The WateReuse Research Foundation (WRRF) has issued a request for proposals to develop design, operational and response practices to work towards a fail-safe operation for a direct potable reuse (DPR) wastewater plant.
The WRRF conducts and promotes applied research on water recycling and desalination, and this project, Critical Control Point Assessment to Quantify Robustness and Reliability of Multiple Treatment Barriers of a DPR Scheme (WateReuse-13-03) comes under its Solicited Research Program and Feasibility Studies Program. Proposals are due by 26 September 2013.
DPR systems require the use of multiple barriers to ensure the attenuation of microbial and chemical contaminants of concern. However, variability in influent quality, treatment process upsets, extreme events and human error may affect treatment performance. This makes it fundamental to develop design and operational practices, as well as response strategies for upset events to ensure system reliability.
The objectives for this project, which WRRF is funding with US$ 300,000, include:
· Conduct hazard assessment for key unit operations for two or more DPR treatment trains
· Develop best design, monitoring, and operational practices by evaluating critical process control points in each of the DPR treatment trains evaluated to meet overall system robustness and reliability
· Develop standard design approaches and response strategies to mitigate upset events to strive towards “fail-safe” operation of a DPR plant.
This project is sponsored by the California DPR Initiative, which is a joint effort by the WRRF and WateReuse California to advance DPR.