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Last Updated: December 30, 2024

Overview

Amrita is committed to empowering local communities, students, and stakeholders with practical knowledge and capacity for sustainable water management. Under SDG 6.5.1 — “Water management educational opportunities” — the university conducts a wide variety of educational, research, outreach, and community-engagement programmes aimed at fostering water stewardship, raising awareness on water conservation, enhancing technical knowledge of water treatment, and building water-secure communities.

These efforts integrate academic learning, community outreach, research, and participatory action — helping transform water management from an abstract concern into shared community practice.

Key Educational & Research Opportunities

A. Undergraduate & Graduate Research / Extension Projects

  • Amrita undergraduates have carried out 30 innovative research and extension projects focused on clean drinking water solutions — including water purification, access, sanitation, and sustainable water supply in underserved areas. At the postgraduate level, through the E4Life PhD Program on Water Sustainability (Amrita School for Sustainable Futures), five PhD scholars are completed their research topics such as:
    • Scalable community-toolkit approaches for water sustainability (Periyar river basin, Kerala) 
    • Reviving river culture and enhancing flood resilience (rural Karnataka) Reducing water scarcity and improving sanitation (villages in Uttar Pradesh) Probabilistic forecasting of groundwater scenarios (Yamuna sub-basin, Haryana Participatory digital platforms for water quality management (Alappad, Kochi) 

These projects integrate technical research, data-driven modeling, community needs assessments, and participatory water governance frameworks — bridging academic learning with real-world impact.

Community Outreach & Awareness Efforts

A. Large-Scale Water Awareness Programmes

  • Over the past seven years, Amrita has implemented free water-awareness programmes across 1,000+ communities in India, reaching thousands of households. 

Examples: In late 2024, Gudipaducheru (Andra Pradesh), students and faculty via Live-in-Labs® organized community sessions that included measurement of daily household water consumption, and strategies to reduce water use. Families were given “daily water cards” to track and better understand their water usage patterns. This hands-on community engagement emphasizes not just theoretical awareness but behavioural change and water-use tracking at the household level.

B. School & Youth Engagement

Amrita extends its water-management education to school students and youth groups via:

  • Workshops and learning modules on water quality, conservation, sanitation, and sustainable water practices. Opportunities for young learners to get involved in water-related research or community programmes — helping nurture water-conscious leadership among future generations.

Flagship Initiative: Wave of Change — Water for a Sustainable Future (2024)

To amplify community and institutional engagement around water sustainability, Amrita launched a month-long initiative titled “Wave of Change: Water for a Sustainable Future” from 22 March to 21 April 2024, on the occasion of World Water Day.

Components & Activities

  • Distinguished Lecture Series: International experts and academicians delivered sessions on themes including water security, education & capacity-building, sustainable water treatment technologies (AI, IoT, citizen science), wastewater treatment, public health, coastal community water resilience, and blue-economy linkages. Read More
  • Community-based Programs: Awareness sessions on water treatment, water pollution, waterborne diseases, water conservation, and water quality. Read More
  • Identifying “Water Champions”: Community members demonstrating commitment and knowledge through participation in water conservation challenges and forums were recognized as water champions to lead grassroots water sustainability initiatives. Read More
  • Hands-on Training & Outreach: Workshops on rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, water-safe sanitation, daily water monitoring, and conservation practices — delivered to households and community participants. Read More

This comprehensive initiative combined academic, community, and policy-oriented water education efforts — bringing water-management awareness to both campus and rural contexts.

Institutional Water-Management Education on Campus

Amrita also emphasizes internal water-management awareness and infrastructure training:

  • Through sustainable campus water management, including water recycling pipelines, treated wastewater reuse, and infrastructure for efficient usage – teaching students and staff by example. 
  • Hosting lectures on water-resource stewardship (e.g., contributions from external experts such as in coral restoration / ecosystem-based water management) to sensitize campus community about global water challenges and sustainable practices. Thus, campus operations themselves double as a live in lab for water education.

Impact & Reach

Quantitative Outcomes

  • 30 undergraduate projects + 5 PhD projects focused on water sustainability and community water-management research. Water awareness programs executed across 1,000+ communities over 7+ years“Wave of Change 2024” — hundreds of participants from communities, local governments, youth groups; several “Water Champions” identified to lead future efforts. On-campus water-management improvements (wastewater treatment & reuse, water recycling) serve as educational demonstration for thousands of students and staff. 

Qualitative Impact

  • Enhanced water literacy at household and community levels — families better understand water use via daily tracking and conscious consumption.
  • Strengthened community capacity to manage water, reuse resources, and adopt sustainable practices (rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, water-safe sanitation).
  • Creation of a cadre of “Water Champions” — local leaders and change-agents who can sustain and propagate water management practices.
  • Integration of academic research with community needs: PhD and UG projects address real-world water challenges (groundwater forecasting, sanitation, decentralized water treatment).
  • Campus as a model of sustainable water practices — combining infrastructure, policy, and education to nurture a water-conscious institutional culture.

Key Lessons & Good Practices

  • Holistic integration of education, research & community outreach — combining UG/PG research, community awareness, household-level interventions, and campus-level demonstration for maximum impact.
  • Empowering communities through knowledge + tools — providing not just awareness, but practical training, water-use tracking, and leadership opportunities (Water Champions).
  • Sustainability via local adaptation — initiatives like rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, water tracking, etc. are context-sensitive, low-cost and adoptable.
  • Youth & student involvement critical — engaging undergraduates, PhD scholars, school students, and youth groups ensures long-term capacity and ownership.
  • Institutional example matters — campus operations using efficient water management help reinforce educational messages with real-world demonstration.

Supporting References & Documentation

  • Amrita “Water Management Educational Opportunities” portal — Research & Community Projects. Read More
  • Amrita News — “Wave of Change: Water for a Sustainable Future” (World Water Day 2024) launch & initiative details. Read More
  • Campus water management & sustainable infrastructure reports (2023–2024). Read More
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