The Awwa Research Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the science of drinking water, announces that proposals are being requested for an engineering research project scheduled to be launched later this year. The project, titled “Installation, Condition Assessment and Reliability of Service Lines, Connections and Fittings,” was first opened for proposals in March, but due to the high priority of the topic, the project’s request for proposal is being re-issued. Up to $300,000 in funding is available for this study. Information about the request for proposals will be available on the Foundation’s Web site on Aug. 1 at www.awwarf.org. Proposals are due Oct. 1.

The project aims to identify parameters and conditions that influence the failure rate of service pipe materials, connections and fittings, resulting in a best-practices manual based on extensive analysis of existing installation techniques and material types. The project also would develop a methodology for assessing the life expectancy of service lines, connections and fittings for different materials using a variety of installation techniques under varying environmental conditions.

Proposed projects must include 25 percent of the total project budget as in-kind or cash contribution. In-kind contributions can be in the form of labor, materials or laboratory or other services.