Innovation Applied: Streamlining Access and Approvals of Treatment Technologies

Deployment of Innovative Water Treatment Technologies for Very Small Drinking Water Systems, Areas Served by Private Wells & Source Waters

ASDWA is leading a research project by EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) – Innovation Applied: Streamlining Access and Approvals of Treatment Technologies for Small Systems and Private Wells. The primary objective of this project is to develop and validate programmatic approaches through research and technical assistance for obtaining approval for new or alternative treatment technologies for very small water systems in a state, and how to ensure that, or to the greatest extent possible with technical assistance, approvals could transfer from state to state without compromising public health protection.

ASDWA is the principal investigator on this project and is partnering with the Water Research Foundation (WRF), the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass), and Corona Environmental Consulting. The research project has a three-year duration (August 1, 2021-July 31, 2024).

This research project has four objectives:

  1. Scope the problem with the primacy agencies, water systems, technical assistance providers, and technology providers and collect the appropriate information from the stakeholders through interviews and surveys to understand the technical, institutional, social, and cultural barriers to innovative treatment approvals.
  2. Collaborate with the stakeholders to develop potential approaches and solutions for approving and deploying innovative water treatment technologies.
  3. Validate the potential solutions with the stakeholders, develop test cases for implementation of one to three solutions at a small number of state primacy agencies, and then synthesize the results of the test cases and pilot testing.
  4. Finalize and circulate the results, solutions, and outputs.

If you’d like to participate in the project or provide feedback for the research team, please fill out the form below:

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