US research bodies, Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the WateReuse Research Foundation (WRRF), have unveiled plans to merge both organisations.
Chairman of the WRRF, Doug Owen, said the merger would create “the opportunity to strengthen the value of water that was historically used only once.” Owen’s counterpart at WERF, Kevin Shafer, added: “Our organizations share a common commitment to making the most of the water we use. Merging will strengthen that commitment as well as increase the return on investment in research for our members and the industry as a whole.”
According to their joint release, the nonprofit organizations’ research areas are complementary in that WateReuse advocates policies, laws and funding at the state and federal level to increase the practice of recycling and desalinating water while WERF focuses on scientific research into wastewater and stormwater issues.
They predict that the proposed merger will “create synergies, reduce future water research redundancy, further the evolution toward a unified voice for water, and increase the value proposition to their respective subscribers by enhancing and leveraging investments.”
Owen, said: “The water industry is currently at a critical juncture as it relates to acceptance and implementation of reuse.”