Think of it as a big laboratory where new water technology is tested. The EPA's Testing and Evaluation Center, right next to the Metropolitan Sewer District, played host to a group of people who wanted to figure out better ways to solve their water problems.
Richard Seline with the Texas Water Cluster Initiative and others are now armed with new information after their visit to Cincinnati. He says, "You kind of see around the country who's doing what cool things with technology."
Cincinnati's water cluster called Confluence is doing a lot of cool things with technology and is leveraging its expertise to become a world water leader, solve global problems and make money. The EPA hosted a two day meeting that concluded with a tour of this test facility.
Jeff Moeller, with the Water Environment Research Foundation, is glad more communities are forming water clusters to solve problems by using technology. "Just a couple of years ago it seemed like there were only two or three (water clusters) in the U.S. and Canada and now at this meeting that was organized by the EPA there were about 15 organizations." Moeller sees innovation as the key to solving a big funding gap.
Many are following Cincinnati's lead.
As reported in WVXU's and WCPO's Liquid Asset series The overall economic impact of water technology in the Tri-State is estimated to be as much as $2.1 billion annually with the potential to grow six to seven percent every year.
