DENVER, CO, Aug. 22, 2012 -- CH2M HILL's WaterMatch, a grassroots, goodwill initiative that promotes the beneficial reuse of municipal effluent for industrial and agricultural use at the local level, is expanding through collaborations with companies and universities around the world. CH2M HILL will showcase WaterMatch, a free website that uses social networking and geospatial mapping to connect water generators with water users, during Stockholm World Water Week, August 26-31, to help the thousands of multi-sector attendees make connections and take action on water.
"We are expanding WaterMatch and the grassroots water reuse revolution to promote progress through partnerships and projects on the ground," says CH2M HILL Vice President Jan Dell. "We invite companies, municipalities and universities to join us in this goodwill effort."
CH2M HILL launched the WaterMatch website in 2011. Recognizing the importance of water reuse, and the low rates of implementation around the world, corporations and universities are partnering with WaterMatch to promote reuse and sustainable water management through a variety of actions. Intel and Arizona State University are working with local municipalities in Arizona and the U.S. Southwest to populate the WaterMatch Map and associated wastewater treatment plant profiles, as well as are conducting research into the uses and benefits of WaterMatch.
"Sustainable water management is a key focus at Intel. We created the external collaboration with CH2M HILL's WaterMatch, the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS) and Decision Center for a Desert City (DCDC) at Arizona State University to increase water sustainability in our local community," states Gary Niekerk, Director, Corporate Citizenship at Intel. Intel believes that technology can play an important role in addressing the world's sustainability challenges.
Also helping to populate the map and grow the user base are SGS, concentrating on Poland, British Water in the United Kingdom and ConocoPhillips, working in Indonesia. "There is good potential for water reuse by industries in Poland and we wish to help municipalities and industries connect to everyone's benefit," says Tomasz Stuczynski, Poland Country Manager at SGS, a global inspection, testing, verification and certification company. "WaterMatch is a conduit for these public and private sector connections."
To tap into the energy and creativity of students, and offer them real-world learning experiences that support local community and economic development while protecting the environment, WaterMatch is collaborating on a global WaterMatch Makers University Program with Net Impact (www.netimpact.org). Net Impact is the premiere global nonprofit that supports a new generation of leaders to work for a more sustainable world, benefitting not just the bottom line, but people and the planet too.
With more than 300 volunteer-led chapters worldwide, Net Impact will connect the WaterMatch program with their vibrant network of universities and students to promote water reuse and take action on local water issues. "This program is a great fit for our Net Impact campus chapters. It will provide our student leaders with the opportunity to build crucial skills, learn about water sustainability issues, and make a tangible impact in their community," said Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact. The Program will be publicly launched at the Net Impact Conference on October 27 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The University Program will leverage the learnings of the successful pilots at the University of California San Diego and Arizona State University. "Our students were eager to engage on the critical issue of water sustainability in our Arizona community and work on a grassroots project," said John Sabo, Director of Research Development, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University. "It's great to see the program our students helped to pilot expand globally."
The WaterMatch website has over 21,000 potential water reuse sources and is growing daily (www.ch2mhill.com/watermatch).
"Our motive is simple: to promote beneficial water reuse around the world today," adds Dell. "We hope that you will join us and help make matches happen, because no water should be wasted."
About CH2M HILL
Headquartered near Denver, Colorado, USA, employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in consulting, design, design-build, operations, and program management for government, civil, industrial and energy clients. The firm's work is concentrated in the areas of water, transportation, environmental, energy, facilities and resources. With US$6.4 billion in revenue and 30,000 employees, CH2M HILL is an industry-leading program management, construction management and design firm, as ranked by Engineering News-Record. The firm was named Water Company of the Year at the 2012 Global Water Awards. Visit us at www.ch2mhill.com, www.ch2mhillblogs.com/water, www.twitter.com/ch2mhill and www.facebook.com/ch2mhill.
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