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<TITLE>Project Neptune - upgrading existing municipal infrastructure to deal with emerging contaminants</TITLE>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">Project Neptune: </FONT><A HREF="http://www.eu-neptune.org/project_summary/index_EN"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman">http://www.eu-neptune.org/project_summary/index_EN</FONT></U></A>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">The scope of sewage treatment is changing: Up to date municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were seen as an end-of-pipe treatment just before discharge, having the aim to avoid eutrophication and hygienic health hazard in surface water. Due to the global demographic trends as well as new legislations (e.g. the Water Framework Directive, WFD) increased focus is put on quantity and quality of effluents: more and more seen as interface between sanitation and environment, WWTP are delivering resources to the environment and for human activities (recharge of drinking water reservoirs, recycling of nutrient, efficient energy use). This focus shift has implications on the quality goals set for WWTP products:</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">Existing focus: New focus: </FONT>
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<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">water treatment water reuse </FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">nutrient removal nutrient recycling </FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">pathogens removal micropollutants and ecotoxicity removal </FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">energy optimization energy production </FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">sludge disposal reuse of sludge and its resources </FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">NEPTUNE will approach these tasks by focusing on<B> technology solutions</B> allowing to meet present and future standards via<B> upgrading of existing municipal infrastructure</B> (new control strategies with online sensors; effluent upgrading with oxidation, activated carbon or wetland treatment; safe sludge processing and reuse) as well as via<B> new techniques</B> (fuel cell applications; new oxidation processes; production of polymer and phosphate from sludge). By including pathogens and ecotoxicity aspects into life cycle assessment studies (LCA), the project is helping to improve the<B> comparability of various technical options</B> and propose a suitability ranking.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">WWTP are the major pollutant point source for surface water, and consequently impact on the new focus legislated by the WFD. The emerging interest on organic (eco-)toxic compounds requires characterizing treated effluent and treatment technologies concerning ecotoxicologic aspects and micropollutants. NEPTUNE is contributing to this discussion by</FONT><B> <FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">ecotoxicity assessment</FONT></B><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman"> and micropollutant fate studies.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">By directly</FONT><B> <FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">involving European players of the water management sector</FONT></B><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">, the generated know-how is expected to contribute to the export oriented knowledge based EU eco-industry. Further NEPTUNE will contribute to</FONT><B> <FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman">sustainable growth</FONT></B><FONT COLOR="#000080" FACE="Times New Roman"> in the EU by helping to remove the barriers faced by new environmentally friendly integrated solutions, a) by covering knowledge gaps of new solutions and b) by evidencing pros and cons of technologic alternatives through direct comparison.</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Deborah L. DeBiasi</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Email: dldebiasi@deq.virginia.gov</FONT></B>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">WEB site address: </FONT><A HREF="file://www.deq.virginia.gov"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">www.deq.virginia.gov</FONT></U></A>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Virginia Department of Environmental Quality</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Office of Water Permit Programs</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Industrial Pretreatment/Toxics Management Program</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">PPCPs, EDCs, and Microconstituents</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Mail: P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218</FONT><B><I> <FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">(NEW!)</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Location: 629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">PH: 804-698-4028</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">FAX: 804-698-4032</FONT>
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