WaterResiliency members Drs. Andrea Achilli and Bianca Chaves, along with PhD student Mervin Lim, participated in the 7th International Conference on Desalination Science and Technology (DESAL 2025), held from November 16–19, 2025, in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The conference provided an excellent platform for scientific exchange and collaboration among researchers and practitioners in water treatment and reuse.

Their presentations highlight the Water Resiliency Program’s commitment to advancing water treatment technologies, enhancing water reuse systems, and supporting resilient and sustainable water supplies. The program is conducted in partnership with the Water Reuse Consortium and supported by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). DESAL 2025 offered valuable opportunities for knowledge sharing, networking, and discussion of innovations in membrane technologies and water reuse strategies, reinforcing the program’s mission to develop sustainable water solutions for communities facing growing water challenges.

A new peer-reviewed study led by co-PI Amanda Wilson (Thrust 6) and involving multiple PIs from the Water Resiliency Program explores how communities in the arid U.S. Southwest perceive advanced water purification — a technology increasingly considered for potable reuse. The research, published in Science of the Total Environment, examined both survey and interview data to characterize public risk perceptions and acceptance of advanced purified water compared with current tap water. Strikingly, only 36 % of survey respondents currently use their tap water for drinking, yet 42 % said they would be open to drinking advanced purified water, suggesting potential receptivity to new water resilience strategies despite lingering concerns about safety and trust.

The mixed-methods study highlights key factors that influence acceptance, including the importance of transparent communication, third-party testing, and community engagement to build trust in water utilities and treatment technologies. These insights are particularly relevant as utilities consider implementing advanced water purification to address long-term water scarcity in rapidly growing urban regions. Several Water Resiliency Program investigators contributed to this collaborative work, underscoring the program’s commitment to both cutting-edge research and community-focused approaches to water sustainability.

Researchers at the University of Arizona are playing a central role in a new $38 million research project aimed at developing innovative solutions to the state’s long-term water challenges. As part of the coverage, WEST Center members were interviewed by the Tucson Sentinel, sharing insights on ongoing efforts related to advanced water treatment, water reuse, and long-term sustainability across the Southwest.

The project brings together researchers, community partners, and federal agencies to develop practical, science-based strategies that strengthen regional water resiliency. This recognition highlights the importance of collaborative research in preparing Arizona for increasing water demands and climate-driven challenges.

Read the full Tucson Sentinel article by clicking “Read more.”

A new peer-reviewed publication led by Dr. Bianca M. Souza-Chaves and Dr. Andrea Achilli, with co-authors Diego Salido Alejandri and Dr. Walter Q. Betancourt, has been published in Science of the Total Environment. The study presents innovative research on water quality monitoring relevant to water reuse and resiliency, focusing on the use of total fluorescence as a surrogate measure for organic carbon in water. This approach offers a promising, rapid, and cost-effective method for assessing organic matter during treatment processes. The findings may help researchers and water utilities better track real-time changes in water quality, supporting more resilient treatment strategies, particularly in systems implementing advanced purification and water reuse.

This publication contributes to Water Resiliency Program Thrusts 1 and 5, which emphasize improved monitoring, detection, and management of water quality to support safe potable reuse and sustainable water systems. The work highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing challenges related to emerging contaminants and the efficient operation of treatment technologies. By advancing surrogate indicators such as fluorescence, the study expands the available toolkit for managing water quality under variable conditions—an essential component of building resilient water supplies in drought-impacted regions and rapidly growing urban areas.

Episode 2 of the Flowing Forward documentary series, titled Shared Water, was screened as part of the University of Arizona Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering Fall 2025 Seminar Series. The event featured a presentation by Dr. Kerri Hickenbottom, Associate Professor in the department, and took place on Monday, September 29, 2025, from 10:00 to 10:50 AM in Room 118A-A1 of the Harshbarger Building.

In Shared Water, Dr. Hickenbottom explores the complex network of partnerships that sustain the Colorado River and support communities across the arid Southwest. Directed and produced by Emmy Award–winning filmmaker Daniel Druhora, the documentary highlights how collaboration among communities, industries, and natural systems is essential to securing water resources for the future. The film is part of Flowing Forward, a cinematic series that examines innovative technologies, research, and solutions addressing growing water challenges in urban environments. The series is supported through the communication and outreach efforts of the Water Reuse Consortium, a national partnership involving the University of Arizona, the University of Southern California, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC).

The full episode Shared Water, as well as other documentaries from the Flowing Forward series, can be viewed through the “Read more” link below.

The WEST Center was recently featured in a University of Arizona news article highlighting its partnership with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) to advance water reuse technologies critical to national security and workforce development.

The collaboration focuses on developing and demonstrating advanced water treatment and reuse systems that support resilient water infrastructure, particularly for military installations and remote operations. This partnership strengthens the connection between academic research and real-world applications, helping prepare future engineers while addressing pressing water challenges.

