The Bakchan Lab advances the resilience and sustainability of water and wastewater infrastructure through an integrated socio-technical approach. Our research focuses on planning, constructing, and managing decentralized systems in extreme environments—such as disasters, development crises, and extreme geological conditions. A central area of study involves developing responsible management entities (RMEs) to ensure reliable decentralized service delivery.

Recognizing the vital role of human capital, we also prioritize workforce development through targeted training, certification, apprenticeships, and retention strategies. Our work bridges institutional and community-level knowledge gaps, engaging regulators, operators, engineers, and residents in collaborative governance. In parallel, we contribute to sustainable construction practices by optimizing infrastructure life cycles and advancing circular economy solutions. Collectively, these efforts position our lab at the forefront of holistic, community-centered infrastructure innovation.