Establishing sustainable communities that meet the needs of our future generations is perhaps the most formidable challenge facing society, and particularly, environmental scientists and engineers today.  At the core of this challenge are the uncertainties associated with global climate change.  Assumptions behind our traditional probabilistic models for predicting the required capacity for new water and wastewater conveyance and treatment infrastructure are no longer valid.  What new paradigms for design must now be employed that will permit systems to readily adapt to conditions of greater variability and uncertainty without compromising established environmental quality standards?

This presentation provides first an overview of the “game-changing” role innovative treatment technology must play within our water environment required to reach across this chasm between the uncertainties and the certainties that lie in our near future.   To illustrate, a series of examples of such disruptive technologies covering carbon, nutrients and energy, will be presented.  These technologies include carbon diversion, advanced membrane systems, granular activated sludge, algae (for nutrient removal and energy production), anaerobic MBR, nitritation/anammox, and more.  Finally, the presentation will conclude with a discussion of how the industry (engineers, policy managers, regulators, etc.) adopts new, innovative approaches to technology, and how adoption influences or discourages the successful implementation of these transformative technologies.

Currently leads the Wastewater Practice for MWH for the Americas, focusing on municipal and industrial wastewater treatment technologies, with an emphasis on converting waste streams to value streams. Dr. Umble provides technical analysis and review support to design teams for new and rehabilitated wastewater treatment plants, with a focus on nutrient removal facilities, process optimization for treatment capacity, wet weather treatment, solids processing and disposal facilities, energy management, disinfection systems, and emerging contaminant removal technology.  He serves in numerous state and national forums and stakeholder work groups related to environmental rules, regulations and environmental legislation, and emerging treatment technologies.  He is active on numerous committees with the Water Environment Federation, and serves on the Research Council for the Water Environment Research Foundation and provides peer review for the Water Reuse Foundation on various collaborative research projects.