SRF News

SRF Awards Universities Practical Research Funds Addressing Emerging Contaminants

The state is actively exploring all avenues to utilize crucial BIL funding to detect and address a variety of emerging contaminants, aiming to safeguard drinking water and reduce pollutants in wastewater discharges. As part of this initiative, the SRF program has brought together a consortium of universities from the Smokey Mountains to the Mississippi River. These academic researchers are eager to collaborate with utility partners to tackle these pressing challenges. The SRF program is using BIL EC cap grant funding, designated for technical assistance, to support the work of three universities:

Tennessee Technological University - Development of Rapid and Cost-efficient Procedure for Monitoring Toxic Cyanobacteria in Tennessee Surface Waters / $406,253.00

Tennessee Technological University - Microplastics from Tennessee's Wastewater Treatment Plants into Receiving Streams: An Infrastructural and Operational Perspective / $328,440.00

Vanderbilt University (Human and Organizational Development/Drinking Water Justice Lab) - PFAS Risk in Tennessee Drinking Water Supply: A Data-Driven Risk-Informed Approach to Identify Communities At-Risk to PFAS Exposure / $352,944.43

The consortium continues to grow as more universities express interest in joining the conversation. They meet quarterly to discuss challenges and explore solutions for small systems managing or preventing emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater systems.

For more information on these grants or our efforts to combat emerging contaminants in the SRF program, please reach out to Brenden Barney - Brenden.Barney@tn.gov

March 12, 2024

SRF is proud to highlight the hard work and effort that State Universities in Tennessee are making to improve the state's water quality within Disadvantaged Communities!

Disadvantaged Communities to Receive Help Securing Wastewater Infrastructure Funds
The Tennessee Water Resources Research Center, affiliated with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is partnering with the UT Institute of Agriculture, Tennessee Tech University, and the University of Memphis to implement a statewide university-utility partnership to help small and disadvantaged communities apply for low-interest wastewater infrastructure loans.

Click HERE to learn more!

This Page Last Updated: September 25, 2024 at 3:29 PM