Name: Solar-powered system used to produce clean water in rural villages
Publication: Environmental News network
Author: Debra Goldberg
Date: 11.09.2013.
It may be hard to imagine to those of us who think of drinking water as something that is always available, but in rural places such as those of the Yucatan Peninsula, people often have to drive for a whole day to get to it, and it is also very expensive.
A team of researchers form MIT, led by the professor of mechanical engineering and aeronautics and astronautics - Steven Dubowsky, have developed an easy and economic way to solve the problem. They built an efficient system for purifying water powered by the solar energy.
Teh system's pumps are powered by solar panels, so the well water is pushed through semiporous membranes which then filter out slats and heavy minerals. The results is clean drinking water, and the system can produce up to 1 000 liters of it every day. This is enough for all residents of a small village.
Since the purifier is installed directly in the village, the stress of purchasing expensive water and transporting it is eliminated. Water which used to cost 20 peso will now cost only one, and the only input is brackish water which is delivered twice a week by local authorities from wells, or taken from the collection of rainwater by the village residents.
The system was tested for four months and the team is currently training the locals in order for them to learn how to use and maintain it. According to Dubowsky - "The maintenance of the system is going to be in the hands of the community, the idea is to give people a real sense of self-worth and self-reliance. This project approach is somewhat unique in work for small communities in the developing world. It is based on bringing to people the best technology to meet their needs. The challenge is to provide the training so they can operate and maintain the system."
In the system turns out to be successful it could spread to other parts of the world which are in need of clean drinking water. As Dubowsky said - "There may be 25 million indigenous people in Mexico alone. This is not a small problem. The potential for a system like this is huge."
Publication: Environmental News network
Author: Debra Goldberg
Date: 11.09.2013.
It may be hard to imagine to those of us who think of drinking water as something that is always available, but in rural places such as those of the Yucatan Peninsula, people often have to drive for a whole day to get to it, and it is also very expensive.
A team of researchers form MIT, led by the professor of mechanical engineering and aeronautics and astronautics - Steven Dubowsky, have developed an easy and economic way to solve the problem. They built an efficient system for purifying water powered by the solar energy.
Teh system's pumps are powered by solar panels, so the well water is pushed through semiporous membranes which then filter out slats and heavy minerals. The results is clean drinking water, and the system can produce up to 1 000 liters of it every day. This is enough for all residents of a small village.
Since the purifier is installed directly in the village, the stress of purchasing expensive water and transporting it is eliminated. Water which used to cost 20 peso will now cost only one, and the only input is brackish water which is delivered twice a week by local authorities from wells, or taken from the collection of rainwater by the village residents.The system was tested for four months and the team is currently training the locals in order for them to learn how to use and maintain it. According to Dubowsky - "The maintenance of the system is going to be in the hands of the community, the idea is to give people a real sense of self-worth and self-reliance. This project approach is somewhat unique in work for small communities in the developing world. It is based on bringing to people the best technology to meet their needs. The challenge is to provide the training so they can operate and maintain the system."
In the system turns out to be successful it could spread to other parts of the world which are in need of clean drinking water. As Dubowsky said - "There may be 25 million indigenous people in Mexico alone. This is not a small problem. The potential for a system like this is huge."
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