Safe and Sustainable Water Resources STRATEGIC RESEARCH ACTION PLAN

EPA 601/K-15/004 | November 2015 | www.epa.gov/research

2016 – 2019

Ofﬁce of Research and Development Safe and Sustainable Water Resources EPA 601/K-15/004

Safe and Sustainable Water Resources

Strategic Research Action Plan 2016–2019

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency November 2015 Table of Contents

List of Acronyms�� ii Executive Summary ��1 Introduction ��2 Environmental Problems and Program Purpose ��3 Problem Statement ��6 Program Vision ��6 Program Design ��7 Building on the 2012–2016 Research Program ��7 EPA Partner and Stakeholder Involvement ��7 Integration across Research Programs ��8 Research Supports EPA Strategic Plan ��10 Statutory and Policy Context ��11 Research Program Objectives ��12 Research Topics ��14 Topic 1: Watershed Sustainability ��19 Topic 2: Nutrients ��24 Topic 3: Green Infrastructure ��27

Topic 4: Water Systems ��30 Anticipated Research Accomplishments and Projected Impacts ��32 Conclusions ��34 References��35 Appendix 1: Partners and Stakeholders for Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research ��37 Appendix 2: Table of Proposed Outputs, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program 2016–2019 ��38

List of Acronyms

ACE Air, Climate, and Energy AOPs Adverse Outcome Pathways AWQC Ambient Water Quality Criteria BMP Best Management Practices CCL Contaminant Candidate List CECs Contaminants of Emerging Concern CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act CSO Combined Sewer Overflow CSS Chemical Safety for Sustainability CWA Clean Water Act DoD Department of Defense EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency GI Green Infrastructure HABs Harmful Algal Blooms HAWQS Hydrologic and Water Quality System HHRA Human Health Risk Assessment HSPF Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN HSRP Homeland Security Research Program NEPA National Environmental Policy Act ORD Office of Research and Development PIPs Pathfinder Innovation Projects RARE Regional Applied Research Effort RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act SBIR Small Business Innovation Research SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act SHC Sustainable and Healthy Communities SSWR Safe and Sustainable Water Resources STAR Science To Achieve Results SWAT Soil Water Assessment Tool SWMM EPA’s Stormwater Management Model UCMR Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule UST Underground Storage Tanks VELMA Visualizing Ecosystems for Land Management Assessments WMOST Watershed Management Optimization and Support Tool

ii Executive Summary

Water is one of our Nation’s most precious resources—we depend upon it for our lives and our livelihoods, for healthy ecosystems, and for a robust economy. About 400 billion gallons of water are used each day in the United States. Yet a host of challenges threaten the safety and sustainability of our water resources, including biological and chemical contaminants; aging water-system infrastructure; demands from the energy, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors; population change; climate change; extreme weather events (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, drought, wildfire); and homeland security events. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) has a dedicated research program focused on addressing these challenges.

ORD’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) research program is using an integrated systems approach to develop scientific and technological solutions to protect human health, and to protect and restore watersheds and aquatic ecosystems. This work is being done in partnership with other EPA programs, federal and state agencies, academia, nongovernmental agencies, public and private stakeholders, and the global scientific community. This cross-cutting approach maximizes efficiency, interdisciplinary insights, and integration of results. The SSWR research program’s activities are guided by four objectives:

• Address current and long-term water resource challenges for complex chemical and microbial pollutants. This objective involves strengthening the science for drinking water and water quality standards and guidance for new and emerging contaminants that threaten human health and aquatic ecosystems. It also covers developing new methods for detecting, quantifying, monitoring, and treating those contaminants.

• Transform the concept of ‘waste’ to ‘resource.’ Through innovative water treatment technologies, green infrastructure, and improved management approaches, stormwater, municipal wastewater, and other ‘post-use’ waters will be valued as a resource for fit-for-purpose water reuse, energy, nutrients, metals, and other valuable substances. • Quantify benefits of water quality. Clean water and healthy ecosystems provide many services that are currently undervalued. By developing models and tools to estimate the economic benefits of water quality improvements, this research will aid in the protection or restoration of water quality. • Translate research into real-world solutions. SSWR aims to move its results out of the lab and into the hands of end users, who can use these data and tools to manage water resources and infrastructure sustainably.

To achieve these overarching objectives and address their respective scientific challenges, SSWR research projects are organized into four interrelated topics: Watershed Sustainability, Nutrients, Green Infrastructure, and Water Systems. Each topic carries specific near- and long-term goals designed to yield practical tools and solutions for ensuring sustainable water resources. This SSWR Strategic Research Action Plan 2016–2019 outlines these topics and the overall structure and purpose of the SSWR research program. SSWR’s scientific results and innovative technologies will support EPA’s mandate to protect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters and to ensure safe drinking water and water systems.

1 Introduction • Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE) • Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Water is essential for human health and well-be- • Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) ing, all types of ecosystems, and a robust economy. The production of many goods and servic- • Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) es, such as agriculture, energy, manufacturing, • Safe and Sustainable Water Resources transportation, fishing, and tourism, depends (SSWR) on the availability and quality of water. Humans • Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) and many animals and plants depend on available sources of freshwater, which are EPA’s six strategic research action plans are surprisingly miniscule—0.007 percent—com- designed to guide a comprehensive research pared with the total amount of Earth’s water. portfolio that delivers the science and These sources are continually in flux, changing engineering solutions the Agency needs to meet biologically, chemically, and geologically. As the its goals and objectives, while also cultivating movement of water through the hydrologic cy- a new paradigm for efficient, innovative, and cle is continually dynamic, so too are the chang- responsive environmental and human health ing spatial and temporal demands on water research. quantity and quality for various uses.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sci- The SSWR StRAP 2016–2019 outlines the entists and engineers and their partners are ad- approach designed to achieve EPA’s goal to dressing 21st century water resource challenges protect America’s waters. It highlights how by integrating research on environmental, eco- the SSWR research program integrates efforts nomic, and social factors to provide lasting, with other research programs across ORD sustainable solutions that advance the goals to provide a seamless and efficient overall and cross-Agency priorities identified in the research portfolio aligned around the central FY2014–2018 EPA Strategic Plan (EPA Strategic and unifying concept of sustainability. No other Plan) in support of the EPA’s mission to protect research organization in the world matches human health and the environment. the diversity and breadth represented by the collective scientific and engineering staff of To assist EPA in meeting its mission and priori- ORD, their grantees, and other partners. They ties, the Safe and Sustainable Water Resources are called upon to conduct research to meet (SSWR) research program within EPA’s Office the most pressing environmental and related of Research and Development (ORD), the sci- human health challenges facing the Nation and ence arm of the Agency, developed this Stra- the world. tegic Research Action Plan, 2016–2019 (StRAP 2016–2019).

The SSWR StRAP is one of six research plans, one for each of EPA’s national research programs in ORD. The six research programs are:

2 Undervalued water resources Environmental Inadequate knowledge of the value of water Problems and Program underlies the daunting challenge to fund the repair and replacement of existing infrastructure Purpose with new and innovative technologies that are more resilient and energy efficient, while also Impairment of water quality and diminished ensuring protection of underground sources water availability are concerns for human of drinking water. People tend not to fund or and ecosystem health, economic prosperity, conserve what they do not sufficiently value. and social well-being. Some of the pressing Although estimates exist for the cost to deliver challenges facing our water resources are safe drinking water to taps—less than $3.75 for described below. every 1,000 gallons (AWWA, 2012)—we lack a more comprehensive evaluation of the benefits Watersheds of water quality that includes human and Across the Nation’s watersheds, excess levels environmental health and ecosystem services. of nutrients and sediment remain the largest impediment to water quality. The rate at which Stormwater water bodies are added to the water quality For many cities, stormwater management impairment list exceeds the pace that restored remains one of the greatest challenges to waters are removed from this list. Harmful meet water quality standards. When surges cyanobacteria and other harmful algal blooms in stormwater overwhelm combined sewer that pose health risks to humans, animals, systems (systems that convey both sewage and ecosystems are largely driven by excess and stormwater together), untreated human, nutrients. EPA and the states do not have the commercial, and industrial waste often is capacity or the tools to assess each water body discharged directly into surface waters. individually for chemicals and pathogens. Aging infrastructure Wetlands The Nation’s water treatment and delivery The Nation’s wetlands provide numerous systems pose increasingly greater challenges ecosystem benefits, such as water quality for delivering adequate supplies of safe improvement, groundwater recharge, erosion drinking water. Leaking pipes and water main and flooding protection, and habitats for breaks are responsible for a loss of up to 40 commercially and recreationally valuable or percent of treated drinking water. Additionally, imperiled species. Wetlands are continuing to compromised infrastructure can contaminate decline, and the rate may accelerate as acreage, treated drinking water, surface water, and even in conservation, is converted to serve groundwater. To restore and expand the evolving trends in energy and food production. Nation’s deteriorating, buried drinking water pipe system to accommodate a changing Groundwater population will cost more than $1.7 trillion by Increasingly, groundwater is becoming an im- 2050 (AWWA, 2012). This estimate does not portant water source. Sustainability of ground- include other critical infrastructure investment water with regard to drawdown, recharge, and needs, including water treatment plants and increasing potential of contamination is a grow- storage tanks, nor investments in post-use ing concern. water and stormwater management. Small

