Climate change is not the only reason to blame for India’s Chennai water crisis

Chennai, capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India has been trending on social media in the wake of its acute water crisis. Chennai’s water shortage is so severe that it has made international news. Water problems are not new to the Indian population. Water is regarded as “Blue Gold” due to extreme scarcity and a high price. With the government’s negligence, every summer story is the same and people continue to suffer.

Water-to-wire Micro-hydropower generation could provide a smart solution to achieve a greater energy-water nexus

The concept of kinetic energy was discovered ages ago. The world’s waterways are filled with kinetic energy as gravity draws water across watersheds, through waterfalls and rivers that flow into the sea. Humans have explored ways to harness energy from water for centuries which started off as extracting energy in water to turn water wheels and power agricultural machinery. In the 19th century, the inherent capacity of water was explored to generate electricity. Today, hydropower generation creates images of massive landscape shattering dams such as the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River.

Bengaluru Digs Water Wellness: a revived ancient tradition brings hope and hydration

Once known as the Garden City for its lush green landscape, Bengaluru’s fresh water is fast disappearing. Lakes have gone dry due to development and drought. Rapid urbanization has led to green spaces being razed for infrastructure projects and residences.  Groundwater is vanishing.

With government authorities unable to meet growing water demands, an ancient community of well diggers are being called upon to help. They’re using their hands, along with their knowledge of soil and rock to build open wells that channel rainwater back into the ground.

Water as a Human Right: A “Last Mile” Problem? Or a “First Mile” Problem?

The United Nations Development Program estimates that as of 2017, 2.1 billion people on the planet lack secure access to safe drinking water, and 4.4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. This stark reality led to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal Number 6: “Safe and affordable drinking water for all”. Since the adoption of the SDG’s at the turn of the millennium, progress had been made, the proportion of the global population with access to safe water increased from 61% to 71% from 2000 to 2015, and access to sanitation improved from 28% to 45%.

Philadelphia and the World’s Water Crisis: Local Solutions to a Global Challenge

The Water Center at Penn (WCP) Senior Fellow and Director of the Penn Global China Program, Scott Moore, gave a talk about “Philadelphia and the World’s Water Crisis: Local Solution to a Global Challenge” at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia on Tuesday, October 29th. The event attracted over 30 people interested in learning more about the world’s water problems and how Philadelphia has contributed to finding solutions to these problems.

Facilitating New Technology Based Solutions to Urban Water Challenges

On January 13, 2020 REACT at Penn held a symposium on Global Pathways to enable Innovative Materials Solutions for Urban Challenges. REACT at Penn is a research consortium primarily funded by the National Science Foundation for Research and Education in Active Coatings Technologies for the Human Habitat, with Prof. Russel Composto as the Director.