Resources & Associations for POTWs

At some point you may need more information or need to ask questions to find out what other wastewater treatment plants have done to reduce wastewater loading. Take advantage of your opportunities to get connected. Talking to peers and suppliers in your industry through membership in a trade association can help you discover new resources.

The following resources are provided in addition to those that have been listed on each specific page. They may help your industrial dischargers reduce wastewater loading and help you learn more about pollution prevention and energy efficiency opportunities for POTWs.

Financial Assistance

• MnTAP: Summary of Finance Mechanisms (2016). MnTAP and state partners put together this summary sheet of active financial mechanisms available through the state of Minnesota’s various entities.
• MPCA: Wastewater and Stormwater – Financial Assistance  (primarily for municipalities)
• P2 for Industrial Wastewater Dischargers in the Upper Mississippi River Basin Using City-wide Inventories (2005). MnTAP worked in partnership with operators of wastewater treatment plants to provide pollution prevention outreach and implementation assistance to industrial users of municipal treatment systems in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. During the course of this two-year project with McKnight Foundation support, MnTAP helped companies reduce phosphorus, BOD and TSS. [PDF 104KB]
• Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES): – Water Resource Management – MCES has a variety of programs for their service customers related to stormwater, water efficiency, and inflow and infiltration– check for current offerings

Associations

Take advantage of wastewater trade associations to connect with other facilities, suppliers, and assistance programs. The following associations may be beneficial resources to your POTW:

• Central States Water Environment Association. A regional chapter for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), serving Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The association offers opportunities for the exchange of water quality knowledge and experiences among its members and the public and to foster a greater awareness of water quality achievements and challenges.
• Minnesota Wastewater Operators Association. This professional organization helps state, regional, and local agencies make decisions. Its goals are to inform and encourage others to take an active role in water quality issues and to support our members’ efforts in improving water quality. Members include operators, laboratory technicians, regulatory agencies, collection system specialists, maintenance personnel, engineers, and marketing consultants from all areas of Minnesota.
• Minnesota Rural Water Association. MRWA is staffed with full-time personnel trained to offer professional on-site technical assistance and training to water and wastewater system personnel in managerial, financial, and operation and maintenance of systems, as well as source water protection.