3 systems that serve fewer than 3,300 persons approaches for lowering energy consumption and account for 95 percent of the Nation’s for water treatment systems. For drinking water 156,000 public water systems face even greater treatment, we will continue to seek approaches technical, financial, and operational challenges for lowering energy consumption through to develop and maintain the capacity to comply innovative treatment methods and approaches with new and existing standards. for plants of all scales, but particularly for small systems. For post-use water treatment and Climate water reuse systems, the initial goal focuses In addition to the challenges described above, on systems and approaches to achieve neutral other water-resource stressors, such as climate energy consumption and ultimately to become change and variability, must be taken into net energy producers. In some cases, green account. Climate models project that distinctive infrastructure may play a role in decreasing the regional differences in climate impacts will overall volume of post-use water and, therefore, occur, affecting the hydrologic cycle. Examples the energy needed for treatment. of hydrologic impacts include warmer water temperatures, changes in precipitationpatterns Research on water reuse systems emphasizes and intensity, more frequent and intense the treatment and water quality standards flooding and droughts, increased evaporation, for fit-for-purpose potable and non-potable changes in soil moisture, and earlier snowpack end uses. This may allow reduced energy melt with lower flows in late summer (Melillo consumption by minimizing treatment steps et al. 2014). These changes may affect human depending on the targeted end-use water health, especially vulnerable and sensitive quality, for example agriculture that benefits sub populations, for example by increased from nutrient-rich water. The reuse of various, incidence of waterborne disease related to and in some cases nontraditional, sources of heavy rain events. These changes may also water (e.g., treated post-use municipal water, affect ecosystems, for example by resulting in saline or brackish waters, produced waters from lower stream flows, warmer temperatures, energy production, agricultural return flows) and lower dissolved oxygen. Human, animal, will help mitigate the critical need for available and ecosystem health may also be affected by freshwater that is expected to intensify over varying sensitivities of algal and cyanobacteria time. Recovering biogas from post-use water species to the interaction between warmer may achieve energy neutral or positive goals, temperatures and nutrients. while recovering and recycling other valuable commodities (e.g., nutrients, metals) may Food-Energy-Water Nexus reduce the energy needed to generate novel Drinking water treatment and transport and sources. Research is described in detail in post-use water collection and treatment the Water Systems topic’s Integration and consume approximately 4 percent of the Collaboration section. Nation’s electricity (EPRI, 2002). Electricity costs represent roughly 25–40 percent of a Amplifying stressors municipal wastewater treatment plant’s total Water quality and quantity challenges will be operating budget. Electricity can account for 80 amplified by other stressors, such as extreme percent of a drinking water treatment plant’s weather events (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, treatment and distribution costs (EPA, 2013a). heat waves, drought, wildfire). Some of these The SSWR research program plans to provide extreme weather events may be exacerbated results for assessing transformative system by climate change, land-use change, energy

4 and food production, accidental or purposeful resulting in increasing competition among contamination, and population change. Many domestic water supplies, agriculture, energy of these stressors will be more pronounced in production, and ecosystems (Garfin et al., areas that are least resilient to climate impacts. 2014). For example, population growth is projected to continue increasing in U.S. shoreline counties These water resource challenges also offer op- that are vulnerable to sea level rise and more portunities for innovation, economic develop- frequent and extreme storms, and where ment, and improvements in watershed sustain- 39 percent of the U.S. population is already ability and human health. For example, post-use concentrated and another 52 percent live water treatment innovations can transform the in counties that drain to coastal watersheds concept of ‘waste’ to ‘resource’ by recapturing (NOAA State of Coast Report 2013). In the and reusing commercially valuable post-use southwestern United States, increased constituents (e.g., nutrients, energy, metals). temperatures and changes to precipitation and Additional benefits of these newer technologies snowpack are expected to impact the region’s include improved energy efficiency from both critical agriculture sector, affecting one of the treatment operations and reduced de novo pro- Nation’s fastest growing populations—now at duction of resources from their original sources 56 million and expected to increase 68 percent in the environment. Green infrastructure can to 94 million by 2050 (Hoerling et al., 2013). help mitigate stormwater runoff and potential- Water resources in many areas are already ly reduce gray infrastructure investment costs strained and will be further stressed by severe and energy use, improve property values, cre- and sustained drought and over-utilization, ate wildlife habitat, and recharge groundwater.

5 SSWR Research Program

The SSWR StRAP 2016–2019 outlines the The following Problem Statement and Program approach designed to achieve EPA’s goal to Vision guide the research program: protect America’s waters. It highlights how the SSWR research program integrates efforts with the other five national research programs, Problem Statement other Agency partners, and external partners Together, the interrelated challenges to provide a seamless and efficient overall of impaired water quality, diminished research portfolio aligned around the central water availability, the Nation’s aging and unifying concept of sustainability. water infrastructure, and inadequate knowledge of the value of water quality The SSWR research program uses an integrated, benefits threaten safe and sustainable systems approach to mission-driven, state-of- water resources. These challenges are the-art research. The goal is to support innova- further amplified by a host of current and emerging environmental stressors, tive scientific and technological solutions that including climate change and variability, ensure clean, adequate, and equitable supplies extreme weather events, population of water to protect human health and to pro- change, and evolving trends in land use tect and restore watersheds and aquatic eco- energy, agriculture, and manufacturing. systems. Future SSWR research will focus on high-priority, current and long-term water resource challenges identified in partnership with EPA programs and regional offices and others Program Vision to inform the Agency’s decisions, implementation needs, and translation of research find- The Safe and Sustainable Water Resources ings to support communities, states, and tribal research program uses an integrated, systems approach to support innovative partners. The overarching watershed approach scientific and technological solutions that to SSWR drinking water, post-use water, storm- ensure clean, adequate, and equitable water, and ecosystems research recognizes the supplies of water to protect human health dynamic ‘one water’ hydrologic cycle. Integrat- and to protect and restore watersheds and ed throughout the program are the goals of a aquatic ecosystems. sustainable environment, economy, and soci- ety and the overarching drivers of a changing climate, extreme weather events, population change, and evolving trends in land use, energy, agriculture, and manufacturing.

6 Various ORD programs and grants continue to Program Design be integrated into SSWR by the topic(s) each The SSWR StRAP 2016–2019 provides both a vi- supports. Extramural research examples include sion and an actionable blueprint for advancing the Water Technology Innovation Center, EPA water research in ways that meet the priorities Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants, and and legislative mandates of EPA, while address- the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) ing the most critical needs of Agency partners program. ORD research programs also include and stakeholders. opportunities to compete for funding within EPA such as the Regional Applied Research Ef- Building on the 2012–2016 fort (RARE) program, which funds partnerships Research Program between regional and ORD scientists to conduct research, and the Pathfinder Innovation This StRAP builds on the successful research Projects (PIPs), which provide seed funding for outlined in the previously developed SSWR potentially high-risk, high-reward research con- StRAP 2012–2016 and like that work, it will cepts. continue advancing science and technology solutions for the Nation’s high- priority,- cur EPA Partner and Stakeholder rent, and emerging water resource and human Involvement health challenges. The SSWR StRAP 2016–2019 now places more emphasis on harmful cyano- The SSWR StRAP 2016–2019 guides ORD re- bacteria and algal blooms, groundwater quality, search to address the high-priority needs of the water quality improvement from green infra- Agency and its partners and stakeholders. Ac- structure, resilience to climate change and ex- cordingly, it was developed with considerable treme weather events, quantifying the benefits input and support from EPA’s ORD labs and cen- of water quality, and community support tools. ters; Office of Water, Office of Policy, and other In addition, SSWR is partnering with other fed- program offices; regional offices; and external eral and state agencies, private and public orga- advisory committees. Research priorities were nizations, and communities to contribute EPA’s identified through numerous sources, includ- unique expertise in water quality, water reuse, ing two meetings with the EPA Science Advisory and green infrastructure to the rapidly growing Board and the Board of Scientific Counselors area of the 'Food-Energy-Water' nexus. during the 2012–2015 planning period, the annual SSWR research conference, annual SSWR The updated plan presented here consolidates program update, annual meeting of the ORD research into four interrelated research topics: and Office of Water Assistant Administrators and Regional Administrators, quarterly meet- 1. Watershed Sustainability ings with Office of Water senior staff, visits to 2. Nutrients regional offices, in-person 'Chautauquas' with researchers and policy staff and regular com- 3. Green Infrastructure munications with the ORD lab and centers, Of- 4. Water Systems (drinking water and post- fice of Water, and regional offices. These efforts use water systems) produced a prioritized list of research needs for the Office of Water and regional offices that has The four topics and their related research chal- served as the foundation for the SSWR StRAP lenges and priorities are described in detail in 2016–2019 research goals. the Research Topics section.

7 Research planned for the SSWR StRAP 2016– efforts can range from formal integration 2019 also was informed by external partners. actions across the programs at a high level to The SSWR staff and researchers serve on several collaborative research among EPA scientists task groups and are actively engaged on projects working on related issues. with numerous U.S. federal agencies and other To integrate research on significant cross- domestic and international organizations (see cutting issues, EPA developed several 'Research Appendix 1). The SSWR National Program Roadmaps' that identify both ongoing relevant Director is the co-chair for the Subcommittee research and important science gaps that need on Water Availability and Quality that advises to be filled. These Roadmaps serve to coordinate and assists the White House National Science research efforts and to provide input that helps and Technology Council and the Committee shape the future research in each of the six on Environment, Natural Resources, and programs. Roadmaps have been developed for Sustainability on matters related to the the following areas: availability and quality of water resources. The Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality • Nitrogen and Co-Pollutants comprises over a dozen federal agencies that • Children’s Environmental Health meet monthly, facilitating effective outcomes of coordinated multi-agency water-related • Climate Change activities. The SSWR National Program Director • Environmental Justice also serves on the Global Water Research Coalition, which meets biannually to leverage SSWR is the lead national program for EPA’s Ni- expertise among the participating international trogen and Co-pollutants Roadmap, and SSWR research organizations, coordinate research provides the foundation for research on nutri- strategies, and actively manage a centralized ents (see Nutrients topic section). Overarching approach to global issues. SSWR interacts research on impacts of climate variability and with academia through scientific conferences, change will be integrated with the Air, Climate, informal professional relationships, and and Energy (ACE) research program through formal grants and cooperative agreements. the Climate Change Roadmap. SSWR is also These venues afford the opportunity to not identifying opportunities to integrate with the only leverage expertise and funding, but also Children’s Environmental Health Roadmap and the ability to identify unique niche areas to the Environmental Justice Roadmap. The SSWR which SSWR can make the greatest scientific program also informs critical research areas contributions. identified in the ORD cross-cutting Research Roadmaps, as illustrated in Table 1. Efforts to Integration across Research ensure integration across the research pro- Programs grams are described in more detail in each of the Research Topic sections. EPA’s six research programs work together to address science challenges that are important for more than one program. Coordination

8 Table 1. SSWR Research Program Contributions to Critical Needs Identified by ORD Roadmaps Multiple checkmarks indicate a larger contribution of SSWR activities and interest in the identified science gaps of the Roadmaps than a single checkmark; a blank indicates no substantive role.

