How To Fulfil Clean Water Needs Without Electricity

How To Fulfil Clean Water Needs Without Electricity

Clean Water

Daily access to clean potable water is a global issue. UNICEF and WHO state that globally, 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water. Worldwide, 2.2 billion people lack access to safe in-home drinking water services. 4.2 billion people are without safely managed sanitation services, and 3 billion people need handwashing facilities.
 

Our article on Water Scarcity and the Namib Beetle discusses some causes of water stress and suggests we look to nature for inspiration. Let’s look at 5 sustainable options that do not require a source of power to provide water for a household’s basic daily needs.

Public Water Filter

I-Jie Tsay et al. from the National Taipei University of Education submitted this concept to both the Green Product Awards (Concept) and Golden Pin Design Awards in 2020. This gravity-fed water filter with UV sterilisation potentially removes dangerous pathogens from contaminated water. The first stage is sediment filtration, which uses local natural filter materials. Next, we open the water stop valve. Through the rotation of the manual handle, we can convert kinetic energy into electrical energy, which turns on the UV germicidal light tube. Thus, enabling the water to undergo UV sterilisation. The significant thing about this concept is it needs no external power. In rural areas without power, this concept would be vital to clean non-potable water.

Eliodomestico

Gabriele Diamanti designed this open-source project. The Eliodomestico is a solar household still. This desalination device can produce 5L of drinking water per day from saltwater and sunlight. This concept is like a coffee maker. The sun’s rays cause the saltwater to heat up. Therefore, creating a pressured steam that can only escape through an expansion nozzle that condenses on the inner walls of the lower collection container. Diamanti created this device using widely available materials, which are easy to maintain and do not require filters. Desalination is usually an energy-intensive process. Eliodomestico achieves clean drinking water with no need for electricity.

Fog Catcher, Peru

In Lima, Peru, they know Abel Cruz as the fog catcher. He uses nets to catch fog from the air. At the bottom of these nets are pipes that transport the water droplets into tanks. This method of fog catching can produce 200 to 400 litres of water per day from each net. They primarily use the water collected for agricultural practices. It is not suitable for drinking. Fog catching requires specific weather, primarily consistent fog and light winds. Additionally, the nets and tanks require a large area.

Drop By Drop

This plant-based water filtration system can purify grey-water (kitchen wastewater). The Hindi saying: ‘Drop by drop, fills an ocean’, inspired the designer Pratik Ghosh. A scaled-up version of this miniature forest could produce 160 litres of water in 12 hours of daylight. A lamp assists with photosynthesis and a pump creates a vacuum that speeds up transpiration. When the plants transpire, the moisture in the air is condesed, forming distilled water. Efficient transpiration is obtained in this biosphere by maintaining optimum levels of light, wind, humidity, and temperature.

Warka Water

Biomimicry and the Warka tree, a huge wild fig tree in Ethiopia, are the primary inspirations for this design. Arturo Vittori and his team designed this structure to utilise gravity, condensation, and evaporation rules. This bamboo tower with plastic lining allows dew and mist to settle in droplets. The basin at the bottom of the structure collects the water produced from the air. The canopy surrounding the structure prevents the collected water from evaporating. Standing 9 metres tall and weighing 60 kg, the Warka water structure can collect 100 litres of drinking water a day. Additionally, 100% of recycled materials are used to create this device.

Clean water for sanitary, drinking and agricultural purposes is essential. It’s great to see so many devices and concepts available for our varied needs.

Feature Image:

clean water
Clean water is a necessity. Image: mrjn Photography | Unsplash

Share:

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on linkedin

Leave a Reply

Share:

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on linkedin

Pages of interest

You Might Also Like

Cubo modular bamboo

Cubo Modular Bamboo Housing

Cubo modular bamboo housing is the brainchild of Earl Patrick Forlales. Manila, Philippines has a housing problem similar to many other cities around the world.

air conditioner

Air Conditioner uses no Electricity

This A/C unit cools without using electricity. An eco-friendly air conditioners for the steamy climate of New Delhi, created by the Architecture firm Ant Studio.

Ducks

Rice and Duck Farming

A symbiotic and sustainable method to combine farming and animal husbandry. The ducks eat insects that are destroying the rice and then fertilize the crop

Clay pot cooler

Zeer Pot Cold Storage

In 1995, Mohammed Bah Abba, a teacher from northern Nigeria, invented the Pot-in-Pot preservation cooling system also known as Zeer pot cold storage. His design

You Might Also Like