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E-Newsletter
The NWRI E-newsletter is published periodically and distributed to those interested in issues related to water resources. It usually contains general announcements related to events and forthcoming publications. Click here to access past E-Newsletters.
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August 8, 2018, E-Newsletter
NWRI News
Spotlight: Clarke Prize Laureate Dr. Philip C. Singer, Ph.D., P.E. BCEE
To continue our celebration of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Clarke Prize Award, NWRI is pleased to showcase Laureate Dr. Philip C. Singer, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, who won the award in 2006 for his research in water chemistry and drinking water treatment. His research activities have spanned a broad range of water quality issues, from providing a fundamental understanding of the chemistry of ozone – allowing for the development of chemical oxidation processes as a safe, reliable, and cost-effective means to clean water – to understanding the formation and control of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water. Singer retired in 2011 after 38 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) where he was the Daniel A. Okun Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. In recognition of his contributions to UNC, the University established the Philip C. Singer Distinguished Professorship in Environmental Sciences and Engineering.
Singer acknowledges the Clarke Prize as a source of validation of the research he did in his field of water treatment. Towards the end of his career, Singer focused largely on ion-exchange processes and removing organic material from water, and on emerging DBPs. Since his retirement, Singer has continued to participate in professional committees, meetings and consulting activities. An overarching goal of his engagement has been to help water and wastewater agencies improve performance and operating procedures. “I’ve always been interested in seeing utilities being more progressive, especially going above and beyond what the regulations require them to do,” Singer said.
To read Singer’s 2006 Clarke Prize Lecture, titled “Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water: Additional Science and Policy Considerations in the Pursuit of Public Health Protection,” visit http://www.nwri-usa.org/pdfs/2006%20CP%20Lecture%20by%20Singer.pdf
Save the Date: NWRI’s 25th Annual Clarke Prize Award Ceremony (Oct. 26)
The NWRI Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize for Excellence in Water Research is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year on October 26, 2018, in Costa Mesa, California. The 2018 Clarke Prize recipient is Dr. Janet G. Hering, the Director of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), who was selected for her research into the chemistry of drinking water treatment and her scientific and policy-based advocacy of access to safe drinking water in the United States and abroad. Dr. Hering’s lecture will focus on the substantial public investments in water research that can deliver tangible benefits for society and the environment only if research results are taken up into policy and practice.
An annual event, the Clarke Prize honors an outstanding individual who is significantly contributing toward any of the following areas: the discovery, development, improvement, or understanding of the issues associated with water quality, quantity, technology, or public policy. The Clarke Prize is one of only a dozen water prizes awarded worldwide, and it has been distinguished by the International Congress of Distinguished Awards as one of the most prestigious awards in the world. To learn more, Visit http://www.nwri-usa.org/ClarkePrize.htm
Member Agency News
Inland Empire Utilities Agency Celebrates Smart Irrigation Month
The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) provided 200 free hose nozzles to residents in the service area in honor of Smart Irrigation Month. Smart Irrigation is the effective use of outdoor watering through feasible and innovative technologies. The Irrigation Association started this public outreach campaign in 2005 to educate the public about the importance of using water efficiently outdoors through simple practices and innovative technologies. Landscape irrigation accounts for more than 60% of the average household water usage, which is why using smart controllers and updating existing irrigation systems can assist in eliminating water waste. For more on this program, click here.
EPA Provides $135 million for Innovative Groundwater Replenishment Project Expansion in Orange County
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $135 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Orange County Water District to help finance its Groundwater Replenishment System final expansion. The announcement was made by Mike Stoker, who is EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, at the project’s future site on Ward Street in Fountain Valley. Stoker was joined by U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Orange County Water District Board President Denis Bilodeau, and Orange County Sanitation District General Manager James Herberg.
With EPA’s WIFIA loan, the Orange County Water District (OCWD) will purify treated wastewater from the Orange County Sanitation District to produce an additional 30 million gallons per day of drinking water, which will be stored in the Orange County Groundwater Basin. This additional drought-proof drinking water supply reduces the region’s need to import water, benefits the environment through reduced discharges into the ocean, and increases replenishment of the local groundwater source. For more information, please read the press release https://www.ocwd.com/media/6921/ocwd-wifia-press-release.pdf