United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
National Water*
Program Research
Strategy
- 2009-2014
.ember 30, 2009
Office of Water
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The Strategy is available online at:
www.epa.gov/waterscience/strategy
Office of Water (4304T)
EPA 822-R-09-012
September 2009
www.epa.gov/water
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Disclaimer
This National Water Program Research Strategy (Water Research Strategy) presents the hierarchy of
research needed for EPA's National Water Program to successfully achieve its statutory and
regulatory obligations, and its strategic targets and goals. To the extent the document
mentions or discusses statutory or regulatory authority, it does so for information purposes
only. The document does not substitute for those statutes or regulations, and readers should
consult the statutes or regulations themselves to learn what they require. Neither this
document, nor any part of it, is itself a rule or a regulation. Thus, it cannot change or impose
legally binding requirements on EPA, States, the public, or the regulated community. The
use of words such as "should," "could," "would," "will," "intend," "may," "might,"
"encourage," "expect," and "can," in this document means solely that something is intended,
suggested or recommended, and not that it is legally required. Any expressed intention,
suggestion or recommendation does not impose legally binding requirements on EPA,
States, the public, or the regulated community. Agency decision makers remain free to
exercise their discretion in choosing to implement the actions described in this Strategy.
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Water Research Strategy
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Foreword
Results and Accountability - Innovation and Collaboration - Best Available Science
I am very pleased to release the National Water Program's first Research Strategy. The goal
of the National Water Program Research Strategy (Water Research Strategy) is threefold: (1) to
ensure the National Water Program's research, science, and technology needs are identified
and documented in a comprehensive plan that supports our commitment to collaborative
corporate planning, prioritization, and research management to meet the environmental
goals of the National Water Program, (2) to expand partnerships and collaborations across
EPA and the federal research family, and (3) to engage the broader research community in
the investigation of water research needs.
The Water Research Strategy presents a hierarchy of research needed for EPA's National Water
Program to successfully achieve its statutory and regulatory obligations as well as its strategic
target and goals. The Water Research Strategy is one of three products designed to compile,
organize, and communicate water research needs. The second is a compendium of the
National Water Program's research needs, the drivers behind them, and the environmental
challenges they are intended to address. The third component, expected to be available to
the public in 2010, is the Research Management Status Tool (RMST);an electronic appendix
to the Water Research Strategy that will provide queriable access to the research needed by the
National Water Program.
Our objective through all of these products is to bring a broader diversity of relevant and
appropriately vetted science to the National Water Program's regulatory and non-regulatory
tools and water management decisions. By expanding the science base we will increase
program credibility, expedite the production of the needed tools, and water quality
environmental outcomes will be achieved faster and quantified better.
I invite those researchers that are conducting, or considering conducting investigations in the
areas identified in the Water Research Strategy to let us know about their work so we can
improve our communications.
Michael H. Shapiro
Deputy Assistant Administrator
Office of Water
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Water Research Strategy
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Acknowledgements
This National Water Program Research Strategy (Water Research Strategy), the Compendium, and
the Research Management Status Tool were made possible through the collaboration and
commitment of the Office of Water-Research Coordination Team (OW RCT), Water
Division Directors, and the Water Executive Committee for Research. The team provided
content, reviewed contributions, and obtained consensus across the Water Program to
ensure the document was both comprehensive and reflective of National Water Program
objectives. The Water Research Strategy is organized around the National Water Program's
priority themes as identified by the Water Executive Committee for Research. The three tier
hierarchy was designed by the Water Division Directors.
The primary contact regarding questions or comments about this document (see Appendix 2 for list of
contributors):
Mary C. Reiley, Organizational Research Analyst
USEPA Headquarters
Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Mail Code: 4304T)
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 202-566-1123 Email: reiley.mary@epa.gov
Water Research Strategy
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Water Research Strategy
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Table of Contents
Disclaimer i
Foreword iii
Acknowledgements v
Introduction 1
WHY THE STRATEGY WAS DEVELOPED 1
How THEMES AND TIERS WERE SELECTED 3
How THE STRATEGY WILL BE USED 4
How THE PORTFOLIO WILL BE MANAGED 5
How THE STRATEGY Is ORGANIZED 6
1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs 7
AQUATIC LIFE HEALTH EFFECTS 8
HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS 8
METHOD DEVELOPMENT 9
OCCURRENCE AND EXPOSURE 10
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND EFFECTIVENESS 10
2 Safe Drinking Water Research Needs 13
HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS 14
METHOD DEVELOPMENT 14
OCCURRENCE AND EXPOSURE 15
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND EFFECTIVENESS 16
3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs 17
AQUATIC LIFE HEALTH EFFECTS 17
HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS 18
METHOD DEVELOPMENT 19
OCCURRENCE AND EXPOSURE 19
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND EFFECTIVENESS 20
4 Water Security Research Needs 23
AQUATIC LIFE HEALTH EFFECTS 23
HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS 24
METHOD DEVELOPMENT 24
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OCCURRENCE AND EXPOSURE 25
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND EFFECTIVENESS 25
Appendices 27
APPENDIX 1 - LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 29
APPENDIX 2 - LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS 31
APPENDIX 3 - RESEARCH NEEDS MATRIX 33
List of Exhibits
Exhibit 1: National Water Program Goals 2
Exhibit 2: Tier Definitions Specific to the Driver and Urgency of OW Research Needs 4
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Introduction
Introduction
Why the Strategy Was Developed
The National Water Program Research Strategy (hereafter referred to as the Water Research Strategy) was
developed to more completely define the Water Program's research needs, organize them around
EPA's Strategic Goals and Sub-objectives (see Exhibit 1), and communicate them to potential
research partners. The development, goals, and organization of this document are described in more
detail in later sections.
EPA received recommendations from
the National Academy of Sciences,
EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB),
and the Board of Scientific Counselors
(BOSC) regarding the need for a
documented and transparent water
research portfolio linked to
"A course of action marked by the creation and
maintenance of a coordinated, comprehensive, and
balanced national water resources research agenda,
combined with a regular assessment of the water
resources research activities represents the
nation's best chance for dealing effectively with the
. i T OAA1 i many water crises sure to mark the 21st century."
environmental outcomes. In 2001 and
Confronting the Nation's Water Problems The Role of Research
The National Academies - National Research Council,
2004
2005, the SAB suggested that the
Office of Research and Development
(ORD) and the Water Program should
strengthen their collaborations with
external parties and work together to
define the strategic links among long-term goals, desired outcomes, and research. These efforts
would help both the Water Program and its stakeholders meet regulatory obligations and link
ORD's multi-year plans to Water Program needs.
The BOSC (2005 and 2006) added to these recommendations and emphasized the need for
transparency when prioritizing research, a system to evaluate and report progress, and a definition of
"anticipatory" research to address future/emerging needs.
The Water Research Strategy heeds the recommendations of the National Academy, the SAB, and the
BOSC, and provides EPA's ORD and other potential collaborators with information to prepare
highly program-relevant research plans. The Water Research Strategy also enables the National Water
Program to address its research needs more comprehensively.
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Introduction
Exhibit 1: National Water Program Goals
EPA's Office of Water (OW) and Regional Water Divisions (Regions) are responsible
for the Agency's water quality and water resource protection activities including
development of national programs, technical policies, and regulations relating to drinking
water, water quality, ground water, pollution source standards, and the protection of
wetlands, marine, and estuarine areas.
The National Water Program has three goals under the Agency Strategic Plan:
1. Ensure clean and safe water and drinking water to protect human health.
2. Protect and restore aquatic ecosystems and human health through watershed and
Place-Based Programs.
3. Protect and restore water quality to ensure the health of aquatic life and aquatic
dependent wildlife.
Four principal programs within OW and the Regions are charged with achieving the
National Water Program Goals:
Drinking water, ground water, source water and water security protection programs provide
comprehensive protection of drinking water sources, health-based drinking water
treatment standards, and prepare drinking water systems for large-scale contamination
events, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other intentional acts.
Wastewater management for water quality protection programs characterize and manage sources
of water quality degradation and provide information on the latest wastewater and
residuals treatment and reuse technologies and management practices. They also manage
potential sources of pollution, such as decentralized wastewater systems and stormwater
runoff.
Wetland, ocean, watershed, and place-based protection and restoration programs provide decision
makers with the data and tools to select the most appropriate water bodies, restoration
methods, and monitoring schemes to protect and restore the ecological, economic, and
cultural services provided by aquatic ecosystems.
Aquatic life and human health protection programs ensure that: 1) State-adopted criteria for
pathogens and indicator organisms are current and sound; 2) the science underpinning
core water programs is current and appropriately vetted for use in State and Tribal water
quality standards, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), permits, assessments, and
drinking water regulations; 3) health effects and human health risk assessment science is
available and used to support human health protection programs; and 4) the National
Water Program is able to address emerging water quality concerns.
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Introduction
How Themes and Tiers Were Selected
The Water Executive Committee for Research discussed a variety of approaches to organize,
prioritize, and present research needs to potential collaborators. The approaches (including the
selected themes and tiers approach, budget percentages, immediacy, etc.) were all examined for how
well each would communicate to the target audiences. The group also discussed the common
research priority themes found in the Administrator's recent budget testimony, the EPA Science
Advisor's research priorities, the 2009-2014 Draft Agency Strategic Plan, and the OW's process of
categorizing research activities into defined bins. The agreed to priority Themes are (in no priority
order):
Theme A: Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
Theme B: Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
Theme C: Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Theme D: Water Security Research Needs
To organize the research needs within each theme and communicate them more clearly to
collaborators, the specific research needs identified in the 2008 Compendium were grouped within
one of five technical tool areas:
aquatic life health effects;
human health effects;
method development;
occurrence and exposure; and,
treatment technologies and effectiveness.
Finally, the research needs within each technical tool area were sorted into three tiers to
communicate the relevant driver and urgency, as summarized in Exhibit 2. Senior water managers
designed a process to prioritize water research needs dividing the needs into two categories
containing a total of five bins. The categories were defined based on the type of driver necessitating
the research: Category A: statute/court order/regulation date driven, and Category B: goal driven.
The bins within the categories defined whether the research was: critical path to meet program
obligations Bins A.I and B.I; or non-critical path to meet program obligations Bins A.2, B.2,
and B.3 (see Exhibit 2). For more detail see Appendix 3.
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Introduction
Exhibit 2: Tier Definitions Specific to the Driver and Urgency of OW Research Needs
Research Drivers
Category A
Statute, court order, and/or
regulation date
Category B
Goals
TieM
On critical path to satisfy a statutory,
regulatory, court ordered, or
Agency/Office strategic obligation.
Bin A.1
Research needs that must be
completed to satisfactorily meet the
date of a court ordered, statutory, or
regulatory deadline.
BinB.1
Research that must be completed to
satisfactorily meet a Program /
Strategic Goal (such as a RAM, OW
Strategic Plan, etc.).
Tier 2
Supports, augments, or improves
existing and adequate tools, guidance,
or policy, or would enhance new
critical path research products.
Bin A.2
Research Needs that would
improve/replace adequate existing
approaches, guidance, tools,
information, etc. that are used to
meet a court ordered, statutory, or
regulatory deadline.
