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About AguaClara
The Project
AguaClara is a project in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University that is improving drinking water quality through innovation, research, knowledge transfer, open-source engineering, and design of sustainable, replicable water treatment systems.
The foundation of our project is in research and design of sustainable water treatment plants for the Global South. The plants are conceived with careful consideration for their implementation and integration into the communities in which they are built. This integration and implementation can be split up into the two categories of knowledge transfer and local sustainability.
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AguaClara h3. The Project AguaClara is a project in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University that is improving drinking water quality through innovation, [research|Research], knowledge transfer, [open-source engineering|Open Source Engineering], and design of sustainable, replicable water treatment systems. The foundation of our project is in research and design of sustainable water treatment plants for the Global South. The plants are conceived with careful consideration for their implementation and integration into the communities in which they are built. This integration and implementation can be split up into the two categories of knowledge transfer and local sustainability. {float:right|border=2px solid black|width=300px} [!project sites^cumulative_population_cache_image.png!|project sites] {float} |
Thus
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far,
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we
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have
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designed
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and
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consulted
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on
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the
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construction
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of
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five
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water
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treatment
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plants:
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,
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,
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,
...
...
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,
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and
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.
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The
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plant
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in
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Marcala
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was
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designed
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to
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retrofit
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a
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pre-existing
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failed
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plant
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in
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a
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project
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lead
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by
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the
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...
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...
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.
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To
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date,
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four
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fully
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working
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water
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treatment
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plants
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that
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are
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operating
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effectively
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and
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providing
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safe,
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clean
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water
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to
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13,000
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people
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across
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Honduras.
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Currently,
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the
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fifth
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water
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treatment
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plant,
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,
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is
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being
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built
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and
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will
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provide
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2,160
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people
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with
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access
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to
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clean
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and
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safe
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drinking
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water.
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Social
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Sustainability
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Beyond
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the
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physical
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design
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and
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construction
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of
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water
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treatment
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plants,
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the
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AguaClara
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project
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also
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focuses
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on
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knowledge
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transfer.
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This
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allows
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the
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receiving
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communities
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to
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be
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self
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sufficient
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and
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sustainable
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in
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plant
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maintenance
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and
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operation.
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Our
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plants
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are
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built
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using
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local
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labor,
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with
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attention
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paid
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to
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educating
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plant
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operators
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and
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other
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local
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people
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about
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the
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technology.
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During
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the
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summer
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operator
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training
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workshops
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are
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held
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to
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provide
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more
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face-to-face
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education.
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AguaClara
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places
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education
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as
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the
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most
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valuable
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element
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of
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a
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successful
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development
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project.
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If
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the
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community
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understands
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the
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importance
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of
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clean
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water,
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the
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operators
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understand
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how
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the
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use
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the
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technology,
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and
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the
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community
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takes
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part
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(contributing
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labor
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and
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local
...
materials)
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in
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building
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the
...
plant,
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then
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the
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chances
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of
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the
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community
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sustaining
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the
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technology
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are
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much
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greater.
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AguaClara
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partners
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with
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a
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local
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organization,
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...
...
...
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(APP);
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this
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...
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aids
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in
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site
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selection,
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construction,
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and
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organization
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in
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Honduras.
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It
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is
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these
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local
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connections
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and
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this
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knowledge
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sharing
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that
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makes
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our
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technology
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socially
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sustainable.
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Currently,
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APP
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is
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working
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to
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select
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the
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next
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...
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to
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receive
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AguaClara
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water
...
treatment
...
plants.
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Physical Sustainability
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Sustainability {float:right|border=2px solid black|width=240px} [!About AguaClara^CycleOfInnovation.JPG|width=240px!|About AguaClara] {float} |
The
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research
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done
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at
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Cornell
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University
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on
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water
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treatment
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processes
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is
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the
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foundation
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for
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the
...
design
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of
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the
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plants
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we
...
have
...
built.
...
Our
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water
...
treatment
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plants
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are
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designed
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to
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be
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clever,
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simple
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and
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affordable.
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They
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are
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entirely
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gravity
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powered
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and
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made
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almost
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completely
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out
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of
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local
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materials.
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The
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design
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algorithms
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are
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structured
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to
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be
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scalable
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and
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replicable.
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These
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factors,
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combined
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with
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very
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simple
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designs,
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make
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our
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plants
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physically
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sustainable.
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The
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next
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push
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for
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our
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project
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is
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to
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make
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our
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algorithms
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...
...
.
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We
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are
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working
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on
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the
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MathCAD
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and
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AutoCAD
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code
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necessary
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to
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create
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an
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internet
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interface
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such
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that
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anyone
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wanting
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to
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use
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the
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AguaClara
...
design
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can
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input
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basic
...
parameters
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about
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their
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town
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and
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the
...
program
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will
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return
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a
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complete
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plant
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design.
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The
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AguaClara
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team
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is
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endeavoring
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to
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expand
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the
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knowledge
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base
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for
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creating
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a
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sustainable
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future.
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We
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are
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convinced
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that
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the
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most
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effective
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way
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to
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develop
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new
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solutions
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is
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to
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integrate
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field
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and
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laboratory
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research.
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We
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currently
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have
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4
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laboratory-based
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and
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1
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computation-based
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teams
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(with
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1
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to
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5
...
students
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each)
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working
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to
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improve
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water
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treatment
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technologies.
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We
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also
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have
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a
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large Design Tool team that is creating computational algorithms for designing drinking water treatment plants, and an outreach team that is coordinating fundraising and public relations.
Working with partner organizations who build the water treatment plants is a critical part of the project research since it is the feedback from the operating plants that helps guide the research agenda. The AguaClara project integrates research, outreach, service, and learning. We are engaging with disciplines beyond engineering with close connections to business and public health and are working to extend that engagement in the coming months. Donate to help us improve robust, low cost water treatment technologies and to provide safe drinking water to the unserved.
Future Goals
As we move forward in our research we are testing variations of our existing flocculation model, including the relationship between velocity gradients and fluid mixing and floc formation, that will make the AguaClara technology more efficient and even less expensive. We are also researching ways to design sedimentation and chemical dosing systems to improve the efficiency of plant operation. A complete list of research projects can be found on the research page.