Purdue Leads $160M Great Lakes Cleanup to Protect Indiana's Water

Purdue University has been selected as a key partner in the Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine (ReNEW), one of 10 inaugural National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines announced in January, positioning West Lafayette-based researchers at the forefront of a regional water crisis. The six-state project, coordinated by Chicago-based Current Innovation and involving the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratories, targets poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances—PFAS, or "forever chemicals"—that never break down in the environment or human bodies and pose serious threats to drinking water and agricultural irrigation across Indiana and neighboring states.

Purdue will contribute to the project at every stage, helping develop strategies to eliminate PFAS while extracting valuable, reusable minerals like lithium from wastewater. The use-inspired research and development approach reflects the urgency facing Great Lakes communities, where legacy pollution has burdened local economies for decades. By focusing on cost-effective, innovative remediation techniques, the initiative aims to transform environmental cleanup into an economic opportunity for the region.

Beyond scientific innovation, ReNEW emphasizes workforce development to build the region's inclusive "blue economy" by training workers for emerging water-technology jobs and exposing youth to career opportunities in environmental remediation. The program also supports the translation of innovations into practice by launching water-tech startups and establishing a centralized testbed for new technologies.

This effort builds on Purdue's existing environmental expertise. The university previously led a federally funded Hazardous Substance Research Center consortium of eight universities that pioneered bioremediation and phytoremediation techniques—using microbes and plants to clean up pollution. With initial funding of $15 million for two years and the potential for $160 million over a decade, the Great Lakes ReNEW project represents a significant commitment to protecting Indiana's water resources and positioning the state as a leader in environmental innovation and manufacturing.