BinB.2
Research that informs or provides
tools to determine which of a variety
of known concerns (that are likely to
become part of Program Strategic
Goals) is most appropriate for action
or that fills a knowledge gap that
disadvantages Water
Program/Strategic Goals.
Tier3
Investigates potential environmental
concerns of the future, or takes advantage
of a serendipitous opportunity to leverage
resources or an initiative.
Bin B.3
Research that helps reveal potential
future concerns or is presented as a
unique opportunity to leverage
funds/effort.
How the Strategy Will Be Used
This Water Research Strategy documents the hierarchy of research needed for successful
implementation of EPA's National Water Program and, along with the Research Management Status
Tool (RMST), will be used to achieve the following goals of the National Water Program:
Ensure that the Office of Water's (OW, inclusive of the Regional Water Management
Divisions) water research, science, and technology needs are identified and documented in a
comprehensive plan that supports our commitment to collaborative corporate planning,
prioritization, and research management to meet the environmental goals of the National
Water Program;
Expand partnerships and collaborations across EPA and the federal research family; and
Engage the broader research community in water research.
The Water Research Strategy and RMST will also help to stimulate the evaluation and communication
of research results to decision makers and users in a form that leads to environmental outcomes.
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Introduction
Consistent with the EPA Strategic Plan and the National Water Program Guidance, this research strategy
emphasizes:
Results and Accountability: We have designed the Water Research Strategy to address the
long-term goal of providing "Clean and Safe Water" set out in the EPA Strategic Plan. We
will report annually on our progress on the research portfolio and adjust it appropriately to
meet changes in objectives and priorities.
Innovation and Collaboration: Our progress toward water and public health protection
goals depends on both our ability and continued commitment to identify and use innovative
tools, approaches, and solutions to address environmental problems and engage extensively
with our partners, stakeholders, and the public.
Best Available Science: EPA needs the best scientific information available to anticipate
potential environmental threats, evaluate risks, identify solutions, and develop protective
standards. Sound science helps us ask the right questions, assess information, and
characterize problems clearly for Agency decision makers.
It has been demonstrated time and again that environmental protection research is best conceived
and most appropriately vetted when it has been identified through purposeful evaluation of the
current, near-future, and potential far-future environmental protection and restoration needs. The
process used by the National Water Program to draft the Water Research Strategy provided the avenue
for purposeful evaluation of program research needs.
How the Portfolio Will Be Managed
The research portfolio for Water Programs will be managed through the Water Executive
Committee for Research and its staff (described below) using the Water Research Strategy and the
Research Management Status Tool (RMST).
The RMST is a tool that will be used to continuously manage and improve the research portfolio to
ensure it meets its objectives. The RMST serves as both an electronic appendix to this Strategy and
as a tool to support Water Program managers. Specific research needs and products for the Water
Program will be captured in the RMST. The management functions and status reports that will be
available within the RMST will enable Water Program senior managers to evaluate the relevance and
timeliness of research intended to help them achieve strategic goals and specific deadlines. The
RMST will also make it possible to assess which specific needs are not being met, evaluate proposed
and ongoing research against programmatic needs, and find opportunities for collaboration.
The cross-office research planning infrastructure designed by OW and the Regional Water Divisions
to achieve the goals of the Water Research Strategy includes two principal organizational units: an OW
Executive Committee for Research staffed by an OW-Research Coordination Team (OW RCT).
The Executive Committee (the Deputy Assistant Administrator, the four Office Directors, and the
Water Division Director from the lead Region for Water) is responsible for promoting coordinated
and collaborative research activities and planning within the National Water Program and between
the Program and its research partners. The Executive Committee is also responsible for evaluating:
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Introduction
The progress of research activities against Program research needs;
Emerging issues for research;
The relevance of proposed research to Program objectives;
Adjustments to research portfolios because of changes in budget or priorities; and,
The need for new research management tools or the effectiveness of existing ones.
How the Strategy Is Organized
The remainder of this Water Research Strategy is organized into the following chapters with each
providing the Theme, Tool, and Tier hierarchy, as well as brief background.
Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
Chapter 2 Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Chapter 4 Water Security Research Needs
Within each of the Theme-based chapters, technical "Tool" subsections provide discussion of the
practical implementation areas of the National Water Program. The Tool subsections include:
aquatic life health effects; human health effects; method development; occurrence and exposure;
and, treatment technologies and effectiveness. Finally, within each Tool subsection is a summary of
relevant research needs. These summaries are organized under one of three Tiers to reflect the
relevant drivers and urgency of research needs (see Exhibit 2 for Tiering definitions).
Appendix 3 the Research Needs Matrix provides detailed information on the research needs that
are summarized in the Chapters. The Matrix is organized in the same Theme, Tool, Tier hierarchy as
the document so it can be easily referenced for a full listing of the research needs summarized in the
Tiers. Note that research needs and activities do not necessarily fit under just one Theme/Tool/Tier
category. Because research can have a variety of drivers and objectives, the same or similar research
needs and activities are sometimes listed under more than one Theme or Tool in the Matrix.
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Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters
Research Needs
EPA's Water Program promotes water
quality protection through a variety of
Clean Water Act (CWA) programs
designed to manage, protect, and restore
the Nation's fresh and marine water
resources and associate aquatic
ecosystems. These efforts are
coordinated among the Office of
Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
(OWOW), the Office of Science and
Technology (OST), the Office of Ground
Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW),
the Office of Wastewater Management
(OWM), and the Regional Water
Divisions (Regions) to implement EPA's
Water Program.
The objective of the Clean Water Act is
"to restore and maintain the chemical,
physical, and biological integrity of the
Nation's waters" (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 (a),
CWA Sec 101 (a)). Since enacted in 1972,
federal water quality regulations have led
to significant reductions in pollutant
levels in many impaired lakes, rivers, and
streams. Further, significant efforts have
been undertaken to restore aquatic
ecosystems in the Nation's impaired
watersheds.
Despite these efforts, aquatic ecosystems
are declining nationwide. The rate at which new waters are being listed for water quality impairments
exceeds the pace at which restored waters are removed from the list. Challenges such as loss of
habitat, stream connectivity, hydrologic alteration, invasive species, pollution, and climate change
continue to exist. It is clear that EPA's Water Program is compelled to develop this strategy to
achieve the objective of the Clean Water Act as envisioned by Congress.
In addition to the core programs, the National Water Program runs a variety of Place-Based
Programs for protection and restoration of large aquatic ecosystems that have been identified as
having significant water pollution problems. Place-Based Programs include: Chesapeake Bay; Great
Lakes; Gulf of Mexico; Long Island Sound; South Florida; Lake Champlain; Puget Sound - Georgia
Basin; Columbia River; San Francisco Bay Delta; and Pacific Islands. The water quality concerns in
these water bodies include legacy toxic chemicals, hypoxia, nutrient enrichment, habitat alteration,
pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microbials and other contaminants of emerging concern.
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Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
Aquatic Life Health Effects
The biological integrity of our nation's coastal, estuarine, and freshwater environments has been, and
continues to be, substantially impacted by a suite of biological, chemical, and physical stressors.
Specific stressors include habitat alteration, nutrient loading, suspended and bedded sediments
(SABS), pathogens, toxic chemicals, over harvesting offish and shellfish populations, and
introduction of invasive species, all of which have changed the biological communities. There is a
need to understand the parameters that contribute to a healthy aquatic habitat: nutrient criteria that
protect waters from nutrient over-enrichment; biological criteria designed to describe and maintain
the biological condition of aquatic communities; criteria to define the chemical concentrations below
which aquatic life is protected; clean sediment criteria that protect aquatic life from excessive or
insufficient sedimentation; climate change and anthropogenic stressors; invasive species; and non-
point sources.
Research needs and activities related to aquatic life health effects as a tool for understanding and
attaining healthy watersheds and coastal waters include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions,
and Appendix 3 for details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Assess emerging water quality concerns and the impact of emerging contaminants on aquatic life
health and ecosystem function; establish water quality criteria to protect them. Determine the impact
of global change on aquatic ecosystems, watersheds and ocean processes. Identify indicators of
aquatic health and develop new models of aquatic ecosystems. Project the effects and mitigation of
stormwater runoff from future land development to support stormwater regulations and respond to
the NRC Report. Connect effects of nutrients to aquatic system health to support numeric nutrient
criteria development by States.
Tier 2
Understand the individual and combined impact of isolated wetlands, headwaters, habitat, and
nutrient load-responses on ecosystem integrity and biological conditions. Establish the science to
address concerns regarding Place-Based Programs and unique habitats such as wetlands and coral
reefs. Establish sufficiently sensitive detection and quantification methods for traditional pollutants.
Maintain the scientific foundation of existing criteria.
Tier3
Develop the science to project the consequences of future land development and other
anthropogenic factors to minimize negative impacts on aquatic life health and habitats.
Human Health Effects
Under the authorities of CWA, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and other acts and executive
orders, the Human Health Protection Program helps produce regulations, guidelines, methods,
models, standards, science-based criteria, and studies that are critical components of national
programs that protect human health and the aquatic environment. The Water Program endeavors to
Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters ^search Needs
improve water quality to protect and restore waters to their designated uses, thereby protecting the
health of humans, aquatic life, and wildlife. Actions taken to improve water quality will also increase
the number of water bodies that can be enjoyed for recreational purposes and from which fish and
shellfish can be safely consumed.
Research needs and activities related to human health effects as a tool for understanding and
attaining healthy watersheds and coastal waters include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions,
and Appendix 3 for details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Understand the interacting effects of global change, land use, and economic development on human
demand for water, water quality and human pathogens. Conduct research on and determine
measures to reduce emerging contaminants and develop criteria to protect human health.
Tier 2
Conduct research on indicators of potential illnesses in saltwater environments.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Method Development
EPA decision makers need information and tools to make proactive policy and management
decisions that ensure ecological and human well-being; these may include: simulation tools,
predictive models, remote sensing technologies, ambient monitoring methods, classification
methods, mapping techniques, rapid assessment field methods, and criteria derivation methods.
Research needs and activities related to method development as a tool for understanding and
attaining healthy watersheds and coastal waters include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions,
and Appendix 3 for details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Develop methods to: establish statistically-based national assessments; evaluate watershed recovery
potential and decisions; establish biocriteria and condition gradients; value ecosystem services;
provide rapid and timely detection of pathogens and indicators; prioritize chemicals of emerging
concern and derive criteria; manage water programs for climate change; and incorporate
decentralized systems in TMDLs.
Tier 2
Develop methods to: support trading programs; predict effects of multiple stressors on watershed
degradation; target watersheds for restoration and obtain improvement; classify and assess
headwater streams and wetlands; monitor and respond to invasive species; assess sediments in
estuaries; understand climate change on ecosystem protection and restoration; and motivate change
in public behavior.
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Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
Tier3
Select appropriate pathogens and indicators to assess sewage sludge quality.
Occurrence and Exposure
Policy makers and watershed managers need reliable chemical, physical, and biological information
that will allow them to understand the status and functioning of aquatic ecosystems and to evaluate
the success of watershed protection and restoration measures over time. Methods to gather this
information must be developed and deployed. Information on the status of a waterbody or
watershed enables its condition to be determined and demonstrates whether the services it provides
(ecological, economic, and cultural) have been diminished. Monitoring can indicate coastal and
watershed recovery and whether a system is able to once again provide the desired services.
