

The WaterCAMPWS Mission

Our twin missions are to develop revolutionary new materials and systems to safely and economically purify water for the peoples of the U.S. and the world, and to develop the human resources to advance the science and technology of water purification. The WaterCAMPWS is a research and education center for increasing water supplies for human use through enhanced treatment technologies.

The WaterCAMPWS Vision

The main vision of The WaterCAMPWS is that the problems in increasing potable water supplies can be solved by focusing on the basic science of the aqueous interface, and developing advanced materials and systems that exploit the unique physics and chemistry at the interface. Our core thesis is that by developing the human resources to study the science of the aqueous interface with new materials synthesis and characterization that are integrated into water treatment systems, The WaterCAMPWS will greatly advance water purification. Our legacy will be a rich body of intellectual achievement, newly developed materials and engineered systems, and highly educated students, researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders in clean water, and to become the preeminent source of knowledge for advanced materials and systems in water purification. Success will be measured by the direct impact in research and human development that each WaterCAMPWS participant has on enhancing humankind's ability to purify water.

  • Develop cost-effective, non-fouling catalysts and catalytic processes to reduce oxyanions such as nitrate, bromate, and perchlorate, and mineralize organics such as NDMA, trichloroethylene, and atrazine in water.
  • Develop cost-effective, compact water treatment systems that incorporate membranes, sorbents, and other materials to achieve removal of trace levels of dissolved inorganic and organic compounds, pathogenic organisms, and particles. The process should be effective for the classes of compounds and microbes that include the emerging contaminants of interest. The systems must be multi-dimensional and capable of being tailored to the water qualities in different locations.
  • Develop point-of-use water treatment systems that can be used effectively in both developing and developed countries. These units must be capable of destroying pathogens that are either free-living or protected by particles, and that have the resistance of organisms such as protozoan (oo)cysts and bacterial spores. These units must be capable of being operated and maintained by essentially anyone.
  • Develop a scalable system for the efficient screening of new materials for water purification so that materials synthesis and process characterization can be coupled more efficiently and the gains in fundamental understanding of the interfacial science of water purification can be translated into evolutionary and revolutionary technologies.


The WaterCAMPWS' desired legacy is to make substantive and profound advancements in creating advanced materials and systems for water purification, to attract government, foundation, and industrial support to implement advanced materials, systems, and methodologies that purify water, so that the U.S. governmental bodies and citizens have the abilities to forcefully tackle the impending crisis in clean water. Finally, The WaterCAMPWS seeks to transfer the knowledge gained to the peoples of the world, to create a high degree of public awareness of the impending crisis for lack of sufficient clean water around the world, and to spur initiatives to change the course of water purification in the U.S. and the world.