SSWR Topic Area

ORD Roadmap Watershed Green Nutrients Water Systems Sustainability Infrastructure

Climate Change     Environmental Justice    Children’s Health   Nitrogen & Co-Pollutants    

9 SSWR Research Supports EPA state, and tribal communities. Innovative solu- Strategic Plan tions will be key to meeting the Agency’s strategic goal of protecting America’s waters. EPA EPA’s Strategic Plan1 identifies five goals and has committed to innovation for solving sus- four cross-Agency strategies to support its mis- tainability challenges in two recent documents: sion to protect human health and the environ- Technology Innovation for Environmental and ment. The SSWR research program supports Economic Progress: An EPA Roadmap (2012)2 the Strategic Plan’s second goal, 'Protecting and Promoting Technology Innovation for Clean America’s Waters,' and its aims to protect and and Safe Water: Water Technology Innovation restore waters to ensure that drinking wa- Blueprint – Version 2 (2014).3 ter is safe and sustainably managed; and that aquatic ecosystems sustain fish, plants, wildlife EPA Strategic Plan (FY2014–2018) and other biota, as well as economic, recre- Goals and Cross-Agency Strategies ational, and subsistence activities. EPA’s objectives for Protecting America’s Waters are two- EPA Strategic Goals fold: Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and 1. Protect Human Health Improving Air Quality Achieve and maintan standards Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters and guidelines protective of human health Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and in drinking water supplies, fish, shellfish, Advancing Sustainable Development and recreational waters, and protect Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and sustainably manage drinking and Preventing Pollution water resources. Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and 2. Protect and Restore Watersheds and Assuring Compliance Aquatic Ecosystems Protect, restore, and sustain the quality Cross-Agency Strategies of rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands on • Working Toward a Sustainable Future a watershed basis and sustainably manage • Making a Visible Difference in and protect coastal and ocean resources Communities and ecosystems. • Launching a New Era of State, Tribal, Local, and International Partnerships The SSWR research program supports EPA Goal • Embracing EPA as a High-Performing 2 and its objectives, and the cross-Agency strat- Organization egies, by efficiently integrating and translating environmental, economic, and social research into visible and sustainable solutions for local,

1Fiscal Year 2014–2018 EPA Strategic Plan http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan 2http://www2.epa.gov/envirofinance/innovation 3http://www2.epa.gov/innovation/water-innovation-and-technology

10 Statutory and Policy Context authorizes other regulatory programs (e.g., Underground Injection Control, Wellhead EPA is responsible for protecting the Nation’s Protection), as well as funding, training, public water resources under the Clean Water Act information, and source water assessment (CWA), which establishes the basic structure programs, to foster the protection of many for (1) restoring and maintaining the chemical, sources of drinking water. physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters by preventing point and nonpoint EPA created the Office of Underground Storage pollution sources; (2) providing assistance Tanks (UST) to carry out a congressional to publicly owned treatment works for the mandate to develop and implement a regulatory improvement of post-use water treatment; program for underground storage tank systems. and (3) maintaining the integrity of wetlands The greatest potential threat from a leaking (U.S. EPA, 2013b). The CWA provides for UST is contamination of groundwater. EPA, the protection of above-ground sources of states, and tribes work together to protect the drinking water as determined by each state. environment and human health from potential Groundwater protection provisions are UST releases. included in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and EPA’s Office of Water, which has primary the Comprehensive Environmental Response, responsibility for implementing the provisions Compensation, and Liability Act ('Superfund'). of the CWA and the SDWA, is a key partner for the SSWR research program. For more The SDWA directs EPA to set national safety information on EPA responsibilities under these standards for drinking water delivered to statutes, see the links provided in Table 2. consumers by public water systems. It also

Table 2. Statutory and policy drivers for SSWR research

Legislation Acronym Website http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean- Clean Water Act CWA water-act

Safe Drinking Water Act SDWA http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/index.cfm

Resource Conservation http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary- RCRA and Recovery Act resource-conservation-and-recovery-act Comprehensive Environmental Response, CERCLA http://www.epa.gov/superfund/policy/cercla.htm Compensation and Liability Act (“Superfund”) Federal Underground Storage Tank Regulations USTs http://www.epa.gov/oust/fedlaws/ (Revised 2015) National Environmental NEPA http://www2.epa.gov/nepa Policy Act

11 as well as individually, when developing novel Research Program methods for quantifying human exposure and Objectives assessing human health risks. Water systems researchers will also explore ways to treat water and post-use water effectively for chemicals and The SSWR program addresses four broad pathogens with technologies and approaches research objectives that support EPA’s goals that reduce energy consumption and provide and cross-Agency strategies noted above and the ability to reuse and recover resources, as are critical to meeting the needs of the Agency, described below. SSWR will continue its focus its partners, and other stakeholders. Together, on affordable, simple, and effective water these research objectives provide a platform for treatment solutions for small systems. protecting the quality and supply of America’s waters from headwaters to streams, rivers and Objective 2: Transform the Concept of ‘Waste’ lakes, coastal waters, and groundwater. to ‘Resource’

Objective 1: Address Current and Long-Term Combined sewer overflow (CSO) events -con Water Resource Challenges for Complex tinue to vex many U.S. communities, particu- Chemical and Microbial Pollutants larly in the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. Combined sewer systems that col- Water resources in the United States face many lect stormwater and municipal post-use water challenges from known and emerging chemical are often overwhelmed during storm events, and microbial pollutants. SSWR research on resulting in the direct discharge of overflow chemical and microbial contaminants, including into waterways. Although SSWR research will nutrients, aims to strengthen water systems’ continue to address CSO events by implement- resiliency and compliance with drinking water ing green infrastructure (GI) to capture storm- and water quality standards. In addition, SSWR water flow, new research efforts will investigate research helps protect America’s source waters the use of GI to recharge groundwater and the and supports new or revised drinking water capture and storage of stormwater to augment standards to address known and emerging water supplies in arid and semi-arid parts of the contaminants that endanger human health and United States. aquatic ecosystems. Through partnerships with program and regional offices, states, tribes, and SSWR’s drinking water and post-use water sys- local communities, SSWR will work toward a tems research will focus on transformative ap- more sustainable future, while making a visible proaches for water reuse and resource recov- difference in local communities. ery. Communities in dry climates need guidance at the federal level on water reuse treatment ORD researchers will continue to provide timely for fit-for-purpose end uses, such as direct po- support for regulatory and guidance decisions table, indirect potable, and non-potable reuse. for water resources. Additionally, water systems Fit-for-purpose treatment can reduce energy researchers will strive to develop new and costs by tailoring treatment schemes and ap- innovative methods for detecting, quantifying, proaches for a targeted end-use water quality. monitoring, and treating microbial and chemical In addition to water reuse, SSWR researchers contaminants. The SSWR StRAP 2016–2019 will partner with others within and outside of emphasizes addressing contaminants as groups, the Agency on recovering and reusing energy,

12 nutrients, and possibly metals and other valu- quality, and stated preference (i.e., non-use) able substances to advance the transformation studies that will capture the broader ranges of of 'waste' to 'resource.' Increased energy recov- non-market values. The research will identify ery in post-use water systems can potentially the optimal choice of water quality indicators— lead to net-zero energy consumption for the those metrics most useful for linking water systems and, in some cases, make the post-use quality models to economic valuation. water system a net producer of energy. Life- cycle analyses of water systems for small com- Objective 4: Translate Research into Real- munities will lead to new approaches for trans- World Solutions forming water systems. This research strives to develop a framework for local communities The translation and application of research to make informed decisions on treatment and results through practical tools has historically conveyance systems that include water reuse challenged scientists and engineers. ORD aims and resource recovery for a more sustainable to move our research results out of the lab and future. into the hands of end users who depend on these data and tools. Objective 3: Quantify Benefits of Water Quality Watershed sustainability research builds the Degradation of water quality due to chemical capacity to assess and map the integrity and and microbial contaminants, including nutri- resiliency of water resources and watersheds ents that drive harmful cyanobacteria and al- at national and regional scales, and provides gal blooms, continues to outpace water quality modeling tools and applications for integrated improvements from regulatory and non-regu- watershed management. Research on chemi- latory, incentive-based actions. The challenges cal and microbial contaminants will strengthen of protecting good water quality or restoring methods to prioritize, derive, and implement impaired water quality are hampered by inad- Ambient Water Quality Criteria to protect hu- equate knowledge of the value of improved wa- man health and aquatic life from the expanding ter quality and its wide-ranging benefits, which numbers, combinations, and novel features of span human and environmental health and contaminants in groundwater, drinking water, ecosystem services. and surface water. Research tools that assess and predict effects and cumulative impacts of Through partnerships with EPA’s Office of Policy energy and mineral extraction processes on and Office of Water, and external grants funded groundwater and surface water quality and by SSWR, successful efforts will develop the aquatic life will inform and empower commu- models and tools needed to estimate the eco- nities to protect water, while developing the nomic benefits of water quality improvements. Nation’s future energy and mineral resource The research aims to advance national water portfolio. Translating and communicating the quality cost-benefit analysis and modeling tools results of the economic benefits of CWA regula- for surface waters, from headwater streams tions will strengthen efforts and support for de- to downstream estuarine and coastal waters. veloping and implementing regulatory actions The modeling tools will build the capacity for to improve water quality across the Nation. estimating economic benefits of water quality improvements through revealed preference Nutrient enrichment of the Nation’s water bod- (i.e., human use) studies that identify market ies continues to be a significant risk to human and non-market values associated with water health and ecosystems. Research in this area

13 will advance the science needed to inform de- Communication plays a large role in our plans cisions to prioritize watersheds and nutrient for real world solutions. The SSWR communi- sources for nutrient management and define cations team conducts several monthly pub- appropriate nutrient levels for the Nation’s wa- lic webinars on its research and will explore ters. Novel field and laboratory-based studies, other opportunities to have an open dialogue state-of-the-art modeling, and other research with state and community stakeholders. SSWR syntheses will make significant progress toward hosts, in collaboration with the Association of important and challenging areas of scientific State Drinking Water Administrators, an annual uncertainty related to nutrient management. workshop for small systems professionals for the release of cutting-edge research results. A Multimedia approaches will reduce the unin- monthly small systems webinar, which offers tended consequences and capture the cumu- continuing education credits to water manag- lative benefits of actions, which can be equally ers, is also co-hosted by SSWR and EPA’s Office as important as direct benefits. New scientific of Water. information, analytical approaches, and science communication that advance the science and increase the accessibility of this science will be- Research Topics come available to decision makers. In SSWR, research is organized by four interrelated topics (Figure 1). Each topic has near-term The SSWR program plans to implement place- and long-term goals designed to help SSWR ac- based GI studies and water system pilot proj- complish its overarching objectives (Table 3). ects in communities throughout the Nation. These projects involve significant integration Results from these projects can be translated and collaboration with other EPA research pro- to communities for informed decisions on the grams, federal agencies, and external partners, placement and effectiveness of resource recov- as described below. ery technologies. GI place-based studies will help make a visible difference in underserved 1. Watershed Sustainability communities by helping capture stormwater Gathering, synthesizing, and mapping runoff for mitigating CSO events and, in some the necessary environmental, economic, communities, augment existing water supplies. and social (human health and well-being) SSWR researchers will continue to develop us- information on watersheds, from local to er-friendly models and tools for GI placement national scales, to determine the condition and implementation to help communities solve and integrity, future prospects, and recovery water management challenges. SSWR will also potential of the Nation’s watersheds. partner with other EPA program offices and the external research community to develop tools 2. Nutrients that address life-cycle costs (i.e., including plan- Conducting EPA nitrogen and co-pollutants ning, design, installation, operation and main- research efforts for multiple types of tenance, and replacement), performance, and water bodies and coordinating across resiliency of gray and green infrastructure and media (water, land and air) and various hybrid systems to provide a more complete ba- temporal and spatial scales, including sis for decision making at the local and water- support for developing numeric nutrient shed levels. criteria, decision support tools, and cost-effective approaches to nutrient reduction.

