Highlight of Their U.S. Tour: Water Treatment Plants

When Russian scientists came to Orange County last month, they got their biggest kicks from tours most folks would steer clear of by miles: an inside peek at water treatment plants.

“In Russia, we can only dream of this,” Nadezhda Khodorovskaya, an associate professor at Chelyabinsk State Technical University, said after touring the Irvine Ranch Water District and other plants.

The Russian delegation was one of several visiting UC Irvine at the behest of John Whiteley. Others are looking at the educational system and cancer research; by next spring, the contacts between the two universities may be expanded.

“Even though scientific research in Russia and the United States is on the same level, there is a huge gulf in terms of practice because of the cost of equipment,” Khodorovskaya said.

Vladimir Znamerovsky, a government official from Chelyabinsk, said cooperation between the two countries is critical now because of health issues in Russia.

When he returns, he wants to install a monitoring system to measure air and water pollution. He wants to remodel the old purification system, raise the quality of drinking water and treatment of solid waste. And, he said, he will allow representatives of factories to spend more money on equipment to clean up the waste.

“This will help fight the problems that affect people’s health,” Znamerovsky said.

Getting in Touch

* Address:

John Whiteley

Russian Project

University of California

School of Social Ecology

Irvine, CA 92717-5150

* Phone:

(714) 824-6281