The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the allocation of $1,000,000 in research grant funding to Cornwell Research Group in Newport News, Virginia. The grant aims to evaluate the effectiveness of common manganese treatment technologies and assist states, Tribes, and small utilities in adopting these technologies for small drinking water systems.
“The funding announced today will help our small drinking water systems meet public health requirements with fewer resources,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “This research will help identify and find treatment solutions that address unique challenges that small communities face when providing clean drinking water.”
Manganese is an essential element in the human diet and is naturally occurring in the environment. It is prevalent throughout the United States in groundwater and surface water. However, higher concentrations have been found to potentially lead to negative neurological health impacts in vulnerable populations. Small public water systems, serving 10,000 or fewer customers, often lack the resources and capacity to adopt and maintain manganese treatment systems. Supporting the development of affordable, efficient, and user-friendly manganese treatment technologies will better enable small, rural, and Tribal systems to address health concerns.
The research team at Cornwell Research Group will evaluate manganese treatment costs and performance for small water systems to determine appropriate treatment solutions for various site scenarios. Recommendations will be disseminated through site visits, workshops, webinars, and a website. This initiative aims to help small utilities implement and maintain effective manganese treatment for their drinking water.
