"I think it's vitally important that clean water and sanitation be a Sustainable Development Goal because water is the foundation for human life and for the ability for humans to thrive", says Cyrus Rosen, an undergraduate student in Engineering. And, in line with this principle, Boston College (BC) "has undertaken remarkable initiatives to advance this goal through extensive water conservation measures, sustainability practices, research efforts and community involvement", assures Hanqin Tian, Director and Faculty of the Centre for Earth System Science & Global Sustainability at BC.

In addition to implementing ‘campus-wide initiatives such as upgrading toilets, showers and taps with low-flow fittings, using weather-sensitive sprinkler systems, collecting rainwater and reusing grey water to mitigate rainwater run-off’, the academic community actively participates in projects such as Social Justice Through Hydroponics.

In addition, he highlights the work of the Centre for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability and The Schiller Institute for integrated Science and Society. "Boston College also extends its efforts beyond the campus through community and global engagement", through service-learning projects that improve water quality in urban areas, or public workshops, adds Hanqin Tian.

This approach is also reflected in Boston College's research. According to Cyrus Rosen, "as part of human-centred engineering at Boston College, we don't just focus on technical engineering, but also on how we approach a problem from a human perspective". In Cyrus' case, this meant taking part in a project “to collect rainwater and recycle grey water for an indigenous community” in Ecuador.

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