Monday, November 9, 2026
Technical Sessions
Time: 1:15 – 5:00 PM
M5: All About Water for Data Centers
IWC Rep: Ashwin Thakkar, Aquatech, Canonsburg, PA
Session Chair: H.G. Sanjay, Bechtel, Reston, VA
Discussion Leader: Brian Lowes, P.E., Jacobs, Columbus, OH
You want to know about the water needs for data centers. Come join this session. We promise that this will give you a much better sense than “hey Google, Alexa, how much water does a data center use”?
IWC 26-13: Water and Wastewater Planning at Co-located Data Center / Power Plant Sites
Dennis Fink, Brown and Caldwell, Walnut Creek, CA; William Young, Brown and Caldwell; Rebecca Maco, Brown and Caldwell; Krystal Perez, Brown and Caldwell; Jeff Allen, Brown and Caldwell
Data centers are driving power generation growth. Recently, there has been a significant shift towards “behind the meter” generation – with power plants at the same campus with data centers. This presents opportunities in shared water and wastewater management. We will provide recommendations for water management at co-located sites based on our direct experience. Including: design basis for operations and construction phases, integrated water and wastewater management, reuse and alternative supplies, and corporate water goals.
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IWC 26-14: Intelligence and Data, the story of Dirt and Water
John Van Gehuchten, V-Systems, Pittsburgh, PA
The need to supply the next generation of industry, Artificial Intelligence and Data Centers, is driving markets on a global scale. However, the impacts are felt locally in those communities that must support the facilities necessary to bring these technologies into reality.
While unclear how long and how sustainable the long-term growth in this market will be, at this moment the growth of these facilities is impacting local communities in many ways. This paper reviews the water, power, and land required to run the computer hardware, necessary for running the software driving so much investment.
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IWC 26-15: Navigating Water Treatment Needs for Data Center Cooling Systems
Kyle Brunn, Jacobs Engineering, Morristown, NJ; Todd Elliott, Jacobs, Morristown, NJ
The rapid growth and desire for data centers is driving more systems toward reliable, resilient, and sustainable water strategies due to high water use and environmental goals Data centers are located in areas of both water surplus and water scarcity. The differing regions and water sources lead to variable water quality for cooling. Two case studies will highlight the differences in pretreatment required for cooling use and potential obstacles for discharge.
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IWC 26-16: Rethinking Water and Energy Strategies for Data Centers in the Age of AI
Carlo Zaffaroni and Serena Cattaneo WSP, Milano, Italy
Data centers face growing pressure to increase computing power, accelerate deployment, and improve sustainability, especially as AI raises energy and cooling demands. Cooling strategies are shifting from air to water systems, balancing efficiency with water use concerns. WSP supported European projects by assessing water sources, treatment needs, permitting, and environmental compliance. Key solutions included canal water use, advanced water treatment plants, seasonal cooling strategies, and reuse of treated groundwater to reduce impacts and delays.
Discusser: Mark Owens, P.E., UCC Environmental, Waukegan, IL
M6: Old Water, New Tricks: Creative Approaches to Recovery and Reuse
IWC Rep: John Yen, Marmon Water, Warren, NJ
Session Chair: Andrew Erickson, Sargent & Lundy, Kansas City, MO
Discussion Leader: Shannon Brown, HDR, Omaha, NE
Water reuse may sound simplistic, but these projects have plenty of drama: rising demand, tight disposal limits, scaling headaches, corrosion risk, high costs, and the occasional moment when a wastewater system decides to become everyone’s full-time job. This session will first explore case studies in the food & beverage and municipal industries that show how teams increased recovery, reduced freshwater withdrawals, minimized brine, and kept complex treatment systems running reliably. The session will then transition to ZLD systems, highlighting the intricate balance of operational considerations and the factors that should be evaluated to tailor a system to specific needs. Join us for an engaging session discovering both the challenges and opportunities of water reuse.