Occurrence monitoring is also necessary to understand where and how non-indigenous plants and
aquatic organisms have become established in coastal and watershed environments.
Research needs and activities related to occurrence and exposure as a tool for understanding healthy
watersheds and coastal waters include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3
for details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Evaluate trends in water quality and aquatic systems; determine the occurrence and exposure of
emerging contaminants in water; determine the appropriate geographic scale for nutrient, wetland,
and services trading; establish causal links between climate and other stressors to surface water
impairments.
Tier 2
Account for pollutant's multiple routes of exposure to aquatic life; identify the pathways of invasive
species introduction; determine the occurrence of pollutants in runoff to large aquatic ecosystems.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Treatment Technologies and Effectiveness
To protect and restore the health and diversity of water resources and aquatic ecosystems, research
into treatment technologies and effectiveness is needed, including: best management practices,
control of invasive species, decentralized wastewater system technology, and cost effective
technologies. To decide what watershed management strategies to implement, managers need to be
able to compare costs and benefits of various practices and approaches through models that predict
the watershed-wide impacts of one or multiple management measures.
Research needs and activities related to treatment technologies and effectiveness as tools for
understanding healthy watersheds and coastal waters include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering
definitions, and Appendix 3 for details on research needs within each Tier):
10 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters ^search Needs
Tierl
Identify or develop technologies to: improve resilience to global change stressors; determine the
effectiveness and performance costs of management measures and optimal placement in watersheds;
reduce nutrient, hypoxia, and sediment ecosystem impacts; control the introduction of invasive
species; and evaluate treatment system efficiencies. Provide guidance/technical assistance for using
the information and technologies in program decisions and implementation.
Tier 2
Identify wetland nutrient removal rates for use in trading credits; evaluate treatment alternatives for
onsite/decentralized systems; evaluate best management practices (BMPs) for nonpoint source
control at multiple scales.
Tier3
Develop tools and knowledge to control invasive species impact on aquatic ecosystems.
Water Research Strategy 11
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Chapter 1 Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
12 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 2 Safe Drinking Water ^search Needs
2 Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
Guided by the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA), the Ground Water and
Drinking Water Protection Program
strives to provide safe drinking water and
to protect sources of drinking water. The
SDWA requires EPA to set national
drinking water standards to ensure the
safety of water consumed by the millions
of people in the US who receive their
water from public water systems (PWSs).
Under the SDWA, EPA is charged with
evaluating unregulated contaminants and
developing and revising drinking water
standards. The Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water and the Office of
Science and Technology are responsible
for these programs.
The SDWA mandated several processes
by which EPA identifies contaminants
that may need new or revised standards:
the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL),
Regulatory Determination process, the
Six-Year Review process, and a
monitoring plan for unregulated
contaminants. The CCL is the first step in
the process and identifies any significant information gaps that in turn generate the need for specific
research. The results of this research help decide if a contaminant should be included on the List
and what priority it is given. The Regulatory Determination process examines the highest priority
contaminants from the List and may generate research needs of its own before a decision can be
made to regulate or not to regulate a given contaminant. Under Six-Year Review, EPA examines
existing National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) at least every six years to
determine if revisions to the existing rules are needed. This effort may entail new research of its
own. Research is also needed in the area of unregulated contaminants, about which relatively little
may be known. Under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR), contaminant
occurrence data are collected and analyzed. The results of this process often generate additional
research needs, such as the need for information on the toxicity or health effects of a particular
contaminant.
Preventing identified contaminants from reaching drinking water sources is the foundation for
source water protection. Underground injection activities must be re-evaluated periodically to assess
human health risks and determine appropriate practices to prevent the endangerment of
underground sources of drinking water as new uses for injection and new data on current uses
arises. Climate change strategies increasingly include underground injection in greenhouse gas
mitigation and management of water resources. State-delineated source water protection and
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13
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Chapter 2 Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
wellhead protection areas, which were required by SDWA, provide guidance in planning land and
water use in proximity to drinking water sources. Community outreach and education initiatives
provide the knowledge to protect drinking water and reinforce individual responsibility in
maintaining high quality water resources. These are supplemented by the designated uses
implemented under the CWA Water Quality Standards Program which specifies waters for
protection as designated drinking water sources.
Human Health Effects
The SDWA requires EPA to evaluate human exposure and risks of adverse health effects in the
general population and sensitive subpopulations (e.g., infants and young children, the elderly, the
immunocompromised) when setting drinking water standards. Risk assessment is essential when
determining whether regulatory action is warranted, what actions should be implemented, and
whether such actions are effective. When developing and revising drinking water standards, EPA
evaluates threats to public health from microbial and chemical contaminants. Through the CCL,
Regulatory Determination, and Six-Year Review processes, EPA may determine that additional
health effects data are needed (e.g., reproductive studies) for specific drinking water contaminants to
determine if a new or revised drinking water regulation is warranted.
Research needs and activities related to human health effects as a tool for achieving safe drinking
water include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details on research
needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Understand the human health effects of known and emerging pathogens, chemicals, and suites of
contaminants; improve the risk assessment process for these contaminants; determine the impact of
co-contaminants injected with CO2 on drinking water sources; reduce uncertainty in extrapolation
from animals to humans and from high to low doses.
Tier 2
Determine the effects of short term lead exposure on developmental processes; evaluate the
potential impact of shallow class V-well injected brines and residuals on underground sources of
drinking water; assess impacts of UIC Class V mine backfill wells accepting coal fly ash on USDWs.
Tier3
Determine impacts on drinking water sources from injection activities and waste management
associated with oil and gas production.
Method Development
EPA decision makers need information and tools to make proactive policy and management
decisions that ensure safe drinking water; these may include methodologies for: laboratory analysis,
sampling and monitoring, measurement, classification, valuation, prediction, and indicator selection,
frameworks, and models.
14 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 2 Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
Central to EPA's determination of whether to regulate a contaminant or revise an existing regulation
is the ability to detect and quantify the contaminant and to determine its occurrence in drinking
water. These evaluations cannot be made, nor standards set, without adequate analytical methods to
support national occurrence data collection and monitoring for regulatory compliance.
Research needs and activities related to method development as a tool for achieving safe drinking
water include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details on research
needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Develop methods to: evaluate the appropriateness and improve the timeliness of analytical
techniques; capture the risk of exposure to contaminants in support of CCL and UCMR; identify
tools for longitudinal research with children; determine impacts of climate change on integrated
water resource management; determine the risks of underground CO2 injection and manage
alternatives to protect drinking water sources; determine management and treatment practices
appropriate for aquifer storage and recovery injection activities that prevent endangerment of
USDWs.
Tier 2
Develop methods to: evaluate human health risks from chemical mixtures; assess the vulnerabilities
of drinking water sources to contamination; develop and improve methods to detect and quantify
regulated and unregulated contaminants; evaluate the ability of culture and molecular methods to
address the viability and infectivity of pathogens.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Occurrence and Exposure
Occurrence monitoring provides vital information on the national occurrence of contaminants and
helps to estimate public exposure to contaminants. Specifically, such information can indicate how
the public is exposed to contaminants, how often they are exposed, and the duration of exposure.
Occurrence data are needed not only for regulated contaminants, but also for unregulated
contaminants. The occurrence data collected through the UCMR support EPA's determination of
whether or not to regulate certain contaminants. Furthermore, the timing of the CCL and UCMR
cycles means that monitoring under the UCMR can provide needed data not just for current CCL
contaminants and emerging contaminants, but also for future CCL selection efforts.
Research needs and activities related to occurrence and exposure as a tool for achieving safe
drinking water include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details on
research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Determine the national occurrence of contaminants in source water and drinking water and the
routes, frequency, and duration of the public's exposure.
Water Research Strategy 15
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Chapter 2 Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
Tier 2
None yet identified.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Treatment Technologies and Effectiveness
Effective treatment technologies are essential to the provision of safe drinking water and the
protection of drinking water sources. To effectively regulate a contaminant, there must be an
available removal or inactivation method. Thus, an understanding of available treatment methods
and the development of new methods must go hand in hand with efforts to develop and evaluate
drinking water standards. In particular, research is needed to improve EPA's understanding of
simultaneous compliance with multiple contaminant treatment/removal requirements, drinking
water treatment residuals (the material removed from source water), impacts of treatment changes
on lead and copper corrosion, and control of microbes and disinfection by-products (DBFs).
Research related to the Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, the Interim Enhanced Surface
Water Treatment Rule, the Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, Stage 2
Disinfection By-Products Rule, and the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule and
other regulated contaminants such as fluoride, TCE and PCE is needed.
Research needs and activities related to treatment technologies and effectiveness as tools for
achieving safe drinking water include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3
for details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Evaluate BMPs for source water quality improvement; identify treatment technologies and
techniques to remediate emerging contaminants.
Tier 2
Optimize corrosion control treatment approaches while improving drinking water quality; assess
water resources for vulnerability to contamination; control pollution at the watershed scale.
Tier3
None yet identified.
16 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Sustainable Water Infrastructure
Research Needs
The National Water Program has
made a commitment to promoting
sustainable water infrastructure
across all of its programs including
wastewater and storm water
management, and drinking water
treatment and supply. EPA's four
pillars of sustainable water
infrastructure are: 1) better
management of water and
wastewater utilities; 2) rates that
reflect the full cost pricing of
services; 3) efficient water use; and
4) watershed approaches to
protection. One of the Agency's
major programs for addressing aging water and wastewater infrastructure and incorporating Green
Infrastructure as a management practice is the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Initiative. This
initiative aims to change how the nation views, values, manages, and invests in its water
infrastructure. It is led by the Office of Water and supported by many other Program Offices.
Through the initiative, the Agency is actively promoting sustainable infrastructure, including the
provision of research, tools, techniques, and incentives, where appropriate.
The lead offices in the area of Sustainable Water Infrastructure are the Office of Wastewater
Management, the Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, and the Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water. Wastewater, drinking water, and watershed management play key roles in
protecting water resources. The programs promote water conservation, efficient water use and reuse,
support effective decentralized wastewater treatment, evaluate point source abatement and control
programs, encourage the protection and restoration of watersheds and wetlands, advance green
infrastructure programs, and design methods to assess and cost effectively renovate existing water
collection, supply, and treatment systems.
Aquatic Life Health Effects
Urban nonpoint sources represent permanent changes in the landscape and are large nitrogen and
phosphorous sources. Hypoxia and other eutrophication-related impacts on water quality are
centered on major population centers or closely associated with developed watersheds that export
large quantities of nutrients and organic matter. Agricultural practices, such as those associated with
biofuels and energy independence, as well as climate change-induced alterations in weather patterns
(especially precipitation), will also likely alter the sources, transport, and fate of nutrients. The use of
manure as a more complete resource (e.g., nutrients and biofuel) may help to reduce the amount of
phosphorous pollution from agricultural runoff. In addition to alternative energy production, carbon
sequestration may affect aquatic life by impacting water quality through the influx of injected carbon
impacted ground water to surface waters.
Water Research Strategy
17
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Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Research needs and activities related to aquatic life health effects as a tool for achieving sustainable
water infrastructure include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details
on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Understand the full effects and consequences of alternative energy production (e.g., biofuels) and
carbon sequestration on water quality and quantity.
