Newsletter #119 for August 2025

WRF Seeks Proposals for Nine New Research Projects Totaling $2.2M

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is now accepting proposals for nine new research projects that address critical water-sector challenges, with a combined funding opportunity of $2.2 million. Funded through WRF's Research Priority Program, these projects were selected by WRF’s Research Advisory Council, which develops their annual research agenda by identifying the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the sector. This is the first round of RFP's for this fall, with the second round (14 additional projects) coming in late September.

Research Focus Areas:
The nine new research projects align with WRF’s One Water framework, addressing topics including:

• The Foundations of Water Resource Planning: Guidance for Establishing Water Utility Service Levels (5306)
• Developing Guidelines for Ferrous Pipe Condition Assessment Technology and Risk of Failure Analysis (5353)
• Prioritization and Validation Methods for Microplastic Analysis in Drinking Water (5364)
• State-of-Practice Manual for Inflow and Infiltration Detection and Mitigation at Street and Private Lateral Levels (5365)
• Comprehensive Evaluation of Biosolids Drying Technologies (5370)

Proposals are due on October 22, 2025, 3 PM MT and should be submitted through WRF's new online portal. Prospective applicants should refer to WRF's proposal submittal guidance to gain familiarity with the new submission process. 

SIUE and ISU Researchers Tackle Drinking Water Safety Across Illinois

An Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) led research team is collaborating with Illinois State University (ISU) on a statewide effort to measure and map potential contaminants found in Illinois drinking water using advanced chemical and geospatial analysis. Funded by a $40,000 Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) seed grant and additional support from SIUE’s Center for Predictive Analytics (C-PAN), the project, Sustaining Illinois through Safe Drinking Water for All, is the first to map potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), a class of chemicals that includes certain estrogenic compounds and pesticides known to persist even after standard water treatment processes, in Illinois tap water.

The analysis, conducted at SIUE’s Shimadzu SPARQ Laboratory, uses liquid and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy techniques to detect trace contaminants at extremely low concentrations from 250 samples collected from all Illinois counties. Results will be combined with geospatial modeling to visualize contaminant distribution and predict risks in unsampled communities. By providing the first comprehensive statewide assessment of suspected EDCs, the study aims to inform future treatment strategies and better protect public health.

Source

UCLA Student Research Drives Water Resilience and Equitable Solutions in Post-Fire Los Angeles

UCLA Master’s students in urban and regional planning (MURP), working with the Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI) and L.A. County Department of Public Works, produced a comprehensive report titled Drought and Climate Resiliency Solutions for Small Water Systems in Los Angeles County. This study, developed in response to the January 2025 wildfires which swept through the Pacific Palisades, assesses vulnerabilities of small, fire-impacted water systems and offers practical strategies, ranging from system consolidation to water conservation, new well development, and recycling projects, to enhance climate resilience and secure reliable drinking water. Their work is already informing county and state-wide efforts to advance the human right to water and shape long-term climate resilience strategies. 

Designer Microbes: Can Synthetic Biology Supercharge Wastewater Treatment?

Synthetic biology is emerging as a promising approach to address pollutants that conventional wastewater treatment struggles to remove, such as heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and microplastics. By engineering “designer microbes,” researchers are creating organisms with enhanced abilities to break down specific contaminants. For example, Pseudomonas veronii, a generally harmless bacterium, has been used to achieve up to 92% phenol removal, while Bacillus subtilis, a harmless bacterium found commonly in human and animal gut, can be used to degrade hydrocarbons. Tools like CRISPR-Cas9, synthetic microbial consortia, and engineered enzymes are further expanding treatment potential.

These advances can also be used to improve pollution monitoring and control through the development of biosensors and biofilms that improve contaminant detection and degradation efficiency. While still in early stages, synthetic biology offers a pathway to more targeted and effective wastewater treatment, and this article explores both the promise and the challenges of advancing these technologies from lab to full-scale application.

Upcoming Events

A listing of webinars, symposia, and conferences relevant to this work.

Recent Publications

Wastewater | Open Access

Disintegration of digested sludge with the thermal alkaline process to enhance the biogas production

Xu X.,  Dockhorn T. 2025. Disintegration of digested sludge with the thermal alkaline process to enhance biogas production. Water Science & Technology, 92(3), 441–454. doi:10.2166/wst.2025.109.

Why it's interesting: In conventional wastewater treatment plants that utilize biological treatment processes, roughly 50-70% of the organic matter found in wastewater influent is converted to sewage sludge (SS). This highly organic byproduct is usually anaerobically digested (AD) to produce biogas as a source of renewable energy. However, only about 30–50% of the organic materials in SS can be converted into biogas during AD, and the remaining organic matter is often disposed. In the US, approximately 4 million tons of dry sludge were disposed of in 2023, and concerns of rising costs are impacting many utilities that produce SS. 

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the post-thermal alkaline process (post-TAP) in enhancing biogas production from digested sludge (DS). Researchers treated seven DS samples at 320°F (160 °C) for 30 minutes under varying pH levels (9–12) and subsequently subjected them to anaerobic digestion. The results demonstrated that post-TAP significantly improved biogas production, with the highest reaching 361 L/kg volatile solids added at pH 9. Additionally, the process achieved a 34% increase in net electricity generation and a 22% reduction in sludge volume in a model wastewater treatment plant. These findings suggest that post-TAP is a promising method for enhancing energy recovery and reducing sludge disposal volumes in wastewater treatment facilities.

