Clean Water Progress and Projects

In a press release from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, research is showing progress towards addressing two resources on which modern society depends: water and energy. As demands for these increase, researchers are looking into alternative technologies that promise both sustainability and reduced environmental impact. Engineered osmosis holds a key to addressing both the global need for affordable clean water and inexpensive sustainable energy according to Yale researchers.

With careful planning we can reuse, recycle and restore water within our buildings, our neighborhoods and watersheds. Across the United States and around the globe, engineers, planners, builders, architects, and community activists are designing locally-managed water systems that are much more efficient and resilient. These decentralized systems mimic natural water processes to reduce waste, recover energy and nutrients from water, and improve our communities' ability to weather increasingly severe drought and storm cycles.

By working with nature and towards innovation, we can develop cleaner, healthier and friendlier homes, neighborhoods and communities. Our water supply and infrastructure will be easier to maintain, and will be more resilient to severe droughts and violent storms. Wild places and ecosystems around our homes will benefit greatly when we reduce our impact, dramatically increasing the natural beauty of our homes and communities. And, by shifting to a localized, low-impact water system, we will create countless green collar jobs and a new international industry, boosting our local and national economies and communities.

We can close the loop on water and significantly reduce waste by developing localized, decentralized systems for residential and commercial buildings and communities. The water we use to wash our clothes can be reused to flush toilets and water gardens. We can develop small-scale water treatment facilities that mimic nature, reducing the need for chlorine, chloramines and other harsh chemicals. Trees, flowers and other native plants can be incorporated into our yards and gardens to help retain and reuse rainwater. By maintaining and restoring our forests, marshes and wetlands we can help our local watersheds and ecosystems weather extreme weather and withstand drought. Ultimately, we can redesign our homes and communities to work with the natural cycle of water, rather than against it.