Smart Solar Powered Units Providing Clean Water in Bangladesh

A project by Watersprint and Yunus Centre is looking to spread smart tech-equipped, solar-powered water purifiers in regions where access to potable water is scarce.

Autor*in Anna Rees, 02.25.16

A project by Watersprint and Yunus Centre is looking to spread smart tech-equipped, solar-powered water purifiers in regions where access to portable water is scarce.

Around 750 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water. There are numerous projects that operate in this field, constructing wells and other infrastructure that provide people a safe source of water. Yet upkeep and maintenance of these can be difficult and it is estimated that as many 50,000 clean water supply points across Africa are no longer functional. In order to create long-lasting impact, water purification projects must take this into consideration and, crucially for areas with irregular or no access to electricity, be able to run without relying on a regular power supply.

The UN recently threw its support behind water purification systems developed by Swedish firm Watersprint, sending 500 of the solar-powered devices to Bangladesh. The Watersprint system uses UV-LED technology to power a so-called Micro Production Centre (MPC), which uses filters to remove particles and biological contaminants from water. Each unit is capable of purifying 600 litres of water per hour and can run on just 12 volts of power, which is generated by an accompanying small solar panel. The units are equipped with software that monitors the condition of each system and are WiFi enabled to send alerts to people via SMS when there is a malfunction while the solar panel also charges a battery so the system can be used ‘round the clock

Professor Muhammad Yunus, microcredit pioneer and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, came across the technology, which was predominantly used to treat water in Sweden for disinfection and legionella, and spoke with Watersprint about developing it to remove bacteria and viruses from surface water. In 2015, Watersprint and the Yunus Centre distributed 10 portable water purification systems throughout Bangladesh as part of a pilot programme.

Groundwater contamination is a huge issue in Bangladesh, with an estimated 35 – 77 million people exposed to arsenic via drinking water. With numerous wells dug in areas where arsenic naturally occurs, the high levels of the chemical element in the country’s water supply contribute to 1 in 5 deaths.

As part of the initiative’s longer-term goals, local young people in Bangladesh are being trained to work as distributors of the systems. Each unit will be looked after by a distributor, giving ownership of the system’s maintenance to members of the community rather than relying on an external foreign aid team to take care of repairs. A small fee will be charged for each use, creating new streams of income.

The team behind the initiative is looking to expand the project into three additional countries by 2030. For more insight into the project check out the video below or head to Watersprint’s website.

TAGGED WITH
Orange You Glad You Can Remove Mercury from Water?

A team of researchers from Australia has developed a material that combines waste from the citrus and petroleum industries and can be used to draw out mercury from water and soil.

Making a Living from Arsenic-free Water

In some parts of the world, getting access to arsenic-free safe drinking water is difficult. Drinkwell Systems looks to overcome this obstacle by offering systems that sanitise water supply and simultaneously create water entrepreneurs.

bildschirmfoto_2015-01-08_um_11
©
The Wonder Machine that Transforms Faecal Matter into Drinking Water

Can you make drinking water from faeces? Apparently so, with the Bill Gates Janicki Omni Processor, which looks to not only provide an answer to waste management problems but also provide access to clean drinking water.