LIFE Staff Writer

     CMU recently founded a research center that is mainly concerned with the protection of the state's water quality.

     The Michigan Water Research Center--located in CMU's Brooks Hall 135 with it geology, microbiology and nutrient chemistry labs--was established in the fall by a grant from the State of Michigan's Research Excellence fund, after being denied the grant in 1997.

    Scott McNaught, biology professor and center director, said the biology and geology departments began discussing the idea of the center in 1997. 

     "The idea came up in 1997.  It was generated by a discussion by the biology and geology faculty as a means to acquire more support for undergrad and graduate research in both departments and also as a means to increase the amount of research money," McNaught said.

     McNaught said the research is necessary because of the high numbers of areas in Michigan with poor water supply. 

  "Some of the problems these areas have are the water cannot be used for drinking or recreation," he said.

     There are a lot of places around the state--14 areas of concern--that are designated as having poor water quality.   There're 43 (areas of concern) in all of the Great Lakes and 14 of those are in Michigan," McNaught said.

     "In research, we look at specific problems and try to understand the problem and how to fix it.  In teaching, we try to involve the students in the research and inform the public with the problems in the water.  In service, we try to provide water quality monitoring service to the public," he said.

     McNaught said CMU is a prime location for water research in the northern part of Michigan.

     "CMU draws a lot of students, and there's a large audience in general in the northern part of the state.

     Frankly, people in the northern part of the state have not had the privilege of working with a university, like areas in the southern part of the state. 

     There are so many opportunities there, so many colleges have water research centers as well.There is little of that in the northern part of the state, so CMU is a niche for the center," McNaught said.

     The Michigan Water Research Center is composed of CMU researchers with different specializations.

     The researchers include McNaught, aquatic ecologist; Elizabeth Alm, environmental microbiologist; Joy Doran, molecular biologist; Jane Matty, geologist; and Jenny Estabrook, lab manager.  Together, the researchers can address concerns such as nuisance algae, bacteria, contaminants, taste and odor problems, drinking water safety and recreational water degradation, according to a press release.

     The center's state is only good for a year and it can only reapply once more for the grant.  Other funding options are being addressed, McNaught said.

     "There are state and federal grant opportunities, but there's always a low probability of success.  We can also get contract with private sector to sustain the center.  The yearly budget is $80,000, so it requires a significant amount of money," McNaught said.

     The center ahs several clients who provide the center with independent research projects and are also the private sectors that provide some of the funding. 

      "We have clients that range form homeowner, who are concerned with their drinking water, to lake associations, who wish to carry out in-depth studies of the water," McNaught said.

     And there are plans to secure additional space on campus for further labs.

     "We hope to get another lab in Dow in the future, but that hasn't finalized," McNaught said. 

     For more information about the center, call 774-1184.