Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

EPA Awards $4.8 Million to Six Universities to Research Water Quality Benefits

  • 09/20/16

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced funding to six universities to work with local communities to better understand the economic value of water quality.

“Clean water is a cornerstone of a healthy community. Many communities face challenging decisions about investing in the protection of water resources,” says Thomas Burke, EPA science advisory and deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “These grants will help measure the costs and benefits of improving water quality, an important step toward protecting the environment and human health.”

Chemical and microbial contaminants continue to reduce the quality of our water – and often at a rate that outpaces water quality improvements from regulatory actions. The research grants announced today will help communities and experts conduct benefit-cost analyses for actions that protect our waterways.

This research will also provide a critical link between water quality science and the monetary value of the services that healthy waterways provide, including recreational uses.

The grants are being awarded to the following institutions:

  • Clark University, Worcester, MA, will estimate water quality benefits throughout river systems in the Northeast.
  • Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, will create a framework for linking the health of small streams to water quality indicators and ecosystem services that people recognize and fundamentally value.
  • University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, will quantify the value of changes in water quality, both in terms of the value to the environment and their value to the economy.
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh will develop and demonstrate methods for valuing the benefits of water quality in wadeable streams in Southeast watersheds where the surrounding area is undergoing increased urban development.
  • Michigan State University, East Lansing, will estimate value caused by changes in nutrients to the freshwater systems in Michigan.
  • Iowa State University, Ames, will quantify the value water quality improvements in Midwestern ecosystems.

More information about these grants: cfpub.epa.gov
More information about water research grants: www.epa.gov

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.