Read the full article in "Read More".

The WEST Center was featured on Arizona Science (AZPM), Episode 378, which explored whether wastewater recycling can help address Arizona’s long-term water challenges. Dr. Andrea Achilli, Deputy Director of the WEST Center, was interviewed during the episode, sharing expert insights on advanced water treatment and water reuse technologies. The discussion highlights the role of innovative reuse strategies in supporting long-term water sustainability across Arizona.

Listen to the full episode by clicking “Read more.”

A new peer‑reviewed study co‑authored by Dr. Walter Q. Betancourt has been published in Journal of Virological Methods, contributing to Water Resiliency Program Thrust 5—Detection and Attenuation of Viruses. The research, titled “Influence of virus analytical methods on the estimation of virus reductions by ultrafiltration,” evaluates how different analytical approaches affect the quantitative measurement of viruses and their reduction during ultrafiltration treatment processes.

In this work, the authors compared virus concentration and detection methods—including centrifugal ultrafiltration and the InnovaPrep CP Select™ Concentrating Pipette—as well as digital PCR and plaque assays for quantifying viruses in recycled water before and after ultrafiltration. The study found that commonly used analytical procedures can yield highly variable virus reduction estimates depending on the method and water characteristics, highlighting the need for carefully tailored measurement techniques to accurately assess pathogen removal performance in advanced water purification systems. These insights are instrumental in improving virus monitoring and ensuring the effectiveness of treatment barriers for potable reuse applications, supporting the Water Resiliency Program’s mission to enhance pathogen detection and water quality safety.

From June 30 to July 10, the University of Arizona’s WEST Center hosted cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point for an immersive, hands-on training in advanced water treatment and reuse. This two-week course was part of the West Point Water Reuse Field School and was developed through the Water Resiliency Program.

The workshop blended classroom instruction with lab-based practice, allowing cadets to explore real-world applications of cutting-edge water technologies. Each treatment system was introduced through focused lectures to establish foundational knowledge, followed by hands-on sessions where cadets operated ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, advanced oxidation processes, granular activated carbon, and disinfection systems.

In the first week, cadets worked under instructor supervision using tap water to familiarize themselves with each system. The second week emphasized independent application, where cadets conducted experiments using reclaimed water from the Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility. The curriculum also included water quality testing and field tours of the Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility and a hybrid concentrated solar power/photovoltaic membrane distillation pilot system.

Instruction and site guidance were led by water reuse experts from the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Environmental Science, and collaborating organizations. We thank Dr. Eduardo Saez, Dr. Itzel Marquez, Dr. Bianca Miguel de Souza Chaves, Dr. Luisa Ikner, Dr. Varinia Felix, Dr. Luke Presson, Hercilio Zimila, Violeta Martinez, Jeb Shingler and Minna Allouzi, for their contributions.

Jeb Schingler, a PhD student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Arizona and member of the Hickenbottom Environmental Research (HER) Lab, presented his poster titled "Advancement of Zero-Liquid Discharge with a Hybrid Optical Desalination Technology for Brine Concentrate Management" at the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) 2025 Research and Education Conference, held at Duke University's campus in Durham, North Carolina. His work received the Best Poster Award – Student Category, highlighting innovative approaches to concentrate management with a focus on sustainability, circularity, and self-sufficient off-grid systems.

Students from the WateResiliency Program participated in the AZ Water 98th Annual Conference & Exhibition held at the Phoenix Convention Center on April 15, 2025. Congratulations to Mervin Lim and Arianna Tariqi for earning 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, in the Annual Student Poster Competition!

Mervin, advised by Dr. Andrea Achilli, presented “Universal Pretreatment System to Achieve High Water Recovery from Concentrated Brine”, co-authored with Tenzin Phakdon, Andrea Achilli, and James Farrell.
Arianna, advised by Dr. Kerri Hickenbottom, presented “Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration: A Hybrid Approach for Brackish Water Desalination”, co-authored with Anthony Straub, Luis Cruzado, Kerri Hickenbottom, and Vicky Karanikola.

The 14th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse took place in Cape Town, South Africa, from March 16–19, 2025, bringing together global experts to discuss innovations in water reuse, urban water management, and resource recovery. Dr. Andrea Achilli, PI of the WateResiliency Program, presented on March 18 in the Potable Water Reuse (Indirect and Direct) session, sharing the team’s research on “Controlled Oxidation to Tailor the Selectivity and Extend the Life of Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis Membranes,” co-authored by Bianca Miguel de Souza Chaves and Mohammed Alhussaini.

Additionally, Dr. Amy Childress from the University of Southern California, a WateResiliency Program partner, presented on March 17 in the Desalination in Water Reuse session. Her talk, titled “Feasibility and Analysis of Seawater Augmentation at Coastal Potable Reuse Facilities,” highlighted innovative approaches to address water scarcity in coastal regions.