Ford, Carnegie Mellon University Team Up for Cool Summer Fun

The PURIFLUME mobile water system is not only cool; it’s a fun, creative way to cool off when the heat is on.

The PURIFLUME is such a unique idea; it has been awarded a $50,000 Ford College Community Challenge (Ford C3) grant. Ford C3 is a national competition that recognizes colleges and universities that utilize a school’s resources to address an urgent, unmet social need or problem in the local community. Ford C3 requires colleges to create project proposals that have significant student input, involvement and leadership from beginning to end. The proposals also must address the theme of the Challenge – Building Sustainable Communities – in some creative way.

“Winning proposals have a distinctive student perspective on what it means to have a sustainable community,” said Mike Schmidt, director, Education and Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “Each year, we select five winning proposals to receive this one-time award. The CMU proposal stood out because of its innovative approach to educating the public about issues involving sustainability and water.”

The PURIFLUME is reminiscent of a giant orange and blue dinosaur skeleton that features elements from a water park, such as a water slide and jet sprays. It was designed and built by a group of students under the direction of Professor John Folan at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Architecture. Students used advanced digital simulation, representation and fabrication technologies to bring the project to life.

“I’m extremely proud of what the students have accomplished,” Folan said. “It has demanded an incredible level of dedication and commitment from them, and the reward of seeing Pittsburgh’s communities potentially benefiting from the project has been their primary motivation.”

City officials are looking forward to seeing the PURIFLUME’s potential in conserving and filtering water – offering a sustainable alternative to expensive pools, while providing a way to help keep kids contaminant-free as they’re splashing around and having fun. The PURIFLUME closed-loop water filtration system is nicknamed the “Eco-Beastie,” and it becomes mobile with the help of a Ford F-350 Super Duty truck.