2007

TASK 1: Silica Removal from Inland Brackish Water
Develop and demonstrate removal of silica from brackish water as a part of pre-treatment process prior to desalinization and/or arsenic removal.  The system should be applicable to a moderate size community (approximately 200,000 users).
TASK 2: Photovoltaic System Performance Indicator
Develop and demonstrate a system to determine that a residential utility-interactive PV system is operating properly and that the ac power output is following the solar power available to the PV array.
TASK 3: Inland Desalination Operation and Disposal in Rural, Isolated Communities
Develop and demonstrate a low-cost, simple and reliable system for use in brackish water reclamation. The proposed solution must be applicable for use in inland desalinization facilities and should specifically address concentrate issues, reject water handling and optimization, energy consumption, and associated costs.  The system must be able to produce fresh water for various sized communities throughout the southwest.  As a part of your proposed in-land brackish water reclamation, the concentrate management solution may include evaporation, deep-well injection, land application, other methods, or a combination of methods.  Use of alternative energy sources as a part of an integrated system is highly encouraged. 
TASK 4: Conversion of Biomass Resource to Useful Forms of Energy and Other Products
Develop, evaluate and demonstrate a system (excluding landfill options) that will convert biomass to biofuel including biogas or liquids. Your design should propose a form of useful energy for consumption.  Ideally the converted energy will be in the form of electricity, natural gas, or bio-diesel with relative cost per unit of interest (i.e. kilowatt/hour or cost per gallon).  The proposed solution should address final disposition of secondary by-products, environmental, economic, and cost benefit issues.
TASK 5: Bacteria and/or Virus Removal from Pond Water
Develop and demonstrate a system that will remove (1) typical pond matter that may inhibit the function of an existing system; and (2) bacteria and/or viruses from pond water often used by local farmers of fruits and vegetables to dilute crop protection chemicals.  This system must be easily retrofitted to an existing crop protection system. Solutions applied directly to the pond are not viable.  The system must be easy to maintain, cost effective, and take into account all aspects of clean-up, including any waste disposal.  The end product must be safe for application to produce for human consumption.
TASK 6: Carbon Management
Develop and demonstrate a new and innovative technique for effective management of carbon cycles including capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas.  Your proposed solution must address energy requirements, economic issues, environmental impacts, and the associated costs.
TASK 7: Energy Efficient Removal of TDS from RO Reject and Cooling Tower Blowdown
As water utilization efficiency increases industry is left with the challenge of what to do with the remaining dissolved ions in solution.  Dissolved solids discharged either directly through NPDES permits or indirectly through POTW’s are an increasing challenge due to the impact on receiving waters. Solar Evaporation requires available acreage which is becoming limited and a favorable climate. Energy efficient Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) removal is necessary to meet this growing challenge.  Electrodionization (EDI) and ion exchange (IX) are not applicable due to the high level of TDS in the stream and the near saturation concentration of constituents such as silica, hardness (calcium, magnesium) and phosphates that can be in the RO reject or Cooling Tower blowdown.
TASK HS: High School Task
High Schools may address any of the tasks above or select a task of their own to work on.  We categorized that as an “Open Task.”  Prior approval has been given by WERC on the subject of their Open Task.