eyring,

Albert

et al. 2023

Journal AWWA

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Key Takeaways A research program is an important opportunity for a utility to optimize processes, support permitting, and inform more cost‐effective future planning decisions. A successful utility research program should engage internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, nonprofits, consultants, and academics. Starting with a small research project that is affordable and likely to be successful is a way to initiate a utility research program. Case studies demonstrate the value of research collaboration to shift from a reactive focus toward a preventive, risk‐based approach.

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Nutrient control in water bodies: A systems approach

et al. 2020

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Nutrient pollution is considered a wicked problem because of its many significant economic, social, and environmental impacts that are caused by multiple pollutants originating from a variety of sources and pathways that exist across different temporal and spatial scales. Further adding to the difficulty in managing nutrient pollution is that it is a global, rural, and urban problem. A systems approach can improve nutrient management by incorporating technological, environmental, and societal considerations. This approach can consider valuation of monetized and nonmonetized cobenefits and the inherent consequences that make up a nutrient management program.In this introduction to a special collection of papers on nutrient pollution, we describe several systems frameworks that can be used to support nutrient management and evaluation of system performance as it relates to impacts, then highlight several attributes and barriers of nutrient management that point to the need for a systems framework, and conclude with thoughts on implementing systems approaches to nutrient management with effective community engagement and use of new technologies. This special collection presents results from a USEPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) initiative to advance solutions to nutrient pollution through innovative and sustainable research and demonstration projects for nutrient management based on a systems approach. These studies evaluate several promising nutrient control technologies for stormwater or domestic wastewater, investigate the effects of agricultural conservation practices and stream restoration strategies on nutrient loads, and discuss several challenges and opportunities-social, policy, institutional, and financial considerationsthat can accelerate adoption of reliable technologies to achieve system-level outcomes.

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Accelerating Innovation that Enhances Resource Recovery in the Wastewater Sector: Advancing a National Testbed Network

Cited by 56 publications

References 14 publications

Sustainability metrics for assessing water resource recovery facilities of the future

Sustainability metrics for assessing water resource recovery facilities of the future

Research Collaborations With Water and Wastewater Utilities

Nutrient control in water bodies: A systems approach

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