Tier 2
Understand the effectiveness of green infrastructure approaches for wet weather management and
municipal permit selection to met specific TMDL needs in a targeted watershed.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Human Health Effects
In 2002, the National Research Council (NRC) published a report titled "Biosolids Applied to Land:
Advancing Standards and Practices". The NRC noted that there is "persistent uncertainty on
possible adverse health effects" from sewage sludge. There is a need to understand if contaminants
in biosolids applied to land pose a public health risk. For example, studies are needed to better
understand the sudden spike of fecal coliforms that occurs following high-speed centrifugation of
anaerobic biosolids at some facilities. With water reuse as one of the Sustainable Infrastructure 4
Pillars, it is important to understand the potential for cross-system connections and gray water
storage and disinfection impacts on human health, if any.
Research needs and activities related to human health effects as a tool for achieving sustainable
water infrastructure include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details
on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Understand the potential impacts of water reuse (gray water) on human health from cross
connections, improper disinfection/storage, etc.
Tier 2
Conduct field studies to determine whether contaminants in biosolids pose a public health risk when
applied in compliance with current regulations.
Tier3
None yet identified.
18 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Method Development
Water infrastructure (e.g., drinking water treatment and decentralized wastewater systems) is
expensive, as are the monetary and social costs incurred when infrastructure fails. If a system is well
maintained, it can operate safely over a long time period. Research is needed to provide utilities with
tools that will allow them to better manage the nation's aging drinking water and wastewater
infrastructures. Helpful research may also include methodologies for classification, valuation,
prediction, indicator selection, frameworks, and models.
Research needs and activities related to method development as a tool for achieving sustainable
water infrastructure include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details
on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Develop methods to: determine the effectiveness of decentralized wastewater systems; evaluate
effectiveness of residuals (both biosolids and drinking water residuals) treatment and management;
assess decentralized system failures and their impacts; examine the economic costs and benefits of
green infrastructure.
Tier 2
Develop methods to: account for decentralized systems in TMDL models on a watershed scale;
detect, identify, track, disinfect, and stabilize pathogens in wastewater, biosolids, and animal wastes;
integrate water and wastewater management approaches to improve cost effectiveness; educate the
public about water conservation; conduct cost studies of similar systems using different capital
replacement and repair strategies.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Occurrence and Exposure
Global change can affect water resources and infrastructure engineering and management by
changing hydrologic regimes. Such changes might impact the effectiveness of our water treatment
infrastructure, potentially changing the public's exposure to contaminants. Exploration of such
potential effects is needed. Managing impacts will require strategies for decreasing the vulnerability
of existing infrastructure, assessing future needs, and developing and adopting new engineering and
management methods to ensure compliance with CWA, SDWA and its amendments, and other
related congressional mandates.
Emerging contaminants (e.g., endocrine disrupting compounds, PPCPs, nanoparticles, and prions)
are another area of concern. They have come under increasing scrutiny over the last decade, and
there are growing concerns over the fate of these emerging contaminants in land-applied biosolids,
septage, and manure.
Water Research Strategy 19
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Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Research needs and activities related to occurrence and exposure as a tool for achieving sustainable
water infrastructure include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details
on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Define the impact of global change stressors on the design, operation, and performance of water
infrastructure and built environment; identify and quantify the pollutants in wet weather flows.
Tier 2
Assess the occurrence of nanochemicals and particles in products produced from land-applied
biosolids; develop tools that increase capacity to respond to future global change. Determine effects
of nanomaterials and other emerging contaminants on publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).
Understand the fate of pharmaceuticals in land applied biosolids.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Treatment Technologies and Effectiveness
Conventional wastewater and drinking water treatment processes have provided a relatively solid
barrier between humans, the environment, and the many contaminants in domestic and industrial
wastewaters and in source waters. However, new innovative technologies still need to be identified
and evaluated. Additionally, information will be needed on the abilities (e.g., efficiencies,
performance capabilities/effectiveness, reliability) of conventional and innovative (e.g., green
infrastructure) treatment technologies to remove emerging and currently regulated contaminants.
A number of management methods (best management plans and collection system management)
currently exist to control wet weather flow from municipal separate stormwater sewers, municipal
wastewater overflows (combined sewer overflows (CSOs)/sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs)),
concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), industrial facilities, and construction sites. Further
action needs to be taken to characterize, treat, and manage (e.g., Nutrient Management Plans
(NMPs)) current and emerging contaminants (e.g., prions and nanomaterials) in wet weather flows,
runoff, and wastewater.
Research needs and activities related to treatment technologies and effectiveness as tools for
achieving sustainable water infrastructure include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and
Appendix 3 for details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Identify and develop technologies to: reduce and control pollutants in wet weather flows; improve
effectiveness of animal livestock nutrient management plans; evaluate green infrastructure
effectiveness and integration with water reuse and reclamation at the watershed scale; identify and
evaluate secondary benefits of green infrastructure.
20 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Tier 2
Develop sewer and treatment system design concepts for centralized and decentralized systems for
contaminants, energy efficiency, and energy production; evaluate current residuals disinfection and
stabilization technologies; understand how antimicrobial resistance and nanoparticles may impact
treatment processes.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Water Research Strategy 21
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Chapter 3 Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
22 Water Research Strategy
-------
Chapter 4 Water Security Research Needs
4 Water Security Research Needs
As the water sector-specific federal lead for
protecting the nation's drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure, EPA plays a critical
role in homeland security. The Office of
Ground Water and Drinking Water's
(OGWDW's) Water Security Division (WSD)
takes the lead in working with EPA's National
Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC)
to identify and conduct research on ways to
better secure the nation's drinking water and
wastewater systems against threats and attacks.
These initiatives focus on the nation's drinking
water and wastewater supply, infrastructure,
treatment, and distribution systems.
The Water Security Program has supported
drinking water and wastewater utilities by
preparing vulnerability assessments and
emergency response tools and training,
providing technical and financial assistance, and
developing information exchange mechanisms.
The Water Security Program is also charged
with supporting best security practices,
providing security enhancement guidance, and
incorporating security into the day-to-day
operations of drinking water and wastewater
utilities.
The NHSRC's Water Infrastructure Protection Division (WIPD) conducts research and develops
tools to increase our understanding of public health and environmental impacts from various kinds
of water infrastructure attacks. This understanding, when integrated into water security practices,
leads to improved awareness, preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery from intentional acts
against water and wastewater systems. WIPD is producing analytical tools and procedures,
technology evaluations, models and methodologies, decontamination techniques, technical resource
guides and protocols, and risk assessment methods (http://www.epa.gov/nhsrc/pubs.html). All of
these products are for use by EPA's key water infrastructure customers water utility operators,
public health officials, and emergency and follow-up responders.
Aquatic Life Health Effects
No Tier level research needs have yet been identified.
Water Research Strategy
23
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Chapter 4 Water Security ^search Needs
Human Health Effects
No Tier level research needs have yet been identified.
Method Development
To safeguard our drinking water supplies, treatment processes, and distribution systems from natural
disasters and physical attacks, methods to detect and identify chemical, biological, and radiological
(CBR) contaminants in drinking water are critical. EPA is responsible for developing methods to
protect drinking water and wastewater systems from physical and cyber attacks (Bioterrorism Act
2002, Homeland Security Presidential Directives (HSPD) 7 and 9). The development of the Water
Laboratory Alliance will provide the drinking water sector with an integrated nationwide network of
laboratories with the analytical capabilities and capacity to support monitoring and surveillance,
response, and remediation in the event of CBR contamination. EPA's detection research program
focuses on developing detectors, analytical methods, sample preparation techniques, and models and
tools to detect, in real-time when possible, contaminants introduced into the water and the
wastewater. EPA's Water Security Initiative (WSI) program addresses the risk of intentional
contamination of drinking water distribution systems (identification and consequences of an attack,
and counter-measures for prevention and mitigation). Under the Water Security Program's Threat
Ensemble Vulnerability Assessment (TEVA) Program, event detection systems consisting of data
analysis tools have been developed to analyze water quality data streams. This will permit the rapid
and accurate identification of anomalous conditions in distribution systems that require further
investigation. As part of this effort, the Water Security Program collaborated with Sandia National
Laboratory to develop a tool called CANARY, which reads data in real time and returns a normal or
alarm signal to a utility computer system.
Research needs and activities related to method development as a tool for achieving water security
include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for details on research needs
within each Tier):
Tierl
Develop methods to: identify, evaluate, and protect utilities and systems from threats; optimize
choices between water supply management and water demand management; address gaps in Water
Security priority chemical and biological (including biological toxins) contaminants detection.
Tier 2
Improve the accuracy of CANARY (tool that analyzes water quality data streams and identifies
anomalous conditions in distribution systems that require further investigation); Upgrade and
expand the Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT), the National Environmental Methods
Index for Chemical, Biological, and Radiochemical Methods (NEMI-CBR), and the laboratory
compendium.
Tier 3
None yet identified.
24 Water Research Strategy
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Chapter 4 Water Security ^search Needs
Occurrence and Exposure
No Tier level research needs have yet been identified.
Treatment Technologies and Effectiveness
To ensure water security, tools are needed to respond to and remediate contamination events.
Understanding the persistence of microbial contaminants in distribution systems is important in
planning for decontamination approaches. Furthermore, as persistence and deactivitation of
microbial contaminants is better understood, work will begin on studying the association of
radiological contaminants with various pipe surfaces and methods of removing adhered agents.
Understanding persistence and decontamination of radiological agents is necessary due to the
general dearth of information on this topic in the technical literature. The Water Security Program is
working on research to develop technology to appropriately handle the large volumes of water that
may be generated when responding to an incident.
Research needs and activities related to treatment technologies and effectiveness as tools for
achieving water security include (see Exhibit 2, page 4 for Tiering definitions, and Appendix 3 for
details on research needs within each Tier):
Tierl
Determine the fate and transport properties of contaminants in drinking water; develop a
surrogate/simulant database to provide a resource/reference for contaminant modeling.
Tier 2
Identify and develop technologies to respond to and decontaminate systems in the event of
intentional or accidental contamination.
Tier3
None yet identified.
