In the final voting, NextGen Water’s multidisciplinary team emerged at the forefront, comprising Dr. Hussam Hussein, a political scientist from the Royal Scientific Society (Jordan), Dr. Amit Kumar, an environmental engineer from Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Mr. Manoj Matwal, a conservation and sustainability consultant from the Harela Society (India), and Dr. Tamlyn Naidu, a chemical engineer from the University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Water Research and Development (South Africa).
Their innovative approach illuminated the risks of emerging contaminants like PFAS and pharmaceuticals in various water sources, from drinking to household and even recycled water. The project’s core is an advanced cavitation based oxidative technique (developed by CLEWATEC), targeting contaminants at their molecular level, and removing the need for filtration. Proposing a partnership with farmers, the team aims to reduce the use of contaminated water, thereby enhancing the purity of agricultural produce and boosting yields. Moreover, a robust public awareness campaign intends to inform communities about these unknown water challenges and drive legislative and policy change.
This initiative advocates for tighter contamination controls and the adoption of refined purification methods, ensuring clean and safe water for all. Conceptual in its origin, the project embodies the synergy of cutting-edge science and community engagement, setting a new benchmark for water purification solutions. The team remains collaboratively engaged on this pivotal topic, while the technology undergoes further refinement through R&D.
Falling Walls
Falling Walls Science Summit 2023
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NextGen Water: Breaking the Wall to Water Security
Amit Kumar is working in the laboratory for non-equilibrium processes and plasma applications at the Institute of Physics, Belgrade. Currently, he is a joint PhD student at the University of Belgrade, Serbia and the University of Girona, Spain through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Scholarship. Presently, Mr Kumar is working on the design, development, and characterisation of an atmospheric plasma system for wastewater treatment.
Tamlyn is a Chemical Engineer working in the wastewater industry, with a heavy focus on zero discharge systems and circular economies. She has done work with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), Kelnir Projects Consulting Company, and has also been involved in lecturing mass transfer courses at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) and is affiliated with the Industrial and Mining Water Research Unit (IMWarU) through The Centre in Water Research and Development (CiWaRD). During her PhD tenure, she worked closely with Transformation Integrated Africa and their clients, and is passionate about furthering diversity and inclusion for both women and men in the mining and engineering sector. Tamlyn is currently a Post Doctoral Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand, and consults through Kelnir Projects.
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