The Water Research Foundation announced that it is looking for water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) to apply for the Utility of the Future Today (UotFT) recognition program.
The UotFT recognition program seeks to honor WRRFs for excellence in community engagement, watershed stewardship, and recovery of resources.
WRF encourages applications from public and private water sector utilities of all sizes that can demonstrate achievement of the application requirements.
Applications for the program are being accepted through April 12, 2023. The application form is available here, and can be submitted to WEF through this URL.
The UotFT activity areas include:
- Beneficial Biosolids Reuse
- Community Partnership & Engagement
- Energy Efficiency
- Energy Generation & Recovery
- Nutrient & Materials Recovery
- Water Reuse
- Watershed Stewardship
This year’s honorees will be formally recognized during an awards ceremony at WEFTEC 2023 this October in Chicago.
Many WRRFs continually optimize and improve their operations; meet or exceed regulatory requirements; plan for, and invest in, the maintenance, repair, and replacement of their infrastructure; and engage their employees and communities in meaningful ways. The UotFT program recognizes these WRRFs, provides opportunities for them to learn from each other, and encourages them to enhance and sustain their efforts to be utilities of the future.
WRF says that the UotFT recognition program serves as a model for utilities of all sizes to achieve more efficient operations, enhanced productivity, and long-term sustainability. Since the program launched in 2016, 203 utilities have been recognized with this honor.
The UotFT recognition program is a partnership between the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation, The Water Research Foundation, the WateReuse Association, and the U.S. Water Alliance. In addition, the program is supported by advisory partners, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
More information is available at WEF's Utility of the Future Today webpage, and further questions can be sent via email to [email protected].
