News Release

CHAPEL HILL – Scholars, water resources executives and policy-makers from across the United States and beyond will gather on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus March 16 and 17 for "Safe Drinking Water: Where Science Meets Policy," a symposium presented by UNC’s Carolina Environmental Program.

The two-day symposium, which is divided into three tracks, will look at water and human health issues in developing countries, little-known pollutants that are raising human health concerns, and water supply management and protection of watersheds – and highlight international research in these areas.

Participants represent entities as diverse as Procter & Gamble, Arizona State University and WaterPartners International, and a number of U.S. states and foreign countries.

The symposium is open to the public until filled; cost for registration is $110 for students and $275 for the public. More information is available by visiting www.cep.unc.edu/symposium/2006/.

The symposium is part of an ongoing effort at UNC to bring its water resources expertise to bear on the growing challenges involved with providing safe, reliable and plentiful drinking water for the people of North Carolina, the nation and beyond, UNC organizers said.

"Here at UNC, we feel an obligation to respond to this challenge," said Dr. Douglas Crawford-Brown, professor of environmental sciences and engineering in the School of Public Health and of public policy in the College of Arts and Sciences. Crawford-Brown, who also directs the Carolina Environmental Program (CEP), will give luncheon remarks during the symposium.

"Our water program, which includes faculty in a number of departments and professional schools, is considered one of the best in North America. We feel, then, that UNC is a natural host for a symposium such as ‘Safe Drinking Water’ and believe that the event’s focus on issues such as water and human health in developing countries will help participants find solutions to these critical challenges."

Many other internationally recognized scholars and practitioners will present at the symposium, including:

• Dr. Jamie Bartram, coordinator of Water, Sanitation and Health for the World Health Organization;
• Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator for the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
• Thomas Schueler, director of watershed research and practice at the Center for Watershed Protection;
• Dr. Phil Singer, Daniel A. Okun distinguished professor of environmental engineering and director of the Drinking Water Research Center in UNC’s School of Public Health;
• Lester Snow, director of California’s Department of Water Resources; and
• Dr. Thomas Ternes, professor at the University of Mainz in Germany and a researcher at the German Federal Institute of Hydrology.

Dr. Donald Lauria, a professor of environmental sciences and engineering at UNC, will present research that aims to develop a sustainable water supply system for Kathmandu, Nepal.

"The water supply project for the capital of Nepal is a major undertaking – numerous
reports have been written about it," Lauria said. "It is expensive, several international donors are involved, and it has gotten a lot of attention, but now it is in serious trouble and may be put on hold or dismantled altogether. It is important to understand what went wrong."

"Safe Drinking Water: Where Science Meets Policy" sponsors include, from UNC, the CEP, the Drinking Water Research Center, the Environmental Finance Center, the School of Public Health’s department of environmental sciences and engineering and the School of Government. Other sponsors include the California Department of Water Resources, the Educational Foundation of America, Gannett Fleming, and Hazen & Sawyer.

For more information, e-mail tony_reevy@unc.edu or call (919) 966-9927.

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Note: For downloadable photos highlighting key speakers at the symposium, visit http://www.cep.unc.edu/symposium/2006/speakers.html. For a media information page about the event, visit http://www.cep.unc.edu/symposium/2006/media.html.

Carolina Environmental Program contact: Tony Reevy, (919) 966-9927 or tony_reevy@unc.edu

News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415 or deborah_saine@unc.edu