Clean Water Technology Center
EPA’s Clean Water Technology Center (Tech Center) is committed to supporting access to reliable and affordable wastewater infrastructure that protects human health and water quality. The Tech Center provides resources and services to help communities of all sizes build their capacity to become more effective by adopting innovative and alternative wastewater technologies that address local water challenges.
The Tech Center supports states and communities by developing or enhancing funding eligibility guidance, providing technical assistance, performing applied research, and engaging in planning support. The Tech Center also provides information on low-cost technologies to tackle nutrient issues.
- Research on Treatment Technologies
- Searchable Clearinghouse of Wastewater Technology (SCOWT)
- Connect with the Tech Center
- Related Resources on Wastewater Technologies
- COVID-19 Public Health Response
- Report to Congress on Alternative Decentralized and Centralized Wastewater Treatment Technology
Research on Treatment Technologies
The Tech Center enables the adoption of holistic and realistic wastewater management options and technology solutions to recover nutrients, extract energy, reuse water, increase efficiency, and address impacts related to emerging contaminants. The Tech Center tracks the state of the science in various wastewater technology areas, assesses technologies in priority areas, and shares objective cost and performance information.
Searchable Clearinghouse of Wastewater Technology
The Searchable Clearinghouse of Wastewater Technology (SCOWT) was created by the Tech Center. SCOWT is an information-sharing platform that provides resources on the cost-effectiveness and performance of innovative, alternative, and reuse wastewater technologies for both centralized and decentralized systems. SCOWT compiles accurate and objective research to support technology adoption, with a focus on small and mid-size communities.
Example Technology Resources
SCOWT compiles resources on a range of technology options that support effective water resource management approaches, including:
- Nutrient Reduction and Recovery
- Energy Efficiency, Generation, and Carbon Management
- Water Reuse
- Biosolids Management
- Intelligent Water Solutions
- Innovative Operations and Maintenance
- Wastewater-based Surveillance (WBS)
Video Introduction to SCOWT
Learn about EPA’s Searchable Clearinghouse of Wastewater Technology (SCOWT) information-sharing platform that provides resources on the cost-effectiveness and performance of innovative, alternative, and reuse wastewater technologies.
Connect with the Tech Center
Tech Center scientists and engineers with expertise in both centralized and decentralized wastewater systems serve as a resource to other federal agencies, states, utilities, and technology manufacturers and collaborate with partners across the water sector to help accelerate progress and align efforts.
- You can connect with the Tech Center directly by emailing the Wastewater Technology Clearinghouse email box (WastewaterTechnologyClearinghouse@epa.gov).
Related Resources on Wastewater Technologies
Green Infrastructure for Wet Weather
Green Infrastructure can be a cost-effective and an environmentally preferable approach to reduce stormwater and other excess flows entering combined or separate sewer systems. EPA works with state and national partners to reduce runoff through approaches like green roofs, trees and tree boxes, rain gardens, and porous pavements. These approaches, combined with, or instead of, traditional approaches to wet weather management, can reduce costs while providing benefits to the community and to the environment.
Source Water Protection
Source Water Protection can be successful in providing public health protection and reducing the infrastructure needs for public water suppliers. Source water quality can be threatened by everyday activities and land uses, ranging from industrial wastes to the chemicals applied to suburban lawns. Protection of source waters can reduce the need for drinking water treatment, and reduce infrastructure needs and the costs of operating and maintaining water systems.
Decentralized Wastewater
Decentralized/Onsite Wastewater Management uses septic systems or small package plants that treat and disperse relatively small volumes of wastewater from individual or small numbers of homes and commercial buildings. Septic system regulation is usually a state, tribal and local responsibility. EPA provides information to homeowners and assistance to state and local governments to improve the management of septic systems to prevent failures that could harm human health and water quality. For many communities, the proper management of these smaller systems is more effective than large, centralized alternatives.
National Water Reuse Action Plan
The National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) was developed in collaboration with partners across the water sector. Actions in the plan are intended to drive progress on reuse and address local and national barriers across a range of topics including technical, institutional, and financial.
Compendium of U.S. Wastewater Surveillance to Support COVID-19 Public Health Response
In September 2021, EPA released A Compendium of U.S. Wastewater Surveillance to Support COVID-19 Public Health Response. The compendium details various COVID-19 wastewater surveillance programs across the nation from 2020 to early 2021, led by federal, state, local, and tribal agencies and associations, universities, and the private sector. It explores federal and other funding sources, developing and implementing wastewater surveillance programs for SARS-CoV-2, and uses case studies to provide implementation insight and lessons learned. The document additionally guides those interested in implementing wastewater surveillance in the future by elaborating on funding, project management, results, and potential actions to prevent the continued spread of COVID-19.
EPA hosted a roundtable on October 26, 2021, based on its Compendium of U.S. Wastewater Surveillance to Support COVID-19 Public Health Response. During the roundtable, expert panelists representing a range of stakeholders discussed disseminating information on wastewater surveillance to utility stakeholders, using wastewater surveillance to provide targeted outreach to various communities, and wastewater surveillance gaps and opportunities from the utility perspective.
View a video recording of the roundtable below:
- Roundtable on Compendium Presentation Slides (pdf)
- Roundtable on Compendium Panelist Biographies (pdf)
Report to Congress on Alternative Decentralized and Centralized Wastewater Treatment Technology
Every three years, the EPA submits a Report to Congress on wastewater treatment technology for decentralized and centralized systems. The Report describes EPA resources, such as technical assistance initiatives, grant programs, clearinghouses, and publications, that are available to states, regions, local governments, and non-profits.