UN SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Overview

We make significant contributions to this SDG through our teaching, research, and consultancy in Lincolnshire and beyond. Examples of areas of expertise include work in the Department of Geography with the Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health and its significant expertise in rivers and catchments, and work in chemistry to develop new ways of cleaning water contaminated with pesticides. Work in Africa through the NERC funded flood-mal project has also supported governments to understand how patterns of malaria are impacted by the distribution of surface water.

At our farm at Riseholme we have developed a demonstration flood management scheme which is available for landowners to view, and our research focuses on technologies that will reduce water contamination through overuse of fertilisers and other agrochemicals. Our work has supported local government in Lincolnshire with projects such as Project Groundwater.

Our new consultancy, WAPHA is fully focused on ensuring clean water is available to all, and our students learn about the importance of clean water and sanitation on courses as diverse as Chemistry, Fashion, Business, and Engineering, from a wide range of perspectives relevant to their degree programme. It is emphasised in Geography for both physical and human geography students (on modules such as Catchments and Hydrology and Development Studies and the Global South). Students in Biochemistry take a module in Applied Biochemistry, covering subjects such as the bioremediation of brownfield sites and contaminated groundwater, and the local biological processing of river waters for the production of clean water for domestic use. Workshops and assessments discuss bioremediation projects such as the development of the London 2012 Olympics site.

Cleaning Contaminated Water

Project Groundwater

Researchers from the University of Lincoln's Geography department and Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology have been collaborating with the Environment Agency, Lincolnshire County Council, and other agencies on a project that aims is to gain a greater understanding of groundwater and detail the impact it has not only on Lincolnshire as a county, but also on its people, communities, and farmland.

Project Groundwater (Greater Lincolnshire) is looking to develop innovative solutions to help manage some of the groundwater flooding issues across the county  and generate legal understandings that will provide a knowledge base to future proof others against groundwater issues. This is an important project for Lincolnshire where both flooding and drought can be serious problems.