FOA-Viral
Pathogen and Surrogate Approaches for Assessing Treatment Performance in Water
Reuse (EPA-G2021-STAR-A1); January 6, 2021
Agency
US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Description
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve
Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing to conduct research
on existing and novel surrogates for the detection and monitoring of the
presence of human enteric viral pathogens and surrogates in water reuse
applications, where wastewater is the source water. Additionally, proposals
should aim to identify quantitative reductions of infectious viral pathogens
and surrogates across unit treatment processes and full treatment trains to
improve viral risk assessments; viral log reduction targets; and unit process
credits for water reuse applications. For the purpose of this RFA, viral
surrogates are defined as an organism, particle, or compound used to study the
fate of a pathogen in a given environment (1). Viral surrogates may include
nonpathogenic (e.g., coliphage, pepper mild mottle
virus [PMMoV], etc.) or pathogenic viruses (e.g.,
adenovirus, norovirus, etc.) and/or other types of indicators demonstrated to
predict the presence of and/or risk of illness from human pathogenic viruses
(e.g., enterococcus qPCR [EPA Method 1609], the human marker HF183, etc.) via
co-occurrence studies and quantitative microbial risk
assessments.
This
RFA seeks to minimize uncertainties associated with risk-based treatment
performance for water reuse applications and gain new information on novel and
existing surrogates for:
1)
detecting and monitoring human enteric viral
pathogens in wastewater, a potential source water for reuse;
2)
validating viral reductions during unit treatment
processes required for various fit-for-purpose applications; and
3)
assessing potential human health risks associated
with reuse applications (e.g., potable water, different types of food crop
irrigation scenarios, non-food crop irrigation scenarios where human exposure
is probable, and non-potable indoor reuse).
This
RFA also seeks new information on viral pathogens, surrogates, and methods for
their detection, including information on the quantitative reduction and
inactivation of infectious viral pathogens to support human health risks
assessments related to human enteric viruses in reuse scenarios. The proposed
research should result in information that will enable wastewater operators,
reuse projects, and state and local regulators ensure public health protection
from viral pathogens when reusing municipal wastewater for various reuse
applications.
Announcement
Number:
EPA-
G2021-STAR-A1
Closing
Date:
January
6, 2021
Link
to Full Announcement
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=329621
Contact
Information
Sarah
Ludwig-Monty
202-566-1072