Junior Scientists Share Water Project Updates at World Water Week

August 26, 2011
By Amelia Gingold

This week students from Ghana and the Netherlands reconvene at Stockholm World Water Week to share the results of their efforts to bring safe water to people in need.

The award-winning students, who met during the 2010 international Stockholm Junior Water Prize, realized the complementary nature of their original submissions and embarked on a year-long collaboration to solve critical water needs. With the support of Water For People, ITT Corporation and Black & Veatch, the teams worked to construct a water system in rural Ghana and explored the use of ozone in disinfecting water at the source.

“Some of the brightest young minds from around the world convene in Stockholm to share their ideas for solving the global water crisis, and it is inspiring to watch the Stockholm Junior Water Prize finalists apply their research in the field to create sustainable and positive change,” said Michael Fields, director of corporate philanthropy at ITT. “ITT is proud to return to Stockholm alongside these students as they share their results with the water community.”

The young scientists, including Raymond Bentum, Theophilus Asiedu Sagoe, Archimedes Bruno Andries and David Mclean of Ghana, and Evelien van Zwol, Lianne Siemensma and Wouter van der Wal of the Netherlands, spent the last year working on their projects as part of a long-distance collaboration and met in Ghana to fine-tune their solutions and expand their understanding of local water needs. As part of this work, the Ghanaian team partnered with the community of Open to educate residents on safe water and sanitation practices and to design and construct a water filtration system using local materials. The Netherlands team spent the year networking with ozone experts to create a water pump that uses mechanical energy to spark the creation of ozone for water disinfection and tested their prototype with the same Ghanaian community.

“The teams never relented in their efforts to turn their ideas into actions. They worked diligently to develop their plans and overcame challenges and setbacks to ultimately improve and then implement their projects,” said Jim Clark, Senior Vice President for Black & Veatch’s global water business.

With the support and encouragement of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Water For People, ITT and Black & Veatch will continue their support for a team of national finalists for the 2011 Stockholm Junior Water Prize.

“We look forward to continuing our work with these young people, who are passionate about water and sanitation issues,” said Water For People’s CEO Ned Breslin. “They bring a new motivation and innovation to the sector that contributes to the true sustainability of our work by invoking the next generation to feel confident that they can solve problems and contribute to better the livelihoods of millions worldwide.”

ABOUT WATER FOR PEOPLE
Water For People is a non-profit international development organization dedicated to helping people in developing countries gain access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation. Water For People’s entrepreneurial approach establishes partnerships between local and national governments, nongovernment organizations, private enterprise, and entrepreneurs to create self-managed safe water and sanitation services that last over time. Water For People works to reach everyone with sustainable services in the areas where it operates and monitors development for at least 10 years post project completion. To learn more, visit http://www.waterforpeople.org or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT ITT CORPORATION
ITT Corporation is a high-technology engineering and manufacturing company operating on all seven continents in three vital markets: water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control. With a heritage of innovation, ITT partners with its customers to deliver extraordinary solutions that create more livable environments, provide protection and safety and connect our world. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated 2010 revenue of $11 billion. http://www.itt.com

On 12 January 2011, ITT announced its intention to spin off its Water and Defense businesses into separate publicly traded companies prior to the end of this year. The new water company, to be called Xylem, will be a global leading provider of products and technologies for water and wastewater; residential and commercial water; analytical instrumentation and flow control, doing business in more than 150 countries with annual revenues of $3.6 billion.

ABOUT BLACK & VEATCH
Black & Veatch is a global leader in the consulting, engineering, construction and operation of what the world needs now and in the future in the crucial areas of energy, water and telecommunications and in providing up-to-the-minute services in the fast changing federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, the employee-owned, $2.3 billion company operates out of more than 110 offices worldwide and has completed projects in more than 100 countries. http://www.bv.com