IWC 26-17: Increasing Water Recovery by 26% at a Beverage Manufacturer
Joseph Boske, Xylem Inc, Signal Hill, CA; Walt Kozlowski, Xylem Inc, Lemont, IL
A leading beverage manufacturer in the United States announced plans in 2024 to increase production at their facility in southern California. The facility uses reverse osmosis (RO) to provide purified water to their production lines, but their existing RO system could not meet the flows required for the expanded production capacity. A new, larger RO system was installed to meet the demands, and the existing, smaller RO system was repurposed and reinstalled as a Brine Recovery RO (BRRO) to reduce water withdrawal as well as wastewater effluent flow. The result was an increase in recovery from 65 to 87%, which translated into savings of 7 million gallons of reduced annual freshwater withdrawal, providing cost savings to the facility as well as a positive impact on water use for the region. The upgraded system enabled the site to scale production confidently while maintaining consistent water quality and operational reliability.
Discusser: Rachel Lalonde, HDR, Rosemont, IL
IWC 26-18: Ultra-High Recovery in Municipal Wastewater Treatment for Non-Potable Reuse: A Case Study from Remote California Site
Anna Wrobel, IDE Water Solutions North America, Carlsbad, CA; Vijay Ahire, IDE Water Solutions North America, Carlsbad, California
Ultra-high recovery municipal wastewater treatment is increasingly critical for non-potable reuse applications where concentrate disposal is constrained or cost-prohibitive. This challenge is particularly acute in remote locations, where conventional brine management options may be limited or environmentally unsustainable. This presentation describes a pilot and demonstration project at a remote California site that achieved 98.7% overall wastewater recovery using a two-stage treatment approach designed to minimize concentrate volume and enable reuse under severe disposal constraints.
Discusser: Antonio Accioly, ClearStream Environmental, Herriman, UT
IWC 26-19: Maximizing Reliability in ZLD Plants through Novel Scale Control, Intelligent Automation and Corrosion Management Methods
Ziyi Fang, Saltworks Technologies, Richmond, BC, Canada; Benjamin Sparrow, Saltworks Technologies, Richmond, BC, Canada
Zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) evaporative crystallization plants operate beyond traditional scaling and chloride corrosion limits. Consequently, ZLD plants are exposed to increased risk of downtime and high maintenance demands. Sustained reliable performance requires thoughtful consideration of three interdependent mechanisms: scale suppression, reliable solids management, and corrosion mitigation while avoiding excessively costly alloys. This paper presents a unified framework quantifying the interplay between all three requirements.
1. Scale, Fouling, and Plugging Prevention
Scale deposition on heat-transfer surfaces reduces plant capacity, increases energy consumption, and results in more frequent boil outs and downtime. Once scale forms, it self-accelerates by creating nucleation sites for further deposition.
Four mitigation strategies are presented: (i) hydraulic shear to discourage deposition; (ii) controlled seeding to direct supersaturated salts onto crystal nuclei rather than equipment surfaces; (iii) patented real-time performance measurement and early corrective action reducing boil-out frequency (US Patent No. 12427439), and (iv) a patented effect swap technology that alternates between parallel crystallizer and evaporator effects to disrupt scale formation whilst operating (US Patent No. 9266747B1).
2. Solids Management
Salt precipitation during brine concentration produces solids of different physical characteristics, broadly two categories: (1) hard, larger crystalline salts such as sodium chloride or sulfate versus smaller soft, amorphous scale such as calcium sulfate or fluoride. Solids that are not efficiently removed accumulate in the circulating brine circuit, increasing fouling and plugging risk. Centrifugal decanters correctly sized for G-force, torque, and fill rate efficiently remove both crystalline and amorphous solids, preventing detrimental accumulation of smaller less dense particles. Reliable ZLD further requires careful control of seeding and salt recirculation to provide nucleation sites for additional precipitation, avoiding formation on heat-transfer surfaces.
3. Corrosion Prevention
ZLD systems concentrate chlorides and operate at elevated temperatures, accelerating corrosion. Exotic metallurgy such as Hastelloy or Monel offer improved corrosion resistance but at much higher raw material costs and longer lead times. With sound engineering, it is possible to manage corrosion risk while employing more commonly available and economical super duplex stainless steel 2507 or equivalent. Three corrosion modes are addressed: general surface corrosion, pitting, and crevice. Corrosion risk is evaluated for super-duplex stainless with temperature–pH operating envelopes identifying safe windows that manage corrosion risk while enabling cost-effective selection.
In summary, readers and attendees will learn about tools and guidelines for more reliable and cost-effective ZLD systems across solids management, scaling, and corrosion control.
