Funding accelerates water innovation, resource recovery, and regional economic development across the Great Lakes
Wastewater—long treated as a costly byproduct of industrial and municipal systems—is now being redefined as a strategic resource capable of supplying critical materials, clean water, and economic value. Across the United States, a shift is underway to reconceptualize wastewater streams not as waste, but as reservoirs of untapped potential. This transformation is being accelerated by a major new investment from the National Science Foundation, which has awarded $45 million to a regional initiative focused on advancing water innovation in the Great Lakes region.
At the center of this effort is Great Lakes RENEW (Recovery of Energy, Nutrients, Critical Elements, and Water), a multi-institutional collaboration designed to harness advanced technologies to extract value from wastewater. The initiative represents a convergence of scientific research, industrial collaboration, and economic development, bringing together universities, national laboratories, private sector partners, and regional organizations. It is led by Current, a Chicago-based nonprofit focused on water innovation and sustainability, with core contributions from Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago.
The latest $45 million award builds upon an initial $15 million grant received in 2024, which established Great Lakes RENEW as part of the NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines program. With this new funding, the initiative enters a critical growth phase, transitioning from early-stage development into broader implementation and regional expansion. Over the next three years, the program will scale its research, strengthen partnerships, and deploy technologies designed to transform wastewater into a source of valuable materials and economic opportunity. If key milestones are achieved, the initiative could unlock up to $160 million in total NSF funding over a decade, positioning it as one of the most ambitious water innovation programs in the country.
The underlying premise of Great Lakes RENEW is both simple and transformative: wastewater contains valuable resources that can be recovered, reused, and reintegrated into the economy. Industrial wastewater, for example, often contains critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements. These materials are essential to a wide range of modern technologies, including semiconductors, electric vehicles, defense systems, and renewable energy infrastructure. Traditionally, these elements are mined through environmentally intensive processes and sourced from geopolitically sensitive regions. By recovering them from wastewater, the United States can reduce supply chain risks, lower environmental impact, and strengthen domestic resource security.
Municipal wastewater presents a different but equally important opportunity. It contains nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which are key components of agricultural fertilizers. Rather than allowing these nutrients to contribute to environmental pollution—such as harmful algal blooms—they can be captured and reused, creating a circular economy for agriculture while improving water quality.
Driving this transformation are advanced separation technologies being developed and scaled by Argonne National Laboratory. These technologies include cutting-edge membrane systems, biological processes, and electrochemical methods capable of isolating specific components from complex wastewater streams. By leveraging differences in size, charge, chemical properties, and surface interactions, these systems can selectively extract valuable materials with high efficiency.
Argonne’s role extends beyond laboratory research. The institution is actively working to scale these technologies through multi-scale testing environments, bridging the gap between experimental breakthroughs and real-world deployment. This translational approach is critical, as many promising technologies fail to reach commercialization due to challenges in scaling, cost, and integration with existing infrastructure.
Collaboration with the University of Chicago further enhances the initiative’s capabilities, particularly in areas such as materials science, artificial intelligence-driven discovery, and systems engineering. Together, these institutions are developing innovative solutions that combine scientific rigor with practical applicability, ensuring that new technologies can be deployed effectively across diverse settings.
Beyond technology development, Great Lakes RENEW is also focused on building a robust workforce ecosystem to support the emerging water innovation economy. This includes creating education and training pathways that connect students, workers, and professionals to careers in water technology, environmental engineering, and advanced manufacturing. Argonne National Laboratory plays a key role in this effort through its extensive STEM education programs, which reach approximately 35,000 learners annually across K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities.
By aligning workforce development with technological innovation, the initiative aims to ensure that the benefits of the program extend beyond research institutions to local communities and industries. This integrated approach is particularly important in the Great Lakes region, where water resources are abundant but economic opportunities vary widely across states and sectors.
Geographically, Great Lakes RENEW spans six states: Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota. Initial efforts have been concentrated in Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin, where pilot projects and partnerships are already underway. In the next phase, the initiative will expand its reach to the remaining states, creating a regional network of innovation hubs, testbeds, and commercial deployment sites.
The economic implications of this initiative are significant. By transforming wastewater into a source of valuable materials, the program has the potential to create new industries, attract investment, and generate high-quality jobs. It also aligns with broader national priorities related to sustainability, climate resilience, and supply chain security. As global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, domestic recovery from wastewater could become an increasingly important component of the U.S. resource strategy.
Equally important is the environmental impact. Traditional wastewater treatment processes are energy-intensive and often focused solely on removing contaminants. In contrast, the technologies being developed through Great Lakes RENEW aim to recover value while reducing environmental harm. This includes lowering greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing waste, and improving water quality across the region’s ecosystems.
The initiative also reflects a growing recognition of the strategic importance of water. As Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and principal investigator for Great Lakes RENEW, has emphasized, water security is closely linked to national security. Reliable access to clean water and critical materials is essential for economic stability, public health, and technological leadership.
The NSF’s decision to invest an additional $45 million in this initiative signals strong confidence in its potential to deliver measurable impact. It also highlights the importance of regional innovation ecosystems in addressing complex challenges. By bringing together diverse stakeholders and aligning their efforts around a common goal, Great Lakes RENEW serves as a model for how large-scale, interdisciplinary collaboration can drive transformative change.
Looking ahead, the success of the initiative will depend on its ability to move from research and pilot projects to full-scale deployment and commercialization. This will require continued investment, strong partnerships, and effective coordination across sectors. However, the foundation established over the past two years, combined with the new infusion of funding, positions the program for significant progress.
In conclusion, the $45 million investment from the National Science Foundation marks a pivotal moment for water innovation in the Great Lakes region. Through the leadership of Current and the scientific expertise of Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago, Great Lakes RENEW is poised to transform wastewater from an overlooked byproduct into a cornerstone of a sustainable, resilient, and economically vibrant future.
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