science in ACTION INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE ERA'S NET ZERO AND NET POSITIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION PILOTS Under EPA's cross agency and transdisciplinary partnership with the military, there are currently five research projects being conducted at Ft. Riley, Kansas. Water Reuse Today, water that is safe for drinking is used for all of our household water needs; taking showers, washing our cars, watering our lawns, and even flushing our toilets. In water stressed areas, this can be an unsustainable approach to water usage. Also, the expense of pumping the water from a centralized treatment facility to consumers is high due to the cost of energy. At Ft. Riley, EPA scientists and engineers are installing and testing different "sewer mining" systems for treating and storing water. By tapping into a wastewater collection system, sewer mining siphons some of the sewage to a treatment facility and locally reuses the reclaimed water for irrigation and other non-potable uses other than consumption. The findings from this project will be useful to those who are selecting alternative approaches for reducing water consumption and energy use. Containment and Control of Contaminated Water Ft. Riley uses a mixture of captured rainwater and drinking water in a central veliicle wash facility to clean military vehicles. After use, much of this water is treated and reused. This is the case even if the vehicle Green Infrastructure Technology Demonstration: Standing water on conventional pavement (left) and quickly drained permeable pavement (right) were to become contaminated with a chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) warfare agent. This project will test ways we can remove CBR agents in real world "dirty" water. The dirty water that flows off of veliicles often contains oil. grease, metals, and mixtures of suspended solids like dirt and mud. The "dirtier" the water, the better understanding we can obtain about what can affect decontamination of CBR agents. The novel process used to decontaminate this water also has the potential to clean large, contaminated water bodies, making it useful beyond just the Department of Defense, including cities, states, and local municipalities. Outreach and Water Conservation This project addresses the social drivers of water demand and the effectiveness of water conservation education and outreach. The project is aimed at engaging, motivating, and empowering the Ft. Riley civilian and military community to conserve water resources at the installation, and measure the effectiveness of these efforts. Nearly 100 households on base have had their water consumption measured to establish a residential water use profile for the whole community. Tliis project will help the Army better understand the attitudes of soldiers and their families toward water conservation in different work, home and deployment contexts. Ft. Riley schools are also a part of the education and outreach component of the project. With real-time feedback, the entire Ft. Riley community is being encouraged to save water and identify waste around the installation. Since working with EPA on this project, Ft. Riley has 1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development ------- become an EPA WaterSense partner - the first Army installation to do so! Hospital Water Quality To aid in water conservation, the use of low-flow water fixtures (e.g., faucets, toilets, shower heads) in large public buildings is increasing nationwide. Although these fixtures improve water conservation they result in lower water flow. Water that remains in distribution systems for long periods of time can lose its disinfecting capacity, causing an increased opportunity for pathogen growth and increased corrosion thereby creating a public health risk. Hospital drinking water distribution systems are of particular concern as they serve vulnerable populations. This project will conduct water quality sampling and monitoring at Ft. Riley's LEED-certified Irwin Army Community Hospital to better understand how water conservation efforts in large hospital buildings can be undertaken without sacrificing patient safety. The information from this project is expected to help building managers develop operational plans to conserve resources while decreasing the risks associated with waterborne pathogens in their plumbing system. Green Infrastructure This project involves the development and implementation of green infrastructure (GI) methods and technologies (i.e. rainwater capture and use system and permeable pavement) at an elementary/middle school on Ft. Riley. EPA researchers will assess the performance of GI approaches in reducing stonnwater runoff and improving water quality, and will also initiate an educational campaign on the benefits of water conservation and sustainable water resource management. Kindergarten through eighth grade students will work with experts in the field to study water conservation and its connection to weather. "Citizen science" groups (made up of students and community members) will be used to supplement remote sensor data, the efficacy of public monitoring, maintenance and data collection, and the value of GI as an outreach tool for promoting awareness of water quality and conservation. Overall, results will lead to smaller operational water footprints on Ft. Riley, will inform decisions related to water capture and use applications, and engage and raise awareness among the Ft. Riley community on the potential of green infrastructure to reduce the adverse effects of stonnwater runoff. Triple Value Simulation Model The Triple Value Simulation Model, a project being conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, will quantify the complex relationships among economic, social, and enviromnental systems related to Aberdeen Proving Ground's Net Zero energy, waste, and water management goals. This systems approach will integrate information about existing inventories for energy, water, and materials and identify interactions among these resources to inform decisions about balanced resource management in Aberdeen. Mass balance accounting will quantify many natural and human-derived flows of energy, water, and materials (e.g. food and waste) with a focus on the interconnections among these stocks and flows. Results from this project will provide data for quantifying the costs, benefits,, and trade-offs associated with the Net Zero initiative, and will support the needs of surrounding communities for the design and operation of utility systems that improve sustainability. Contact: Ardra Morgan, Program Manager for Net Zero & Net Positive Partnerships, morgan. ardra@epa. gov 2 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development ------- |