TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
COMMITTEE ON ENGINEERING
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Authorization to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Danish Water Technology Alliance represented by the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago and Aarhus Vand A/S of Denmark to engage in a knowledge exchange program
Body
Dear Sir:
Authority is requested to negotiate and enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Danish Water Technology Alliance (WTA) represented by the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago and Aarhus Vand A/S of Denmark (Aarhus Water) to engage in a knowledge exchange program.
The WTA is an outreach program providing specialized know-how on innovative water technology solutions whose partners include public Danish water utilities, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and leading Danish technology and service providers.
Aarhus Water is an independent private enterprise, with Aarhus Municipality, Denmark being the sole shareholder. Aarhus Water employs approximately 240 people, and maintains the highest certifications within all aspects of their involvement, and work continually on developing holistic solutions while being committed to sustainability in relation to the overall water cycle.
On October 16, 2014, the Board of Commissioners authorized the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District) to enter into an MOU between the District and Aarhus Water for engaging in a knowledge exchange program. On November 16, 2017, the Board of Commissioners authorized a three-year extension of the MOU, which has now expired. During the course of the MOU, knowledge sharing and staff exchanges proved beneficial to all parties.
Recent discussions with the WTA showed renewed interest in engaging in a new MOU. A number of joint activities have been identified that may be undertaken by the District , WTA and Aarhus Water for the purpose of developing a working relationship between the parties, in the areas of energy optimization and climate neutrality, resource recovery, process control, monitoring and instrumentation and workforce development. The areas of interest may be expanded upon, modified over time as the need arises.
All costs will be the responsibility of the respective parties, and each party will maintain insurance coverage for its own personnel at all times. Expenditures by the District greater than $10,000.00 will require approval of the District’s Board of Commissioners. The term of the MOU will be three years from the date of execution, with the ability to extend and modify the MOU with the mutual agreement of all parties.
Based on the foregoing, the Engineering Department recommends that the District be authorized to enter into a MOU with the WTA and Aarhus Water to engage in a knowledge exchange program, and that the Chairman of the Committee on Engineering, Executive Director and Clerk be authorized to execute said MOU on behalf of the District, upon approval by the Director of the Engineering Department as to technical matters and by the General Counsel as to form and legality.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, KMF:LS
Recommended, Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for September 1, 2022