CFAs: Advancing Nature-Based Solutions by Assessing Long-Term Performance of Natural & Engineered Media

Project Objectives

• This project will help utilities better understand the optimum media or engineered media combinations needed to remove particular constituents of concern (CECs) (e.g., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals, etc.), as well as more common water quality measures such as nutrients and metals, using nature-based solutions (NbS) across different water matrices.
• Results from this work can be used to inform the operation and maintenance of nature-based solutions and explore the possibility of upscaling their performance to a larger scale (e.g., sub-watershed level, sewershed). Project objectives include the following:
  • Perform a state-of-the-practice review of types of natural and engineered media most frequently used in nature-based retention, detention, and infiltration practices across different water matrices. One of the pollutants of focus in this study will be PFAS.
  • Perform lab-scale and pilot-scale tests while considering future full-scale tests on most common media using different water matrices and quantify performance over time.
  • Evaluate potential need for media extraction and disposal as well as risks and costs associated with media extraction and disposal after media has reached useful life.
  • Holistically compare tradeoffs of different media types across different water matrices.

More specific to water quality are the following nature-based solutions:

• Constructed wetlands to treat wastewater and stormwater through biological and physical processes
• Native vegetation planted along water bodies to create buffer zones that act as natural filters to trap sediment, absorb nutrients, and filter pollutants before they reach the water
• Soil conservation practices—such as contour plowing, cover cropping, and agroforestry—to minimize soil erosion and to prevent sediment and nutrients from entering water bodies
• Floating wetlands—artificial platforms covered in vegetation that float on the water’s surface—to help remove excess nutrients and pollutants from the water while providing habitat for aquatic organisms
• Buffer strips of vegetation along the edges of agricultural fields to prevent nutrient and pesticide runoff into water bodies.

Budget

• Applicants may request up to $275,000 in WRF funds for this project.
• Project Duration: The anticipated period of performance for this project is 24 months from the contract start date.

Expected Deliverables

• The list below includes types of recommended deliverables, but creative options for an improved user experience are encouraged to better convey the objectives, outcomes, and practical application of the project results:
  • Literature review synthesis document (e.g., focusing on PFAS)
  • Compendium document summarizing
    • Effectiveness of different media for removal of specific CECs—including PFAS—under various water quality and site conditions
    • Recommended strategies for full-scale testing
    • Disposal options and concerns for spent media
  • Guidance manual
  • Webcast, conference presentation, etc.
  • Peer-reviewed journal article
  • Web tool

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals will be accepted from both U.S.-based and non-U.S.-based entities, including educational institutions, research organizations, governmental agencies, and consultants or other for-profit entities.
• Researchers who are late on any ongoing WRF-sponsored studies without approved no-cost extensions are not eligible to be named participants in any proposals.
• WRF encourages participation from water utilities and other organizations in WRF research. Participation can occur in a variety of ways, including direct participation, in-kind contributions, or in-kind services.

For more information, visit WRF.