The global water crisis is very real and solving for bringing a reliable supply of clean water to small, rural villages can feel like an impossible task.
Solar panels have been developed and deployed, but the efforts over the last few years have often been complicated and costly.
One way to address what is arguably the most basic human need – access to clean water to avoid disease, death and conflict – is through micro-systems, which is why the Sun Fresh Water team is so enthusiastic about our small and easy to set up and maintain solar powered water purification system.
One unit can create enough clean water for a family each day; a unit for each family means self-sufficiency in a sustainable way, without the requirement for expensive infrastructure. It is really that simple.
The benefit of Sun Fresh Water’s system is that it is easy to understand and use, overcoming language barriers when the installation is illustrated. Train one village leader, and they can train others.
Over time, individual units can be expanded as the community expands, and water can be used for more than just basic drinking, cooking and hygiene, but for livestock and farming through future “water farms.”
For under $10,000USD, 20 or more of these micro-systems can be implemented in a small village in a few days.
It can be installed locally with very easy diagrams and hands-on training from volunteers, and can withstand the elements with the right care, and help rural communities withstand natural disasters, when the sun shines again. In droughts, this technology is lifesaving and simply essential.
The solar panels can co-exist with other solar solutions, to provide light in the darkness, power mobile phones, and provide multiple services to the villagers and community at large – without having to plan, fund, build and maintain traditional electrical energy and water delivery systems.
With clean water and even minimal solar energy, the entire economy of small villages improves. Innovation starts to happen, including microbusinesses where individuals or groups of people master the systems, and can sell water to others, can barter, and so much more.
While Sun Fresh Water envisions a number of different units as we evolve, and a number of different business models, including selling directly to consumers who can afford to pay and wish to have their own water systems at their homes, their vacation homes, while traveling, and more, we are a company and culture whose mission is purpose-driven.
Our team and volunteers are constantly working on identifying projects we can contribute to, whether in small villages in the Caribbean, Central and Latin America, India and Africa; while we are a start-up company, our business plan calls for contributing what we can afford, possibly offering a “buy one, give one” model for our most basic, small units.
We’d love to hear from you about how you envision “smart villages” and the role access to clean water will play in improving lives, one drop at a time until clean water is flowing in hundreds, thousands then tens of thousands of places where our help is needed most.
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