14 3. Green Infrastructure The four research topics of the SSWR StRAP Creating innovative tools, technologies, 2016–2019 align with EPA’s Strategic Plan to and strategies for managing water help ensure that natural and engineered wa- resources (including stormwater) today ter systems have the capacity and resiliency to and for the long-term. meet current and future water needs for the 4. Water Systems wide range of human and ecological requirements. Research aims, in turn, are advanced Developing tools and technologies for by research projects to meet articulated sci- the sustainable treatment of water and ence challenges. Examples of research projects post-use water and promoting the are provided for each research topic and are economic recovery of water, described in more detail later in this section. energy and nutrient, and other Research outputs synthesize and translate sci- resources through innovative municipal entific and technological accomplishments, and water services and whole system will be communicated to a broad audience who assessment tools. This area focuses rely on EPA research for knowledge and deci- on small water systems and can be scaled sion making. Examples of possible outputs are up to larger systems. provided in Appendix 2.

Sustainability: Social (human health and well-being) & Economics Stressors: Climate Change & Variability, Extreme Weather & Homeland Security Events, Population Change, Land Use, Energy, Agriculture & Manufacturing

Figure 1. SSWR Research Topics and Projects.

15 Table 3. SSWR Research Topics: Near- and Long-Term Aims

Research Topic What We Do Near-Term Aim Long-Term Aim Watershed Gather, synthesize, and Develop methods Conduct national and Sustainability provide the necessary to assess watershed scalable mapping environmental, integrity nationally assessments of economic, and social and the tools watershed sustainability information on necessary to maintain using indicators of watersheds—from local the sustainability ecological condition, to national scales—to and resilience of economic benefits, determine condition, watersheds; develop and human well-being; future prospects, and understanding and and develop and recovery potential tools to address energy demonstrate the tools of the Nation’s and mineral resources; for achieving sustainable watersheds. identify causes of and resilient watersheds watershed impairment and water resources. and attributes that promote integrity and resilience; and develop approaches to watershed sustainability that integrate ecological condition, economic benefits, and human well-being.

Nutrients Conduct nutrient Improve the science Assess ecosystem research for multiple needed to define and human health water-body types with appropriate nutrient and the societal coordination across levels and develop benefits resulting from media (water, land, technologies and management actions and air) and various management practices to achieve appropriate temporal spatial scales, to monitor and attain and sustainable nutrient including support for appropriate nutrient levels in the Nation’s developing numeric loadings, and examine waters. nutrient criteria, the occurrence and decision support tools, effects of harmful algal and cost-effective blooms. approaches to nutrient reduction.

16 Table 3. (continued) SSWR Research Topics: Near- and Long-Term Aims

Research Topic What We Do Near-Term Aim Long-Term Aim Green Develop innovative Assist decision Develop and Infrastructure tools, information, makers, planners, demonstrate tools and and guidance for and developers in provide information communities to understanding how to and guidance for manage water incorporate effective communities to assess resources, including green infrastructure the effectiveness and stormwater, with opportunities into benefits of green green infrastructure their stormwater infrastructure as part to move toward more management plans at of their approach for natural hydrology and the property level and managing water volume increased resilience to community scales. and improving water future changes, such quality. as climate and extreme weather events.

Water Systems Develop, test, and Support drinking Conduct integrated evaluate innovative water and wastewater sustainability tools, technologies, and regulations, guidance, assessments, develop strategies for managing and implementation novel approaches, and water resources and of programs at all prioritize risks to provide protecting human levels. Develop, test, a framework for decision health and the and promote the making related to environment as climate adoption of drinking alternative approaches and other conditions water, stormwater, to existing water systems change; and support and wastewater to meet the goals of the economic recovery technologies that will public health protection of resources through protect human health and resource recovery. innovative water and the environment, services and whole- while maximizing system assessment resource conservation tools. Particular and recovery. Closely attention will be given align contaminant to small systems research with other because of their limited topics to ensure that resources. common tools and models are effectively employed across the water cycle.

17 Natural and engineered water systems are climate change and variability, extreme weath- inextricably linked through the hydrologic cycle; er events (e.g., flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, therefore, the four research topics are also earthquakes, heat waves, drought, wildfire— interrelated. Current water services are mostly many of which may be amplified by climate), achieved through separate engineering systems land-use change, energy, agriculture, manufac- to provide distinct functions, including safe turing, accidental or purposeful contamination, drinking water, sewage treatment, stormwater aging infrastructure, and population change. control, and watershed management. Multiple Broad linkages among topic areas (e.g., the in- stressors and more stringent water quality teraction of complex chemical and microbial goals threaten the future effectiveness and contaminants between the built infrastructure affordability of this 'siloed' approach to water and watersheds) are identified as specific proj- resource management. A systems-level view ects are planned and implemented. Relation- of integrated water services is necessary to ships among the other five research programs develop optimal solutions. Focusing on one are illustrated in Figure 2. For example, Figure part of the system, even when using system 2 illustrates that, although the Watershed Sus- analysis tools, such as life-cycle assessment, tainability and Water Systems topic areas have may shift problems to other sectors. Although direct and implied linkages with all five ORD re- this document defines four separate topic search programs, the Nutrients and Green In- areas for clarity of presentation, the program frastructure topic areas currently link to three emphasizes this systems-level view. and two of the programs, respectively. These linkages are briefly described in the 'Integration Overarching goals for all four topics are envi- and Collaboration' sections included in each ronmental, economic, and social sustainability. of the project discussions under the Topic All four topics also include multiple stressors headings. affecting water quality and quantity, including

ORD Research Program

Air, Climate & Energy (ACE) SSWR Research Program Topic Climate, energy efficient water systems and water reuse, life-cycle assessment

Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Individual/groups of contaminants, effects-based monitoring tools, life-cycle assessment

Sustainable & Healthy Communities (SHC) EnviroAtlas, green infrastructure, water reuse, groundwater, community resilience to climate change/natural disasters

Homeland Security (HSRP) Infrastructure resilience to climate change/natural disasters, water-quality sensors

Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) Integrated risk assessments, Integrated Risk Information System

Figure 2. SSWR Cross-Research Program Integration.

18 Topic 1: Watershed Sustainability Project 1: Assess, Map and Predict the Integrity, Resilience, and Recovery Potential Advancing the sustainable management of the of the Nation’s Water Resources Nation’s water resources to ensure sufficient water quality and quantity to support current Advancing EPA’s ability to estimate and map the and future environmental, socio-economic, ecological condition and integrity of water re- and public health requirements is a national sources in freshwater, estuarine, and nearshore priority. To achieve the National Environmental coastal ecosystems is the focus of this project Policy Act goal of sustainability, conditions of research area. The project research will improve adequate and accessible supplies of clean water capabilities for determining the integrity of wa- for health (human and ecological), economic tersheds and aquatic systems therein and their and social requirements need to be created future sustainability (i.e., the sustained provi- and maintained from headwater catchments to sion of ecosystem services and beneficial uses). great river basins to coastal systems. Adverse Ultimately, the research will enhance EPA’s abil- impacts on watersheds and water resources ity to set sound water policy for the protection associated with the overarching stressors of aquatic life and human health applicable to already described, however, continue to be the Nation’s flowing waters, lakes and -reser major drivers of changes in aquatic ecosystems voirs, wetlands, estuaries, coastal waters, and and the global hydrologic cycle. groundwater, and provide tools to estimate the expected improvement in aquatic condition, SSWR’s watershed sustainability research aims integrity, and resiliency resulting from any pro- to advance integrated water resource and wa- posed policy or management decision. tershed management approaches, models, and decision making tools to ensure sustainable The primary legislative driver for this project water resources. Project areas described below area is the CWA requirement to assess and focus on national-scale assessments of aquatic report on the condition and integrity of the resource conditions; watershed integrity and Nation’s water resources. The scale of the re- resilience; new or revised Ambient Water Qual- search creates the greatest scientific chal- ity Criteria to protect human health and aquatic lenge—providing the scientific basis and tools life from chemical and microbial contaminants, for integrated assessment of watersheds and including nutrients and pathogens and chemi- water bodies, from headwaters to coastal sys- cals of emerging concern; protection of water tems, at local, regional, and national scales, and resources while developing energy and miner- at yearly and decadal time scales. The project al resources; and creation of a national water will include research to: quality benefits model framework. • Support and advance national and regional monitoring and assessment needs, includ Topic Highlights ing direct technical support for EPA Office of Water’s National Aquatic Resource Survey Tools for systems approach to watershed program on survey design and analyses, indi management under variable climate regimes. cator development, and the technical trans Economic benefits of improved water quality fer of tools. for national regulatory actions. • Explore, synthesize, and advance the modi- fication or application of existing models and

19 diagnostic systems for integrated watershed expected improvement in aquatic condition, management at multiple scales for multiple integrity, and resiliency resulting from any pro- waterbody types. posed policy and management actions.

