## 2 Background: Water Scarcity  
Water is one of the most vital resources for human viability. However, there is not enough for the needs of everyone in the globe. Due to population growth, many countries face water shortages; thus, they need to prepare for future problems [2]. Water scarcity also results in low economic growth. In 2012, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recommended that both OECD and non-OECD countries reduce water risks, such as water shortages (including droughts), inadequate water quality, non-accessible water, and anything that undermines the resilience of freshwater. Yet, all countries face different water scarcity problems.  
According to the United Nations Environment Programme [3], the rapid economic growth and high population density of the Republic of Korea have caused water shortages and freshwater scarcity. This has long been--and still remains--a critical challenge. Reports indicate that current aqua-ecosystem protection mechanisms are insufficient [3]. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (2011) reported that only 26% of water in Korea is fit for use and that each Korean person uses only one-sixth of the global average for individual water consumption. Hence, the nation is considered a water-stressed nation.  
Water in the Republic of Korea is contaminated for three reasons: (1) damage to the nation's hydro-ecology caused by construction near rivers, which has decreased limnobios, animals, and freshwater plants; (2) soil runoff; and (3) the eutrophication of rivers due to an increasing inflow of phosphorus into rivers [4]. According to the previous literature, people consider treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants to be clean; however, attached algae are widely visible, largely due to phosphorus discharged from farmlands during the summer flood season. More critically, the shallow depth and slow current speed of the river increase detection time, increasing nutrient salts during annual drought seasons. Since phosphorus is not filtered from sewage, it grows too much. It originally comes from toilets, and some toilets are installed in areas that lack sewage. Thus, it is important to remove phosphorus from toilets. This can be accomplished by a sewage treatment plant.  
In 2015, the Ministry of Science, ICT (Information and Communications Technologies), Future Planning (MSIP), initiated the Convergence Research Centre (CRC) project, a cross-disciplinary research project that connects the arts, design, and science to prepare for future sustainable energy. Solving the water scarcity problem is one of several seven-year research projects. The collaboration team comprised two design researchers, one philosopher, seven different disciplinary scientists (e.g., water, climate change, and urban environment), and industry partners (e.g., different groups of natural artists, digital artists, graphic designers, and engineers). The team is planning to build a temporary research lab to research these issues at the UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology) in the Republic of Korea. The research lab building will be two stories high and approximately 99 m\({}^{2}\).