Collaboration supports DOE’s Better Buildings Wastewater Infrastructure Accelerator initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in support of the DOE Better Buildings Wastewater Infrastructure Accelerator initiative. The initiative engages state, regional, and local agencies working with water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) to accelerate innovative approaches to sustainable infrastructure of the future.

“WEF is committed to providing a platform for water sector innovation, focusing on approaches and technologies that benefit utilities on the path to sustainable energy management,” said WEF Executive Director Eileen O’Neill. “To that end, we are excited to be collaborating with DOE to promote the benefits of the Accelerator initiative.”

The Wastewater Infrastructure Accelerator Goals include:

• Demonstrate best-practice/cutting-edge approaches and tools toward a sustainable wastewater infrastructure and yield road-tested examples for other facilities.
• Document model plans for transitioning to a sustainable infrastructure that will help drive more solutions in the industry.
• Develop assessment and decision tools for selecting best-practice approaches and tools on the pathway toward a sustainable infrastructure.
• Develop recommendations for post-Accelerator next steps. Specifically, the MOU partners will jointly promote the initiative, encouraging WRRF innovative approaches in accelerating improvements in energy efficiency, and facilitating and collaborating on technical peer exchange opportunities to share best practices and solutions.

DOE staff will be available at the WEFTEC 2016 Innovation Pavilion to discuss the initiative and next steps.

About WEF
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 33,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. Since 1928, WEF and its members have protected public health and the environment. As a global water sector leader, our mission is to connect water professionals; enrich the expertise of water professionals; increase the awareness of the impact and value of water; and provide a platform for water sector innovation. To learn more, visit www.wef.org.

About WEFTEC
WEFTEC 2016, the Water Environment Federation’s 89th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, will be held Sept. 24-28, 2016 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La. The world’s largest annual water quality event provides the latest developments, technologies, and services for water preservation, restoration, and sustainability. To learn more, visit www.weftec.org.