• Assess and evaluate ecological factors that Integration and Collaboration underpin watershed resiliency and recovery potential. The project continues the long-standing collaborative partnership with EPA’s Office of Water, • Advance the science reinforcing watershed- regional offices, and states, and with the Na- waterbody connectivity, including develop- tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- ing connectivity indicators, quantifying tion, U.S. Geological Survey, and Fish and Wild- temporal-spatial variations in connectivity, life Service, on the assessment and mapping relating connectivity to ecosystem functions of the condition of aquatic resources across and processes, and integrating connectivity the Nation. Watershed integrity, resiliency, and approaches into watershed integrity. connectivity research involves collaborative partnerships across research conducted under The project research will strengthen EPA’s ability the Watershed Sustainability, Nutrients, and to estimate and map the condition and integrity Green Infrastructure topics; with ORD’s Air, Cli- of the Nation’s water resources, and develop mate, and Energy (ACE) research topic on Cli- improved capabilities to determine the integrity mate Impacts, Vulnerability, and Adaptation in of any watershed in the Nation. Additionally, developing information, methods, and tools to ORD research will evaluate and strengthen improve understanding of the location, extent, the watershed integrity approach and quantify and type of vulnerabilities to populations, eco- the attributes of watershed resiliency and systems, and the built environment; and ORD’s connectivity at multiple spatial and temporal Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) scales. Understanding the resiliency and research program, in particular the EnviroAtlas. recovery potential of water resources and The collaboration with SHC will support inte- watersheds to stressors, including climate grated modeling for local, state, and regional change, will be important to future policy and partners that links watershed sustainability to management decisions by stakeholders at the provision of ecosystem goods and services. national, regional, state, and local scales. Project 2: Science to Support New or Revised Water Quality Criteria to Protect Human The project research will advance diagnostic Health and Aquatic Life bioassessment capabilities for the early detection of invasive species through development Research in this project area focuses on the and application of metagenomic technologies. scientific information and tools to strengthen These tools will assist the Great Lakes National existing Ambient Water Quality Criteria or Program Office and support the Great Lakes advance new methods for prioritizing, deriv- Water Quality Agreement. New areas of SSWR ing, and implementing these criteria. The aim research will investigate the potential impacts is to address the challenges presented by the of extreme weather events, such as drought expanding numbers, combinations, and novel and flooding, and wildfires on water quality. features of chemical and biological contami- Lastly, project research will enable EPA’s Office nants, including microbial pathogens in drink- of Water and regional offices to estimate the ing water, groundwater, and surface water. The

20 primary legislative drivers for this project are levels of microbial contamination, and the CWA and SDWA. This project addresses sev- assessment of human health exposure and eral science challenges. One such challenge is effects from pathogens. presented by the rapidly expanding range and characteristics of contaminants considered con- • Advancing AWQC to protect aquatic life. taminants of emerging concern (CECs). These This area focuses on toxicity testing, data include chemicals that were not previously re- analysis, and method development to garded as environmental pollutants (e.g., phar- support improvements in AWQC derivation maceuticals), chemicals for which the - pres procedures. Likely issues include chemical ence in the environment was largely unnoticed group-based extrapolations to address but has been 'discovered' more recently (e.g., limited data, changes in data requirements through advancing analytical capabilities), and appropriate to chemicals of emerging chemicals that may not necessarily be new, but concern, improved descriptors of effects for which the potential for risk to human health on assemblages of species, consideration or the environment was not widely recognized. of multiple outesr of exposures, and Project 2 research will provide EPA’s Office of uncertainty characterization. Water, regional offices, states, tribes, and other stakeholders with the science and tools to sup- • Advancing tools and technology applications. port the implementation of Ambient Water Research in this area will support developing Quality Criteria to protect human health and methods and techniques for measuring the aquatic life. This research includes the follow- concentrations and distributions of select, ing: high-priority CECs in water; understanding ecotoxicity of selected CECs; linking aquatic • Addressing human health risks associated life and human health adverse outcome with chemical and microbial Ambient Water pathways (AOPs) that are sensitive to CECs Quality Criteria (AWQC). via targeted, functional genomic, and molecular endpoints; supporting EPA’s Office • Advancing research methods for identifying of Water in identifying a list of candidate chemical contaminant exposure routes and CECs for future human health and aquatic chemical family models, in addition to bioac- life criteria development and derivation; tivity-based criteria as an alternative to and supporting the Contaminant Candidate chemical detection, and screening tools to List (CCL) and Unregulated Contaminants determine when multi route exposures Monitoring Rule (UCMR) programs. should be considered for chemical contaminants in water. This research supports source Project research on the occurrence, exposure, water and drinking water exposure needs. and health effects of waterborne pathogens and relationships to microbial indicators will • Addressing human health risks associated serve to inform regulatory and policy decisions with microbial contaminants. Microbial that will improve microbial water quality in wa- research advances methods to identify and tersheds and reduce health impacts. Project quantify levels of microbial contaminants results will also lead to new or revised human and includes fecal source tracking health and aquatic life criteria for chemicals. approaches, evaluation of viral indicators, The research will assist EPA’s Office of Water’s statistical and process models for predicting efforts to identify and quantify drinking water

21 contaminants (including precursors for contam- production and release of greenhouse gases all inants potentially formed during water treat- point to the necessity for greater diversification ment) along with other monitoring require- of both energy and mineral production. The ments under the SDWA for the protection of Nation’s current and future energy portfolio source water. may span such diverse activities as enhanced recovery of conventional and unconventional Integration and Collaboration fossil fuels; geothermal, wind, wave, and solar energy; biofuels; and possibly nuclear energy, Research on AWQC for human health will all of which exert differing pressures on water integrate with and benefit from linkages to resources. In addition, mineral mining in the other projects in the Watershed Sustainability United States may increase with green energy topic and research in the Water Systems technology development, which requires a topic to improve post-use water treatment variety of metals, including rare earth elements and develop new indicators of treatment used for wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, effectiveness; research in the Nutrients topic on and other products. development of methods to detect cyanotoxins in surface waters; and ORD’s Chemical Safety The primary legislative drivers for this project and Sustainability (CSS) research on rapid are the provisions for groundwater protection screening tools for chemical contaminants or within the SDWA, Resource Conservation and groups of contaminants. Project 2 research on Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environ- AWQC for aquatic life will integrate with and mental Response, Compensation, and Liability benefit from CSS research regarding chemical Act (CERCLA, or Superfund), and sections 402 screening methods, AOP identification, and and 404 permitting provisions of the CWA. population modeling. Effects of exposure will Energy and mineral production impacts -sur be addressed through aquatic toxicity tests face and subsurface water resources directly conducted in coordination with the CSS Toxicity through discharges of post-use waters and in- Translators research. Other linkages include directly through accelerated rates of geochemi- methods used for measuring the concentrations cal weathering that alters the ionic composition and distributions of CECs in freshwater and and conductivity of receiving waters. These marine environments, which may include processes are likely to exacerbate impacts in similar approaches as those used in the Green the future. Research to understand impacts on Infrastructure and Water Systems topics, and aquatic resources over the entire life cycle (e.g., the passive sampling procedures used in SHC. from extraction, production, transportation, Further, this research will be linked to CSS, as use, storage, disposal, residuals) of convention- functional, genomic, and molecular endpoints al and unconventional energy sources, metals, are similar in both research programs. and minerals is the focus of this project area. Project research includes the following: Project 3: Protecting Water while Developing Energy and Mineral Resources • Assessing and predicting the toxicological, Increasing demands for energy and mineral biological, and ecological effects of post-use resources, the desire to supply a greater waters (e.g., altered ionic composition) fraction of energy and mineral resources associated with energy and mineral extrac- domestically, increasing competition for clean tion activities. freshwater, and the need to mitigate the

22 • Assessing challenges to sustainable water Project 3 research will enable better protection resource management from underground of the Nation’s groundwater and surface water injection practices, including assessment of resources in the areas of energy and mineral the benefits and risks of using aquifers to resource development; empower communities store water for future use and to sequester to protect environmental and economic health; polluted waters. and support EPA program and regional offices in carrying out their immediate, intermediate- • Evaluating cumulative impacts of energy and term, and longer-term needs with respect to mineral extraction activities on aquatic life water and resource extraction. The project will from changes in land use, water quantity synthesize and integrate information on the and quality, and habitat availability. role of water in energy production and mineral extraction to inform planning, evaluation, and • Assessing risks to groundwater and surface decision making among community, private, water from current, transitioning, and and public stakeholders. This research will emerging technologies/practices for the support aquifer exemption decisions and the life cycle of conventional and unconventional review of coal mining proposals made by EPA’s energy, minerals, metals, and other Office of Water and regional offices. materials. Integration and Collaboration The research will advance the assessment and The research in this project will be integrated prediction of effects and cumulative impacts with other Watershed Sustainability projects of energy and mineral extraction processes, evaluating water resource condition and including post-use water, on groundwater and integrity and Ambient Water Quality Criteria. surface water quality and aquatic life. The Aquifer storage and recovery and aquifer project aims to understand and describe the exemption research will involve collaboration implications of different energy production and across EPA’s Office of Water, regional offices, mineral extraction technologies relative to the and other partners. Aquifer exemption research short- and long-term availability and quality of ties in with mining-related groundwater groundwater and surface water to: remediation efforts in ORD’s SHC research program. Project 3 research will integrate • Optimize environmental and public health with and benefit from Sustainable Energy and safeguards for energy and mineral resources Mitigation research in ORD’s ACE research development, using approaches and tech- program, which aims to examine how changes nologies that provide long-term protection in resources, fuels, and technologies for energy of groundwater and surface water resources; production and use affect air emissions, air quality and water demand, and the risks or • Identify technologies that increase water benefits to the environment and human health. reuse or improve the quality of water discharged post-use, or both; and Project 4: National Water Quality Benefits

• Inform stakeholders of evolving understand- EPA’s ORD, Office of Policy, and Office of Water ing and new technologies that might have formed a collaborative team of econo- influence decisions regarding development mists, ecologists, and water quality model- of energy and mineral resources and their ers to develop a national water quality ben- alternatives. efits modeling framework to support greatly

