Support Water Research on Ohio State’s Day of Giving March 22

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March 18, 2019

You can change the world — by starting right here. On Friday, March 22, Buckeyes from all over will come together for Day of Giving to help Ohio State tackle the local and global challenges that affect us all.

One of those global challenges is providing clean water and making it accessible around the world. Coincidentally, March 22 is World Water Day, an annual United Nations-led observance. This year’s theme is “Leaving No One Behind,” building on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to provide clean, safe water for all by 2030. Today, billions of people are still living without safe water — their households, schools, workplaces, farms and factories struggling to survive and thrive.

Here at Ohio State, numerous faculty and staff devote their research and time to priorities including making our waters healthier while sustaining new economic growth and jobs and accelerating innovation, technology and partnerships.

A few ways you can support these efforts:

Addressing Ohio’s Water Challenges
This College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences fund supports research by over 140 faculty and staff conducting active research on water quality—the largest concentration of expertise anywhere in Ohio. There are experts working with farmers on smart technologies and conservation practices. Others are investigating storm water and wastewater management systems, as well as wetlands research and education. And some are studying ways to address the harmful algal blooms, particularly on Lake Erie, that damage Ohio industries and make drinking water unsafe for millions of Ohioans.
Make a gift to the Water Quality Initiative Fund to be part of the solution and ensure clean water for future generations.

Bringing Water to Marwa Village
In the rural village of Marwa, Tanzania, women and young girls spend up to seven hours each day collecting the water their families need to survive. Students from Ohio State’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering have already designed and built three rainwater harvesting systems for the Marwa medical clinic and village schools to aid the community. The team hopes to again travel to Tanzania to work with the community members to build a water treatment and distribution system to eliminate this trek for the women of Marwa Village.
Help Ohio State students bring water to the progressive community of Marwa Village and improve the lives of all who live there.

Investigating Water Contamination
Ohio State researchers associated with the Ohio Water Resources Center are shedding light on a potential new contaminant to drinking water. Little is known about PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), man-made chemicals used to make some cosmetics and non-stick or water-repellent products. These can persist in the environment for decades.  Our researchers are measuring these “forever chemicals” in surface waters, air and soils to determine how and where they spread as a first step to better understanding the potential risk.
Support the work of the Ohio Water Resources Center.

Thank you for helping Ohio State solve global challenges!

Ohio State Day of Giving

Fact Sheet: Water Research at Ohio State

World Water Day