Water Quality Trading: An Affordable Option for Regulatory Compliance

As state regulatory agencies set water temperature limits for wastewater treatment facilities and other permit holders, cities are looking for practical solutions to minimize the impact of clean, but warm, water entering rivers and streams. Meeting temperature regulations can require expensive, energy intensive facility upgrades to cool water before discharging it to a stream—but today, municipalities, conservation organizations and regulatory agencies are working toward a more ecologically beneficial, cost effective and practical approach to compliance.

Temperature trading programs by Clean Water Services in the Tualatin River and City of Medford (working with West Yost Associates and The Freshwater Trust) in the Rogue River.

Read full story here (article by Mark Jockers and Alex Johnson begins on page 18).