December 1, 2023 — The Bureau of Reclamation announced the selection of eight recipients for the Desalination and Water Purification Research, Pitch to Pilot Program. Among these, notable projects from California and Colorado have been granted federal funding to develop pioneering water treatment technologies.

This initiative, wrapping up this fall, involved a competitive process where applicants presented their innovative technologies to a panel of desalination experts. California’s contributions include the Natural Ocean Well Co., awarded $236,877 in federal funds for a project with a total cost of $485,484, and the Orange County Water District, receiving $211,626 towards a $425,620 project. Additionally, Stanford University secured a $300,000 federal grant for its $364,149 project. From Colorado, the Widefield Water and Sanitation District was granted $300,000 in federal funds for a project totaling $636,174.

These projects address various water treatment challenges, such as PFAS removal, enhancement of reverse osmosis membranes, selective nutrient removal, and advanced reverse osmosis techniques for agriculture. Ken Nowak, Research and Development Program Manager, highlighted the significance of these pilot-scale research projects in advancing technologies crucial for expanding usable water supplies in needy communities. These efforts align with President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis, focusing on developing water treatment technologies to access untapped water resources.”

For more information about these innovative projects and the overall program, interested parties can visit www.usbr.gov/research/dwpr.

Image titled, “Storage tanks holding brackish groundwater may be used to test the pilot projects,” from the Bureau of Reclamation’s press release.