Friday, March 29, 2024

University of Nevada-Las Vegas wins $330,000 grant to study water reuse systems

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) recently won a grant of just under $330,000 to study the risks of microbes in various water reuse systems through an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiative to study the impacts of water reuse and conservation.

“Located in an arid desert, we understand first-hand the importance of mitigating the effects of long-term drought and finding solutions to the increasing demand on our water resources,” UNLV Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering Dean Rama Venkat said. “We are proud to have our faculty’s work highlighted on the national stage and potentially be part of the solution to securing a sustainable water resource for the future.”

The EPA awarded nearly $3.3 million to five institutions located throughout the nation to study the human and ecological impacts of water reuse and conservation systems through its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. This research is especially critical to Western states, where climate change, drought and population growth are putting a strain on the water supply.

“Competing water needs, combined with impacts from prolonged droughts and a changing climate, has increased demands on the finite drinking water resources in the West,” EPA Pacific Southwest Water Division Director Tomás Torres said. “The research UNLV will be doing can help advance the role that recycled water plays in meeting our long-term supply needs.”