REVOLUTIONIZING THE FUTURE OF WATER: NEW YORK REGIONAL LEADERS AND WORLD-CLASS SCIENTISTS UNVEIL BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES TO ERASE WATER POLLUTION CRISES

The 2026 Clean Water Symposium Brought Cutting-Edge Innovations in Nitrogen Removal, Phosphorus Mitigation, and Next-Generation PFAS Treatment to More Than 300 Participants

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – July 6, 2026 – Having spent the past decade innovating on clean water initiatives, the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) recently hosted its highly anticipated 2026 Clean Water Symposium. The event gathered more than 300 pioneering scientists, policymakers, industry titans, and environmental advocates. Faced with escalating global water quality challenges, the symposium served as the stage for unveiling technological breakthroughs engineered by the Center to directly combat and neutralize the persistent crises threatening regional drinking, ground, and surface waters.

Setting a visionary tone for the symposium, world-renowned keynote speaker Dr. Jaehong Kim, the Henry P. Becton Sr. Professor of Engineering at Yale University, delivered a masterclass on 'Catalytic Water Treatment: Bridging the Gap between Laboratory Research and Practical Applications.' Dr. Kim illustrated how laboratory discoveries are being aggressively translated into real-world deployments. Building upon this momentum, the symposium divided into three high-impact technical sessions detailing the Center’s laser focus against pollution caused by nitrogen, phosphorus, and emerging toxic forever chemicals like PFAS.

The war on nitrogen took center stage during the first session, dedicated exclusively to mitigating nitrogen pollution from onsite wastewater. Dr. Stuart Waugh showcased the Center's game-changing advancements in Nitrogen Removing Biofilters (NRBs) and pioneering source separation methodologies. Accelerating this momentum, Thomas Varley disclosed the latest operational milestones from the Center's cutting-edge Wastewater Research and Innovation Facility, highlighting the disruptive potential of Nitriflex technology. Dr. Nils Volkenborn detailed the mechanics of Permeable Reactive Barriers as defensive subterranean shields, while Jennifer A. Juengst, Deputy County Executive for Suffolk County, provided a critical regulatory framework ensuring these innovations move rapidly from the lab to the community.

Shifting the focus to freshwater preservation, the second session tackled the impacts of phosphorus pollution. Dr. Chris Gobler exposed the severe ecological tolls of phosphorus on regional lakes and streams alongside the current bottlenecks in Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS). Offering an overview of the Center’s efforts, Dr. Xinwei Mao unveiled CCWT’s latest research and development triumphs in rigorous field monitoring, commercial-ready products, and transformative engineering innovations. Walter Dawydiak mapped out the strategic deployment infrastructure, sharing the Center's ambitious Field Installation & Data Share Plan, while Gwendolyn Wynkoop of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation aligned these scientific breakthroughs with crucial regulatory updates to fast-track implementation.

The final technical session targeted the invisible threat of emerging contaminants. In a session focused on advances in treating PFAS and emerging toxins, Dr. Lokesh Padhye mapped out next-generation removal technologies and future trajectories to permanently extract 'forever chemicals' from the water supply. Kevin Shaffer expanded on this topic, demonstrating how advanced monitoring across environmental compartments provides critical information for protecting public health. Tim Kilcommons of the Suffolk County Water Authority outlined aggressive, localized engineering defenses to shield Long Island’s drinking water, and Scott Alderman from the New York State Department of Health provided a definitive regulatory roadmap designed to keep public health safety nets ahead of evolving chemical threats.

“This Symposium provided an excellent opportunity to share with the public the great strides we have made in addressing the on-going drinking, ground, and surface water crises on Long Island. We were equally excited to have the participation of state and county officials to indicate how our efforts are aligned to protect water across New York”, said Dr. Chris Gobler, Center Director and SUNY Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University.

The urgency of the Center's mission was echoed by top-tier government officials. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, Senator Monica Martinez, Suffolk County Legislator, Ann Welker, and Suffolk County Legislator, and Steve Engelbright each delivered powerful remarks at the event. The leaders underscored the absolute criticality of water quality protection to the region's survival and economic future, unanimously praising the Center’s indispensable role in pioneering affordable, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for the public.

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About the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology

Funded in 2015 by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund as administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Center for Clean Water Technology is tasked with harnessing world-class science to engineer clean water solutions for the protection of public health and the environment while simultaneously promoting robust economic development in New York and beyond. To receive updates and notifications for future breakthrough announcements and events, sign up for the official Center listserv.

Follow the links below to view full length recordings of each presentation

Agenda

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Mitigating Nitrogen Pollution from Onsite Wastewater and Groundwater

11:00 – 12:00 pm | Mitigating Phosphorus Pollution to Freshwater Bodies from Onsite Wastewater

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jaehong Kim, Henry P. Becton Sr. Professor of Engineering, Yale University - Catalytic Water Treatment: Bridging the Gap between Laboratory Research and Practical Applications

Advances in Treatment of PFAS and Other Emerging Contaminants

Additional Coverage

June 21, 2026 - 2026 Clean Water Symposium offers solutions to New York’s most urgent water quality challenges

June 16, 2026 - Protecting Long Island's Most Vital Resource: Clean Water Symposium Focuses on Long Island's Future