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Sustainability metrics for assessing water resource recovery facilities of the future

Journal Article · · Water Environment Research
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [5];  [8]
  1. Department of Civil Engineering California State University Chico California
  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan
  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Nevada Reno Nevada
  4. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
  5. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of South Florida Tampa Florida
  6. Earth and Environmental Engineering Columbia University New York New York
  7. Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas
  8. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California Irvine California
+ Show Author Affiliations
Abstract

The recovery of water, energy, and nutrients from water resource recovery facilities ( WRRF s) is needed to address significant global challenges, such as increasing water demand and decreasing availability of nonrenewable resources. To meet these challenges, innovative technological developments must lead to increased adoption of water and resource recovery processes, while addressing stakeholder needs (e.g., innovators, practitioners, regulators). A test bed network of over 90 partner facilities within the United States and abroad will help accelerate innovation and widespread adoption of novel processes through multiscale testing and demonstration of technologies. In this paper, we define a common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics for innovative technologies, that will meet the needs of multiple stakeholders in the decision‐making process. These triple bottom line performance metrics can be used to track the sustainability of technologies in a consistent and transparent manner, while aiding the decision‐making process for WRRF s.

Practitioner points

The Facilities Accelerating Science and Technology (FAST) Water Network includes over 90 test bed facilities dedicated to accelerating innovation and adoption of water energy, and nutrient recovery systems.

A common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics should be measured and reported when a new technology is evaluated in the FAST Water Network.

Performance metrics can aid sustainable decision‐making at WRRF, while meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1497742
Journal Information:
Water Environment Research, Journal Name: Water Environment Research Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 91; ISSN 1061-4303
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (13)

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How Does Scale of Implementation Impact the Environmental Sustainability of Wastewater Treatment Integrated with Resource Recovery? journal March 2016
Accelerating Innovation that Enhances Resource Recovery in the Wastewater Sector: Advancing a National Testbed Network journal June 2017
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‘Fit-for-Purpose’ sustainability index: a simplified approach for U.S. water utility sustainability assessment journal March 2016

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