Advancing Wastewater Treatment to Protect the Chesapeake Bay with “SWIFT” at the Hampton Roads Sanitation District with Dr. Charles Bott

In this Interview, we meet Dr. Charles Bott who is the Chief Technology Officer at Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), a Water and Wastewater Utility based in Southeast Virginia. HRSD is known for its innovative approaches to wastewater treatment and its leadership in developing and commercializing new technologies.

ONE-LINER:

"Our work is all about collaboration—whether it’s with universities, other utilities, or technology providers—to push the boundaries of what’s possible in water treatment."

Pitch/Reverse Pitch:

Don’t miss Charles's Overview of HRSD’s approach to innovation and technology development, which you can find on the video from [1:49] to [3:38].

Discussion:

After the overview, we discuss:

• The challenges HRSD faces in nutrient reduction and compliance with environmental regulations, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay area.
• The development and implementation of the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) program, which focuses on advanced water treatment and managed aquifer recharge.
• HRSD’s partnerships with technology providers and universities to advance research and pilot innovative technologies.

Insights:

At [16:28], Charles shares how HRSD collaborates with startups, emphasizing the importance of solving specific problems and offering support in piloting new technologies.

Advice:

At [33:59], Charles advises startups to focus on understanding and addressing the specific challenges faced by utilities, as this is key to successful collaboration and technology adoption.