Discusser: Joe Tamburini, AWC Water Solutions, Englewood, CO
IWC 26-20: Making ZLD Make Sense: Technology Options, Cost Drivers, and Lessons Learned
Rena Bae, Stantec, Houston, TX USA; Mayra Giraldo, Stantec
The current buzzword in wastewater treatment is zero liquid discharge (ZLD). Multiple industries (semiconductor, data centers, and flue gas desulfurization plants (FGD)) have been evaluating zero and/or minimal liquid discharge options. Some discharge limits have become so stringent that to achieve the goals, technologies typically used for ZLD are needed. Multiple alternative analysis, treatability testing, and pilot testing results have been evaluated using the available technologies to reduce and minimized waste streams. From encapsulation of brine streams to mechanical vapor recompression. The decision on choosing the technologies to achieve ZLD or to discharge comes down to the treatment goals and capital and operatorial costs. The investment required to meet some discharge limits often leads to the decision of opting for a reuse system to reduce upstream treatment costs. This paper evaluates options to select a treatment system that meets treatment goals and makes financial sense. Considerations for mobile treatment have also attracted attention in some industries, as it can reduce some of the capital and operations burden from the owner.
Discusser: Rebecca Osteen, Southern Company, Birmingham, AL
M7: PFAS Treatment in Practice: Full Scale Solutions, Dirty Matrices, and Short Chain Challenges
IWC Rep: Kristen Jenkins, Kiewit, Alpharetta, GA
Session Chair: Karen Budgell, WSP, Athens, TX
Discussion Leader: Cristina Piekarz, GFT, Greenwood Village, CO
PFAS treatment is moving from pilot studies to practical, high-stakes implementation across some of the water sector’s most challenging applications. This session examines side-by-side technology evaluation in organic-rich groundwater, full-scale low pressure reverse osmosis for municipal drinking water, source-control and destruction strategies for landfill leachate, and next generation ion exchange for short- and ultra-short chain PFAS. Together, these presentations highlight how utilities and industry are selecting, scaling, and stress testing treatment systems while confronting the residuals, concentrates, costs, and liabilities.
IWC 26-21: Head-to-Head Comparison of PFAS Best Available Technologies on High-Organic Florida Groundwater: Nanofiltration, Ion Exchange, GAC, and Novel Adsorbent in a Single Pilot
Marina Shulman, IDE Technologies, Kadima, Israel; Eli Margalit, IDE Technologies, Kadima, Israel; Dalit Noi, IDE Technologies, Kadima, Israel; Roi Zaken Porat, IDE Technologies, Kadima, Israel
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water sources present an urgent compliance challenge under the U.S. EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR), which establishes enforceable MCLs of 4 ng/L (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS, with a compliance deadline of 2031. Selecting the optimal Best Available Technology (BAT) for full-scale implementation demands real-world pilot data, especially in chemically complex source waters where computational prediction models remain insufficient.
Discusser: Bryan Bailey P.E., Arcadis, Cincinnati, OH
IWC 26-22: From Pilot Testing to Full-Scale Deployment: Low-Pressure Reverse Osmosis for PFAS Removal in Municipal Drinking Water
Bill Barber, BW Water, Tampa, FL
Brunswick County, North Carolina identified PFAS contamination in the Cape Fear River, the source water for the Northwest Water Treatment Plant (NWTP), including the compound perfluoro-2-propoxypropanoic acid (GenX). To address this challenge while expanding plant capacity, the County implemented a full-scale low-pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO) system as part of the NWTP Phase 3 expansion.
Discusser: Katie Walker, P.E., ENV SP, Jacobs, Cary, NC
IWC 26-23: From Liability to Destruction: Confronting PFAS in Landfill Leachate Before It Overwhelms Municipal Wastewater Systems
Jonathan Hood, Aquatech International – AES Division, Canonsburg, PA; Evan Shale, Aquatech International – AES Division, Canonsburg, PA
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are rapidly transforming from a trace contaminant issue into one of the most significant regulatory and financial liabilities facing the water sector. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishing stringent Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for select PFAS compounds, advancing hazardous substance designations under CERCLA, and increasing scrutiny of PFAS in biosolids, municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are being pushed into a role they were never designed to fulfill frontline PFAS control.