Water Research Strategy 25
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Chapter 4 Water Security ^search Needs
26 Water Research Strategy
-------
Appendices
Water Research Strategy 27
-------
28 Water Research Strategy
-------
Appendix 1 Acronyms and Abbreviations
Appendix 1 - List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
Bioterrorism Act
BMPs
BOSC
CAFOs
GBR
CCL
CO2
CSOs
CWA
DBFs
EPA
HSPD
NEMI-CBR
NHSRC
NMPs
NPDWRs
NRG
OGWDW
ORD
OST
OW
OWM
OWOW
OWRCT
POTW
PWS
Regions
RMST
SAB
SABS
SDWA
SSOs
TEVA
TMDL
Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and
Response Act
Best Management Practices
Board of Scientific Counselors
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
Chemical, Biological, and Radiological
Contaminant Candidate List
Carbon Dioxide
Combined Sewer Overflows
Clean Water Act
Disinfection by-product
Environmental Protection Agency
Homeland Security Presidential Directive
National Environmental Methods Index for Chemical, Biological,
and Radiochemical Methods
National Homeland Security Research Center
Nutrient Management Plans
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
National Research Council
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
Office of Research and Development
Office of Science and Technology
Office of Water
Office of Wastewater Management
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Office of Water-Research Coordination Team
Publicly Owned Treatment Works
Public Water System
Regional Water Divisions
Research Management Status Tool
Science Advisory Board
Suspended and Bedded Sediments
Safe Drinking Water Act
Sanitary Sewer Overflows
Threat Ensemble Vulnerability Assessment
Total Maximum Daily Load
Water Research Strategy
29
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Appendix 1 Acronyms and Abbreviations
UCMR Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation
UIC Underground Injection Control
USDW Underground Sources of Drinking Water
USEPA United State Environmental Protection Agency
Water Research Strategy National Water Program Research Strategy
WCIT Water Contaminant Information Tool
WIPD Water Infrastructure Protection Division
WSD Water Security Division
WSI Water Security Initiative
30 Water Research Strategy
-------
Appendix 2 Contributors
Appendix 2 - List of Contributors
The development of the National Water Program Research Needs and Management Strategy (Water Research
Strategy) was made possible through the collaboration and commitment of the Office of Water
Research Coordination Team. The team provided content, review, and obtained expertise and
consensus across the Water Program that ensured the document is both comprehensive and
integrated. Their names and affiliations are captured below, as are those of other major contributors.
The project described here was managed by the Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water,
USEPA with support from the Cadmus Group, Inc., under GS 10F 0105J; Dr. George Hallberg,
served as Cadmus Project Manager, and key staff including: Maureen Stone, Anne Jaffe Murray,
Kristy Burt, Mary Ellen Tuccillo, and Vanessa M. Leiby were invaluable to the project's success.
Office of Water Research Coordination Team Members (and contributingformer members):
Charles App: Region 3
Kevin Barnes: OGWDW
Robert Bastian: OWM
Heidi Bethel: OST
Valerie Blank: OGWDW former member
Tracey Bone: OGWDW
Robert Cantilli: OST
Octavia Conerly: OST
Tiffany Crawford: OST
Jill Dean: OGWDW
Diana Eignor: OST
Hiba Ernst: OGWDW/ORD - former
member
Chris Faulkner: OWOW
Kesha Forrest: OGWDW
Stephanie Fulton: Region 4 former member
Laura Gabanski: OWOW former member
Hend Galal-Gorchev: OST former member
Patricia (Trish) Hall: OGWDW
Latisha Mapp: OGWDW
Rene Morris: OGWDW former member
Sandhya Parshionikar: OGWDW
Arleen Plunkett: OST
Santhini Ramasamy: OST
Mary Reiley: OST**
Crystal Rodgers-Jenkins: OGWDW former
member
Roy Simon: OGWDW
Rick Stevens: OST
Lesley Vazquez-Coriano: OST
Other Major Contributors:
Jan Baxter: Region 9
Ron Landy: Region 3
** The primary contact regarding questions or comments about this document is:
Mary C. Reiley, Organizational Research Analyst
USEPA Headquarters
Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Mail Code: 4304T)
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 202-566-1123 Email: reiley.mary@,epa.gov
Water Research Strategy
31
-------
Appendix 2 Contributors
32 Water Research Strategy
-------
Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Appendix 3 - Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
B.2
B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Identify appropriate indicators of aquatic health and
determine suitability of new analytical methods.
Quantify the effects of exposures at, below, and
above the criteria; tissue-based criteria to assess the
risks posed by compounds that bioaccumulate
through diet.
Toxicity data, particularly two-generation tests with
multiple relevant endpoints. A derivation methods
for use when available data set does not meet
minimum Guidelines requirements.
Understand the relationship between harmful algal
blooms and nutrient dynamics (also useful for
human health related to cyanotoxins and drinking
water).
Community and population-level assessment
models to replace current organism based criteria.
Ecosystem models to integrate risk across an
assemblage of species.
BAFs for methyknercury in fish tissue relative to
methyknercury in the water column across different
water body types or ecological conditions to
develop water column translations of the January
2001 fish tissue-based criterion.
Conceptual and empirical approaches to predict,
diagnose, prevent, and manage the combined
effects of multiple stressors in aquatic systems.
Methods to assess change in aquatic ecosystems
that reflect responses to multiple and variable
stressors.
Assess emerging water quality concerns; both
biological (pathogens, invasive species) and
chemical (e.g., pharmaceuticals) and which
constituents to regulate.
What is the impact of contaminants on ecosystem
function?
How will/ are aquatic ecosystems affected by
climate changes?
'
'
'
S
'
'
^
^
^
S
^
^
'
'
^
^
^
^
S
^
'
'
^
'
^
Nutrient criteria
Nutrient criteria; Gulf
of Mexico Hypoxia and
HABs; CCL cyanotoxin
decision
Guidelines and PAMs
CCL
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
47
97
98
101
105.1
106
119 and 120
122
124
127
Water Research Strategy
33
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Impact of climate and other global change stressors
on the watershed and ocean processes that
influence the structure, functioning, and services of
freshwater and coastal ecosystems.
Conduct "Nutrient sources, fate, transport and
effects" studies within Gulf of Mexico ecosystems.
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
^
^
B.2
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
Climate change;
Acidification of oceans
Gulf of Mexico hypoxia;
Nutrients
Matrix
Reference
Number
193
208
Assess the contribution of isolated wetlands to the
integrity of navigable downstream water bodies.
Examine how the degradation, loss, or restoration
of headwater streams and isolated wetlands affects
the quality and integrity of navigable waters.
Estimate the environmental and economic impacts
of invasive species affecting the aquatic
environment.
Characterize the effects of global change and
anthropogenic stressors on conditions of coral and
coral reefs.
Characterize the interactive roles of ultraviolet
radiation (UVR), temperature, and water quality on
coral bleaching.
Characterize the responses of coral symbionts
(Symbiodinium spp.) to elevated UVR, elevated
temperature and changes in water quality.
Provide the scientific basis and load-response
relationships needed to develop and implement
numeric nutrient criteria, with an emphasis on the
health of estuaries and coastal wetlands.
Evaluate the relationship between nutrient criteria
and flow conditions.
Computational toxicology to help set priorities for
data requirements and chemical risk assessments.
Tools to measure and predict the contributions of
aquatic habitat protection and restoration to the
maintenance and improvement of biological
integrity.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
Nutrient criteria
Nutrient criteria
Biocriteria
Could in future as result
of CBD pH petition re:
ocean acidification to
protect coral; Nutrient
criteria, Biosolids
Biocriteria
Nutrient criteria
Nutrient criteria;
Watershed Approach
CCL, Six- Year, UCMR,
etc.
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria - Florida
Petition
45
46
49
50
51
52
99
100
105.3
107
34
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Integrative methods and approaches to incorporate
habitat into BCGs for application to tiered aquatic
life use (TALU) frameworks.
Incorporate nutrient stressor-response relationships
into BCG and TALU approaches.
Classify ecosystems, landscapes, and watersheds for
efficient and scientifically sound development and
application of biocriteria
Why is the Diporeia population in the Great Lakes
declining
What is the relative importance (risk) of emerging
contaminants in Puget Sound?
How does sedimentation affect coral reefs?
Effectively account for the combined and
cumulative effects of point and nonpoint sources of
pollution, habitat alteration, and other sources of
impairment.
Determine the significance of ballast water
introduction and transfer or native and invasive
HABs species in the Gulf of Mexico.
Identify and develop environmental and biological
indicators of nutrient impacts.
Characterize the connectivity and contribution of
adjacent, freshwater systems to Gulf of Mexico
watersheds using a regionally consistent
methodology.
Bins
A.1
A.2
V
V
V
s
B.I
B.2
V
V
V
S
S
S
V
S
S
B.3
S
v/
y/
Driver and Dates
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria, Florida
Petition
Biocriteria
Nutrient criteria;
Program
Implementation; TMDL
decisions
Balast Water; Gulf of
Mexico HABs
Nutrients
Matrix
Reference
Number
108
110
121
123
125
126
146
205
209
211
Provide projections of the consequences of future
development and other anthropogenic changes
(such as climate change) and develop strategies to
minimize negative impacts on important
ecosystems.
V
Nutrient criteria
48
Water Research Strategy
35
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
B.2
B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Theme: Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters
For those emerging contaminants (or classes) that
are candidates for regulation, conduct the necessary
supporting research.
Understand which human illnesses are caused by
swimming in waters contaminated with human fecal
matter from different sources, with non-human
fecal matter, the levels of fecal matter (human and
non-human) that cause human illness, the
relationship between different levels of fecal matter
(human and non-human) in waters and human
illness rates, and differences in risk to children
versus adults swimming in these waters.
Extrapolation of research results for developing
new or revised criteria. Are indicators, methods,
and models suitable for use in different types of
waters and for different CWA programs.
Determine effective measures for reducing
pathogens and emerging contaminants from sludge
in environmental media.
Whether or not qPCR for Enterococci is applicable to
other settings or appropriate for use across the
range of CWA programs.
Interaction of climate change with land use/land
cover change and other global change stressors to
exacerbate or ameliorate impacts on water quality
and aquatic ecosystems; and the types and levels of
human pathogens that can enter, be sustained, and
thrive in waters of the U.S.
The influence of the interacting effects of changes
in climate, land use, and economic development on
human demand for water.
Improve the understanding of specific pathogens in
Gulf of Mexico waters that constitute risks to
human health.
Understand the fate of pharmaceuticals in land
applied sewage sludge.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet(2011;every5
years), and UCMR
(UCMR 3 - 2010; every 5
years)
Settlement
Agreement/BEACHES
(Dec 15, 2010)
Settlement Agreement;
Could impact some
water quality and
drinking water treatment
needs (Dec 15, 2010)
Settlement Agreement
BEACHES (Dec 15,
2010)
Climate change (2013)
Climate change; Four
pillars
Gulf of Mexico;
BEACHES
503 Regulations
86
88
95
96
169
192
195
202
213
36
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
B.2
B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Theme: Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters
Study on alternative indicators of potential illnesses
in salt water environments (e.g. Bacteroides).
^
^
Recreational Water
226
Develop new and improved methods to identify
the coastal waters and beaches that are impaired by
pathogens and to track the sources of these disease
causing organisms.
Monitoring strategies to measure the effectiveness
of watershed management programs.
Methods to determine factors that motivate change
in public behavior toward the protection or
restoration of water quality.
Develop technology transfer mechanisms that
provide watershed managers with resources needed
to make technically-sound watershed management
decisions.
Better model the hypoxic zone to understand its
dynamics and predict the impacts of restoration
scenarios.
Determine how the assessment of ecological
conditions, the modeling of ecological and human
development futures, and the development of
restoration and protection strategies can be done
effectively at differing geographic and temporal
scales. Incorporate and complement best
professional judgment.
Provide national frameworks for statistical
assessments.
Methods (including predictive models) that provide
more rapid and timely detections of pathogens or
indicators of the presence of pathogens that are
harmful to human health in recreational waters and
drinking waters.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
CWA §305(b); CWA
§106; Healthy
Watersheds Initiative
2007 memo focus to
increase outreach and
education/ toolbox (e.g.,
Weather Channel)
Nutrient criteria,
TMDLs
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria; ASWIPCA
National Aquatic
Resource Survey; CWA
§305(b)
Settlement
Agreement/BEACHES;
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years) and Six-
Year Review (Six- Year 3
- 2015; every 6 years),
plus (B2) water security
201
58
59
60
65
66
69
87
Water Research Strategy
37
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Establish a framework for prioritizing high-risk
emerging contaminants for exposure and hazard
assessment and criteria development.
