Mines Opens Advanced Water Technology Center

GOLDEN, Colo., Aug. 28, 2007 – Colorado School of Mines announces the opening of AQWATEC, the Advanced Water Technology Center.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m., Aug. 29, in the General Research Laboratory, 1310 Maple St., on the Mines campus in Golden. Rob Renner, executive director of the American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AwwaRF) will deliver a keynote address.

"Readily accessible fresh water supplies are limited especially in the western parts of the U.S. and have been fully allocated in many areas. To meet increasing demand due to population growth, utilization of non-traditional water resources will be needed,” said Jorg Drewes, center director and Mines associate professor.

In addition, Drewes said emerging technologies such as sources of alternative energy are water intense, putting further demand on the resource. With AQWATEC, Mines is uniquely positioned to address these issues and develop novel water treatment processes and hybrid systems to enable sustainable and energy efficient utilization of impaired sources to provide potable and non-potable water supplies. The center serves as a cornerstone supporting the campus research thrust areas of environment and energy.

AQWATEC faculty sustain a research funding base of more than $4.5 million through active grants and contracts from the AwwaRF, Water Environment Research Foundation, National Science Foundation, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and others.

For more information, go to www.aqwatec.com.