FCE
Distinguished
Lecture
With Attendance Certificate
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN
ADDRESSING WATER SCARCITY,
QUALITY DEGRADATION, AND
SUSTAINABILITY
by Prof. Perry L. McCarty
US National Academy of Engineering Member
American Academy of Arts and Sciences Member
Abstract
Water is a vital substance - it is our most precious resource and required by all forms of life. We use more water by far than any
other resource, averaging worldwide about 3.5 cubic meters per person per day (m3/capita/d). Water fortunately is a renewable
resource, one that we will not deplete. Unfortunately, it is not distributed over the earth in just the way we might wish and often
does not have the quality that is essential for intended uses. We have too much in some locations, causing unwanted floods,
while in others the supply is inadequate to meet the needs. Of necessity, urban areas require a sustainable source of safe and
clean water. We may wish to move it from locations of plenty to those of deficit, but the energy costs of transport may be
prohibitive. The more fossil energy we use, such as for water transport and treatment, the greater the impact on climate, which
in turn has a major effect on the way water is distributed over the Earth, generally increasing deficits in already deficient areas
and increasing floods in already flooded regions. Unfortunately, water resources are often over exploited and contaminated by
unwise waste disposal practices.
Silas H. Palmer Professor Emeritus
Stanford University
California, USA
Date: 12 June 2015 (Fri)
Time: 5:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.
Venue: Room Y302, PolyU
Water is used for agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes. Often forgotten, it also provides important ecosystem services.
Agricultural water is consumed through evapotranspiration so that it cannot be used again. However, through domestic and
industrial use, water is generally dirtied, but not consumed. Used water should not be considered as a waste, but as a resource
– a resource for its heat energy and for the production of biofuel or renewable energy, for plant nutrients, and for reuse. It can be
cleaned by modern techniques to any degree needed and used again. Properly reclaimed wastewater can appropriately be used
for domestic as well as for agricultural and industrial purposes as illustrated by several examples in California. Conservation and
more efficient use of water for agriculture, domestic and industrial purposes with recognition of the limits imposed to achieve
sustainable demand in a given area is essential for the future, as are management practices that provide adequate protection to
available water resources and ecosystems from domestic, agricultural, and industrial contamination.
About the Speaker
Perry L. McCarty joined Stanford University in 1962 when he came to develop the environmental engineering and science
program. From 1980 to 1985 he was Chairman of Stanford's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and from
1989 to 2002 served as Director of the Western Region Hazardous Substance Research Center. His research interests have
been in biological processes for the control of environmental contaminants. His early research was on anaerobic treatment
processes, biological processes for nitrogen removal, and water reuse. Current interests are on aerobic and anaerobic
biological processes for control of hazardous chemicals, advanced wastewater treatment processes, and movement, fate, and
control of groundwater contaminants. He was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 1977 and the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1996. He received the John and Alice Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in
1992 and the Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Water Science and Technology in 1997.
Prof. McCarty has over 300 publications, and is coauthor of the textbooks, Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and
Science and Environmental Biotechnology - Principles and Applications. He has been active with several professional
Registration
groups, especially the National Academies with memberships since 1971 on three Councils, two Boards, and 19 Committees.
Among his other awards are an honorary Doctorate from the Colorado School of Mines, Honorary membership in the American
Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation, and Fellow with the American Association for the
Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology. He was selected by the National Academies to be the
2001 Abel Wolman Distinguished Lecturer. Among other awards are the Harrison P. Eddy Award for Noteworthy Research
(1964 and 1977) and the Thomas Camp Award for Unique Application of Engineering Research (1975) of the Water
Environment Federation; the A. P. Black Research Award of the American Water Works Association (1989); and the Walter L.
Huber Research Prize (1964), the Simon W. Freese Environmental Engineering Lecture Award (1979), and J. James R. Croes
Medal (1995) of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
All Interested Are Welcome
Please register online at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/events/20150612_lecture/
For enquiries, please contact Miss Mickey Pat at Tel: 3400-3406 | Email: mickey.pat@polyu.edu.hk
．Free of Charge
．An attendance certificate will be issued to each registered participant.
．Priority will be given to current members of the Alumni Associations under the Faculty of Construction and
Environment. Please send a copy of your membership card to mickey.pat@polyu.edu.hk for verification.
．Applicants (including members of Alumni Associations) with confirmed registration who fail to turn up may
have a lower priority in the registration for future faculty lectures.
By registering for the lecture, it is understood that you have agreed to the following terms and conditions:
1) Please note that both the start and the end of the lecture maybe delayed (including the Q & A time). The Faculty will only distribute certificates to
participants after the lecture is over as signified by the presentation of a souvenir to the speaker. Certificates of attendance will only be provided to
participants if they stay for the whole lecture.
2) Certificates of attendance will not be provided to participants who are late for more than 10 minutes, or leave before the lecture is finished.
3) The Faculty reserves the right of final decision in any disputes over the issuance of certificates of attendance.