Vision
The vision shared by all those at Aqueous Solutions is a world in which people everywhere enjoy secure and ecologically sustainable access to drinking water free from biological pathogens and hazardous chemical contaminants.
Mission
One in six people worldwide – at least1.1 billion people – lack access to safe drinking water. Moreover, this figure refers only to the contamination of drinking water by biological pathogens. An additional and perhaps even more widespread concern is the increasing contamination of water sources by toxic synthetic chemicals such as pesticides.
Aqueous Solutions, a non-profit organization, focuses on design, development, demonstration and implementation of appropriate technologies to provide safe drinking water for rural communities in the developing world. Specifically, we concentrate our efforts on the development of simple, ecologically sustainable systems that remove chemical contaminants such as pesticides.
Over 2.6 billion people worldwide (40% of the world’s population, who constitute half of the population of the developing world) lack access to basic sanitation. Local sanitation practices often bear directly on drinking water quality. Thus, Aqueous Solutions is also committed to working with communities to improve sanitation infrastructure and practices.
Values
Aqueous Solutions is committed to using materials that are naturally abundant and ecologically apposite. We advocate techniques that engender local self-reliance and decentralized democratic control in their creation and operation, and moreover, are conscious of local cultures and traditions. Our work thereby operates as means of harnessing and celebrating local wisdom and labor skills.
Work Areas
Research – Our research centers on developing appropriate technologies for the removal of toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, from rural drinking water supplies. Our research takes its cues and inspiration from organic development using knowledge gained in the field, and implements a holistic “cradle-to-cradle” approach in the materials life cycles of our water systems. Research is carried out in conjunction with the University of Colorado–Boulder and North Carolina State University, as well as with our partner organizations in Thailand, Haiti, India, and Cameroon.
Field Projects – Aqueous Solutions brings together international teams of environmental engineers, scientists, and local nationals to plan and implement rural WASH systems with marginalized communities along the Thai / Burmese border. The people and the communities we serve along the border are our design partners. We build long-term relationships with client communities so that we can better understand and design for their particular needs.
Education – Aqueous Solutions conducts trainings and workshops in the design and maintenance of our water and sanitation systems and produces educational materials in a variety of local languages. We also provide supervised field experiences for science and engineering students, as well as paid and volunteer opportunities for professionals in the field. Through these programs, we strive to improve understanding and communication between international scientists, engineers, development professionals, and members of underserved communities.
Outreach – Through our publications in popular and scientific journals, magazines, website, and online media sites, we strive to engender awareness of the human rights issues implicit in water resource concerns, and the dignity and empowerment afforded by self-reliant, participatory control of clean drinking-water and sanitation.
