IIT Madras And Tel Aviv University Launch Hybrid Water Quality Course

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) offers a four-month hybrid course to create water-literate citizens. The course, offered through the NPTEL online platform, aims to build a water quality map of India and the world, training students to become professionals in the field. The course is ideal for final-year science and engineering students and anyone interested in water quality.

The course organisers aim to create a water map of India and the world, promoting water literacy. Students will learn about water quality, conduct practical tests and survey the world. They will receive a certificate to be credited to their degree programme. 

T Pradeep and Ligy Philip from IIT Madras, Hadas Mamane and Ram Fishman from Tel Aviv University and Dr G Velmurugan from KMCH-Research Foundation serve as the course instructors, in addition to guest lecturers from IIT Madras, BARC and Purdue University. 

Thalappil Pradeep, Padma Shri Awardee and Institute Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras, said, “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations is possible only when people understand the reasons that limit their realisation. Water quality is one such aspect. This course will build reliable water quality data by people which will also make them water-literate. The course is part of an initiative to train water professionals for the world.”

The 'A Hybrid Course on Water Quality: An Approach to People's Water Data' course will provide a comprehensive understanding of water quality, analyse key parameters and their impact on human health, while also establishing a database of water quality from various sources.

Students can attend lectures online, offline or in recorded form, with their understanding evaluated through online assignments and quizzes. Practical sessions involve measurements in the field and lab using hand-held instruments and field test kits. Water quality parameters studied include free chlorine, total chlorine, alkalinity, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, conductivity, TDS, temperature, turbidity and presence and absence of E. coli and total coliforms.

A pilot study conducted in Tamil Nadu last summer involved college students in various locations, resulting in the creation of online data on water quality using spatial coordinates and surveys. The course aims to involve many participants from different cities and villages to contribute to People's Water Dataand universities and institutes are encouraged to join the effort in becoming centers for practical sessions.