With the magnitude of water scarcity and water quality issues in China well documented, Chinese youth are taking on the responsibility to seek viable solutions for their nation. Students Wang Hao, Weng Jie and Xiao Yi from Shanghai, China were awarded the prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize, sponsored globally by ITT Corp., in a formal ceremony during World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Wang, Weng and Xiao, students at Shanghai Nanyang Model High School, received the Prize from HRH Crown Princess Victoria on behalf of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) for a research project that aims to ecologically restore urban Chinese river channels. The group of students received a $5,000 scholarship and a crystal sculpture.
The International Stockholm Junior Water Prize, held during World Water Week Aug. 20 to 26, 2006, encourages young people globally to take note of issues related to water and the environment. Each year, a high-school student or group of students receives the international award after receiving the top national award in their home country.
The Nominating Committee, in its official motivation, awarded the Prize to the Chinese group of students for their project, “Application Research and Practice of a Comprehensive Technology for Restoring Urban River Channels Ecologically.” Shanghai and its surrounding areas are plagued with severely polluted river channels.
To combat this environmental issue, the students explored several cost-effective, highly efficient treatment methods originating from the concept of “urban pre-tank engineering technology,” a combination of dredging, irrigation and spraying. The team developed and improved several methods, facilities and technologies, with four of these inventions earning patents in 2006.
The students executed research on the Caoxi River, where the water is dark and odorous from pollutants. When integrating their innovations with comprehensive technology, the students’ research had substantial positive effects on the water quality, raising levels to either reach or exceed the domestically recommended standard for surface water.