Indicators and methods of how well culture and
molecular methods for various indicators (singly or
in combination) correlate with swimming-related
illnesses.
Sampling and analytical methods or models to
predict the recovery potential of different water
body types.
Methods for measuring biocriteria in arid systems,
large and great rivers, wetlands, estuarine areas, and
marine systems (including coral reefs).
New concepts for defining and classifying
ecosystem services and bundles of those services.
Improved approaches and information for
describing the production of services.
Methods to quantify the values of ecosystem
services and innovative ways of using this
knowledge in proactive environmental management
decisions.
Methods for valuation of services provided by
wetlands and by coral reefs.
How do we manage ecosystems for climate change?
Providing tools for effective ecosystem monitoring,
identifying appropriate indicators of aquatic health
and determining suitability of new analytical
methods.
Develop and improve integrative watershed
modeling frameworks for describing the impacts of
changing surface water quantity on water quality.
Develop strategies to optimize the selection and
location/placement of management measures in a
watershed.
Identify an approach for estimating the risks, costs,
and benefits associated with wetland trading.
Bins
A.1
^
^
A.2
^
^
B.I
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
B.2
^
^
^
^
B.3
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
Driver and Dates
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (2011; every 5
years), and UCMR
(UCMR 3 - 2010; every 5
years)
Settlement Agreement;
Indicators of co-
occurrence (Dec 15,
2010)
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria
Biocriteria
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Carbon sequestration
TALUs; Nutrient
criteria, Biocriteria;
National Aquatic
Resource Surveys; CWA
§305(b); CWA §106
Water Climate Change
Action Plan; CWA §106
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Tied to specific OWM
strategy goals/permit
issuance
Matrix
Reference
Number
92
93
103
104
114
115
116
117
130
148
149
151
155
38
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Determine how to manage and monitor wetlands
used in water quality trading.
Accurately account for decentralized wastewater
systems (both properly and poorly designed,
operated, and maintained systems) in watershed
models and TMDL calculations.
Select appropriate pathogens and indicators to
properly assess sewage sludge quality.
Understand how well the various indicators and
methods perform in other settings (e.g., marine
versus fresh water; human versus non-human
sources of fecal contamination), and how they relate
to one another.
The influence of climate change on EPA water
quality and ecosystem protection and restoration
programs.
Develop methods for any new water quality criteria
that HECD develops.
Bins
A.1
^
^
A.2
^
^
^
B.I
^
^
^
^
B.2
^
^
^
B.3
^
^
Driver and Dates
Tied to specific OWM
strategy goals/permit
issuance; Nutrient
criteria, Biocriteria
Biosolids; 503
regulations
Settlement Agreement;
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years) and Six-
Year Review (Six- Year 3
- 2015; every 6 years)
Climate change
304(a)ofCWA
Matrix
Reference
Number
156
157
167
178
194
224
Methods to project the relative and combined risks
from multiple stressors to aquatic and aquatic-
dependent wildlife populations
Determine how to avoid unintended negative
consequences from wetland trading.
Methods to evaluate and describe condition,
thresholds of impairment, and attribute value to
watershed goods and services.
Methods, tools, and models to determine which
(and how) stressors are causing degradation, or
likely to cause degradation to enable targeted action
for protection and restoration of watersheds.
Tools and knowledge to target watersheds for
management and offer the greatest opportunity for
achieving positive and intended environmental
results.
Determine how to avoid unintended negative
consequences associated with wetlands managed for
nutrient removal.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
Nutrient criteria;
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Biocriteria; TMDLs;
CWA §305(b); CWA
§106
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria; diagnostics
for TMDLs; CWA
§305(b); CWA §106
CWA §106
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria
118
147
55
56
57
61
Water Research Strategy
39
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Identify an acceptable approach for estimating risk
and uncertainty in wetlands used in water quality
trading.
Classification methods, simple models, mapping
techniques, and rapid assessment field methods for
headwaters, adjacent wetlands, and isolated
wetlands that incorporate and complement best
professional judgment.
Develop an improved scientific basis for the
establishment and maintenance of rapid response
and monitoring programs for non-indigenous
species.
Create education and outreach opportunities to
assist groups and individuals affected by invasive
species.
Develop improved analytical techniques for
pathogens and priority toxic contaminants in or
released from biosolids.
Methods to establish Biological Condition Gradient
(BCG) and Generalized Stressor Gradient models.
Tools for measuring and predicting the economic
and societal benefits of aquatic habitat protection
and restoration at local, regional, and national
scales.
Tools (monitoring methods, models, guidance) to
implement environmentally sound nutrient trading
approaches
Improve technical methods used in EPA's
Framework for Developing SABS Water Quality
Criteria
Verify methods and support implementation of the
SABS Framework
What is the relationship between sediment
deposition and anthropogenic (land use) and natural
(climate change) impacts on a system.
What is the origin, transport, and residence time of
sediments in estuaries?
Assess the costs associated with various
management measures to allow for the
development of effective watershed strategies.
Bins
A.1
A.2
'
'
S
'
B.I
B.2
S
S
^
S
'
^
s
s
'
'
B.3
s
s
'
s
s
<
'
Driver and Dates
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria
503 Regulations; Six-
Year
Nutrient criteria,
Biocriteria
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Nutrient criteria
TMDLS
TMDLS
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Matrix
Reference
Number
62
64
67
68
89
102
109
111
112
113
128
129
150
40
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Determine the factors that most motivate changes
in public behavior with respect to the protection or
restoration of water quality.
Effective technology transfer mechanisms are
needed to provide watershed managers with
resources needed to make technically-sound
watershed management decisions.
Up-to-date technology transfer methods regarding
innovations and costs of treatment technologies.
Develop and evaluate methods that help prevent,
control and mitigate HABs and their impacts.
Water quality methods for under-represented
organisms in our aquatic life criteria so that we can
improve our Endangered Species Act consultations
by having data on organisms that U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and others believe are more
sensitive
Develop sound nutrient criteria for different
waterbody types. Case studies on high priority
watersheds (e.g., Illinois River, Gulf of Mexico,
Bosque River) and more refined methodologies
would be highly desirable for developing numeric
values.
Forecasting based on tidal movements from the day
before.
Risk assessment modeling to determine if microbial
indicators are from birds or an actual sewage spill.
Monitoring protocols for MEP and MS4 permits
(Where are the appropriate locations for sample
stations, e.g., outfalls junction manholes, in-stream?
When should sampling occur, e.g., dry weather, wet
weather, prior to implementing structural BMPs,
after implementing structural BMPs? What would
constitute a statistically sound number or
percentage of stations to target as an MEP in a MS4
general permit? And, what number of samples
would be sound for each station?)
Bins
A.1
A.2
'
'
^
B.I
B.2
S
^
'
'
^
^
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
Gulf of Mexico HABs
Water quality criteria;
Method improvement
Nutrients
BEACHES; Recreational
Water
BEACHES; Recreational
Water
Wet weather/ OWM
Strategy
Matrix
Reference
Number
153
154
158
206
217
218
223
240
225
Identify trends in water quality and aquatic systems.
How often, where, and at what concentrations do
emerging contaminants occur?
'
'
'
'
'
TMDLs; CCL
70
133
Water Research Strategy
41
-------
Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Chemical, physical, and biological information that
will allow them to understand the status and
functioning of aquatic ecosystems and to evaluate
the success of watershed protection and restoration
measures over time.
Determine the geographic scale on which trading
might occur.
Information about the pollutants in various types of
wet weather flows, including pathogens and
emerging contaminants.
Identify impaired surface waters and establish
causal links between climate and other stressors and
endpoints of concern.
Bins
A.1
A.2
^
B.I
^
^
^
^
B.2
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
Tied to specific OWM
strategy goals and
Hanlon's Performance
Standards
Climate change
Matrix
Reference
Number
159
160
185
197
Develop scientific knowledge of potential pathways
of introduction of nonindigenous and invasive
species and tools to ensure their prevention.
Dose-based toxicity models to account for multiple
routes of exposure, including diet. Bioaccumulation,
tissue concentrations, and fate and transport
models.
How have non-native species become established?
What is the distribution of pollutants in runoff,
including metals and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons in Puget Sound?
Improve Gulf of Mexico- wide harmful algal
blooms (HABs) monitoring networks.
Quantify and model the major sources of mercury
(for instance, atmospheric or river input), fate and
transport of mercury in the Gulf of Mexico.
Limiting use of fertilizers within 5 feet of pavement,
25 feet of a storm drain, or 50 feet of a waterbody.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
Ballast water
Relative Source
Contributions for CCL
chemicals, RegDet
Ballast water
TMDLs
Hypoxia
Fish survey
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
71
105.2
131
132
204
207
215
Identify and characterize the watershed structures,
features, and processes that influence the likelihood
for successful management interventions.
^
72
42
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Determine the performance and costs of individual
management measurements to support the
development of watershed management strategies.
Optimize the selection and location/placement of
management measures in a watershed.
Determine the effectiveness of best management
practices (BMPs).
Effective management strategies to reduce nutrient
and sediment ecosystem impacts in the Mississippi
Basin and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Management measures to control hypoxia
Methods to control the introduction of invasive
species in ballast water to native waters.
Evaluate treatment system efficiencies for currently
regulated pollutants (pathogens and nutrients) and
emerging pollutants of concern.
How to increase the resilience of watersheds, water
infrastructure, and aquatic ecosystems to global
change stressors (hurricanes, tsunami, and other
natural disasters.
Bins
A.1
A.2
^
^
B.I
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
B.2
^
^
^
B.3
^
^
^
^
Driver and Dates
Nutrient criteria
Nutrient criteria;
Hypoxia Task Force goal
Nutrient criteria;
TMDLs
Ballast water general
permit issuance every 5
years
Nutrient criteria; Six-
Year Review
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Matrix
Reference
Number
73
74
75
78
134
136
163
200
Identify existing data regarding wetland nutrient
removal rates to be used for modeling and assigning
trading credits.
Feasibility of offsetting stream segment degradation
with improvements.
What is the effectiveness of BMPs for sediment
reduction?
How do we best manage sources of toxics as a part
of remediation?
Identify existing data regarding wetland nutrient
removal rates for modeling and assigning trading
credits.
Evaluate treatments that will improve system
performance such as the abilities of the various soil
types to provide treatment.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
Nutrient criteria
Wet Weather; Healthy
Watersheds Initiative
303(d)
Nutrient criteria;
permitting
decentralized systems
76
77
135
137
161
162
Water Research Strategy
43
-------
Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Evaluate performance capabilities and reliability of
many currently available onsite/ decentralized
treatment technologies.
Develop science-based tools that better control
nonpoint source and otherwise unregulated point
source pollution at the water resource scale (i.e.,
watershed and aquifer).
How antimicrobial resistance in wastewater streams
may impact the treatment process.
Bins
A.1
A.2
S
^
B.I
B.2
^
'
B.3
Driver and Dates
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
Matrix
Reference
Number
164
166
187
Develop tools and scientific knowledge to control
invasive species that affect aquatic ecosystems.
