WEF VP Testifies at House Hearing
Jeanette Brown, vice oresident of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), testified on Feb. 4 at a congressional hearing of the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The hearing, “Sustainable Wastewater Management”, was an information-gathering exercise that specifically focused on improving the energy efficiency of U.S. wastewater treatment plants.
The subcommittee has broad jurisdiction over water resources activities including the Clean Water Act and Clean Water State Revolving Funds that help state and local governments meet their water infrastructure needs. Recognizing that energy is one of the highest costs in the wastewater treatment process, it is estimated that treatment plants consume more than 1 percent of all energy used in the United States. The purpose of this hearing was to identify ways to mitigate this consumption by exploring energy efficient technologies and operations.
As the executive director of the Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority (Conn.) with more than 30 years of experience, Brown provided a real world perspective on energy use and the modern wastewater treatment plant. Her testimony, “Energy Efficiency and Energy Independence for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment,” included recommended approaches to energy efficient wastewater treatment and the relationship between treatment requirements and energy consumption, including the potential for wastewater treatment systems to generate renewable power.
To view Brown's testimony, go to http://199.73.36.165/NR/rdonlyres/9F9FBFA4-07EA-4E6B-9B37-E466CB1EDAF3/0/JBTestimonyFeb42009.pdf.