23 improved quantification and monetization and small streams) that may benefit from EPA of the economic benefits of EPA regulations regulatory actions. Additionally, the research (e.g., improvements to human health, recre- will evaluate the potential causal relationships ation, other environmental services). This proj- between metrics of watershed integrity and ect area focuses on ORD’s contribution to the stream condition and measures of human three-office effort. Although EPA’s Office of Air health outcomes. The three offices are using and Radiation has the modeling capability for extramural (EPA STAR grants) and intramural quantifying air quality benefits to support most staff resources in parallel to complete necessary Clean Air Act regulatory programs (i.e., Envi- models and research to improve our ability to ronmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Pro- estimate benefits from national regulations. gram-Community Edition, or BenMAP-CE), the Office of Water currently has no similar off-the- Integration and Collaboration shelf modeling capability, which is reflected in In addition to collaborating with EPA’s Office its benefit analyses for CWA regulations to date. of Water and Office of Policy, this project will EPA aims to add to the body of existing valu- be integrated with several other Watershed ation research and improve methodologies for Sustainability topic projects. It will also be translating regulatory decisions and the result- integrated with research under the Nutrients ing estimates of water quality improvements topic on economic values associated with into environmental services, and ultimately, harmful algal blooms (HABs) or changes in monetized benefits. Such an effort may require water quality due to reductions in nutrients, economic valuation of changes in water quality, and Green Infrastructure topic research focused quantity, stream condition, and related ecosys- on mechanistic techniques for simulating green tem services. infrastructure scenarios at multiple scales to This high-priority research aims to advance na- evaluate water quality benefits. This project tional water quality cost-benefit analysis and also will coordinate with ORD’s ACE and SHC modeling tools for surface waters, from head- research programs to help address important water streams to downstream estuarine and cross-Agency Nitrogen and Co-pollutants coastal waters. The modeling tools will build the Roadmap research recommendations and capacity for estimating economic benefits of use existing collaborative research involving water quality improvements through revealed- EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and preference (i.e., human-use) studies that iden- academic partners in the development and tify market and non-market values associated application of the Hydrologic and Water Quality with water quality and stated preference (i.e., System [HAWQS] modeling platform, where non-use) studies that will capture the broader appropriate. ranges of non-market values. The research will identify the optimal choice of water quality in- Topic 2: Nutrients dicators—those metrics most useful for linking water quality models to economic valuation. Nutrient pollution (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) remains one of the most significant envi- The three-office effort aims to develop a broad- ronmental and human health issues in the Unit- based benefits estimation model framework ed States, having a considerable impact on local that incorporates modules focusing on five main and regional economies. Progress has been water body types (the Great Lakes, estuaries, made to reduce the nitrogen and co-pollutant freshwater lakes and rivers, coastal waters, (e.g., phosphorus, sulfur, sediments) loadings

24 that can cause adverse environmental impacts, needs, EPA’s program office initiatives, and such as acid rain, HABs, and degradation of community and other stakeholder needs by waters serving as drinking water sources; how- doing the following: ever, nutrients are still released and discharged at concentrations that have significant adverse • Improving the science of HAB and toxin impacts on human health and ecosystems. detection by developing HAB-specific A critical question is how to achieve the ben- analytical methods and sampling strategies. eficial level of nutrients that provides multiple services, such as food production, while pro- • Assisting EPA’s Office of Water in develop- tecting human and ecosystem health (U.S. EPA ing new HAB indicators, sampling designs, Science Advisory Board, 2011). The pressures and protocols for use in national-scale of climate change, extreme weather events, assessments. land-use change, and the resource needs of an expanding and shifting human population • Developing improved approaches to are likely to exacerbate the significant adverse understanding the interactive effects of impacts of excessive nutrients in coming years increasing water temperatures, nutrient (Millennium Assessment, 2005). loads, and other drivers on HAB development and toxin production. Topic Highlights • Developing improved models to project risk Multimedia modeling to inform nutrient and of HABs under warming climate scenarios. hypoxia management in the Mississippi River Basin and the northern Gulf of Mexico. • Improving understanding of the human Improved quantification and prediction health and ecosystem effects resulting from of nutrient-enhanced coastal acidification toxin exposure. and hypoxia. • Providing drinking water treatment system operators with improved methods for Project 1: Reducing Impacts of Harmful Algal detecting and treating toxins to limit or Blooms prevent human exposures. Although HABs may occur naturally, ecosystem Integration and Collaboration alterations from human activities appear to be increasing the frequency of some HABs, This project will be focused on four interrelated resulting in a variety of ecological, economic, and research areas that span other Nutrients topic human health and animal impacts. The primary projects and other ORD research programs, legislative driver for this project is the Harmful including ACE, SHC, CSS, the modeling and Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control sensor applications of ORD’s Homeland Security Amendments Act of 2014 (Pub. L. No. 113-124, Research Program, and ORD’s Innovation 2014). This project will provide stakeholders program. and decision makers with improved scientific Project 2: Science to Inform the Development information and tools to assess, predict, and of Nutrient Thresholds and Targeting Actions manage the risk of HABs, associated toxicity events and the ensuing ecological, economic, Two key policy challenges associated with and health impacts. The project directly nutrient management are (1) prioritizing addresses legislative mandates, EPA’s research watersheds and nutrient sources for nutrient

25 management actions and (2) setting quanti- Integration and Collaboration tative thresholds for management, such as load The research in this project will be leveraged reduction goals, secondary air quality stan- with other Nutrients topic projects and water- dards, total maximum daily loads, nutrient or shed-scale work and for developing criteria, other water quality criteria, and quantitative threshold, and targeting outputs and approach- goals for biological indicators of aquatic life use. es incorporated in the Watershed Sustainability This project will provide science that supports topic. the efforts of the Office of Water and the Na- tional Ambient Air Quality Standards Program. Project 3: Science to Improve Nutrient It will address key research areas drawn from Management Practices, Metrics of Benefits, EPA’s Nitrogen and Co-pollutants Roadmap, Accountability, and Communication the Nancy K. Stoner memorandum (U.S. EPA, To increase the adoption rate of innovative 2011b), and stakeholders. The research areas management practices at larger scales, research include the following: is needed to support a broad selection of policy options (regulatory and voluntary), for example, • Identification of nutrient-sensitive human market-based approaches, incentive programs, and aquatic life uses of water resources and and watershed education and outreach. This useful quantitative indicators of status or project complements research underway with condition. the U.S. Department of Agriculture, states, and other stakeholder groups that is designed to • Quantitative relationships between nutrient inform programs, policies, and management loading and effects on water quality and decisions to reduce nutrient loadings. The nutrient-sensitive uses in aquatic ecosystems questions from the programs, regional offices, across a range of temporal and spatial scales. and states driving the scope of this research area are: • Quantification of sources, transport, and fate of nutrients in watersheds, groundwater, and 1) How do we use regulatory and voluntary airsheds. approaches to promote more innovative and effective management practices to Progress in these key research areas will reduce nutrient pollution? address a variety of policy-related research 2) How do we verify, value, and communicate needs and advance the state of the science the effectiveness of nutrient reduction using new tools, technologies, and models. policy and management? Research will involve quantifying the status of aquatic life uses and overall condition of aquat- This project has four major areas of focus: ic ecosystems, predicting downstream water quality impacts associated with nutrient man- 1) Tools for the application of innovative agement decisions in watersheds and airsheds, management practices. characterizing aquatic life responses to tempo- 2) Modeling approaches for consideration rally varying nutrient loading and water quality, of market-based policy options, economic and understanding and predicting responses to evaluations, and ecosystem services. nutrients in the context of other drivers (e.g., climate warming, coastal acidification, hydro- 3) Monitoring and modeling approaches logic changes). for verification of nutrient reductions associated with management practices,

26 including cost effectiveness, adoption rate, SHC. Other integrative efforts include SHC’s cumulative benefits, and unintended work on integrated nitrogen management, consequences. ecosystem goods and services, and EnviroAtlas. 4) Science for enabling effective communication. Topic 3: Green Infrastructure

This project produces the applied science that Across the United States, more than 700 cities will allow for better management of nutrient rely on combined sewer systems to collect loads to the Nation’s waters, thereby making and convey sanitary sewage and stormwater advancements toward the full restoration of to post-use water treatment facilities. Most designated uses and adequate protection and of these communities are older cities in the meeting future demands for sustainable clean Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. sources of water. When wet weather flows exceed the capacity of the combined sewer systems and treatment Integration and Collaboration facilities, stormwater, waste (untreated human, commercial, and industrial), toxic materials, This research builds on the collaboration and debris are diverted to combined sewer already underway with other federal and state overflow (CSO) outfalls and discharged directly agencies. This work addresses two sections into surface waters. These CSOs carry microbial presented in EPA’s Nitrogen and Co-pollutants pathogens, suspended solids, floatables, and Roadmap: Science Challenges Focused on other pollutants and can lead to beach closures, Best Management Practices Effectiveness, shellfish bed closures, contamination of drinking and Assessing and Reporting on Effectiveness. water supplies, and other environmental and Close collaboration with EPA’s Office of Air human health impacts. For many cities with and Radiation (on abatement of NO and NH x 3 combined sewer systems, CSOs remain one atmospheric deposition) and Office of Water of the greatest challenges to meeting water (on surface water, groundwater, and drinking quality standards. Changes in weather patterns water aspects) is fundamental. In addition, could further amplify investments required to this project will link with SSWR projects in the mitigate CSOs, as the frequency and severity of Watershed Sustainability, Green Infrastructure, CSO events are largely determined by climatic and Water Systems Topics. An example of a factors, including the form, quantity, and nitrogen topic that integrates contributions intensity of precipitation. from ACE, SHC, and SSWR research programs is eutrophication stemming from nitrogen Research on green infrastructure (GI) contains loading delivered from the Mississippi River two projects focusing on (1) GI Models and Basin to the Gulf of Mexico. In this example, the Tools and (2) GI Information and Guidance one-environment model, nitrogen deposition, Based on Community Partnerships. The GI and model linkages are developed under ACE; nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the edge projects aim to capture GI research at multiple of field, aggregation to the Mississippi River scales; from local (e.g., permeable pavement Basin (cross-scale), and response to climate in parking lots) to watershed (e.g., application change are developed under SSWR; and linkages of GI models to optimize best management to ecosystem health and services and broad practices) scales. The research will explore nitrogen budget research are developed under the use of GI to improve water quality and to control stormwater runoff to minimize impacts

27 on leaking underground storage tanks through GI-related models, including, but not limited to: stormwater diversion and capture. GI research Visualizing Ecosystems for Land Management can be instrumental in the revitalization of Assessments (VELMA), Hydrologic Simulation brownfields and abandoned properties in U.S. Program FORTRAN (HSPF), Watershed Manage- cities facing urban blight. ment Optimization and Support Tool (WMOST), and the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Topic Highlights This project aims to optimize existing GI-related models and tools through information gap Report on the role of green infrastructure analyses and development and evaluation of in sustainable stormwater management in a wide range of communities in varying improved models and tools for estimating life- geographic and climatic regions across the cycle costs and benefits. Project researchers United States. will also participate in model technical support, data management, and coding improvements. Addition of a cost benefits component to the Through EPA’s Science to Achieve Results extra- National Stormwater Calculator. mural grants program, SSWR will support a cen-

ter for sustainable water infrastructure model- Project 1: Green Infrastructure Models and ing research that facilitates technology transfer Tools of open-source water infrastructure models and GI tools. A crucial component of the proj- The models and tools research strives to ad- ect area includes technical outreach and train- vance appropriate support for decision making, ing for stakeholders (e.g., states, municipalities, planning, and implementation of effective GI utilities). for

• stormwater control in urban settings and Two broad outputs comprise the anticipated sewersheds, research accomplishments for the GI Models and Tools efforts: (1) performance information, • post-use water management, guidance, and planning tools for program offices and community partners to facilitate increased • long-term control plans for CSOs, adoption of GI (planned for FY2016), and (2) • pollutant load reduction and total maximum demonstrations of modeling tool approaches daily loads studies, (for program offices and community partners) to assess GI effectiveness for managing both • agricultural runoff management, runoff volume and water quality at multiple watershed scales (planned for FY2019). • climate change adaptation and hazards resilience, and Results from the GI-modeling research will • enhancement of other ecosystem services. provide greater capacity for decision makers to (1) understand the benefits and tradeoffs Examples of specific research in GI modeling of including GI in urban, suburban, and rural and tools include the incorporation of water development; (2) access and apply the data, quality issues (e.g., nutrients) in existing models tools, and models they need to select and such as in the GI module of EPA’s Stormwater implement the most appropriate GI across Management Model (SWMM). Other examples landscape types in mixed-use systems; and (3) are increasing the interoperability of existing make significant advances toward maintaining

28 ecological and human health and water quality classification frameworks for prioritizing protection, sustainability, and resiliency in the selection of and extrapolating results from place- long term. based studies, pre-implementation planning, GI implementation and monitoring, assessing Project 2: Support Increased Adoption groundwater impacts, and implementation of of Green Infrastructure into Community natural GI for improved water management. Stormwater Management Plans and Watershed Sustainability Goals: Information The main GI place-based research project and Guidance through Community output will consist of guidance and examples Partnerships demonstrating the effectiveness, costs, benefits, and risks/constraints on the use of Community GI research builds on existing GI to treat stormwater and post-use water and place-based field studies that examine the recharge aquifers at multiple scales. efficacy of GI in stormwater control plans. A recent project in Kansas City quantified the Anticipated impacts from GI place - based sewershed response after the installation of GI research results include: practices for CSO control. Sewershed flow data • a better understanding of socio-economic were collected before and after GI installation, drivers for GI implementation, and ORD performed evaluations of land use, soil infiltration, drainage areas, and individual • transferring results and conclusions from bioretention unit performance. Kansas City has place-based studies to other communities used the results to adapt GI approaches in the challenged by CSO or water supply issues to service area. EPA is communicating the results inform their water management decisions, and lessons learned to other municipalities. • increasing the overall resiliency of water ORD plans to collaborate with the Camden systems in the United States, County Metropolitan Utilities Authority in New Jersey to monitor cisterns and bioinfiltration/ • augmenting the use of GI for water capture biofiltration practices to gain knowledge on GI and aquifer recharge, and placement and effectiveness. • increasing our understanding of the role of natural GI in wastewater and stormwater Another current collaboration with the City management efforts. of Birmingham (Alabama) will adapt ORD’s Stormwater Calculator to include green and Integration and Collaboration gray infrastructure costs for land development in the Birmingham area. Future GI community The GI research will integrate with ORD’s SHC research plans include the application of GI research projects that involve community plan- models and tools to existing and future place- ning and development and groundwater re- based research sites, implementation of GI in search and with ORD’s ACE research on resil- drought-prone areas for water collection and ience to climate change and extreme weather aquifer storage, and increased collaboration events. The proposed research links with EPA’s with underserved communities through the EPA Nitrogen and Co-pollutants Roadmap, particu- Administrator’s initiative on making a visible larly in the area of water quality modeling for difference in communities. Research supporting GI installations. For example, systematic studies the GI place-based project consists of providing on the use of GI for nitrogen and co-pollutant

29 removal from stormwater runoff can inform nologies that enhance energy efficiency and, for communities on specific GI practices that may drinking water, make use of alternative sources supply the added benefit of pollutant removal. of water (e.g., post-use or brackish). The Water The place-based GI research strives toward Systems topic research will also develop ap- helping underserved communities challenged proaches and evaluate technologies to help wa- by CSO or water-supply issues and aligns with ter systems evolve toward a more sustainable EPA’s Environmental Justice Cross-Cutting Road- future. The three project areas in the Water map and the EPA Administrator’s initiative on Systems research topic are complementary and making a visible difference in communities. focus on continuous, integrated research. The integrated themes for the projects include the EPA researchers anticipate continued collab- following: orations with other federal agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps • Integrated assessment tool to define of Engineers. Place-based GI projects currently optimal resource recovery-based water work closely with local governments and utili- systems, including recovering and treating ties (e.g., the Greater Metropolitan Sewer Dis- water fit-for-purpose at various scales. trict of Cincinnati) and will continue to do so. • Advanced monitoring and analytical tools (i.e., multiple parameters) for effective Topic 4: Water Systems integrated water system management to minimize human and ecological risk. ORD provides critical support to EPA’s Office of Water and regional offices and water utilities to • Development and demonstration of help current water systems provide safe drink- individual technologies and integrated ing water and properly treated post-use waters. systems to improve the collection, treat ORD also contributes essential information ment, and distribution of water (drinking to the Office of Water on human health risks water and post-use water) and the recovery posed by contaminants (including microbial, of resources. chemical, and radiological) associated with wa- • Advancement of technologies for measuring ter systems. In addition to this critical support health risks in current and future systems. to program and regional offices, ORD recognizes the need for addressing near-term and long- term challenges to water systems. The Water Topic Highlights Systems topic research aims to push forward the next generation of technological, engineer- Updated analytical methods for contaminants of emerging concern ing, and process advances to maintain safe and in water, including improved sustainable water resources for humans and analysis, detection, and treatment the environment, while also augmenting and of HABs and algal toxins from improving water resources. watersheds to drinking water facilities. Research in the Water Systems topic is intended Rapid toxicity screening of water to support future community projects funded contaminants of emerging concern through the Water Infrastructure Finance and and disinfection byproducts for Innovation Act and the Clean Water and Drink- effects on human health. ing Water State Revolving Funds by identifying and promoting treatment processes and tech-

30 Project 1: Current Systems and Regulatory surements, collection and distribution systems, Support methods and approaches to predict or monitor Project 1 covers the development and evaluation human health outcomes, and risk assessment. of data, approaches, and technologies that will It will also focus on new ways of assessing risks support the promulgation and implementation from chemical and microbial contaminants, of federal water regulations and guidance provide data on currently unregulated contami- while also addressing regional, state, and nants, and develop new analytical methods community concerns. The specific objectives based on identified future needs. of Project 1 are to (1) supply research results to support federal regulations and guidance; Project 3: Transformative Approaches and (2) provide strategies to regional offices, states, Technologies for Water Systems and communities for improved regulatory This project will develop approaches and compliance; and (3) provide rapid and effective evaluate technologies that will help transform emergency response when appropriate (e.g., water systems toward a more sustainable water system shut-down due to source water future. Water systems challenged by issues such contamination). These objectives include as shrinking resources, aging infrastructure, research on contaminants that undergo periodic shifting demographics, climate change, and congressionally mandated regulatory cycles of extreme weather events need transformative review, such as the Microbial Disinfection By- approaches that meet public health and Product Rules, and chemicals and pathogens environmental goals, while optimizing water on the Contaminant Candidate List and the treatment and maximizing resource recovery Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule List and system resiliency. and other contaminants of concern (including groups of contaminants). Other objectives Project 3 involves four main efforts include optimizing treatment, monitoring, and corresponding to the integrated themes analytical processes; exposure/risk assessments described above. The first effort develops an for compliance with post-use water treatment integrated sustainability assessment framework regulations; and improved pathogen control. based on linkages among drinking water, post- use water, stormwater, and natural infrastructure Project 2: Next Steps — Technology contained within a watershed. The framework Advances will integrate various complementary system- Although the approaches in this project may based tools, such as life-cycle assessments and support current and near-future regulatory life-cycle costs; advanced water footprinting processes, or may be transformative in nature, approaches; energy analyses; and resiliency to they are reasonably well developed. They are climate-induced events to evaluate alternative, not, however, ready for routine or regulatory innovative water system approaches use. Project 2 will expedite the development quantitatively. The second effort focuses on of these approaches to promote wider accep- the development of real-time (or near real- tance and implementation by program offices, time) measurements for monitoring potential regional offices, states, communities, and oth- chemical and microbiological risks from recycled ers within the time frame of the current project water and other alternative sources. The third period (2016–2019). The project includes ad- focus area emphasizes the demonstration and vances in several areas, such as resource recov- evaluation of alternative systems to generate ery, treatment, monitoring and analytical mea- performance data. Market adoption factors

