&EPA
www.epa.gov/research
science   in   ACTION
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
   WORKSHOP ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR NON-
          POTABLE REUSE OF URBAN RAIN WATER AND STORMWATER
    Background

    The Clean Water Act requires that EPA regulate certain
    water quality standards and parameters in navigable
    waterways. As regional and/or national variability in
    rainfall event frequencies and volumes continue to
    change, due in part to increasing fresh water scarcity and
    changing climatic patterns, there is a need to sustainably
    manage national water resources. One proposed solution
    to mitigating stormwater and rainwater runoff to the
    sewer systems is the use of green infrastructure or rain
    water and stormwater catchment devices designed for
    water diversion and reuse. However, there has yet to be a
    comprehensive approach that targets current rainwater
    and stormwater collection needs and practices, nor have
    the current and existing technology barriers and solutions
    been identified.
         A Rainwater Catchment Device (Rain Barrel)
                                EPA Cincinnati Water Technology
                                          Cluster Team

                             On January 18, 2011, EPA Administrator Lisa
                             P. Jackson announced the commitment of $5
                             million over the next three to five years to
                             support the research, development, and
                             deployment (RD&D) of cost-effective,
                             innovative water technologies that demonstrate
                             tenets of sustainability, timeliness, innovation,
                             and responsiveness.

                             The EPA Cincinnati water technology cluster
                             team was created to oversee and promote this
                             RD&D effort. The cluster team holds the
                             following goals and objectives as it strives to
                             help solve water challenges:

                             • To promote innovation in the water
                              technology sector in the Cincinnati, Dayton,
                              northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana
                              region by communicating water challenges,
                              Agency priorities, and technology needs.
                             • To foster and generate water technology
                              RD&D collaborations among internal and
                              external partners within the region by
                              facilitating access to EPA research facilities
                              and equipment.
                             • To help identify, protect, and transfer EPA
                              intellectual property to the marketplace.

                             These objectives allow the cluster team to
                             promote regional water technology RD&D
                             while maintaining EPA's overall mission of
                             protecting human health and the environment.

                             For more information, please visit
                             www.epa.gov/nrmrl/watercluster.
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Office of Research and Development
                                                      EPA/600/S-12/720
                                                      December 2012

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Research Plan & Objectives

To plan a solution strategy for optimizing water resources, EPA
is partnering Confluence, Duke Energy, U.S. Green Building
Council, EPA Region 6, and the Green Umbrella Regional
Sustainability Alliance to organize a workshop to evaluate
current methods of rainwater and/or stormwater collection and
reuse. The workshop will provide an information exchange on
water quality characteristics relevant to protecting public health
and ecosystems, treatment technologies, performance standards,
and approaches to management and regulation. Rainwater and stormwater reuse within water-scarce regions and
for CSO management will also be discussed, along with recent research advances, case studies, and technology
challenges. The two day workshop is planned for April, 2013. It is expected that federal, local and state
government, non-profit groups, and private industry will attend.

Products & Outcomes
A Stormwater Collection Drain
The workshop will consist of four sessions:
    •  Overview of stormwater and rain water reuse, market analyses, and water quality guidelines
    •  Review of current best practices and examples in the form of case studies
    •  Outline of current technology gaps and needs
    •  Discussion of how to address those gaps and needs with a focus on collaborating on water reuse projects

After the workshop's conclusion, a document summarizing its results will also identify existing barriers and make
recommendations for potential management strategies.

Status
Project Tasks/Milestones
Topic Discussion & Development
Work Group Assembly
Agenda Development
Invitations Round One
Speaker Solicitation
Invitations Round Two
Workshop
Final Document
Project Timeline
July-
Aug.
2012








Sept.-
Oct.
2012








Nov.-
Dec.
2012








Jan.-
Feb.
2013








March-
April
2013








May-
June
2013








July-
Aug.
2013








Contact

Dennis Lye, Ph.D.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Exposure  Research Laboratory
Phone:513-569-7870
E-mail:  lye.dennis@epa.gov
U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
                   EPA/600/S-12/720
                   December 2012

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