Drinking Water | Open Access

Sustainable water treatment using thermally stable natural clay: dual adsorption–thermolysis approach for organic pollutants and nitrate removal

Dawood I., Zyoud A. H., Zyoud S., Amireh A., Zyoud S. H., Kim T. W. 2025. Sustainable water treatment using thermally stable natural clay: dual adsorption–thermolysis approach for organic pollutants and nitrate removal. Scientific Reports, 15, 29888. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-12148-7.

Why it's interesting: Conventional wastewater treatment methods are costly, energy intensive, and generate secondary waste. Adsorption has emerged as a simple, efficient, and cost-effective alternative for removing organic and inorganic contaminants. However, commonly used adsorbents such as activated carbon, graphene nanocomposites, and chitosan are costly to produce, have poor regeneration, and limited thermal stability. Recently, natural clays such as bentonite, kaolinite, and montmorillonite have gained attention because of their abundance, low cost, high surface area, and thermal resistance. However, many studies have focused only on single-use adsorption without considering the reusability or complete degradation of adsorbed pollutants. 

This study presents an innovative water purification method utilizing thermally stable natural clay to remove hazardous organic pollutants and nitrate ions from water. The process, which combines adsorption and thermal regeneration, was able to achieve high removal efficiencies, ranging from 84% to 93% for organic contaminants and 89% for nitrate ions, under optimized conditions. Thermal regeneration at 1112°F (600 °C) effectively mineralized the adsorbed pollutants into harmless byproducts like carbon dioxide and water vapor, with no secondary waste. The regenerated clay maintained adsorption efficiencies above 85% through five reuse cycles. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed the clay's high crystallinity, porous structure, and thermal stability. This method offers a cost-effective, reusable, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional wastewater treatment technologies.

Wastewater | Not Open Access

Efficient and low-cost removal of dissolved organic phosphorus by visible light-enhanced Ti electrocoagulation with self-generated rutile photocatalysts

Lu J., Wang Z., Zhang G., Ma T., Chen H., Zhang W., Liu J., Liu Y., Lu B., Yu W. 2025. Efficient and low-cost removal of dissolved organic phosphorus by visible light-enhanced Ti electrocoagulation with self-generated rutile photocatalysts. Water Research. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2025.124465.

Why it's interesting: Conventional wastewater treatment methods often struggle to effectively remove organic phosphorus, a persistent pollutant that contributes to water body eutrophication. While advanced techniques exist, they can be complex or produce secondary waste. This study introduces a novel method which combines electrocoagulation with photocatalysis in a single step. During the process, the titanium anode dissolves to form nanosized rutile flocs. These self-generated flocs act as potent photocatalysts under visible light (670 Lux). Through adsorption, direct oxidation on the anode, and indirect oxidation by hydroxyl radicals, these flocs can achieve high removal efficiencies for various organic phosphorus compounds (>94%) with a low operating cost. This technology presents a cost-effective and highly efficient alternative for treating phosphorus-contaminated water, with strong potential for practical application using natural light.

Industry News

How isotopic techniques are helping cities secure safe drinking water

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is using isotopic techniques to help cities trace the origin, age, and potential contamination of water sources, enabling more effective management and protection of safe drinking water.

Ecuadorian youth leads innovative solution for safe water access in rural communities 

A young Ecuadorian innovator has developed a ceramic filter capsule called ECOPURE to provide safe and accessible drinking water for rural communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Innovative applications of copper foam in the field of water treatment

A new type of porous material, copper foam, is being tested in Sweden for its innovative applications in water filtration and purification.

Innovative system turns human waste into sustainable fertilizer

Stanford researchers have developed a solar-powered prototype that converts human urine into a valuable nitrogen-rich fertilizer, offering a sustainable solution for sanitation and agriculture.

New wastewater tech tackles fatbergs at the source

Researchers at RMIT University, Australia have developed a new, more effective wastewater treatment system that combines a redesigned grease trap with smart chemical dosing to prevent the formation of fatbergs.

Smart water sensors help preserve clean water supplies

University of Connecticut researchers are developing more accurate and stable "smart" water sensors to better monitor contaminants in municipal wastewater, soil, and other water treatment systems.

Innovations for Small Systems is a continuation of the newsletter previously provided by the two National Centers for Innovation in Small Drinking Water Systems: DeRISK at the University of Colorado - Boulder and WINSSS at University of Massachusetts - Amherst under a U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant.

Did you miss our last newsletter? Click here to view the archive.

WaterOperator.org is a free service, grant-funded to support small community water and wastewater operators with comprehensive resources and information in one easy-to-use place. We also serve the 800+ training, primacy, and technical service organizations, by helping operators get to their information. We aren't selling or advertising anything. Call us at 1-866-522-2681 for assistance.

Visit our other websites:

Click here to unsubscribe | Sent to: _t.e.s.t_@example.com

Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, United States