Tomorrow Water joins AECOM and leading U.S. partners in a $27.8M DOE-funded project to advance Partial Denitrification-Anammox (PdNA) technology, cutting emissions and energy use to modernize wastewater treatment for a net-zero future.
Tomorrow Water is partnering with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. on a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to make wastewater treatment more sustainable and climate-friendly.
As part of a $27.8 million initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs), the project will focus on improving nitrogen removal using an innovative process called Partial Denitrification-Anammox (PdNA).
PdNA offers a streamlined way to treat nitrogen in wastewater, lowering both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while avoiding cost increases. The team is also testing five different biofilm carriers and supplemental carbon sources to enhance microbial performance and further improve efficiency.
WRRFs are among the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions—particularly methane and nitrous oxide—since many facilities were built before climate change became a priority. Upgrading them with advanced processes like PdNA, coupled with renewable energy integration, represents a major opportunity to support global net-zero goals.
This project, officially titled:
“Technological Upscaling of the Partial Denitrification-Anammox Process for Decarbonization with Mainstream Deammonification”,
brings together a strong coalition of utilities, researchers, and technology providers:
- Utilities: DC Water, Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Prince William County Service Authority, Linda County Water District
- Academic Partners: Cornell University, Princeton University, Northwestern University, University of Nevada, Reno
With their expertise, the project aims not only to replace older nitrogen removal methods that generate greenhouse gases, but also to reduce both capital (CAPEX) and operating (OPEX) costs—making it a scalable solution for WRRFs nationwide.
Together, Tomorrow Water and its partners are working to advance scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions for a cleaner and more resilient water future.
👉 Read the full DOE announcement here
Discover more about Tomorrow Water’s innovative solutions on our official website.
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