Discusser: John Peichel, VEOLIA, Minnetonka, MN
IWC 26-24: Selective Removal of Ultra-short Chain PFAS with a Specially-designed High Capacity Ion Exchange Resin
Zhendong Liu, LANXESS Corporation, Birmingham, NJ USA; Dirk Steinhilber, LANXESS Deutschland GmbH, Cologne, Germany; Bjoern Dinges, LANXESS Deutschland GmbH, Cologne, Germany; Firuza Mir, LANXESS Corporation, Birmingham, NJ
This study addresses the persistent challenge of low selectivity and limited adsorption capacity of conventional ion exchange (IX) resins for the removal of short-chain and ultra-short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These compounds, which are highly mobile and less hydrophobic than their long-chain counterparts, are particularly difficult to remove from aqueous systems. In industrial wastewaters—such as effluents from fluorochemical manufacturing facilities—ultra-short-chain PFAS (e.g., C2–C3 species) can be present at elevated concentrations, necessitating high-capacity and selective treatment technologies.
Discusser: Larry Gottlieb, ResinTech, Inc., Camden, NJ
M8: When Wastewater Gets Complicated
IWC Rep: Jay Harwood, ZwitterCo, Inc., Scotland, ON,Canada
Session Chair: Thomas Igou, Watertectonics, Everett,WA
Discussion Leader: Andrew Hunt, ZwitterCo, Inc., Woburn, MA
This session examines treatment challenges where environmental, regulatory, thermodynamic, chemical, and process integration constraints intersect. Driven by case studies focusing on heat-balance modeling, multi-pass RO, electrochemical metal recovery, and electrocoagulation, presenters will walk attendees through the fundamental engineering and creative approaches involved in managing complex wastewaters and systems integration in the field.
IWC 26-25: Temperature and Heat Balance Modeling at an Advanced Wastewater Reuse Plant in a Warm and Humid Climate
Julia Suljak, WSP Canada Inc., Cambridge, Ontario Canada; Ed Greenwood, , P.Eng. BCEE, WSP Canada Inc., Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
A food processor treats process wastewater for reuse at a facility in India. Wastewater entering the water reuse membranes must not exceed 40 °C or the membranes could be damaged. During a facility expansion, an aeration lagoon was replaced by a UASB and Nitrification/Denitrification reactor, eliminating the natural heat sink prior to the water reuse membranes. WSP modeled the site’s heat balance to evaluate the risk of damaging the membranes during periods of high temperature.
Discusser: Terence ONeill, Brown and Caldwell, Powell, WY
IWC 26-26: Advancing Landfill Leachate Treatment through Standalone Reverse Osmosis Systems
Seeham Bnyat, MANN+HUMMEL, Goleta, CA; Marco Mezzanotte, MANN+HUMMEL, Fano, PU, Italy
Leachate treatment presents significant operational challenges due to its high variability and complex composition, including elevated concentrations of refractory organics, ammonia, dissolved salts, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS. While Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) systems are commonly applied, their performance in leachate applications is often limited by biological inhibition, poor biodegradability of organics, and difficulty maintaining stable biomass activity under high ammonia and salinity conditions.
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IWC 26-27: Engineering Electrochemical Reactors for Metal Recovery Across Diverse Industrial Wastewater Streams
Cameron Lippert, ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; Alan rassoolkhani, ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; James Landon, ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; Ryan Connor, ElectraMet, Lexington, KY
Electrochemical metal recovery is often discussed as a single unit operation, but reactor design significantly impacts performance, selectivity, and form factor of metals. This work presents a comparative analysis of 3 purpose0built electrochemical reactors for metal recovery from industrial water streams. Each reactor type is engineered to address distinct industrial water chemistries and recovery objectives.
Discusser: Kysinh Nguyen, P.E., Stantec, Charlotte, NC
IWC 26-28: When Does Electrocoagulation Offer an Advantage Over Chemical Coagulation? Lessons from Twenty Years of Treatability Testing
Bryan Nielsen, WaterTectonics, Everett, WA; Thomas Igou, WaterTectonics, Everett, WA
Electrocoagulation (EC) is more than just another way to add coagulant. EC can offer advantages over chemical coagulation. Drawing on twenty years of treatability testing, industrial stormwater case studies, and full-scale implementation this paper shows where EC has performed best. EC achieves high pollutant removal efficiencies and produces less sludge compared to chemical coagulation. The paper also shows emerging work in removing silica, selenium, and viruses in addition to helping control ultrafiltration fouling.
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