AWWQRP Organization and Structure
PROJECT ORGANIZATION
Project Management: Pima County is supervising,
coordinating and managing the research activities through the AWWQRP
office within the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.
Regulatory Working Group (RWG): The RWG is comprised
of a 15-member group of stakeholders representing both public and
private interests. The RWG was established to ensure that the research
undertaken by the AWWQRP has a sound regulatory basis, and that,
to the extent practicable, the regulatory needs of arid West states
are addressed by the Project.
Scientific Advisory Group (SAG): This advisory
group is comprised of 7 - 8 established scientists (e.g. aquatic
toxicologists, terrestrial ecologists, etc.) from throughout the
West with experience in water quality research and peer review of
scientific and technical literature. The function of the SAG is
to recommend research topics for study, to ensure that studies undertaken
are designed appropriately, and to assist in the technical review
of research products.
EPA Oversight: The activities of the AWWQRP are
overseen by an EPA Region IX Project Officer.
PROJECT STRUCTURE
The AWWQRP is being implemented in four phases:
Phase I: Start-up -- Phase I has been completed.
Under this Phase management and staff for the Project were selected.
At the same time, members of the RWG were identified and appointed.
A conference of stakeholders
reviewed critical candidate issues previously identified and made
recommendations for the Research Agenda. Following the conference,
the RWG discussed the Research Agenda, the SAG was identified and
appointed, the Research Agenda and research topics were refined,
and the development of the Research Plan began. The administrative
process to create Requests for Proposals (RFPs), solicit proposals
and recommend contractors was also initiated at this time.
Phase II: Research Cycle -- This Phase of the
AWWQRP is presently ongoing. Contracts are being awarded for research,
research is being conducted and results are being compiled. Research
is being conducted in these four areas: Habitats of Concern, Chemical
Criteria, Biological/Ecological Criteria, and Whole Effluent Toxicity.
Phase III: Implementation of Research -- This
Phase is occurring concurrently with Phase II. Phase III involves
the dissemination of results of the research, preparing technical
papers for publication in scientific journals and writing policy
and application documents which incorporate research findings.
Phase IV: Research Continuation (2002 - 2007)
-- As indicated in the Workplan, Pima County will pursue additional
funding, redefine research priorities to reflect the outcomes of
completed research and initiate new research activities.
Phase II research has compiled for the first time data from many
arid West waters especially those that are effluent-dependent. The
biological importance of the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
created by wastewater discharge to otherwise ephemeral streams has
been demonstrated. However, these ecosystems are at risk because
of the competition for water resources. It is often less expensive
to treat wastewater for reuse purposes, e.g., urban irrigation,
than to meet treatment requirements for discharge to natural streams.
Continued research will support efforts to identify alternative
methods for implementing Clean Water Act requirements in the arid
West that recognize the value of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
created by these ephemeral and effluent-dependent streams.
The Project infrastructure developed under Phase I is in place
to support continued research. Pima County is seeking an additional
$5 million dollars to support arid West research in the following
areas:
- Water quality criteria and standards for
arid West habitats (continued development of arid West paradigm
applicable to these habitats)
- Water quality criteria and standards for chemicals
of specific concern (criteria development for specific chemicals,
nutrient criteria evaluation, exposure assumptions for recreational
uses, e.g., swimming and fishing)
- Biological/ecological criteria and standards
for arid West ecosystems (biocriteria)
- Guidance on applicability of Whole Effluent
Toxicity (WET) testing (testing methods/species)
- Arid West water policy and implementation
issues (development of alternative performance measures for measuring
compliance)
See the Arid West Water Quality Research
Project Fact Sheet (PDF).
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