Faucet and Drain Science: Explaining Water, One Drop at a Time

UIUC CEE students and Ran Mei
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SCIENCE

Students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign produced interviews translating water quality science and engineering into accessible conversations about everyday water issues.

Episodes

  1. JAN 12

    When Lakes Turn Green: Harmful Algal Blooms and the Water We Drink

    Harmful algal blooms are becoming more common in lakes and rivers. In this episode, Saliyah As-Salaam and Aden Weiss (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) explores what they mean for drinking water, public health, and water treatment.

    9 min

  2. JAN 11

    When the Cloud Gets Thirsty: How Data Centers Use Our Water

    Data centers power the internet and AI—but they also consume enormous amounts of water. In this episode, Elias Hill and Ian McGuire (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) discuss how technological progress intersects with water sustainability.

    9 min

  3. JAN 10

    The Plastics You Can’t See in Water

    Microplastics are everywhere—from the water we drink to the food we eat—yet most of them are too small to see. In this episode, Paul Sas speaks with Abby Jackman (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) about what microplastics are, how they enter water systems and food webs, and why wastewater treatment plays a critical role in their spread.

    14 min

  4. JAN 9

    Water From Source to Your Tap

    Where does tap water come from, and what happens to it before it reaches your glass? In this episode, Gursi Nanda speaks with Elisha Zhi EN Foo (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) about the journey of drinking water—from rivers and aquifers through treatment processes like coagulation, filtration, and disinfection.

    10 min

  5. JAN 8

    When It Rains, Where Does the Sewage Go?

    Why do some cities release wastewater into rivers during heavy rain, and how is that even allowed? In this episode, Justin Nalbach and Fouad Khalifa (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) explain combined sewer overflows (CSOs)—why older cities like Philadelphia have them, how they affect rivers and recreation, and what the landmark Green City, Clean Waters initiative is trying to achieve.

    17 min

  6. JAN 7

    Why Does My Tap Water Smell Like a Pool?

    Have you ever turned on the tap and noticed a smell that reminds you of a swimming pool? In this episode, Rae Zhu and Jubean Ahn (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) explore why chlorine is added to drinking water, how it protects us from harmful microbes, and why that faint chlorine smell is actually a sign of safety.

    6 min

  7. JAN 6 · VIDEO

    The Science Behind Taste and Odor in Drinking Water

    Would you drink water that smells unpleasant, even if it looks clear? In this episode, Cruz Hector, Catie Cappellin and Amanda Dobson (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) explore why drinking water can sometimes have earthy, musty, chlorinous, or rotten-egg odors, and how microorganisms and their chemical byproducts drive these taste and odor events.

    11 min

  8. JAN 5

    Science, Trust, and What’s Really in Your Glass

    Is tap water really safe to drink? In this episode, Chen Yang speak with Ewangga Patrianada (CEE 437, Fall 2025, UIUC) about how drinking water is treated in the U.S., why contaminants like PFAS raise concern, and what went wrong during the Flint water crisis. This conversation also explores how science, engineering, and trust shape our everyday relationship with tap water in the global scale.

    8 min
  • 8 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign produced interviews translating water quality science and engineering into accessible conversations about everyday water issues.

Information