Researchers at Georgia Southern University’s Institute for Water and Health (IWH) have launched a new project in Marion, Alabama, to address the city’s aging water infrastructure and its impact on human health, by putting emphasis on community-based research, workforce development and the environment. justice.
The Marion, Alabama, pilot project is a collaborative effort between Georgia Southern and the University of Alabama. IWH Director Asli Aslan, Ph.D., is the Principal Investigator (PI) and Lacey Huffling, Ph.D., of Georgia Southern’s College of Education, and Lanna Nations, Director of Education and outreach to the University’s Alabama Water Institute. of Alabama, are co-PI. In partnership with the City of Eastman, Georgia, the project includes an internship program for next generation water operators and a peer mentoring program for current water managers. Project leaders seek to improve communication and foster trust between local authorities and residents, thereby contributing to long-term environmental health and equitable access to clean water.
Aslan sees workforce preparation as an essential element in maintaining standards in water management.
“Across the country, community water systems are managed by specialized professionals to ensure safe water every time we turn on the tap,” Aslan noted.
She said about 50 percent of water operators working at these facilities will retire in the next decade, but only 10 percent are expected to be replaced. Training the next generation of water operators and developing leaders for rural water systems is a matter of national security.
“The Institute for Water and Health is committed to launching a regional program aimed at equipping future water managers with the skills needed to ensure safe water for all,” continued Aslan. “This pilot project will lay the foundation for that goal and aims to expand the program throughout the southeastern United States.”
The project is funded by Alabama Power and Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, a Georgia-based program that funds and supports networks with resources between businesses, research universities and government entities. To learn more about this project and other IWH research and education programs, visit here or by email IWH@georgiasouthern.edu.