Storage tanks holding brackish groundwater may be used to test the pilot projects.
WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Reclamation chose eight recipients to receive $2.2 million in federal funding for Desalination and Water Purification Research, Pitch to Pilot Program. This financial assistance will allow project sponsors to collaborate with Reclamation to design, construct, install and test their innovative water treatment technologies with a total of $4 Million in combined federal and cost share funding.
"Pilot-scale research projects are a crucial step in the water treatment technology development process," said Research and Development Program Manager, Ken Nowak. "These projects will further advance technologies needed to address nationwide water supply challenges and expand usable water supplies for communities in need."
This two-stage pitch-to-pilot funding opportunity concluded this fall; applicants pitched their innovative and industry disruptive technology to desalination experts. The eight recipients selected to receive funding and develop a pilot-scale process are:
- Harmony Desalination Corporation (Massachusetts), Federal Funding $300,000 Total Project Cost: $450,000
- Natural Ocean Well Co. (California), Federal Funding: $236,877 Total Project Cost: $485,484
- Orange County Water District (California), Federal Funding: $211,626 Total Project Cost: $425,620
- Pani Clean, Inc. (Iowa), Federal Funding: $300,000 Total Project Cost: $468,800
- Pure Blue Tech Inc. (Washington), Federal Funding: $300,000 Total Project Cost: $606,712
- Rice University (Texas), Federal Funding: $289,371 Total Project Cost: $523,214
- Stanford University (California), Federal Funding: $300,000 Total Project Cost: $364,149
- Widefield Water and Sanitation District (Colorado), Federal Funding: $300,000 Total Project Cost: $636,174
The projects include research topics such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) removal and destruction, improvement of reverse osmosis membranes, selective nutrient removal, submerged water filtration, and high recovery reverse osmosis for agricultural uses. Recipients include municipalities, institutions of higher education, and private sector entities.
The Desalination and Water Purification Research program supports President Biden's Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The program seeks to invest in developing advanced water treatment technologies to expand access to otherwise unusable water resources.
To learn more about this program and see complete descriptions of the research projects, please visit www.usbr.gov/research/dwpr.
