2027 WERC TASKS
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2027 Tasks & Task FAQs
Task 1. Water Security on Tribal Lands: Reducing Disinfection Byproducts (THMs)
Sponsor: Souder, Miller & Associates
Explore innovative ways to reduce harmful disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's (UMUT's) water system in Towaoc, Colorado. Traditional solutions are mechanical: employing mixers, blowers, and spray aerators. What innovative solution will you propose?
Task 2. Solar Facility Vegetation Control Using Passive Systems
Diamond Sponsor: El Paso Electric Co.
Unwanted vegetation can shade panels, reduce power output, obstruct maintenance activities, increase fire risk, and damage equipment. Imagine the possibilities: Can you implement electrical? mechanical? or other innovative means of controlling vegetation growth and propagation?
Primary updates in the final Task Problem Statement: WERC will send native soil to your team, there is more emphasis on the retrofit and aesthetics of the solution, and the term "gravel or aggregate" was changed to "loose ground cover materials."
Task 3. Safe Drinking Water: PFAS Adsorption Using Biomaterials
Platinum Task Sponsor and Developer: Freeport-McMoRan
Teams will develop an innovative, sustainable adsorption system using biological materials to remove PFAS from drinking water, providing a practical and affordable treatment option for underfunded farms and communities.
The Task Preview, below, is a nearly finalized Task Problem Statement. We are awaiting a few minor parameters.
Full Task Problem Statement Coming Soon
Task 4. NASA Challenge: Capacitive Charging of a Lunar Terrain Vehicle
Diamond Sponsor: New Mexico Space Grant Consortium
NASA's Artemis Program's Moon Base is seeking wireless charging capabilities for their next generation of lunar terrain vehicles. Charging systems must endure temperatures from 54°C (130°F) in sunlight to -203°C (-334°F).
The Task Preview below, was updated 8/20/26 @ 11:44 am Mountain time. It is a nearly finalized Task Problem Statement. We are awaiting a few minor parameters.
Task 5. Recovering Strontium from Produced Water
Task Developers: Chevron
Sponsors: Chevron, NGL Water Solutions
Discover innovative ways to recover and valorize strontium (Sr) from produced water derived from Permian Basin oil and gas recovery operations.
The Task Preview, below, is a nearly finalized Task Problem Statement. We are awaiting a few minor parameters.
Task 6. Open Task
Sponsor: Jacobs Engineering Group
Task Developers: Your team.
Propose your own environmental challenge. The tasks require innovation and a bench-scale demo. Teams are encouraged to identify needs of economically challenged communities in their region.
Make sure your Open Task is competitive. Not sure? Email werc@nmsu.edu and our judges will review your plans.
Q: I just heard about Auditors. What is that about? (Updated 7/03/26)
A: As is done in industry, WERC requires 3 independent audits of your final report. These are topic-specific. Start looking for one auditor in each area: Economics, Legal, and Health & safety). See the Team Manual.
Q: What is the deadline for submitting the technical report draft to our auditors? (Updated 7/03/26)
A: We suggest that you submit your draft to your auditors 3 weeks prior to the report due date. The date is a suggestion, not a requirement. See the Team Manual.
Q: What should we put in the social media post? (Posted 4/9/26)
A: Sponsors have requested that you regularly post about your project. Send out something friendly and exciting that thanks the sponsors and tells people what you are doing, like this: We are excited to be solving XXX at the WERC Environmental Design Contest in Las Cruces, NM. We send a big "Thank you" to our sponsors: @XXX, @XXX. (But put it in your own words--you don't want everyone to use the same phrasing that you did.) Include a photo or video of your team having fun working on the project.