News | February 9, 2012

Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) Seeking Proposals For Nutrient Recovery In The Global Water Industry

Proposals Due: Wednesday March 14, 2012

The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) is seeking proposals from well-qualified teams of experts to provide analysis and guidance on nutrient (specifically, phosphorus) recovery technologies and processes. The goal of WERF's Nutrient Recovery challenge is to support the transition from a treatment-based water quality industry to a resource recovery and reclamation industry. One that is both economically and environmentally sustainable. Although nutrients will be the first target, eventually all materials in wastewater that can be commoditized will be.

Extracting resources from wastewater is not new. Recently, a new category of processes has emerged that extracts specific chemical compounds, with market value, from wastewater treatment streams. Research under this contract seeks to meet three key goals:

  • Quantification of incentives and barriers to adopt phosphorus recovery technologies,
  • Guidance on factors to decide on phosphorus recovery technologies by different sized wastewater plants, and
  • Field test or demonstrate one or more phosphorus recovery technologies.

Approximately $200,000 is available to fund this research. The request for proposals and complete instructions are available here. All pre-proposals are due in WERF's offices by 4:00 p.m. EDT, March 14, 2012.

About The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)
The Water Environment Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed in 1989, is America's leading independent scientific research organization dedicated to wastewater and stormwater issues.

SOURCE: The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)