SEATTLE — It has been recognized that poor economic management and inadequate infrastructure to harness one of the most abundant resources on the earth has plunged the world into a situation of perpetual water scarcity. As it stands, approximately 750 million people around the world do not have access to clean water. This situation prompted world leaders to develop the sixth Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) which seeks to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. At the 2016 World Water day, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called for bold action to address water inequality. Highlighted are some of the bold, innovative clean water solutions that organizations are developing in order to ensure the sixth SDG is met. Waste to Water Solutions Seattle Engineering firm, Janicki, developed an Omniprocesser that converts human waste directly to clean water. The safety of the water was confirmed by billionaire philanthropist, Bill Gates, who drank it and affirmed that he would happily drink it every day. Desalination Uptake of the technology has largely been limited by the high costs of the desalination process. However, arid countries are finding that it is a necessary solution. According to the International Desalination Association, the largest desalination plant in the world in Saudi Arabia produces 273 million gallons of drinking water per day while in Israel, a quarter of the nation’s water supply is generated from desalination. Personal Filter Straws The technology works by passing water through an extremely fine medium which traps dirt and bacteria within its pores producing clean and drinkable water. The personal filter straws remove up to 99 percent of bacteria and contaminants in water. Harvesting Fog The practice is still alive and well in Chile and has received a technology boost from the Mechanical Engineering Department of MIT. There are now modern fog fences which collect water for agricultural and drinking water use. Harvesting water from thin air The company has also developed home and office atmospheric water generators that are capable of providing seven gallons of clean water every day. Bicycle Water Purifiers Water can be harnessed directly from the source and cleaned as a cyclist peddles. The water passes through a system of micro-filtration membranes before it is stored in a container. Solar Stills The simple solution involves harnessing the power of the sun to distill water in order to generate portable, clean water. It was originally developed for military and survivalist usage where holes were dug into the ground and covered with a sheet of plastic. Aquamante is a company that develops refined small-scale solar stills that come in portable packages and are capable of distilling water from a variety of sources. In conditions of adequate sunlight, the Aquamante solar stills can produce two liters of clean water a day. Rainwater Harvesting It is a useful way of reducing reliance on municipal water supply systems and providing water in remote rural areas that may not be connected to conventional water supply. Smart Irrigation Controllers It is particularly useful in water stressed areas where it enables the conservation of the limited water resources. Plumbers Without Borders The volunteer-driven initiative provides organizations committed to increasing safe water and sanitation with plumbers and mechanical trade persons to improve their operations. How can we solve the problem of water and sanitation?End open defecation and provide access to sanitation and hygiene reuse. Improve water quality, wastewater treatment, and safe reuse. Increase water-use efficiency and ensure freshwater supplies. Implement integrated water resources management.
How can we improve sanitation problems?Improving sanitation, in a nutshell: First, provide more support to local level sanitation plans and strategies. Second, do more work on faecal sludge monitoring and management. Third, communicate the benefits of investing in sanitation to communities.
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