The Institute at a Glance

The Puerto Rico Water Resources and Environmental Research Institute (PRWRERI) is one of 54 water research centers established throughout the United States and its territories by Act of Congress in 1964 and presently operating under Section 104 of the Water Research and Development Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-242).

The general objectives of the Puerto Rico Water Resources and Environmental Research Institute are (1) to conduct research aimed at resolving local and national water resources problems, (2) to train scientists and engineers through hands-on participation in research, and (3) to facilitate the incorporation of research results in the knowledge base of water resources professionals in Puerto Rico and the U.S. as a whole.

To accomplish these objectives, the Institute identifies Puerto Rico's most important water resources research needs, funds the most relevant and meritorious research projects proposed by faculty from island universities, encourages and supports the participation of students in funded projects, and disseminates research results to scientists, engineers, and the general public.

Since its creation, the Puerto Rico Water Resources and Environmental Research Institute has sponsored a substantial number of research projects, supported jointly by federal and University of Puerto Rico's funds. The purpose of this website is to make the Institute's work more widely known to the Puerto Rican community and, at the same time, to provide means of information transfer with regard to the reports produced through the institute's research activities.

The PRWRERI is a component of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Research and Development Center. As such, it acts as official liaison of the University of Puerto Rico with industry and government for all water resources research activities. The Institute also functions as a highly recognized advisor to these two sectors on water resources issues. This role translates into multidisciplinary functions and activities that add relevance and impact to the research program the Institute supports.

By virtue of the local relevance of its research and the prestige and leadership of the investigators it has supported, the Institute has become the focal point for water-related research in Puerto Rico. Meetings, seminars, technical reports, and a quarterly newsletter are used by the Institute to keep the water resources community and general public informed about advances in research. Approximately once every two years, the Institute organizes major conferences on water-related research in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, in collaboration with other technical organizations in the region. All these activities facilitate the translation of the research sponsored by the Institute into practical applications of direct benefit to industry, government, and the general public.

What are the Water Resources Research Institutes and who runs them?