News

The interrelation of water and energy is an essential area of inquiry at WEST Center.  A current collaborative study between faculty in Optical Sciences and Chemical Engineering/WEST explores the potential for using new solar-thermal technology for water purification.

Members of the WEST Center Industry Advisory Board (IAB) met in Tucson on Oct. 9 for the WEST Center 2018 IAB Meeting & Research Symposium.  Attendees heard research updates, toured WEST, and discussed priorities for new project development.  It was a great opportunity to connect with partners.

On October 11, 2018, WEST Center hosted delegations from Mexico's Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and Israel's Ben Gurion University of the Negev (BGU).  Delegations toured the facility and discussed possible collaboration.

WEST faculty present research conducted in collaboration with WEST-member, METAWATER, at IWA Conference in Tokyo. Study results indicate filtration method for virus removal has potential for application in water reuse.

Bureau of Reclamation and RAPID Manufacturing Institute award WEST Center faculty funding to advance zero liquid discharge technology and train students and professionals on membrane processes to purify water.

More than 600 water reuse professionals gathered in Austin, Texas on September 9-12, 2018 to learn what’s working, what’s new, and what’s next in water recycling. Reflecting the largest attendance at the Annual WateReuse Symposium in nearly a decade, participants came from 34 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and nine countries to attend the nation’s premier conference on water reuse.

Pima County’s AZ Pure Water Brew Challenge project won the Transformational Innovation Award at the 33rd Annual WateReuse Symposium, September 10 in Austin, Texas. The WateReuse Association honored the project for its leadership, creativity and persistence in supporting recycled water.  Congratulations to Pima County and other partners on the project.

The advanced mobile water purification trailer (or “beer truck”) has gotten a lot of mileage. In just a couple years, it has garnered awards, captured public attention, and logged 7,700 miles while producing 94,000 gallons of purified water.  Where will it travel next?

Chuck Graf, recently retired Principal Hydrogeologist from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), shared his deep knowledge of water reuse history and water quality standards during a visit to WEST Center on August 7, 2018.

Vanessa Barchfield reports on an Arizona-based company’s efforts to use solar technology to produce potable water from vapor in the air. The solar-panel devices can even produce a few liters per day in Arizona’s arid climate.
University of Arizona Professor, Andrea Achilli, contributes to the report, explaining research on water treatment technology at UA's WEST Center.