The Center for Urban Waters encourages innovation of clean water technologies by encouraging a collaborative research and application environment, by providing technical assistance for new concepts and products, by maintaining a nationally-recognized stormwater technology certification program, and by connecting innovators to potential users.  Urban Waters is the home for Washington State’s Clean Water Technology Innovative Partnership Zone, a collaboration among local businesses, Tacoma/Pierce County Economic Development Board, the City of Tacoma, the Port of Tacoma, the University of Washington and others to catalyze water technology businesses in Tacoma.  Tacoma is a member of EPA’s  Environmental Technology Innovative Cluster Program .  As part of the Washington Stormwater Center, Urban Waters assists the Washington State Department of Ecology in operating the TAPE (Technology Assessment Protocol-Ecology) certification program that evaluates the performance of stormwater treatment devices against rigorous standards under real-world conditions.