31 will be considered, including public acceptance, or energy-producing treatment processes and regulatory and policy drivers/barriers, and broad life-cycle assessments for maximizing business and economic development potential. water system efficiency. The final area involves the development of transformative approaches to waterborne ORD researchers enjoy a long history of human health risk measurements, including collaboration with EPA’s programs and regional high-throughput sequencing to identify novel offices. In addition to EPA partners, researchers indicators and surrogates to assess the efficacy working under the Water Systems topic expect of water reuse systems. to continue collaborations with municipalities, utilities, and state officials and organizations Integration and Collaboration (e.g., the Association of State Drinking The Water Systems research links with the Water Administrators and the Environmental other ORD research programs. For example, Research Institute of the States). Collaborations the energy footprint reduction connects with will also continue with the Water Research ORD’s ACE. The work to increase resiliency Foundation, Water Environment Research and preparedness for extreme weather events Foundation, Water Reuse Research Foundation, links with ORD’s Homeland Security research and academia on research involving water program. The monitoring protocols and health- treatment and reuse. risk assessment research relate to ORD’s CSS. Data development for human health risk will Anticipated Research also link with research in ORD’s Human Health Risk Assessment research program. Finally, Accomplishments and the demonstrations and acceptance at the community level, along with testbed research, Projected Impacts will interact with ORD’s SHC. SSWR research is using an integrated, The Water Systems topic research will provide systems approach to develop scientific and input to EPA’s Nitrogen and Co-pollutants technological solutions to protect human Roadmap, particularly in the area of water health and to protect and restore watersheds quality nutrient and co-pollutant removal from and aquatic ecosystems. This research will post-use water in reuse and post-use water have the greatest impact when products are treatment. Pilot-scale research on monitoring developed and delivered in ways most useful to and treatment systems will help underserved SSWR partners and stakeholders. ORD products communities challenged by water treatment specifically designed to be useful in the hands issues and aligns with EPA’s Environmental of partners are termed 'outputs.' The proposed Justice Roadmap and the EPA Administrator’s SSWR outputs for FY2016–FY2019 are listed initiative on making a visible difference in in Appendix 2. Examples of anticipated communities. The research projects align accomplishments for each research topic are with EPA’s Children’s Environmental Health summarized below. Roadmap through research on health risks from exposure to contaminants in drinking Watershed Sustainability water (e.g., cell-based bioassays). Additionally, Research on watershed sustainability will pro- this research links with EPA’s Climate Change duce integrated water resource and water- Roadmap through research on energy-reducing shed management approaches, models,

32 and decision making tools to ensure sustain- approaches. In addition, a multimedia approach able water resources. The anticipated accom- to evaluate management practices from a plishments include innovative tools for multi- multisector, multi-scale systems perspective scale assessment, mapping, and prediction of will improve management of nutrient loadings multimedia effects on the condition, integrity, in the Nation’s water bodies toward the full and sustainability of the Nation’s waters, and restoration of designated uses, while meeting cost-benefit analysis and modeling tools for es- future demands for sustainable clean sources timating the economic benefits of water quality of water. improvements for surface waters, from headwater streams to downstream lakes, estuaries, Green Infrastructure and coastal ecosystems. In addition, anticipated Anticipated accomplishments for this research research accomplishments will advance the sci- include the development and implementation ence and provide approaches and modeling of innovative models, tools, technologies, and tools to strengthen Ambient Water Quality strategies for managing stormwater runoff and Criteria for chemical and microbial contami- other flooding events, using natural and built nants to protect human health and aquatic life green infrastructure in combination with gray and for assessing risks to watershed integrity infrastructure over the long term. This will be and sustainability over the entire life cycle of especially valuable when existing infrastructure conventional and unconventional energy and will require repairs or replacement and mineral extraction technologies and practices. improved resiliency is needed for climate The research will advance the sustainable man- change, extreme weather events, and security agement of the Nation’s water resources to threats. Another accomplishment will be to ensure sufficient water quality and quantity to verify reliability—and explore with partners the support environmental, socio-economic, and ability to quantify the comparative costs and public health needs now and into the future. benefits of—gray and green infrastructure for managing water volume and improving water Nutrients quality and other benefits. Other benefits Anticipated accomplishments will improve include groundwater recharge, rainwater our ability to analyze and detect harmful algal harvesting for irrigation, improving human blooms, better understand the interactive health by reducing ground-level ozone and effects of temperature and nutrient loadings on particulate matter and providing opportunities harmful algal bloom development, and provide for recreation, reducing urban heat islands, drinking water treatment system operators with creating habitat, improving property values, improved methods for detecting and treating creating new jobs, etc. This work also aims toxins on site. Research will also target where to anticipate any unintended consequences the greatest improvements can be achieved related to increased water permeation into by reducing point-source and nonpoint- soil and groundwater. We expect that research source nutrient loading. Specifically, this work results from this topic will increase the ability will support the development of numeric for community planners to make well-informed nutrient criteria and improved technologies. decisions concerning implementation of green It will also support development of best infrastructure. management practices and inspection and maintenance practices to monitor and reduce nutrient loading cost effectively using current regulatory, voluntary, and green-infrastructure

33 Water Systems This research will continue providing the efficiencies and reduce costs for post-use water high level of public health protection and treatment. Water Systems topic research will research support to the program and regional advance cost-effective treatment technologies, offices with a focus on sustainable treatment operations, and maintenance for small water technologies to address existing and emerging systems by providing evaluations of novel chemical and microbial contaminants, both treatment processes and assessing sustainable individually and in groups. Anticipated impacts approaches, including effective decentralized include increasing water reuse (and public systems. Using resilient approaches for all acceptance of its use). Water reuse research systems will make the systems more prepared will include efforts to maximize the recovery of for extreme weather events, climate change, other resources embedded in post-use waters, and security threats, resulting in better such as nutrients, energy, and materials (e.g., protection of water quality and availability, metals, chemicals), using resilient and energy- human and environmental health, and capital efficient technologies. Our aim is for the investments. resource recovery studies to increase energy

Conclusions

Water knows no borders. From the highest programs, federal agencies, private and public headwaters to the farthest oceans and back as stakeholders, and colleagues in the scientific water vapor, water flows in a highly interrelated community. Such cross-cutting communication cycle. Consequently, threats to our water and all-level partnerships are key to seamless, resources, such as contaminants, increased effective responses. Progress made in one area use, aging infrastructure, climate change, and can cascade through different scales—local, extreme weather events, do not affect just one state, regional, and national. river, reservoir, or estuary, but instead ripple through the whole system. This research is guided by overarching objectives that change the water-management paradigm: Our Nation’s response to these challenges 'wastewater' becomes a valuable commodity, must be equally dynamic. The SSWR research undervalued water becomes a resource with program takes an integrated approach that quantified benefits, and isolated quick fixes examines the entire cycle to develop long-term, become system-wide solutions. This work will real-world solutions. This Strategic Research yield the innovative tools and information Action Plan maps out the targeted steps that will needed to protect the quality, supply, and be taken in the next 4 years. It was developed resiliency of America’s waters, sustaining them in collaboration with other EPA research so that they, in turn, can sustain our Nation.

34 References

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36 Appendix 1

Partners and Stakeholders for Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research

Note: SSWR works with many partner and stakeholder organizations, and new partnerships are continually forming; therefore, this list is not comprehensive.

Federal Agencies Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Department of Defense U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Department of Energy Department of Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Science Foundation

State/Local Organizations Environmental Council of the States/ Environmental Research Institute of the States National Association of Clean Water Agencies Association of State Drinking Water Administrators

Non-governmental Organizations Water Research Foundation Water Environment Research Foundation Water Reuse Foundation The Nature Conservancy

International Organizations Global Water Research Coalition Environment Canada United Nations Environment Programme Project on International Nitrogen Management System

37 Appendix 2

Table of Proposed Outputs, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program FY 2016–2019

The following table lists the expected outputs from the Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program, organized by topic. Note that outputs may change as new scientific findings emerge. Outputs are also contingent on budget appropriations.

Project Area Area-Specific Outputs Watershed Sustainability Sustainable Water FY2018 – Guidance to characterize and predict the condition and integrity of aquatic systems and their watersheds at multiple scales. FY2019 – Scientific tools for multi-scale assessments of multi-media effects on the condition, integrity, and sustainability of the Nation’s waters. Water Quality Criteria FY2019 – Scientific basis and tools for expanded water quality criteria capability to protect human health and aquatic life. Minerals and Energy FY2017 – Synthesis of the science on groundwater quality impacts around uranium in situ recovery sites. FY2019 – Proactive approaches to assessing risks to watershed integrity and sustainability associated with current, transitioning or emerging technologies and practices, including water use, for the life cycle of conventional and unconventional energy, minerals, and other materials. Water Quality Benefits FY2019 – Provide economic analyses, water quality models and knowledge to program offices, to support the economic valuation of changes in water quality, water availability and related ecosystem services, at appropriate scales for the Nation’s main water body types. Nutrients Harmful Algal Blooms FY2019 – Science and tools that advance the ability of stakeholders to more effectively, and economically, characterize and manage (prevent, control and mitigate) risks posed by harmful algal blooms. Nutrient Threshold FY2019 – Methods, tools, data and scientific analyses to inform Targets and Nutrient prioritization of watersheds for management of nutrients and Management set nutrient specific water quality and aquatic life thresholds; and demonstrate and communicate new metrics, management approaches, and use of monitoring data to verify the expected benefits from applying nutrient reduction management practices.

38 Project Area Area-Specific Outputs Green Infrastructure GI Models and Tools FY2016 – Provide performance information, guidance and planning tools for program offices and community partners to facilitate increased adoption of GI. FY2019 – Demonstrate modeling tool approaches for program offices and community partners to assess green infrastructure (GI) effectiveness for managing both runoff volume and water quality at multiple watershed scales. GI Community FY2019 – Advance the ability of communities and watershed organizations to make informed decisions on whether and how to implement GI for stormwater and post-use water treatment, water capture, and aquifer recharge. Water Systems Water Systems - FY2017 – Advanced monitoring and analytical tools (multiple Regulatory Support parameters) for effective integrated water system management to minimize human and ecological risk. FY2019 – Develop and demonstrate individual technologies and integrated systems to optimize the collection, treatment, and distribution of water (drinking water and wastewater) and the recovery of resources. FY2019 – Communication of technological advancements for measuring health risks in current and future systems. Next Generation Water FY2018 – Advanced monitoring and analytical tools (multiple Systems parameters) for effective integrated water system management to minimize human and ecological risk. FY2019 – Develop and demonstrate individual technologies and integrated systems to optimize the collection, treatment and distribution of water (drinking water and wastewater) and the recovery of resources. FY2019 – Communication of technological advancements for measuring health risks in current and future systems. Water System FY2017 – Integrated assessment tool to define optimal resource Approaches recovery–based water systems including water fit for purpose at various scales. FY2018 – Advanced monitoring and analytical tools (multiple parameters) for effective integrated water system management to minimize human and ecological risk. FY2019 – Develop and demonstrate individual technologies and integrated systems to optimize the collection, treatment, and distribution of water (drinking water and wastewater), and the recovery of resources. FY2019 – Communication of technological advancements for measuring health risks in current and future systems.

39 PRESORTED STANDARD POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT NO. G-35

Office of Research and Development (8101R) Washington, DC 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300