Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) has a longstanding history of working with public partners to accelerate innovation. One of CWA’s most impactful partnerships is with legislators and agencies throughout the State of Ohio, like the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Ohio EPA’s expertise allows the organization to foster solutions for agricultural needs that support both our natural resources and our farmers. 

Nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff has been identified as a primary contributor to harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), and excess phosphorus from manure application is a significant source of this pollution. Through the Ohio EPA’s H2Ohio Technology Assessment Program (H2Ohio TAP), CWA is leading a project to address this issue and is seeking an additional partner to provide data analysis and interpretation support for a project focused on reducing agricultural runoff.

CWA’s Executive Director & President, Bryan Stubbs, has served as co-chair of H2Ohio TAP since its inception. This program aims to evaluate and advance agricultural and technological innovations that can reduce nutrient pollution and improve water quality in Lake Erie. The program aligns with Ohio’s commitments under the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, which seeks to reduce phosphorus loading into Lake Erie’s western and central basins by 40%. Now entering its second year, H2Ohio TAP is expanding to include field pilots of solutions that can address this issue while supporting agricultural and other water quality improvement efforts.

Project Focus: Electric Cell Lysis for Nutrient Management in Manure Lagoons

This project, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and led by Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) in partnership with Neundorfer Inc., will evaluate Electric Cell Lysis technology as a mitigation strategy for phosphorus runoff from dairy manure. Electric Cell Lysis uses precise electrical pulses to break down liquid manure, separating nutrients in a way that allows for more sustainable manure application practices.

The primary goals of this pilot project are:

1. Assessing the effectiveness of Electric Cell Lysis in reducing phosphorus content in field-applied manure while maintaining nitrogen levels.
2. Evaluating market adoption potential, including stakeholder engagement to explore feasibility, costs, and benefits.
3. Providing data-driven insights through controlled experiments and field demonstrations on three dairy farms in the WLEB watershed.

Request for Proposals

We are looking for an additional partner to provide data analysis and interpretation support for this project. Respondents will partner with Cleveland Water Alliance and Neundorfer Inc. to transport, handle, store, analyze, and interpret samples collected from manure lagoon systems at three dairy farming operations in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) watershed. Respondents will also lead preparation of reporting materials assessing pilot performance that will inform stakeholder workshops exploring the benefits and barriers to adoption.

Interested organizations should submit a proposal outlining their relevant experience, proposed contributions, and expected outcomes. Proposals are due by March 17th, and any questions can be directed to Max Herzog, CWA's Deputy Director of Programs and Partnerships, at mherzog@clewa.org.

To view and download the full RFP, please click here.