Tetra Tech’s Jennifer Roque accepted the Best Paper Presentation award for “Groundwater Replenishment Performance and Operations: Lessons Learned During Clearwater’s One-Year Pilot” at the 2015 Membrane Technology conference in Orlando, Florida, in early March. Ms. Roque wrote the paper with supporting authors from the City of Clearwater, Florida, as well as Tetra Tech’s Emilie Moore and Jarrett Kinslow. The technical content of the paper, as well as the overall delivery of the presentation, factored into the award selection.

The City of Clearwater’s year-long groundwater replenishment pilot program demonstrated effective performance of a multiple barrier treatment train capable of meeting full treatment and disinfection requirements and drinking water standards; removing infectious pathogens, mutagenic substances, and microconstituents; and stabilizing the purified water for aquifer injection. Lessons learned during pilot testing will be incorporated into full-scale design of the groundwater replenishment purification and recharge systems. By sharing best practices and operational lessons learned from this project, Tetra Tech and the City of Clearwater hope to help utilities move confidently together into a future of sustainable, abundant water supplies.

The American Membrane Technology Association and American Water Works Association sponsor the conference, which is known as the premier event for membrane technology and applications in North America. The technical sessions highlight the latest membrane developments, research, and implementation. More than 1,100 industry professionals attend the conference.

About the Lead Author

Jennifer Roque, Tetra Tech project engineer assists in the planning, design, and construction administration of membrane treatment plants, chemical feed systems, transmission mains, and energy recovery processes. She also has experience with wastewater and potable reuse treatment. She holds Bachelors and Masters of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida.