{"id":18263,"date":"2016-11-18T14:41:08","date_gmt":"2016-11-18T19:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/connected-sensors-for-water-quality-testing\/"},"modified":"2016-11-18T14:41:08","modified_gmt":"2016-11-18T19:41:08","slug":"connected-sensors-for-water-quality-testing","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/connected-sensors-for-water-quality-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Connected sensors for water quality testing"},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s in your water?<\/strong><\/em> In Flint, Michigan, a 2014 water-supply switch from Detroit\u2019s Lake Huron system to the Flint River led to concentrations of lead significantly exceeding the maximum acceptable levels.[1]<\/a> Earlier this year, CNN reported that over 5,300 water systems in the US were in violation of the EPA\u2019s lead and copper regulations, which were designed to protect Americans\u2019 drinking water. As the graphic below shows, there are nearly 18 million people who, as of 2015, were being served by community water systems with reported violations of the lead and copper regulations.[2]<\/a>\"map\"<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

In many of these locations, water infrastructure is outdated, leading to higher-than-acceptable levels of contaminants in drinking water. Unfortunately, as University of North Carolina\u2019s Environmental Finance Center points out, spending on capital infrastructure for water utilities has not kept pace with operations and maintenance spending, and \u201cas state and local governments\u2019 budgets are spread thinner by paying for rising operations and maintenance, their ability to also pay for capital expenses decreases.\u201d[3]<\/a> Thus, we end up in situations such as Flint, Michigan, where a cost-cutting measure leads to poor social outcomes.<\/p>\n

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While sensors themselves are not the answer to suboptimal infrastructure spending or replacement for\u00a0EPA monitoring of water quality, they may increase transparency and decrease data collection costs so that citizens are aware of what\u2019s in their water, and so that local, state, and national governments can respond quickly once problems are detected.<\/p>\n

NanoAffix Science<\/strong><\/p>\n

Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee began the development of water quality sensors, and formed NanoAffix Science to commercialize the technology.<\/p>\n

Based on an email exchange with Junhong Chen, inventor of the technology and founder of NanoAffix, the company is developing and prototyping two types of low-cost sensors that can test tested for heavy metals, bacteria, and\/or nutrients: One, a hand-held device for one-off water quality testing, and two, continuous monitoring sensors that can operate while submerged.<\/p>\n

\"sensor\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Initially, NanoAffix\u2019s sensors will enable rapid, high-precision, low-cost testing for lead via the handheld device. The next step is continuous testing: NanoAffix\u2019s sensors will enable water utilities to track real-time data on water quality throughout their systems relatively affordably, and pass their data through to regulatory agencies.<\/p>\n

Investing in\u00a0a path to commercialization<\/strong><\/p>\n

At least three companies have invested in NanoAffix\u2019s sensor technology to enhance their value propositions to customers:<\/p>\n