“Empowering Community Resilience with Sustainable Energy and Water Reuse Systems”  is a National Science Foundation funded project [Award #2418390] that brings together researchers from University of Nevada, Reno, Louisiana Tech University and Jackson State University to create Mobile Energy-Water Reuse Systems (MEWRS) to support reliable, safe drinking water supply in rural communities. 

Collaborative research, involving university researchers and rural water system managers, will inform MEWRS development which aims to help rural communities plan for and meet unexpected energy and water quality needs without reliance on external resources and/or expertise. Our sustainability plan includes exploring federal/private funding and policies to demonstrate and potentially sustain MEWRS technologies in rural communities. This project will also recruit and train a future workforce in clean, renewable energy generation and storage, water treatment chemistry, and nanotechnology-enabled processes.

 

We will collaboratively engage rural communities to: 

1. Assess the critical water quality challenges facing rural water systems managers/operators.
2. Utilize assessment results to inform MEWRS technologies development to improve their immediate utility in rural areas.
3. Transfer MEWRS technologies through community engagement with rural water system managers/operators.
4. Incentivize the creation of new businesses, jobs, and tax revenues necessary for these technologies to sustain economic development and environmental protection. 
5. Developing a diverse workforce by training/mentoring students, postdoctoral scholars and community college students to support the design, fabrication, and testing of MEWRS. 
6. Increasing awareness of of this new science and technology through courses, seminars, publications and presentations.

What is MEWRS?

Mobile Energy-Water Reuse Systems (MEWRS) are portable units that:

• Supply safe drinking water during emergencies using advanced treatment methods
• Uses solar power to provide safe drinking water even when the power is out
• Can be transported to sites as needed following natural or man-made disasters

Why Does MEWRS Matter?

• Increased number and severity of disasters that result in water supply disruptions
• Such events often knock out power and limit access to safe drinking water
• Many rural communities face the greatest challenges in responding to such events

How Does MEWRS Enhance Community Resilience?

• Removes harmful pollutants to ensure safe drinkable water in emergencies
• Can sustain safe drinking water during future disruptions
• Designed to be low-cost, mobile, and easy to operate
• Can be adapted to work with an existing water treatment facility