'
79
How does underground injection of large volumes
of CO2 impact ground water chemistry and
microbiology?
S
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
7.1
What are the actual or potential human health
effects of known and emerging pathogens,
chemicals, and suites of contaminants and how can
the risk assessment process be improved to best
assess these effects? (This includes CCL 3
chemicals: 74 FR 51850)
What is the cumulative risk associated with
combinations of contaminants that are likely to co-
occur and affect similar target organs or modes of
action?
What is the impact of CO2 co-contaminants on
drinking water sources?
'
'
'
^
^
^
^
^
CCL Regulatory
Determination; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years), RegDet
(2011; every 5 years), and
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years)
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (2011; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
Statute does not require,
but requested by NAS
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
1
2
7.2
44
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Use of mechanistic data in risk assessment.
Understanding key events associated with exposure
and the ultimate manifestation of an adverse health
effect (i.e., the toxicity pathway or mode or
mechanism of action) would help reduce the
uncertainty associated with data extrapolation from
animals to humans and from high to low doses.
Sensitive subpopulations. Is there differential life-
stage responsiveness or exposure to environmental
agents (chemical and pathogen)?
Contaminant-specific health studies. Sufficient
occurrence, health effects, reproductive effects, etc.
data on specific chemicals to determine if regulation
is warranted under the Safe Drinking Water Act
and/ or criteria recommendations under the Clean
Water Act (CWA).
Determine whether contaminants in biosolids pose
a public health risk when applied in compliance
with current regulations.
Develop approaches to identify/categorize which
emerging contaminants (or classes) are risks to the
environment or human health.
Define appropriate lexicological data and health
endpoints to evaluate emerging contaminants, such
as pharmaceuticals.
Improved understanding of Vibrio bacteria ecology,
health risks and research needs.
Bins
A.1
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
A.2
^
^
^
^
^
^
B.I
^
^
^
B.2
^
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (2011; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
Ground Water
Rule/DBFs; 503
Regulations
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years), and
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years)
Tied to specific OWM
strategy goals; (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years);
TMDLs; Criteria
development
CCL; Six- Year Review
Matrix
Reference
Number
80
82
83
84
90
180
203
What are the critical developmental adverse health
effects following short term lead exposure?
What is the potential for brines and residuals from
drinking water treatment facilities to impact
underground sources of drinking water when
injected in shallow class V wells?
Assess impacts of UIC Class V mine backfill wells
accepting coal fly ash on USDWs
^
^
^
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years)
Climate change, need for
developing guidance
(2013)
1.1
5.2
227
Water Research Strategy
45
-------
Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
B.2
B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Theme: Safe Drinking Water
Determine impacts on drinking water sources from
injection activities and waste management
associated with oil & gas production
S
228
Which methods and models are appropriate for
longitudinal research with children? How should
genetic differences among populations that
influence their susceptibility to illness or disease
from a hazardous substance be considered in risk
assessments?
Do analytical methods exist with enough sensitivity,
specificity, accuracy and precision to: (i) detect and
quantify the contaminant, and (ii) verify remediation
or removal? For pathogens, can the methods
address viability? (This includes CCL 3 chemicals:
74 FR 51850)
Are the methods robust enough to support national
occurrence data collection and/ or can they be
widely applied to support monitoring for regulatory
compliance? (This includes CCL 3 chemicals: 74 FR
51850)
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
CCL Regulatory
Determination;
Detection and
quantification of
pollutants in the
environment is necessary
to calculate RSCs;
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years), Six- Year Review
(Six- Year 3 - 2015; every
6 years), and UCMR
(UCMR 3 - 2010; every 5
years)
CCL Regulatory
Determination; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years), RegDet
(2011; every 5 years),
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years), and UCMR
(UCMR 3 - 2010; every 5
years); must promulgate
methods associated with
drinking water
regulations; need
methods for occurrence
information
82.1
3
4
46
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
How do we account for and address climate change
impacts on water resources? (tools to support
integrated water resource planning and management
at multiple water resource scales, assessment and
multi-decadal projection of water quantity and
quality, and the optimization of choices among
water supply management and water demand
management alternatives)?
What is the capability of existing models to evaluate
hydrologic and geologic factors in the area of
review for CO2 injection?
What monitoring methods are best at detecting soil
gases and ground water movement related to CO2
injection?
What models should be used to predict potential
leakage in area of review for CO2 injection?
What methods are best to test mechanical integrity
of wells accepting large volumes of supercritical
CO2 for deep underground injection?
What materials are most reliable for the
construction and plugging of UIC wells for long-
term storage of CO2 and plugging abandoned wells
in area of concern?
What technical tools and decision models should be
used or built to support aquifer storage and
recovery for non-potable reuse?
What methods are best at determining the
geochemical and hydrological conditions for storing
water underground for future use?
What data collection practices best capture the risk
for both acute (where applicable) and chronic
exposure?
How do we determine aggregate exposures to the
same chemical from multiple media (e.g., water, air,
food)?
Bins
A.1
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
A.2
^
^
B.I
^
^
^
^
^
B.2
^
^
^
B.3
^
Driver and Dates
Climate change
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
Geologic Sequestration
Rulemaking (2013)
Climate change (2013)
Climate change (2013)
CCL Regulatory
Determination; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years), RegDet
(2011; every 5 years), and
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years); Relative source
contributions
Relevant to RSC
calculations; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years), RegDet
(2011; every 5 years), and
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years); Relative source
contributions
Matrix
Reference
Number
6
8.1
8.2
9.1
10.1
10.2
11
11.1
18
19
Water Research Strategy
47
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Methods (including predictive models) that provide
more rapid and timely detections of pathogens or
indicators of the presence of pathogens that are
harmful to human health in recreational waters and
drinking waters.
Develop improved analytical techniques for
pathogens and priority contaminants in
residuals/biosolids.
Methods to assess emerging pathogens (from
viruses to prions, for example).
Analytical methods to gather occurrence data for
unregulated and emerging contaminants for future
UCMR data collection efforts and the CCL
Regulatory Determination process.
More robust methods for measuring pathogens and
emerging DBFs and DBF mixtures in drinking
water and distribution systems.
Evaluate whether or not the existing lexicological
methods can adequately accounl for and address
emerging conlaminanls, such as pharmaceuticals.
Testing procedures or models for evaluating
emerging conlaminanls fate and effecls.
Assess die quality and utility of dala, tools, and
melhods used for risk assessmenls for new and
unique conlaminanls, such as prions and
nanomalerials.
Bins
A.1
'
'
'
^
'
'
^
A.2
'
-
'
'
^
'
^
B.I
-
^
'
^
^
B.2
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
Seltiemenl Agreemenl;
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDel (2011; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
Tied to specific OWM
slralegy goals
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years), and
UCMR (UCMR 3 - 2010;
every 5 years); CCL
CCL Regulatory
Determination; This will
be imporlanl for RSC
calculations as well;
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDel (20 11; every 5
years), A-2 for Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years), and
UCMR (UCMR 3 - 2010;
every 5 years)
Tola! Coliform Rule;
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years), Six-
Year Review (Six- Year 3
- 2015; every 6 years),
and UCMR (UCMR 3 -
2010; every 5 years)
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years)
Tied to specific OWM
slralegy goals; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years); Goals
Tied to specific OWM
slralegy goals; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years), and
UCMR (UCMR 3 - 2010;
every 5 years)
Matrix
Reference
Number
91
170
171
172
174
179
181
182
48
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
New or improved analytical methods are needed to
gather occurrence data on emerging contaminants.
Determine management and treatment practices
appropriate for aquifer storage & recovery injection
activities that prevent endangerment of USDWs.
Bins
A.1
^
^
A.2
^
B.I
^
B.2
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years)
Matrix
Reference
Number
183
229
Cumulative risk. Risk assessment methods to
evaluate human health risks from exposure to
chemical mixtures.
How do we assess drinking water resources and
their vulnerability to contamination?
Assess how well culture and molecular methods for
pathogens (singly or in combination) may perform
(new molecular methods must consider the
specificity and sensitivity of the methods and how
they can address viability and infectivity of the
pathogens.
New methods or refine existing analytical methods
for the detection and quantification of regulated
contaminants to improve existing drinking water
standards.
Best approach to obtain water samples for in lab
testing. In particular, what is the best method for
sample preparation and concentration for those
pathogens present is such small numbers that it
takes filtering up to 100 + liters of water to obtain a
workable concentrate for analysis?
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (2011; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
SDWA six-year - LT2
(vulnerability
assessments for
guidance), GWR; 303(d)
(2015; every 6 years)
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years), and
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years)
SDWA Six- Year Review
(Six- Year 3 - 2015; every
6 years)
CCL; Six- Year Review
81.1
5
168
173
220
What is the national occurrence of contaminants
and the resultant exposures to the public?
^
^
^
CCL Regulatory
Determination; SDWA
CCL, RegDet, UCMR,
and Six- Year Review
16
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49
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
How is the public exposed to these contaminants
(i.e., inhalation, ingestion, dermal), how often, and
for what duration?
Bins
A.1
^
A.2
^
B.I
^
B.2
^
B.3
Driver and Dates
CCL Regulatory
Determination; SDWA
CCL (CCL4 - 2013;
every 5 years), RegDet
(2011; every 5 years), and
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years); Relative source
contributions
Matrix
Reference
Number
17
Cumulative risk. Exposure assessment information
to evaluate human health risks from exposure to
chemical mixtures.
^
^
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
81
National baseline of what the current background
levels of Contaminant Candidate List (CCL)
pathogens or waterbome pathogens are in US
distribution systems and in the US population.
^
Interest in support for
CCL
221
Provide data and information on BMPs to improve
source water quality.
What treatment technologies or techniques exist to
remediate the contaminant or are new technologies
needed?
^
^
^
^
Nutrients (2010)
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet (20 11; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
5.1
20
How can public water systems minimize the
impacts of treatment changes upon lead and copper
corrosion?
Which are optimal corrosion control treatment
approaches?
^
^
SDWA Six- Year Review
(Six- Year 3 - 2015; every
6 years)
SDWA Six- Year Review
(Six- Year 3 - 2015; every
6 years)
20.1
20.2
50
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Control of pollution at the water resource scale (i.e.,
watershed and aquifer).
Develop science-based tools that better enable the
assessment of drinking water resources and their
vulnerability to contamination.
Bins
A.1
A.2
^
^
B.I
B.2
^
B.3
^
Driver and Dates
Implementation of
SDWA; (to credit
watershed management
as a treatment
technique); 30 3 (d)
Matrix
Reference
Number
21
165
The full effects and consequences of alternative
energy production (e.g., biofuels) and carbon
sequestration for water quality.
^
^
^
Biosolids, Nutrient
criteria; Geologic
sequestration rulemaking
(2013), climate change
191
Analyze the effectiveness of green infrastructure
approaches for wet weather management and MP
selection to meet specific TMDL needs in a
targeted watershed.
^
^
212
Investigate water-reuse options. Research is needed
for topics such as human health effects from
possible gray water exposure resulting from in
home cross-connections, impacts of the improper
disinfection or storage of gray water, and
maintenance and upkeep of in home systems to
prevent adverse health effects.
