Paul Ziemkiewicz, the director of the West Virginia Water Research Institute (WVWRI) at West Virginia University, has been appointed to a national committee to study water quality improvement in the Pittsburgh, Pa., area.

The National Research Council (NRC) committee will conduct an assessment of the wastewater and water quality in the Pittsburgh region and make recommendations on how the needs of the area can be best addressed by multiple jurisdictions on a cooperative basis.

“Its a great honor to be appointed to a committee with well-known researchers from around the country,”said Ziemkiewicz, who has been director of the WVWRI since 1991.

The committee will function under the auspices of the NRC s Water Science and Technology Board.

The study, sponsored by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, should help the public and private organizations of the Pittsburgh region develop public awareness of the issues and the need for collaborative strategies for water quality improvement and management, such as planning for wastewater treatment plant capacity and issues related to water-borne pathogens, Ziemkiewicz said.

“Its envisioned that such a study will provide an instructive model for the EPA and other urban areas where a regional cooperative approach to water quality management can be considered,”he added.

Since becoming director of the Institute, Ziemkiewicz and his staff have developed and managed research projects worth about $38 million. In addition to his role with the WVWRI , Ziemkiewicz has also served in a regulatory capacity with government agencies and developed regulatory policy. He currently serves on state and federal policy advisory committees focusing on reclamation and acid mine drainage.