Chicago

MoU signing for transatlantic knowledge exchange

Chicago

MoU signing for transatlantic knowledge exchange

The Danish Water Technology Alliance (WTA), the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), and Aarhus Vand have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in an ambitious move to promote knowledge exchange and cooperation.

When

Tuesday, October 3 - Consul General of Denmark and Head of WTA Jesper Køks Andersen, MWRD of Greater Chicago President Kari Steele, and Chief Strategy Officer of Aarhus Vand Claus Homann signed the MoU at a reception at the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago in conjunction with WEFTEC.

The partnership marks a significant step towards bridging knowledge gaps between Denmark and the U.S. in the wastewater sector, focusing on these crucial areas: energy optimization and climate neutrality, resource recovery, process control, monitoring and instrumentation, and workforce development. The areas may further develop as the collaboration strengthens and the sector grows.

With the signed agreement, all three parties have taken another important step towards bridging the gap between Denmark and the USA. I look forward to sharing the Danish know-how, which has made us a leading water nation, as well as learning from MWRD’s approach.

says Jesper Køks Andersen

Consul General of Denmark and Head of WTA 

The agreement brings together two leading utilities from the American and Danish sectors, with the Danish Water Technology Alliance (WTA) playing a pivotal role in promoting this collaboration. Beyond its six plants in Greater Chicago, MWRD owns and operates one of the world’s most substantial wastewater treatment facilities.


MWRD President Kari Steele said, "I want to express our profound gratitude for the continued support and partnership of the Danish Water Technology Alliance, the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago, and Aarhus Vand of Denmark."

Together, we are poised to create a brighter, more sustainable future for our communities, guided by the principles of innovation, cooperation, and shared responsibility.

says Kari Steele

President, MWRD of Greater Chicago

Aarhus Vand is a leader in drinking water and wastewater management. They plan to launch the world’s most efficient treatment plant by 2030. CSO Claus Homann recognizes the benefits of the collaboration for Aarhus Vand, stating, “The world needs us, as a utility, to do our utmost to minimize the climate impact. Our professionals visit each other and get inspired by technologies for energy production and resource recovery." Moreover, he adds:

"In Chicago, they are, among other things, working on phosphorus recovery for use in agriculture and on the production of algae as a resource for the industry. These are two exciting cases for us to keep in mind when building our new facility. On the other hand, I also hope that, notably, our production of electricity and heat can serve as inspiration for them."

Claus Homann

CSO, Aarhus Vand

Notably, this isn’t the first collaboration between Aarhus Vand and MWRD. An earlier MoU was signed in 2015 and was in effect until 2018.

Facts

About

WTA

The Danish Water Technology Alliance (WTA) is a Danish outreach program providing specialized know-how on innovative water technology solutions. The alliance is part of the Trade Council’s (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Water Advisory.

Members of the WTA include public Danish water utilities, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, and leading technology and service providers. The main goal of the WTA is to build bridges between the North American and Danish water sectors by sharing Danish solutions and fostering collaboration.


MWRD

Established in 1889, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is an award-winning, special purpose government agency responsible for wastewater treatment and stormwater management in Cook County, Illinois. Learn more at mwrd.org.

 

Aarhus Vand

Aarhus Vand’s core business is to supply drinking water, treat wastewater, maintain sewage systems, adapt exposed areas to climate change, and protect groundwater. Aarhus Vand supplies 270,000 customers with drinking water and cleans more than 30 million m3 of wastewater per year distributed among 10 waterworks and 4 treatment plants. Aarhus Vand is owned by Aarhus Municipality.

Aarhus Vand aims to become energy neutral and has already achieved this at several of its treatment plants. Furthermore, it is a goal to become CO2 neutral by 2030. The company believes in sharing knowledge in this respect and has several foreign partnerships, e.g., with Severn Trent in England and Melbourne Water in Australia in a so-called NetZero partnership.

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