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$60 million water research facility in development

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By Shirley Melikian Armbruster

Plans for a $60 million water research and development facility were unveiled on Oct. 15 by the International Center for Water Technology, a new joint venture between water technology manufacturers in the San Joaquin Valley and Fresno State.

The new center is a collaborative private-public venture between the university and the San Joaquin Valley Water Technology Cluster, an organization of 30 manufacturers of water and water-related products located from Bakersfield to Stockton. The first phase of the facility will be completed in June 2003.

Rep. Cal Dooley and Rep. George Radanovich announced that the House Appropriations Committee has designated $2 million for planning and early construction work for the center. The full House and Senate must approve the appropriation.

Dr. J. Michael Ortiz, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said the center will be the only one of its kind in the world and the "beacon" for the global water industry.

Ortiz said the center will serve four main functions:

• University- and industry-sponsored research and development
• Testing and certification services for the industry and development of global industry standards
• Cooperative marketing and export assistance
• Education on the technical aspects of water issues.

"When fully constructed, the International Center for Water Technology will house the best-equipped and most comprehensive testing and certification laboratories in the United States," Ortiz said. "It also will be home to an exhibit hall in which water technology companies from around the world will permanently display working demonstrations of their products.

"With the availability of such facilities and services, the International Center for Water Technology will truly establish the San Joaquin Valley as the world's capital for the global water technology industry."

Ortiz said the center was conceived by industry members just 18 months ago in a brainstorming session between the industry and the university in a small conference room at the Laval Corporation.

Now, he said, seed funding has been provided by the California Water Institute for planning efforts; the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board and the state Agricultural Research Initiative have provided program funding to support the development of the water cluster; architectural work has begun on the center; initial funding has been provided by the Bureau of Reclamation to build out badly needed laboratory space; and the center is positioned to receive federal funding this year.

The Water Technology Cluster, established in April 2001, comprises companies that are representative of the entire industry, which involves 120 establishments and more than 5,000 employees throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

In addition to the new International Center for Water Technology, the Water Technology Cluster is working together to solve work force development problems and to develop joint marketing and export programs. The San Joaquin Valley Water Technology Cluster is the region's first effort to develop the economy based on strategic clusters of industry that have opportunities for growth and job creation in the global economy.

President Welty called the center an exciting project for the Valley, and said the university is pleased to be a partner in its development.

The center's business plan was developed by a team of university partners: the California Water Institute, Center for Irrigation Technology, Central California Futures Institute and University Business Center.

"The ICWT builds on the successful 20-year history of the university and industry partnerships through the Center for Irrigation Technology," said Ashley Swearingen, executive director of the Futures Institute, a nonprofit research and public policy organization associated with Fresno State.

"The new program will go beyond irrigation to include municipal, commercial and industrial water systems and will serve Valley, state, U.S. and international needs," she said.

Claude Laval, chairman of the Claude Laval Corp. and co-chairman of the San Joaquin Valley Water Technology Cluster, praised Fresno State for its work in the partnership.

"We look forward to working with the university to build out the full vision of the Water Technology Cluster and the International Center for Water Technology," said Laval.

Doug Henton, a Silicon Valley-based economist who has developed economic competitiveness strategies for regions all over the world, has been the principal adviser to the Fresno area and the San Joaquin Valley in the development of the water technology cluster.

Back to University Journal, 11/05/02 Issue