As we approach 2020, humanity still has widespread difficulties meeting people’s need for clean water. This is true even in the U.S., where it’s a profitable commodity, but where we also use gallons to chase the homeless off our sidewalks.
Homelessness exists everywhere in the world, and so does the unmet need for clean water. A UN report called “Water Quality and Wastewater” reveals that 1.8 billion people rely on drinking water supplies that are dangerously contaminated. By 2050, the report says, 70% of us will live in cities — but most of them presently lack efficient and sustainable water infrastructure.
This isn’t just a problem for human dignity, either. It’s an issue anyplace water is required for manufacturing and ongoing economic growth.
Answering this call requires mustering every fiber of our compassion and our technological acumen. With that in mind, here are several technologies helping to get the job done.
Solar Power
The sun isn’t an inexhaustible source of energy, but it’s close. Solar power is proving to be a major ally in our mission to bring potable water to everybody. Innovative Water Technologies is one pioneer in this field.
According to the United Nations, developing countries see as much as 80% of their wastewater returned to waterways without treatment. Innovative Water Technologies wants to address this with its self-contained solar- and wind-powered water treatment systems. It’s not the only company working on the concept, but it claims its filtration system can yield more than 5,200 gallons of clean water per day over a 10-year device lifetime.
Graphene
One major barrier to bringing potable water to underserved and impoverished locations is that in many such places, saltwater is the only resource available. Desalination is the process of making saltwater useful for bathing and drinking. It’s an expensive process, both in the monetary and energy costs involved.
However, a newly patented type of filter, made of graphene, has the potential to reduce the financial cost of desalination by 20%. It could make the process faster by improving the rate of water flow several times over.
These one-atom-thick filters are being eyed by the oil and gas industry, but they carry significant potential in areas that are especially stricken with water shortages.
Real-Time Filtration
For the ultimate in portable water filtration simplicity, there’s LifeStraw. This nearly pocket-sized invention is comprised of a tube with an intake at one end, a mouthpiece at the other and highly efficient filtration materials in between. This oversized “drinking straw” is capable of filtering at least 250 gallons of water over its lifecycle.
It filters water as you drink directly from an unclean source, making it a sort of “real-time” filtration technology. The tech is also available in pitchers and water bottles, giving it far-reaching applications. It’s a friend to backpackers and campers who want to stay prepared, as well as an important tool for first responders.
Because it can remove “99.999 percent” of parasites, viruses, bacteria, microplastics and more, it’s a practical and inexpensive way to help areas with water shortages get back on their feet.
Automated Systems
Automation technologies have implications for every industry on earth, including the filtration of drinking water and that destined for manufacturing.
The benefits of clean drinking water are obvious — it’s a matter of life and death. In an industrial setting, a lack of clean water can mean shorter equipment lifespans due to unnecessary wear and tear, as well as higher energy and material expenses.
It’s now possible to automate processes associated with cleaning industrial water supplies and treating municipal wastewater. Automated aerators in holding basins help reduce energy consumption. Some 60 percent of the energy expenditure in treatment facilities can be traced back to aerators working inefficiently or operating when they’re not needed.
Automated sampling is another important application. It reduces labor requirements and assists with identifying trends and problems so they can be addressed in a timely fashion.
Providing Water to All
Research finds positive dividends when we ensure there’s water available for people who need it. Cities that make a point to provide free water to all report improved health and public safety, less pollution, and a greater sense of community and personal dignity.
Industry has a lot to gain by investigating emerging water treatment technology, too. So long as the world relies on oil and gas and those industries rely on water, we had better get more serious about the environmental and financial impacts of fracking and drilling. We invest in these industries at the expense of our health, but the right technology can lessen the burden.
These technologies and many others show what’s possible when we bring a creative and collaborative spirit to a common problem.
