The Water Research Foundation Honors Outstanding Water Research Leaders

Brent Alspach, Toronto Water, and WSSC Water

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has awarded the 2025 Research Innovation Award to Brent Alspach and the 2025 Subscriber Impact Awards to Toronto Water and WSSC Water.

WRF’s Subscriber Impact Award honors subscribing utilities that have made notable improvements to their treatment, delivery, and/or management processes through the successful application of WRF research.

The Research Innovation Award recognizes researchers who have made significant contributions to advancing the science of water through research sponsored by WRF. The award is in honor of Dr. Pankaj Parekh, who dedicated his life to ensuring safe drinking water and protecting public health.

Brent Alspach, Director of Applied Research at Arcadis, is this year’s Research Innovation Awardee. Mr. Alspach has dedicated his career to leveraging research to proactively address critical water industry needs. He has had a wide range of involvement with WRF over his 28-year career in water, serving as both a Principal Investigator and Project Advisory Committee member on projects covering membrane filtration, desalination, potable reuse, disinfection byproducts, microplastics, and more. Currently, he is leading WRF project on the fate of microplastics in drinking water treatment plants.

“I’m honored and humbled to be considered among the very esteemed laureates of the Dr. Pankaj Parekh Research Innovation Award,” said Mr. Alspach. “For nearly 60 years, WRF and its predecessor organizations have been the vanguard of advancing virtually every aspect of water and wastewater treatment, and it’s exciting to know that my contribution has been impactful to the ongoing fulfillment of this mission. This award is not simply a credit to one individual, but an acknowledgement of the dedication and commitment of a multitude of colleagues, utility partners, and other individuals and organizations who have supported my work with WRF over the years.

The first Subscriber Impact Award honored Toronto Water, who manages drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater services for more than 3.6 million residents and businesses in Toronto. Toronto Water has been a long-time WRF subscriber and involved in dozens of projects. The utility currently participates in projects on topics including lead and copper corrosion control, artificial intelligence, and advanced metering infrastructure.

“Toronto Water has enjoyed a long and productive relationship with WRF,” said Lou Di Gironimo, General Manager at Toronto Water. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand the incredible value this partnership has brought to our utility. Our engagement with WRF has provided numerous opportunities for research, collaboration, and mutual benefit. It’s allowed us to work with and learn from peer utilities, combine our investments, and participate in research that addresses shared priorities and critical issues in our communities.”

The second Subscriber Impact Award celebrated WSSC Water. Based in Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland, WSSC Water provides drinking water and wastewater services to almost two million people every day. They have been an active subscriber to WRF since 1986 and have participated in at least 70 WRF research projects. WSSC Water embodies the forward-looking, engaged, and innovative water utility that embraces research to support the advancement of their facilities and workforce, along with their community, region, and the water sector as a whole.

“We are honored to receive WRF’s Subscriber Impact Award,” said WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Kishia L. Powell. “For nearly four decades, WSSC Water has proudly partnered with WRF to advance science-based solutions that enhance service delivery, generate cost savings for customers, and improve how we manage our most essential resource. This recognition reflects our long-standing commitment to innovation and our vision for a more resilient and smart One Water future.”

WRF congratulates the 2025 award winners and thanks them for their leadership, dedication, and support. WRF is eternally grateful for the opportunity to partner with all subscribers to bring extraordinary water research to life and impact communities around the world.

About The Water Research Foundation
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public. For more information, visit www.waterrf.org.