VOORHEES, N.J. — American Water Works Company, Inc., the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company, was awarded a research grant by the WateReuse Foundation to examine disinfection guidelines for satellite water recycling facilities in a joint research project with MWH. Joseph Jacangelo, Ph.D., of MWH is the project’s principle investigator and Mark LeChevallier, Ph.D., of American Water is the co-investigator.

The project, valued at $634,394, will examine disinfection requirements for water recycling systems against California standards. In 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued updated guideline recommendations for water reuse, and each state has adopted regulations and guidelines differently, with California (under Title 22) recognized as one of the states with the most comprehensive set of high effluent water treatment process requirements.

“It is important to evaluate satellite treatment technology in terms of California regulations and measure performance findings against requirements from other states to determine methods of disinfection suitable for nonpotable water,” said LeChevallier, director of Innovation and Environmental Stewardship. “The outcome of this research could reduce the size and cost of chlorine contact basins, and allow the water industry to implement more environmentally friendly technologies.”