World Water @ UVa

Water is essential for all life, but access to water varies greatly across the globe. Water is abundant in some places, but very scarce in others. Sufficient water for everyone will be a critical challenge of the 21^st century in a world with an ever growing population, increasing per capita income and consumption, and a changing climate that has profound implications for the water cycle. Tackling water issues will also be a multi-disciplinary task, since water touches all aspects of our lives. It plays a key role in food production, electricity generation, recreation, environmental sustainability, etc.

The World Water Events at the University of Virginia will bring together multiple disciplines within the academic community, water professionals, and public interest around national and international water challenges which we all face.

Ceramic water filters get quality screened with the flow rate test before they are brought into family homes to purify water. [Ha Mashamba, Limpopo, South Africa] (Credit: Alice Burgess)

This photo was taken on an early morning bird watching adventure down the Amazon River. It reminds me that sometimes in life, stillness is all we ever really need. [Amazon River, Peru] (Credit: Ricky Anjorin)

Water sanitation and transportation were identified as expressed needs of the community through a Photovoice project. [Pejibaye, Nicaragua] (Credit: Kevin Cao)

A well in an dry riverbed (pictured) is one of two sources of water in the village of Nzali, Tanzania. (Credit: Mark Duda)

This photo was taken during an excursion to the Mekong Delta during my study abroad program. Many communities live and rely on the Mekong Delta–as you can see here, this house is built literally into the river and is held up by wooden stilts. With shifting weather patterns and a lack of understanding about waste management, the region is starting to experience intense flooding, polluted waters, and an increase in disease and overall hygiene. This area of Vietnam is particularly rural and very few people have access to and can afford proper healthcare. The Mekong Delta runs through five different countries (China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia) before finally reaching Vietnam, which makes this issue a more complicated, international problem rather than an easy in-country fix. [Mekong Delta, Vietnam] (Credit: Willa Sweeney)

Birds perch on the harbor stones of Robben Island, historically a place for the rejected, and presently a place of hope. The island once served as a political prison for anti-apatheid activists, including Nelson Mandela, or “Madiba,” as the people call him. Today, this place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a reminder of the promise there is in freedom for the oppressed. [Robben Island, South Africa] (Credit: Alice Xie)

UVa World Water Events are supported by:

The Office of the Vice President for Research

Center for Global Health

Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation

Department of Environmental Sciences

The Darden School of Business Institute for Business in Society

Thank you to Kevin Cao and the Center for Global Health Scholars who provided the images for this site.