Water Research Foundation to Evaluate Coating Technologies
EPA awarded the foundation $600,000 to help determine if the technologies could reduce the need to replace lead lines that carry drinking water.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Water Research Foundation (WaterRF) a STAR Grant to conduct research that will comprehensively evaluate lead service line (LSL) lining and coating technologies as alternatives to full or partial LSL replacement.
The research also will evaluate the use of these coatings as a means of protecting and repairing both lead and copper service lines.
WaterRF is contracting with Steve Randtke, Ph.D., of the University of Kansas to conduct the bulk of the required research; the foundation will manage the project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2013. Once completed, the research findings will be available to all foundation members and public health organizations.
The foundation won the grant through a competitive solicitation process established by EPA’s National Center for Environmental Research. Its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program funds research grants in numerous environmental science and engineering disciplines. One the areas STAR is currently focused on is drinking water.