“One Water” Concept Advanced by Merger

Two leading research foundations, the Water Environment Research Foundation and the WateReuse Research Foundation, have joined forces, combining their considerable portfolios into a new entity focused on the “One Water” concept.

The new organization, dubbed The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF), bolsters the industry movement toward One Water, which “realizes the true value of all water, wastewater, and stormwater,” according to a news release.

“Our merger is, in large part, the result of a movement that recognizes that all water has value,” explains WE&RF Chief Executive Officer, Melissa Meeker. “All water is reused and renewable, either through desalination, stormwater harvesting, more effective wastewater treatment, or any other number of avenues. Our merger reflects that fundamental principle.”

“Bringing these two organizations together allows us to leverage our expertise to pursue an integrated approach to critical research in water,” said WE&RF Board Co-Chair, Kevin Shafer, Executive Director, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. “We are now the largest one-stop-shop for research in resource recovery and reuse.”

Since it was established in 1989, the Water Environment Research Foundation has been internationally recognized as a leader in research related to wastewater and stormwater. Established in 1993, the WateReuse Research Foundation has led the world in producing applied research in water reuse.