Pioneering Affordable Water Purification

I’ve been thinking of water purification for a few days after I saw Bill Gates drinking a glass of water that was purified from feces (poop!).

Before this, I had heard of the Desolenator, a solar powered device that’s the most affordable and efficient way to purify water. They are currently preparing for mass production thanks to the success of its ongoing fundraising campaign on Indiegogo.

Here’s some data on the problem these devices are trying to solve:

According to the UN Water GLAAS 2014 Report, 748 million people lack access to improved drinking water and an estimated 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water that is faecally contaminated. In addition, hundreds of millions of people do not have clean soap and water to wash their hands, a simple practice that prevents the spread of diarrheal and respiratory illness. Providing safe and sufficient drinking water, particularly for poorer people in rural areas that are not served by formal providers, will progress sanitation and hygiene conditions to assist in achieving the Millennium Development Goals to improve maternal health, curb the spread of infectious diseases, reduce child mortality and ensure environmental sustainability.