Water, Water Everywhere But Is It Clean? UC's Dan Oerther Receives Fellowship from IPWR

Jennie Ward Robinson, PhD, Executive Director of IPWR  traveled from Chicago to Cincinnati to make the inaugural presentation herself. Afterward, she met with engineering students at UC and provided a brief overview of the IPWR program to interested parties in the environmental engineering and science program.

“We hope to develop a cadre of engineering researchers to nurture the formation of relationships,” said Robinson. Her office initiated the award to bridge the gaps between water and health, and between senior scholars and junior researchers. “There was a huge question if this would be viable — if there was any interest in the scientific community. We were besieged with applications!”

From the 45 applications received from top water researchers, six were chosen, one of whom was from UC’s Oerther, an associate professor in environmental engineering. Earlier in 2006, Oerther received a Fulbright to travel to India and study water systems.  With this recent award, Oerther will be travelling to India again this year and next year to conduct additional research on water quality and quantity, both at the point of use (e.g., the faucet) and the point of discharge (e.g., septic tank).

“On my first visit I will collect data to look at the relationship between actual usage of water in the home to perceptions of usage of water in the home,” says Oerther. “This is not an epidemiological study, but a survey to look at the quality and quantity of health and water.” On his second visit under the grant, he will look at points of use and points of discharge with the goal of improving water quality. He will consider such things as how U.S. technologies could work to improve the quality of water in India.

“Water is the single biggest factor in public health,” UC College of Engineering Dean Carlo Montemagno noted at the presentation.

Introduction to the Institute for Public Health and Water Research

The Institute  (IPWR) was initially incorporated in January 2005 as the Brita Water Research Institute, a not-for-profit, independent science and education organization focused on improving public health and well being by expanding knowledge about quality drinking water. In November 2005, the name was changed to the Institute for Public Health and Water Research to clearly indicate the mission of the organization and to facilitate collaborations with other groups, particularly non-governmental organizations.

The IPWR provides scientific direction, funds and other support to investigators to encourage research, publications and meetings. The IPWR distributes information and organizes discussions with appropriate groups for public education and outreach. The goals are to identify and promote opportunities to construct an integrated research agenda, directly fund research to expand knowledge on water and health, and produce technical and non-technical information on water consumption and health. The IPWR is funded by an unrestricted research and educational grant from The Brita Products Company.

The Institute for Public Health and Water Research (IPWR) is a not-for-profit, independent science and education organization. The mission of IPWR is to promote research and education on the value of drinking quality water in the improvement of health and the impact and health implications of consuming contaminated water. IPWR provides scientific direction, funds and other support to investigators to encourage research, publications and meetings in these areas.

Summary of Award

IPWR Fellow: Daniel Oerther, Ph.D., PE , BCEE
Location: University of Cincinnati
Amount $50,000 for two years
Project: Health Implications of Point of Use Water Treatment in India

Read more about UC's research in water quality.