^
219
Field studies to determine if contaminants in
biosolids pose a public health risk where biosolids
are applied to land.
^
Biosolids; Part 503
biennial reviews
24
Determine decentralized wastewater system and
residuals treatment effectiveness and management,
including fate of emerging contaminants.
^
^
25
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51
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Assess system failures and their impacts (including
cause and effect studies); leach field/soil treatment
and water acceptance capacity; comprehensive
system management; and fate/transport of
pathogens and emerging pollutants.
Examine economic costs and benefits of green
infrastructure (GI) and develop methods and
protocols for economic parameters.
Develop standard protocols for assessing multiple
benefits from GI (e.g., energy savings, carbon
sequestration, urban heat island reduction,
biodiversity, water conservation).
Methods to compare the benefits of GI with those
of grey infrastructure approaches.
Additional data are needed to help utilities evaluate
and estimate the costs of treatment and delivery of
drinking water and wastewater.
Better define the effectiveness, costs, and benefits
of water conservation and water efficiency practices
and programs.
Bins
A.1
-
A.2
B.I
^
'
^
'
^
B.2
^
'
'
^
^
B.3
^
'
'
'
^
Driver and Dates
Biosolids
Tied to specific OWM
strategy goals
Biosolids; Wet Weather
Goals
Biosolids; Tied to
specific date driven
OWM strategy goals
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years),
RegDet(2011;every5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
Tied to specific OWM
strategy goals; Indirectly
impacts rule costs (lower
flows)
Matrix
Reference
Number
26
30
31
32
140
142
What are the best methods for improving
monitoring protocols to evaluate optimal corrosion
control treatments?
How can we best characterize the aggressiveness of
drinking water nationally?
Accurately account for decentralized systems in
TMDL models: evaluate the risk associated with
decentralized systems on a watershed scale;
compare and prioritize at-risk watersheds; the
impact of both properly and poorly designed,
operated, and maintained systems; new or refined
source tracking and remote sensing methods to
accomplish reliable watershed-scale assessments.
Methods for the detection and identification of
pathogens in wastewater, biosolids, and animal
wastes to ensure proper disinfection and
stabilization.
'
'
-
^
-
-
Six- Year Review
Six- Year Review
Decentralized systems
TMDLs; support rule
but no dateline
15.3
15.4
27
28
52
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Refine methods for microbial source identification
and tracking.
New and innovative condition assessment and
rehabilitation methods and technologies for
sewerage systems.
Information on new and innovative condition
assessment and rehabilitation and replacement
methods and technologies.
Comprehensive, integrated management
approaches to improve the ability of water and
wastewater utilities to cost-effectively assess,
maintain, operate, rehabilitate, and replace their
collection and treatment systems.
Social marketing approaches need to be explored to
determine how to best educate the public regarding
the benefits and costs of providing high-quality
public services.
Social marketing approaches to provide effective
education and outreach campaigns on water
conservation.
Provide cost studies of similar systems that
managed capital replacements and repairs using an
asset management program versus a system that
fixed things as they break.
Bins
A.1
A.2
^
B.I
B.2
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
B.3
^
^
^
Driver and Dates
BEACHES
Biosolids
Biosolids, SDWA CCL
(CCL4 - 2013; every 5
years), and Six- Year
Review (Six- Year 3 -
2015; every 6 years)
Rule costs
Four pillars
Matrix
Reference
Number
29
33
138
139
141
143
214
The regional differences in vulnerability of water
quantity, water quality, ecosystems, water
infrastructure, and human health to global change.
Impact of climate and other global change stressors
on the design, operation, and performance of water
infrastructure (e.g., drinking water treatment,
wastewater treatment, urban drainage) and the built
environment.
^
^
^
^
Climate change
Climate change; Four
pillars
198
199
Appearance of nanochemicals/particles in products
produced from land-applied biosolids.
Information, capabilities, and tools to increase their
capacity for assessing and responding to global
change given uncertainty about the type and
magnitude of future change.
^
^
Biosolids
184
196
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53
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
B.2
B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Theme: Sustainable Water Infrastructure
Approaches to reduce and control nutrients and
difficult to treat chemicals and pathogens.
Management and treatment of municipal, industrial
and construction wet weather flows "outside the
fence line" of the POTW.
Studies to determine the effectiveness of Nutrient
Management Plans for animal livestock operations
and other land applications of residuals.
Characterize GI practices and their effectiveness at
the watershed scale, taking into consideration
upstream and downstream conditions, some of
which can be done through case studies.
Better understand and integrate Green
Infrastructure approaches into a comprehensive
approach, as well as water reuse and reclamation
approaches.
Effectiveness of both conventional and innovative
treatment technologies for minimizing the risk from
emerging contaminants.
Identify appropriate new or existing treatment
techniques and BMPs for removing or inactivating
emerging contaminants in runoff from various
sources, activities and materials.
Effects of nanomaterials on POTWs, the abilities of
nanomaterials to survive the treatment process.
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
Nutrient criteria; Tied to
specific OWM strategy
goals
Nutrient criteria
Nutrient criteria,
Biosolids; Tied to
implementation of
CAFO rule
Wet Weather Goals;
Healthy Watersheds
Initiative
SDWA CCL (CCL4 -
2013; every 5 years), and
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years)
Biosolids; Tied to
specific OWM strategy
goals; TMDLs
Biosolids
35
38
43
43.1
145
186
189
190
Control emerging contaminants, through additional
treatment, source reduction, and product
substitution.
Improve energy efficiency and decentralized power
production.
Reduce the volume of wastewater treatment
residuals.
^
^
^
^
^
503 regulations
Nutrient criteria
36
37
39
54
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Ability of various soil types to provide treatment;
treatment system efficiencies for currently regulated
pollutants (pathogens and nutrients), as well as
emerging pollutants of concern (endocrine
disrupters, PPCPs, and difficult to treat pathogens);
performance capabilities and reliability of many
currently available decentralized treatment
technologies.
Documentation of the effectiveness of current
residuals disinfection and stabilization methods.
New sewer and treatment system design concepts.
Determine performance capabilities and reliability
of many currently available decentralized/ on-site
treatment technologies for emerging pollutants of
concern.
Bins
A.1
A.2
'
'
B.I
B.2
^
'
B.3
^
Driver and Dates
Nutrient criteria,
Biosolids; Decentralized
systems, accounting for
lead testing
Matrix
Reference
Number
40
41
44
188
What methods and tools are needed to protect
water and wastewater utilities from physical and
cyber threats (i.e., water security, emergency
response)?
How do we evaluate potential utility and system
threats and their impacts (i.e., water security,
emergency response)?
Are there methods and tools to evaluate and
address system vulnerabilities (i.e., water security,
emergency response)?
What are the optimal methods for detection of
contaminants and means to quantify, determine and
reduce the impact of such events (i.e., water
security, emergency response)?
What methods exist for optimization of choices
among water supply management and water
demand management alternatives (i.e., water
security, emergency response)?
Developing detectors, analytical methods, sample
preparation techniques, and models and tools to
detect, in real-time when possible, contaminants
introduced into the water and wastewater systems
(i.e., water security, emergency response).
S
^
^
'
^
^
S
^
^
S
Decontamination
emergency response
planning (2011) and WSI
(2013)
Decontamination
emergency response
planning (2011) and WSI
(2013)
Water security
Water security
Water security
SDWA Six- Year Review
(Six- Year 3 - 2015; every
6 years), Water security
12
13
14
15.1
15.2
175
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55
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1 A.2 B.I B.2 B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Expansion of select agent and toxin capabilities
beyond the current CDC supported methods.
230
Development and validation of methods for toxins
including but not limited to aflatoxins, alpha-
amanitin, colchicines, digoxin, and picrotoxins.
231
For many non-select agents there are methods
available that can be leveraged and subjected to
laboratory optimization and validation (e.g., E. coli
O157:H7, Vibrio cholerae, enteric viruses).
232
Efforts to standardize sample collection procedures
are necessary in order to provide laboratories with
representative samples that maintain sample and
contaminant integrity.
233
Development of training programs targeting the
laboratory community are necessary to ensure that
as new methods and technology become available
laboratories would be provided training in the use
of these methods which would result in expansion
of capability and capacity.
235
Efforts to develop, improve, and evaluate online
sensors and capabilities to detect chemical and
biological agents and to test the validity of
assumptions relating to threshold levels of target
contaminants required to trigger sensor(s) remain a
priority.
236
Improve the accuracy of CANARY, a tool that
analyzes water quality data streams and identifies
anomalous conditions in distribution systems that
require further investigation.
Water security
176
Continual upgrade and expansion of the Water
Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT), National
Environmental Methods Index for Chemical,
Biological, and Radiochemical Methods (NEMI-
CBR) and the laboratory compendium.
237
Evaluation of innovative, cutting-edge technologies
to support water security related activities is a
priority.
234
56
Water Research Strategy
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Appendix 3 Research Needs Matrix
Research Activity*
Bins
A.1
A.2
B.I
B.2
B.3
Driver and Dates
Matrix
Reference
Number
Theme: Water Security
Determining the fate and transport properties of
contaminants in drinking water is a priority.
Development of a surrogate/ simulant database
would provide a resource/ reference for
contaminant modeling.
'
S
238
239
Are methods available to respond to system
contamination events (including emergency
response)?
Are approaches available to decontaminate systems
in the event of intentional or accidental
contamination (including emergency response)?
^
'
^
^
'
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years) (distribution
system security)
Six- Year Review (Six-
Year 3 - 2015; every 6
years) (distribution
system security)
22
23
* The Matrix is organized in the same Theme, Tool, Tier hierarchy as the document so it can be easily referenced for a full listing of
research needs that are summarized in the document. Note that research needs and activities do not necessarily fit under just one
Theme/Tool/Tier category. Because research can have a variety of drivers and objectives, the same or similar research needs and
activities are sometimes listed under more than one Theme or Tool in the Matrix.
Themes and corresponding document chapters include:
Chapter 1: Healthy Watersheds and Coastal Waters Research Needs
Chapter 2: Safe Drinking Water Research Needs
Chapter 3: Sustainable Water Infrastructure Research Needs
Chapter 4: Water Security Research Needs
Tools are the practical implementation areas of the National Water Program and include:
Aquatic Life Health Effects
Human Health Effects
Method Development
Occurrence and Exposure
Treatment Technologies and Effectiveness
Bins and Tiers:
Senior water managers designed a process to prioritize water research needs dividing the needs into two categories containing a total
of five bins. The categories were defined based on the type of driver necessitating the research: Category A: statute/court
order/regulation date driven, and Category B: goal driven. The bins within the categories defined whether the research was critical
path to meeting program obligations: Bins A.I and B.I, or non-critical path to meeting a program obligation: Bins A.2, B.2, and B.3.
Tier 1: On critical path to satisfy a statutory, regulatory, court ordered, or Agency/Office strategic obligation. (Bins A. 1 and B.I)
Tier 2: Supports, augments, or improves existing and adequate tools, guidance, or policy, or would enhance new critical path
research products. (Bins A.2 and B.2)
Tier 3: Investigates potential environmental concerns of the future, or takes advantage of a serendipitous opportunity to
leverage resources or an initiative. (Bin B.3)
Water Research Strategy
57
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