Four Inventions for Clean Drinking Water

Water has been one of the most important issues for people all around the world for the last few decades. 3 million 575 thousand people die each year from water-related diseases because they don’t have clean drinking water, hygiene and sanitation. This problem has become so serious that designers, inventors and engineers have begun to think about what they can do to find a solution. They have made several innovations for clean tap water, and you will now read about four of these.

Lifestraw: The Lifestraw is a small cylindrical tube packed with some really innova - tive engineering. This clever design purifies water from potential patho - gens like cholera and diarrhea – before they can reach your lips. The Lifestraw is inexpensive and it delivers water to those in need.

Ceramic Water Filters: In 2008, UNICEF and the Water and Sanitation Program were given the Project Innovation Award Grand Prize by the International Water Association for providing Cambodia with ceramic water filters. These water purification devices have resulted in a 50 percent drop in diarrheal illnesses since 2002. The filters are made from clay, and the tiny pores of the ceramic material are small enough to remove all bacteria.

Water Purifying Bicycle: Japan’s Nippon Basic Company recently introduced the “Cycloclean,” a water-purifying bike designed for use in remote villages and disaster zones. The Cycloclean uses kinetic energy to purify water, and users can ride the bike to gather any water around them and use it immediately as drinking water.

“Pure” Water Bottle Filters Water: Timothy Whitehead decided to develop a solution for the water problem and he came up with the Pure Water Bottle – a device that can filter soiled water in two minutes by using a combination of 4 small water filters and a wind-up ultravio - let light system. This combination cleans the water up to 99.9 percent. (Adapted from the Inhabitat website)