Working towards a sustainable water future: Part 2

The Water Environment Federation (WEF)(opens in new tab/window) is a global association of water professionals. Here, Chief Technical Officer Dr Barry Liner(opens in new tab/window) and Managing Director of Publishing Lorna Ernst(opens in new tab/window) dive deeper into what the WEF and its members are doing to achieve net zero. If you missed Part I of the conversation, you can read it here.

What are WEF’s commitments to achieve net zero?

The Climate Change position statement also supports advocacy and innovation to solve these challenges, while additionally explicitly encouraging upholding socioeconomic and environmental justice and equity at every level of planning, financing, construction, operation and delivery of all water infrastructure and services.

The WEF community has a history of living up to commitments like these. For example, in 2011, the renewable energy position statement said that “WEF believes that wastewater treatment plants are not waste disposal facilities, but rather water resource recovery facilities that produce clean water, recover nutrients (such as phosphorus and nitrogen), and have the potential to reduce dependence upon fossil fuels through the production and use of renewable energy.”

In 2013, a WEF task force recommended we refer to Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) instead of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Over the past 10 years, that terminology has become widely adopted, which helps water professionals recognize the change in mindset from linear waste management to a circular sustainable approach aimed in support of net-zero principles.

Has the race to net zero opened up any new areas of publishing?

How is WEF helping to prepare its individual members or member companies to navigate the challenges of achieving net zero?

Dr Barry Liner: WEF education always integrates resource recovery and the circular water economy, whether as part of a specialty conference, a webcast or WEFTEC. The technical programs feature deep knowledge on how to address the engineering and operation of WRRFs to strive towards net zero. WEF also supports partners such as the US Water Alliance’s Imagination Challenge: Water’s Role in the Race to Zero. Collaboration is key to success.

What critical preparation is needed for engineers to be successful in achieving net zero?

Dr Barry Liner: Engineers are exceptional at solving technical problems, and the technology and expertise is advancing rapidly. In fact, there are WRRFs that produce more electricity than they use. Perhaps the most important skills in getting these technical solutions adopted are related to communications and other so-called soft skills. These skills are critical when putting solutions in place that address net zero, while upholding principles related to socioeconomic and environmental justice and equity at every level of planning, financing, design, construction, operation and delivery of all water infrastructure and services.

What are some ways that your members are engaging with the challenges of achieving net zero?

Dr Barry Liner: WEF’s Research and Innovation for Strengthening Engagement (RISE) program supports the core value of accelerating adoption of innovative technology within the water industry and integrating utilities, academics, and consultants in the discussion. With over 800 experts in eight innovation focus groups, these partnerships seek to have an impact on net zero principles. Some of the focus groups deal with renewable fuels (Hydrothermal Liquefaction), water reuse, and advanced controls (Soft Sensors and Machine Learning).

Where do you see the most potential for net zero related change in the near future?

Dr Barry Liner: One of the biggest challenges for net zero and the circular water economy is the development of a market for recovered products. Water reuse and biosolids fertilizer like Milorganite have been around for decades. To expand the use of recovered products, water reuse, renewable energy generation and other new opportunities, the business side of market creation will be necessary. If that can happen in the next five years, there will be further advances.