SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation

Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability

Icon showing 6 Clear Water and Sanitation

Examples of our actions towards SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation

We host a range of initiatives on the topic 'water', such as running an annual Water Awareness Week that aims to highlight and eliminate water wastage and providing free drinking water across all nine of it's public cafes, which forms part of the nationwide 'Refill' campaign

Find out more on how we are saving water

Research

Working with researchers in our Department of Biosciences, Intelligent Gels are creating a new eco-friendly product which aims to end sewer misery by preventing tree root intrusion into pipelines. Tree roots, work their way into sewer pipes, block thousands of pipes every year which causes flooding and pollution and costs tens of thousands of pounds to repair. Based at Orbit, our Enterprise Zone at NETPark, Intelligent Gels works with Durham University, Northumbrian Water and CPI on the project.

Working together to end sewer misery

Global

Durham’s UNESCO Chair team is working with partners across the University, and internationally, to develop a new programme exploring how historic hydraulic infrastructure within the Kathmandu Valley can be revitalised for sustainable water supplies, but also to embed resilience within these systems in the face of disasters caused by seismic events, rapid urbanisation and climate change.

Revitalising ancient water systems for future resilience

Local and Regional

The Water Hub was a collaborative initiative between Durham University, Durham County Council, the Environment Agency and Northumbrian Water. The aim was to engage with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the North East of England to identify and develop innovative, practical solutions to challenges in the region’s water sector.

Find out more about the Water Hub

Education

Examples of modules on SDG 6 include the MSc in Civil Engineering, Modules will introduce students to key civil engineering topics including hydrology and water resources. Geosciences explains how understanding the processes involved in shaping the Earth’s surface, our natural resources, natural hazards, water supplies and renewable energy can inform us about the impact of past and present changes in environmental conditions.

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Annual Report - SDG 6

Throughout our annual report we highlight examples where our work is contributing towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example we have produced an updated Sustainability Action Plan using the Climate Action Toolkit from EAUC, the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education, to improve our performance in a range of strategic areas including: waste and water.

Annual report example working towards SDG 6

Natural flood risk management

The aim of SCIMAP-Flood is to help with the prioritisation of natural flood risk management or nature-based solutions within the catchment to increase their effectiveness. The tool identifies the origin of the water that contributes to the flood peaks within the catchment.

Natural flood risk management Indonesia: Java Flood One

More examples of our work towards SDG 6

Preventing water system pollution

As part of Durham University’s Environmental Management System, we carry out a policy that minimises risks of any discharge to our wastewater. This policy’s aims are to minimise damaging discharges to water systems, reducing the impacts of pollution.

The policy document addresses the risks and opportunities associated with aspects of water system pollution, minimising discharges to water, and ensuring compliance with the institution’s effluent discharge consent and relevant environmental legislation.

EcoCampus Environmental Management System – 3.5.4 Discharges to Water Policy