WaterHub provides hands-on experience for environmental students
As part of the university’s commitment to sustainability, Emory has built a new water reclamation facility called the WaterHub, which is projected to help Emory reclaim some 300,000 gallons of campus wastewater daily.
Even as the facility was being constructed, Rollins students began using it for research by monitoring the changing microbiology of wastewater samples as the new project was ramping up.
“It provided the experience of collecting real data, interpreting results, and writing reports,” says Christine Moe, Eugene J. Gangarosa Professor of Safe Water and Sanitation and director of the Center for Global Safe Water. “For some students, it may have been the first hands-on lab experience that they’ve had.”
In addition to reducing campus water consumption and costs, Moe sees the facility providing exciting possibilities for research, scholarship, and water conservation applications far beyond campus.
“One of the things we talk about in class is the growing problem of water scarcity around the world—globally, we’re running out of water,” explains Moe, who worked with Amy Kirby, assistant professor in global health, and Jonathan Lanciani, the WaterHub designer, to arrange the opportunity. “Water scarcity will be one of the defining issues during the lifetime of these students.”
Video:
"The WaterHub: Reducing Emory's Water Footprint"
Related Resources:
"Emory WaterHub celebrates grand opening" (4/14/2015)
