Improving Water Quality in Qinghai Province

Transcription

1 Improving Water Quality in Qinghai Province C hina s rapid economic development in the past decades has been a consistent focus for global economists, especially during the global recession beginning in The country s ability to sustain high levels of economic growth, anywhere from eight to twelve percent, has long baffled economists. Accordingly, economists have drawn two major distinctions in China s ability to sustained high growth. First, the national government has focused an export-intensive market approach, while simultaneously limiting imports from foreign countries into its domestic markets. The first factor then affects the second. The country has focused much of its

2 development in large coastal cities. Economists and scholars have classified these large cities along China s coast as Special Economic Zones, or SEZ s. Yet, China s economic boom has not been experienced evenly. As the national government focuses on SEZ s it is often at the expense of inland provinces, such as Qinghai Province located in northwest China. Provincial and municipal governments largely support places like Xining that boasts a population of around two million people. Smaller towns and villages outside these cities often have yet to experience the effects of China s economic development. T he Utah-Qinghai Eco- Partnership is built upon similarities between the state of Utah and China s Qinghai Province. Both are located in the western regions of their countries, have abundant natural resources, and contain salt lakes. These commonalities led then governor of Qinghai Province, Luo Huining, and Utah Governor Gary Herbert, to forge a partnership to explore energy efficiency and environmental sustainability through joint-innovation. 1 Since establishing the partnership in 2011, UQEP has engaged in a number of projects utilizing Utah technology in places receiving less attention from the Chinese national government, like Qinghai. 1 See Tan Yingzi, Let the Dealmaking Begin, CHINA DAILY, July 14, 2011, A1. Even more, Qinghai is culturally distinct from the rest of China. Dating back thousand of years, the lands have historically been inhabited by people of Tibetan ancestry. Unlike the Han Chinese ethnic majority, Qinghai maintains distinct cultural practices, food, history, and religion. The smaller villages and towns in this province draw more connection with Tibet than any other place. In two small villages located nearly two hours from the provincial capital Xining, Purdue University scientists, supported by the Purdue led Eco-Partnership for Environmental Sustainability and collaborating with UQEP, began a water quality project benefitting villagers who still maintain the lifestyle as many generations before them.

3 O n June 25, 2014, Purdue University, Qinghai University, Qinghai Normal University, Purdue Eco-Partnership for Environmental Sustainability and UQEP held their opening ceremony to celebrate the launch of a joint-innovation project between the U.S. and China to improve water in Qinghai Province. Purdue University is no stranger to the Eco-Partner format. In fact, Purdue facilitates its own Eco-Partnership agreement with China through the Purdue-Chinese Academy of Sciences. Provided Purdue s extensive research in environmental engineering and understanding of the collaborative process, the university was a perfect match to join UQEP and alleviate Qinghai s water needs. Dr. Jafvert is a professor of environmental engineering at Purdue s Lyles School of Civil Engineering, and Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering. Through his studies, Dr. Jafvert has been able to take a commonly known water purification process, slow sand filtration, and tailor it for rural and less developed communities in three continents. The technology is complexly simple. The slow sand filters rely on readily available resources and natural aerobic processes to improve water quality by breaking down organics that make drinking water turbid. Ordinarily water 6 Slow Sand Filters were implemented in Qinghai Province, improving water quality by removing turbidity through aerobic processes. turbidity is not a problem in larger, more industrialized municipalities because such cities have complex water treatment facilities with massive sand filtration systems. However, Many rural mountainous villages are beyond the reach of water treatment facilities and rely upon ground and rainwater collection systems for drinking water. This water is often consumed directly without filtering debris. 2 Figure 1 - Slow Sand Filter Similar to the Model Used in Qinghai. The slow sand filters have already improved drinking water conditions in Africa and South America. Dr. Jafvert first implemented the filters in Colombia with financial assistance from Kimberly Clark. In Colombia the filters were given to local schoolteachers in a number of villages. The slow sand filters provided enough clean drinking water for the school children and their families. Then, Dr. Jafvert took the sand filters to Kenya and Tanzania. He implemented the filters at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology in Arusha, Tanzania, and in Nairobi, Kenya at the UN Habitat as part of the United Nations Offices in Nairobi. 2 As part of the joint Eco- Partnership agreement in Qinghai Province, six slow sand filters were introduced into two villages near Huzhuo. Dr. Jafvert met /06/ssf1.jpg?w=940.

4 with Qinghai Normal University officials to build the filters and then deliver them to six families currently relying on rainwater for drinking. Dr. Jafvert s technology utilizes readily available items, five gallon plastic buckets, sand, plastic tubing, and porous plates that he has designed, so that rural villages can easily implement the design. After installing the filters, Dr. Jafvert worked with homeowners and university professors to collect water samples for analysis back at Qinghai Normal University. Also as part of the cooperative agreement between the U.S. and China, Dr. Jafvert held lectures on water chemistry for Qinghai Normal University professors and students. Both the U.S. and Chinese counterparts hope see the intellectual exchange of professors and students between the U.S. and China as further strengthening the success of the slow sand filtration projects in Qinghai Province ) Local village where the slow sand filter technology was implemented. The houses in the villages have hardly changed from past generations. 2) Dr. Chad Jafvert giving a lecture on the water chemistry of slow sand filters to Qinghai Normal University professors and students. 3) The team visiting homeowners after three days of the slow sand filters being installed. Water samples were collected for later lab analysis. 4) The villages are located miles away from the nearest city and water treatment facility. Here the villages rely on rainwater for drinking. 5) A young boy poses with Professor Lin Yang of Qinghai Normal University, expresses his excitement for the projects and chance to see foreigners.

5 O verall, the water demonstration project was a significant success in the lives of six families. Within the few days the slow sand filters were in use, the homeowners could visibly see improvement in the water consumed. Even more, the villagers informed the team that their houses were a topic of discussion among the community, as many other community members wanted to know why the homeowners were chosen to receive filters and how they themselves could get a slow sand filter. As the demonstration project drew to an end, the lasting impression made in the lives of six families will remain. Qinghai Normal University officials will continue to monitor the progress of the installation sites, while all entities are already devising ways to expand the project to more families and villages throughout the province. While at times difficult to understand the distinct dialect of the local inhabitants, the smiles on the homeowners faces were telling. The wrinkling of skin and drawing of the lips clearly served as an inviting gesture into their homes. The sparkle in their eyes conveyed gratitude where words were absent. After months of careful planning, the joint innovation project had effected positive change in the live of six families in only a matter of days. Taylor Smurthwaite University of Utah Hinckley Institute of Politics UQEP Innovation & IP Coordinator Alan.smurthwaite@law.utah.edu

6