August 23, 2012
On the ground partnerships with Intel and ASU in Arizona, SGS in Poland, ConocoPhillips in Indonesia, and Net Impact around the globe are broadening WaterMatch's reach.CH2M HILL's WaterMatch, a grassroots, goodwill initiative that promotes the beneficial reuse of municipal effluent for industrial and agricultural use at the local level, is expanding through collaborations with companies and universities around the world. CH2M HILL will showcase WaterMatch, a free website that uses social networking and geospatial mapping to connect water generators with water users, during Stockholm World Water Week, August 26-31, to help the thousands of multi-sector attendees make connections and take action on water.
"We are expanding WaterMatch and the grassroots water reuse
revolution to promote progress through partnerships and
projects on the ground," says CH2M HILL Vice President Jan
Dell. "We invite companies, municipalities and universities
to join us in this goodwill effort."
CH2M HILL launched the WaterMatch website in 2011.
Recognizing the importance of water reuse, and the low
rates of implementation around the world, corporations and
universities are partnering with WaterMatch to promote
reuse and sustainable water management through a variety of
actions. Intel and Arizona State University are working
with local municipalities in Arizona and the U.S. Southwest
to populate the WaterMatch Map and associated wastewater
treatment plant profiles, as well as are conducting
research into the uses and benefits of WaterMatch.
"Sustainable water management is a key focus at Intel. We
created the external collaboration with CH2M HILL's
WaterMatch, the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS)
and Decision Center for a Desert City (DCDC) at Arizona
State University to increase water sustainability in our
local community," states Gary Niekerk, Director, Corporate
Citizenship at Intel. Intel believes that technology can
play an important role in addressing the world's
sustainability challenges.
Also helping to populate the map and grow the user base are
SGS, concentrating on Poland, British Water in the United
Kingdom and ConocoPhillips, working in Indonesia. "There is
good potential for water reuse by industries in Poland and
we wish to help municipalities and industries connect to
everyone's benefit," says Tomasz Stuczynski, Poland Country
Manager at SGS, a global inspection, testing, verification
and certification company. "WaterMatch is a conduit for
these public and private sector connections."
To tap into the energy and creativity of students, and
offer them real-world learning experiences that support
local community and economic development while protecting
the environment, WaterMatch is collaborating on a global
WaterMatch Makers University Program with Net Impact (www.netimpact.org).
Net Impact is the premiere global nonprofit that supports
a new generation of leaders to work for a more
sustainable world, benefitting not just the bottom line,
but people and the planet too.
With more than 300 volunteer-led chapters worldwide, Net
Impact will connect the WaterMatch program with their
vibrant network of universities and students to promote
water reuse and take action on local water issues. "This
program is a great fit for our Net Impact campus chapters.
It will provide our student leaders with the opportunity to
build crucial skills, learn about water sustainability
issues, and make a tangible impact in their community,"
said Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact. The Program will be
publicly launched at the Net Impact Conference on October
27 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The University Program will leverage the learnings of the
successful pilots at the University of California San Diego
and Arizona State University. "Our students were eager to
engage on the critical issue of water sustainability in our
Arizona community and work on a grassroots project," said
John Sabo, Director of Research Development, Global
Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University.
"It's great to see the program our students helped to pilot
expand globally."
The WaterMatch website has over 21,000 potential water
reuse sources and is growing daily (www.ch2mhill.com/watermatch).
"Our motive is simple: to promote beneficial water reuse
around the world today," adds Dell. "We hope that you
will join us and help make matches happen, because no
water should be wasted."
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