Thematic Network on Arctic WASH

Global climate change, population growth, urbanization and economic development in sectors such as tourism, resource extraction, and transportation create new challenges in relation to waste and wastewater handling, pollution and human health. The Arctic WASH Thematic Network deals with documentation of issues and development of solutions concerning the technical challenges related to WAter, Sewer and Health (WASH) in remote Arctic communities.

Goals

The Thematic Networks is hosted by the Arctic DTU and its focus is to document issues and solve technical challenges related to water supply and wastewater in remote Arctic communities.

Activities

The Arctic WASH will exchange knowledge in the Circumpolar North, facilitate dissemination of current knowledge, develop courses for students and practitioners, and implement research projects on related matters.

  • Arctic WASH summer school in Sisimiut, June 27-July 3, 2023
  • Organization of an online Arctic WASH course in June 2020
  • Continuous updating and upgrading of Arctic WASH Online Course
  • Apply for funding for research projects involving partners from the network
  • Apply for funding to facilitate exchange of researchers, teachers and students between the participating universities
  • Write a common scientific review on the water and sanitation situation in the Circumpolar North
  • Participate in the updating of the Cold Regions Utilities Monograph

  • 2019 held a one week MSc course in Senja and Tromsø, Norway in June for international students. Attended by 50+ students and instructed by 20 researchers and specialists from all around the world.
  • 2019 launch of upgraded version of online course on Arctic Water, Sanitation and Health: Arctic WASH Online Course
  • 2019 initiation of a 3-year PhD-study on WASH in Greenland
  • 2018 organized a special issue of the Journal “Environmental Science and Pollution Research” on “Water, Sanitation, Pollution and Health in the Arctic” containing 20 peer reviewed scientific articles
  • 2018 held a one week MSc course in 2018 in Svalbard for international students attended by 100 students and instructed by 20 researchers and specialists from all around the world
  • 2018 launched an open online course on Arctic Water, Sanitation and Health: Arctic WASH Online Course
  • 2018 organized a scientific session at the UArctic Congress in Oulu

Also find links to Pernille's and Aaron's institutional websites.

Other Information

Aaron Dotson, Vice-Lead of the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic WASH