College Station residents turn on faucets daily and water appears, but students may not often consider the global issues surrounding the resource.
Water Daze, to be hosted Thursday by the Water Management and Hydrological Science program at Texas A&M, seeks to shed light on A&M research bound by the common theme of water.
Event organizer Prakash Khedun, a recreation, parks and tourism science graduate student, said A&M students attend a University uniquely positioned as a hub of water-related research and it is time to take notice.
“The goal of the event is to have people come and learn about the water that we take for granted,” Khedun said.
Khedun said A&M’s status as a land grant school – which contributes to an emphasis in agriculture and, in turn, water-related initiatives – and recent Texas drought conditions make the event important for students.
“The population of Texas is increasing at an amazing rate,” Khedun said. “We’re vulnerable, and we’re growing fast. If we don’t have water to provide for industries, we’re not going to grow at the rate we’re going to.”
Khedun said, however, that water concerns spread well beyond the borders of Texas.
“From a global perspective, there is an amazing number of people who don’t have access to water,” Khedun said. “Every 15 seconds, a child dies because of lack of
access to clean water. It’s amazing the amount of people in this century that doesn’t have clean water.”
The event will last from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Rudder Theater and will feature research presentations, a panel discussion of experts, a screening of the documentary “Last Call at the Oasis” and booths for relevant initiatives and companies.