Academic institutions across the United States have formed the Urban Water Innovation Network (UWIN) to address water crisis issues facing urban localities. Colorado State University leads the water crisis initiative with help from Florida International University (FIU). FIU News reports that, “The network will establish six highly connected regional urban water sustainability hubs in densely populated regions across the nation to serve as innovation centers, helping communities transition to sustainable management of water resources.” [1]
Serving as the additional UWIN collegiate partners in the hubs of innovation are Arizona State University, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Howard University, Oregon State University, Princeton University, University of Arizona, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Riverside, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of Miami, University of Oregon, and the University of Pennsylvania.
The UWIN mission is to “create an enduring research network for integrated water systems and to cultivate champions of innovation for water-sensitive urban design and resilient cities,” as reported by FIU News. The National Science Foundation awarded the collaboration a $12 million grant through its Sustainability Research Networks (SRN) program and a second SRN grant this year as part of the national consortium dedicated to infrastructure resiliency in the face of weather extremes.[2] Funding for this project will combat water scarcity throughout the nation and potentially decrease the immense economic impact on urban developments to continue providing a reliable water resource.
Water scarcity is not a new danger to our communities, but the way in which we choose to respond to them is new. The consortium will not only help to bring new technology to the world of water, but also to initiate forward thinking ideas into action. It aspires to create change within the way our world perceives the use of water and eventually implement new policies to decrease consumption and increase responsible utilization instead. [1] Researchers anticipate creating a technologically advanced management solution on the institutional level that increases community resilience of water systems, thereby enhancing responsiveness to water scarcity threats . [1]
Sources
- Universities Join Forces to Tackle Urban Water Crises
- New Network and Research Hub to Tackle Urban Water Crises
[1] JoAnn Adkins, Universities Join Forces to Tackle Urban Water Crises, FIU News http://news.fiu.edu/2015/08/universities-join-forces-to-tackle-urban-water-crises/90873
[2] Jonathan Andrews, New Network and Research Hub to Tackle Urban Water Crises, Cities Today http://cities-today.com/new-urban-water-research-hub-to-be-launched/