Technology Evaluation Framework Opens Pathway to Adoption of Emerging and Innovative Technologies

This paper describes the technology evaluation framework developed by the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD). The framework was developed to create a feasible pathway for realizing potential benefits of new technologies, allowing them to be considered as viable alternatives to conventional technologies for a generally conservative utility. A case study applying the framework to address anticipated effluent ammonia limits for PWD’s water pollution control plants (WPCPs) is also presented. One promising high-impact technology for ammonia removal, Nuvoda mobile organic biofilm (MOBTM; hereafter “MOB”), was fast-tracked. It shows potential to substantially reduce lifecycle costs for ammonia removal compliance and is currently in the execution phase of testing. In parallel, PWD is also in the discovery phase of identifying and screening other potentially viable technologies and innovative approaches to diversify its portfolio of cost-saving ammonia removal alternatives.