water quality

A bottle of spring water inspired this Fulbright scholar to study advanced farming in Iceland

En route to Reykjavik eight years ago, Tyler Gogal, a mechanical engineering student, received a bottle of pure Icelandic spring water. He still has that bottle today—a symbol of his future academic career in water resource engineering at the University of Iceland thanks to the Fulbright Open Study/Research Award.

• by Emily Arntsen - contributor and   April 14, 2021

Our drinking water was always full of microbes. Are the wrong ones thriving in the pandemic?

It’s been months, and life has changed dramatically across the planet. Zooming in where only a microscope can see, Northeastern researchers are trying to determine how the lifestyle changes caused by COVID-19 might be helping harmful bacteria grow in our drinking water.

• by Roberto Molar Candanosa   June 25, 2020

Study: Toxic chemicals found in drinking water of 15M Americans

The research, led by Northeastern and the Environmental Working Group, pointed to EPA testing that found toxic chemicals PFASs were detected in 162 U.S. drinking water systems. The researchers created an interactive map that tracks contamination from these chemicals.

• by Greg St. Martin   June 14, 2017

3Qs: Why you should not love that dirty water

A recent outbreak of blue-green algae in the Charles River prompted officials to issue a health advisory. Here, water quality expert Ferdi Hellweger explains how this setback could impact the efforts to make the Charles River swimmable.

• by Joe O'Connell   August 19, 2015

Love that clean water

On Saturday, civil and environmental engineering professor Ferdi Hellweger participated in the first community swim of Boston’s Charles River in more than half a century.

• by Angela Herring   July 16, 2013

Metallic personalities

Image via Thinkstock. Civil and environmental engineering professor Philip Larese-Casanova has had a life-long love affair with metals. In his…

• by Angela Herring   April 29, 2013

AAAS 2013: Environmental Challenges and Adaptation in Cities

Photo via Thinkstock. “If we want to use research to inspire action by cities and have that research be inspired…

• by Angela Herring   February 18, 2013

Protect the water

One of the big ideas in healthcare today is preventative medicine. Treat the causes instead of the symptoms, proponents say, and you’ll…

• by Angela Herring   July 5, 2012

Swimming in that ‘dirty’ water?

Ferdi Hellweger, an associate professor of environmental engineering, was awarded the Environmental Merit Award by the EPA in recognition of his work to make the Charles River swimmable once again.

• by Angela Herring   April 20, 2012