The Energy & Water Research and Development office oversees Research & Innovation for the department and serves as liaison to the University of Arizona and Water and Energy Sustainable Technology Center (WEST) programs evaluating and vetting potential research and development efforts for water sector utilities.
It also provides assistance to the RWRD Technical Services & Engineering Division and Treatment Division in the pursuit of process optimization and efficiency improvements.
Water and Energy Sustainable Technology Center
Housed at the Water Campus, WEST is a research laboratory facility focusing on the testing and development of new technologies to help communities deal with water scarcity and re-use. The facility is a partnership of Pima County, City of Tucson, and the University of Arizona. UA researchers from the College of Agriculture and the College of Engineering will staff the facility and work on collaborative research projects with industry, government, and academia.