In the United States, we are pretty lucky when it comes to access to clean water. While we still have a lot of work to do in perfecting our systems and ensuring safety, other places in the world are just now implementing clean water strategies. Safe and readily available waste is considered a public health issue around the world. So how has technology and engineering helped this process along?
We take a look at water purification technology around the world and at home that is making the difference.
What is the Water Situation Around the World?
In America, it’s easy to forget that there are people around the world that struggle to get the necessary water for their day-to-day necessities. According to data, about 800 million people don’t have access to clean water. When obtaining water is an everyday challenge and task, it becomes difficult to grow communities, focus on school, have flourishing families, avoid major health problems, etc. International organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations have declared that ensuring access to water is a top priority. They define “basic access” as the ability to gather safe water in about a 30 minute round trip.
Countries that lack this kind of access include:
- Ethiopia
- Papua New Guinea
- The Republic of Chad
- Uganda
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Mozambique
- Tanzania
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- Nigeria
The Water Purification Mission Continues Across the World
The water purification effort is multi-faceted and involves a lot of complicated factors. One of those is engineering innovative ways to facilitate the cleaning of water in these remote, sometimes underdeveloped communities. We’ve discussed innovative water purification technologies in previous posts. Below are some of the most unique inventions playing a role in this effort around the world.
LifeStraw: This popular product has become quite the sensation in the water purification movement. It looks like a thick straw and is quite portable, part of what makes it so apt for remote communities. It is also used, however, by campers, travelers, and hikers alike as an emergency option. The product has a hollow fiber membrane that acts like a trap to contaminants like parasites, chemicals, and bacteria.
Cycloclean: Picture a bicycle with an attached filtration system. CycloClean is a bicycle-driven water purification system that has four filters attached to the rear seat of the bicycle. The pedal acts as the pumping action that sends the water through the system.
The Solar Ball: This little invention looks more like a cat toy than a life-saving product. It is a spherical product that can sit in the sun and purify water. This is a solar-powered water purifier that works through the power of sun rays and sophisticated filtration. When it sits out in the sun, the contaminated water begins to evaporate and the contaminants are separated from the water, which creates a drinkable condensation. This product is still under development but drew some attention when it was first introduced and is being looked at for its potential to help around the world.
Using sunlight as a tool for purer water exists in other ways as well. There is a process called flocculation, where a pinch of table salt is added to water to draw out clay particles. This method is highly effective in places where residents need to catch clear water before they can purify it extensively.
Direct-Contact Membrane Desalination: Other popular innovations for water purification include finding ways to remove salt from ocean water. One chemical engineering professor is developing a system where heated seawater crosses plastic membranes that have small hollow tubes filled with cold distilled water. These tubes have small pores that are engineered to push out salt but absorb water vapor, which is then drawn out and condensed back into water.
The Way of Water Purification Going Forward
As developing innovations improve, people around the world might have better access to drinking water. Here in America, we have our own problems when it comes to providing clean water. A lot of the infrastructure is old and compromised. For the United States, it might be working in renewing and improving a lot of our infrastructure. The nation’s situation is unique in the sense that as cities expanded and industrialization took hold of growing urban centers, it was necessary to find quick solutions.
In many places across the country, according to Pew Research, piping from the 1800s is still in place today in the 21st century. According to this study, the money and overhaul needed to replace and renew some of these systems are substantial and an undertaking many politicians simply shy away from.
It’s why many Americans have chosen to go a different route when it comes to purifying and filtering their own water. This is possible with systems from Sun Tech Services in Las Cruces.
Your Water Matters, Find Out What You Can Do To Make it Better
If you’re looking for water purification or filtration systems, here at Sun Tech Services, we provide quality filtration systems. The Southwest region is known for having hard water that can also cause its fair share of problems for piping and the home.
Want to learn more about our exciting products at Sun Tech Services? Call us today.