Issued by DOE:
The National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), a public-private partnership led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, today issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to accelerate the development and demonstration of affordable, innovative, onsite water-reuse systems that can significantly reduce industrial water demand. In addition to the RFP, NAWI has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on regional water studies to improve the safety, security, and affordability of America’s water supply.
NAWI Industrial Water Reuse Request for Proposals
Water is key for nearly all industrial facilities in the United States. From mixing ingredients and cleaning equipment to cooling down machinery and transporting raw materials, water is used throughout a vast number of production processes. Industrial sites are often chosen based on their proximity to reliable water supplies. However, due to increased water demand and economic growth, many manufacturers struggle to find reliable and affordable water sources. Ensuring manufacturers have access to cost-effective water sources is critical to maintaining America’s competitive edge in global markets.
Onsite water reuse systems can provide industrial users with a dependable water supply while also reducing their primary water consumption. Through this $12 million RFP, NAWI and DOE seek pilots and demonstrations of onsite solutions for 1) treating and reusing water within a specific unit process; 2) treating wastewater from one process for use in other processes (with an emphasis on leveraging advanced treatment technologies to “upgrade” water quality, rather than transfer lower quality water to a process with fewer quality constraints); or 3) or utilizing “nuisance water” or wastewater from one facility for high value applications in an adjoining facility.
This RFP targets three high-priority, non-traditional water sources at U.S. industrial sites: cooling water, process and rinse water, and wastewater treatment effluent. These sources represent high-volume reuse opportunities for key industrial sectors, including chemicals, food and beverage, paper and pulp, semiconductors, iron and steel, and automotive manufacturing. The RFP also addresses critical technical barriers and other treatment challenges specific to industrial applications.
Interested applicants must submit a concept paper by Sept. 15, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT to be eligible to submit a full proposal. Full proposals are due by Nov. 24, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT. View additional information on the RFP.
NAWI Regional Water Systems Request for Information
This RFI seeks input to guide NAWI’s Regional Water Systems (RWS) initiative and inform a forthcoming RFP. NAWI aims to understand water planners’ and utilities’ decision-making processes, evaluate current planning tools, gather regional perspectives on non-traditional water sources, and identify conditions and metrics that define successful program impact. Expanding and coordinating regional approaches will help secure the country’s water supply and guide planning to modernize domestic infrastructure, while also ensuring American communities and manufacturers have access to clean, affordable water.
The RFI invites feedback from state and local governments, industrial water users, consulting engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders on key challenges, opportunities, and needs that shape water treatment technology adoption and water supply resilience. Through this RFI, NAWI and DOE are seeking input on how regional water systems can support the integration of emerging and non-traditional water treatment technologies.
Responses to the RFI must be received by Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT. For more details and information on how to respond, read the full RFI.
NAWI is a public-private partnership that brings together a world-class team of industry and academic partners to advance transformational technology and innovation to meet the nation’s need for safe, secure, and affordable water. NAWI is led by DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in collaboration with the National Laboratory of the Rockies, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and is funded by the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation’s Industrial Technologies Office and the Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office.