Application process now open for Water Council Pilot Program
September 28, 2015

Application Process Now Open for Water Council Pilot Program

Transferring water research from the lab with a working prototype, to real world pilot sites

MILWAUKEE, WI. SEPT. 28, 2015 – The Water Council today announced that it is accepting applications for its Pilot Program which is designed to help transfer research from the lab with a working prototype, to real world pilot project demonstration sites for practical application. The Program will support businesses of all sizes by acting as a launch pad to validate and commercialize products that are near market introduction.

In August 2015, The Water Council announced a partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and Fund for Lake Michigan (FLM) that would provide $600,000 in joint funding over two years to advance new clean water technologies through the Pilot Program. The Program was launched in early 2015 through a Clean Technology & Innovation grant from Wells Fargo.

Under the Program, applications are being sought for the following three areas of emphasis:

• Intelligent stormwater green infrastructure (e. cisterns, bioswales, green roofs, porous paving materials, etc.) – projects that create web-based infrastructure that allow for the active management of stormwater with green infrastructure systems and the integration thereof;

• Stormwater quality – projects that enhance the ability to detect contaminants in stormwater and runoff, innovate the ability for best management practices to better capture and treat stormwater and polluted runoff from both urban and rural environments, and identify beneficial reuse of reclaimed water will be deemed high priority; and

• Stormwater quantity – projects that achieve run-off control through delayed release to the sewer system and area waterways, improve infiltration rates of green infrastructure, and maximize bio-retention will also be deemed high priority.

Selected projects must address integrated water solutions through innovation, application, and demonstration while maintaining a cost-efficient, scalable, and deployable model. The Program acts as a catalyst for companies and professionals who are developing new products that deliver significant water quality and/or quantity improvements.

“The Pilot Program reaffirms an incredibly important area of our mission, to improve world water health,” said Dean Amhaus, president and CEO of The Water Council. “This joint support and funding to help develop and validate new, cutting-edge products, will unleash a new wave of water technology innovation.”

With a membership that includes over 170 water technology organizations, The Water Council has unique resources to support technologies related to water quality and quantity. The Pilot Program will work with Water Council member companies of all sizes who have existing prototypes addressing these issues.

Application Process Details

Open from September 28 at 8:00am CST to October 30 at 11:59 PM CST, 2015. Entrants can submit their application online at www.thewatercouncil.com/pilotprogram. There is no fee to enter the competition. Winners are selected by a panel of expert judges and the number of winners will vary depending on the concepts received. Winners will be announced in December 2015.

About The Water Council

The Water Council, the only organization of its kind in the United States, was established in 2009 by Milwaukee-area businesses, education and government leaders. The non-profit organization, consisting of more than 170 members, is linking together global water technology companies, innovative water entrepreneurs, acclaimed academic research programs and, most importantly, some of the nation’s brightest and most energetic water professionals. The Water Council is capturing the attention of the world and transforming the Milwaukee region into a World Water Hub for freshwater research, economic development and education. For more information, visit www.thewatercouncil.com or contact us by phone at 414.988.8750.

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