Request for Applications: Assessing Changing Salinity in Water Sources

Objectives

• Conduct a regional assessment of salinity impacts to drinking water sources, treatment processes and water reuse applications to produce a One Water categorical overview of risk types.
• Provide a review of current real-time measurement parameters, research, and assessments by national and international organizations as well as river commissions and regional working groups based on the risk types identified in the objective above, including utility-specific case studies and investigations.
• Understand the sources of salinity and their relative contributions to drinking water sources via case study investigations or modeling.
• Develop communication materials for use by the water sector to educate the public including customers, staff, and other community stakeholders about the risks of increased salinity and efforts recommended to reduce the problem.

Funding Information

• The maximum funding available from WRF for this project is $150,000. The applicant must contribute additional resources equivalent to at least 33% of the project award. For example, if an applicant requests $100,000 from WRF, an additional $33,000 or more must be contributed by the applicant. Acceptable forms of applicant contribution include cost share, applicant in kind, or third-party in-kind that comply with 2 CFR Part 200.306 cost sharing or matching. The applicant may elect to contribute more than 33% to the project, but the maximum WRF funding available remains fixed at $150,000.
• The anticipated period of performance for this project is 24 months from the contract start date.

Expected Deliverables

• A summary and comparative database on federal and state salt ion surface water standards and permit limits.
• A review of successful case studies on source control of salts for various ions.
• Guidelines on approaches for conducting watershed mass balances and source identifications.
• Examples of communication material Additional potential deliverables may include:
  • Report focusing on a categorical overview of salinity source types, as well as a summary and resources from other national/regional entities
  • Modelling results and options for defining TDS/salinity inputs and outputs.
  • Communication and educational materials for the water sector.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals will be accepted from both U.S.-based and non-U.S.-based entities, including educational institutions, research organizations, governmental agencies, and consultants or other for-profit entities.
• WRF’s Board of Directors has established a Timeliness Policy that addresses researcher adherence to the project schedule. Researchers who are late on any ongoing WRF-sponsored studies without approved no-cost extensions are not eligible to be named participants in any proposals.

For more information, visit WRF.