Perspectives on Innovation

This is a very meaningful and very relevant challenge. I am working on my submission. It will be interesting to read what others submit.

Here is a link to a press release sent out not too long ago. http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-29-2009/0005068676&EDATE= Kirstie alley and I recently co-hosted a live 24-hour social-media based telethon to raise funds for fresh water wells in African communities. We chose to have all donations sent directly to Playpumps International, Inc., a non-profit based in Washington, D.C. and South Africa. Playpumps has a unique patented water pumping system based on a merry-go-round structure and attached water tank. While children play with the merry-go-round, it pumps water into the tank. Absolutely no electricity is needed for this process. The water tank has a 4-sided frame built on it, with billboard holders. Advertisements are sold to pay for maintenance of the Playpumps system, and public awareness announcements are also placed on the tank. More information on the Playpumps system is located at http://www.playpumps org if you are interested. Thanks for reminding people of the continued need for fresh water in Africa!

The surest way to provide safe drinking water is to treat at the point of use[POU];that is at the house-hold level.
A nano silver impregnated clay candle fixed in the clay pot used for storing water in most developing countries is the cheapest method as it costs less than two US dollars to make;please visit my web site given above for further details.
RKRAO

I find that the details of the web site have not been included in the comment given earlier;it is-http://householdmatters-india.blogspot.com/

Some of the world’s water recievership can be settled by faster transportation from a material like tripe and sand or glass catalyst teleportation. This method researched at the website indicated in the documentations available there show that blood toners like this 144 chamber process that can be placed in countries in poor health and easily used to redevise a dry blood supply to stretch nourishment including water retention in the human body. If the transport goal is reached someday, persons in need of revitalizing water nourishment need only to use the industrial teleportation portal for their necessary potable water. Also available in my pursuit of water control are some project assignments at the top of the page at http://www.hideterminis.com . This project seen there is very repetitive in nature for the files to match the streets with the AutoCAD edit double click on perexisting text. Some of the drawing there is also done by hand. These industrialists in the references have the right idea about placement of cities and their most capable entities.

Thanks for your concern with the worlds water supply.

Sincerely,
John Egidio Smothergill

some plants such as Chinese gooseberry can clean water, and it can be reused by replant.

same as climate change, water shortage will catch us short and more furious. Most of all the poorest will suffer.
There are some natural ways to treat water. Some of them use waterplants as Phragmites australis and also the Moringa seed to clean water. This knowledge had to be spread around.
Nevertheless there had to be water free of bacteria and viruses for drinking water of good quality at least for the newborn ans growjng, hospitals aso.
In destroying bacteria and viruses in a chemical or radiological way the remainings stay in the water. Nobody knows what those remainings will do later on. There is a long list starting with leaden pipes going to ionic treatments which was once counted save and had to be stopped after some years of harming lives of the users.
Therefore filtration or evaporation is necessary. This ways are also choosen by the evolution. For bacteria and viruses micro – filtration should do. To break solubles (desalination of seawater) reverse osmosis is the way. But we do not have the evolutionary time so we have to speed up things.
All those safe treatments needs energy, mostly for the pumps. Solar energy is available even in the poorest countries. The transformation of solar energy to this needed energy is the step we have to do at once.
All the best to all of You
Walter Loidl

My wife and I have been using rainwater since 1960, drinking, cooking, washing. Capting it is no problem but storage must be perfect. Almost any container can be used that can be painted with a cement slurry. The secret is in that slurry. It must be made with a salt saturated solution of water and ordinary building cement. Stir course salt in water until the water will not take up anymore. I usually let the bucket(s) stand for a few days to be sure the solution is saturated. If you still have salt lying on the bottom pour your solution in a fresh bucket because you must not mix the cement with the salt itself. Then stir in the cement untill you have a thickish slurry that can be applied with a large paintbrush(whitewashing brush).In my house I built a masonry container that holds 30 000 liter and the salt-cement application makes the walls absolutely waterproof and stops growth. But! the water must be kept in total darkness to stop algal growth. 44 gallon steel drums can be used after washig them out with caustic soda. The slurry adheres to steel, brick and concrete, plastic I don’t know. Salt, cement, water and darkness are the cheapest and best ingredients to keep your water sweet. Nick Dekker, De Kelders, SA

Is the question, where are there areas in need of water where there is an easy localized doable solution?
Which would mean that people from countries need to contact you where the need and solution is physically.
or is the question, how to make water (clean liquid) available where there isn’t one?

Maybe I need the question more defined. thank you, Mary

Unfortunately this is not a subject many companies around the world like to invest in , specially in third world countries . It is a very difficult problem and doesn´t have an unique solution , even if we know perfectly well how to coagulate colloidal partilcles in suspension, how to separate them , how to filtrate it to retain organic and inorganic particles other important issue remain and is the most unfrtunately known through the thousands of children dying from diaorrea . Unless water can be effectively disinfected it will continue to be a hazard .
Climate changes make things more difficult since water reservoirs tend to be more concentrated, lack of sanitary organization and poor knowledge
I will try to help submitting a proposal

Thanks to everybody
Claudio

Dear Dwayne Spradlin,
Greetings of Peace. Your approach to this peculiar problem comes at the right time where we have to focus on Drinking water, and your appeal speaks of your humane spirit.
I wish the prize amount can be more and it can be shared by many winning research scholars who may use it for their research work.
Best regards.
Sincerely Yours,
Jothi

How about something as simple as rain Harvesting. It’s happening all over now. Pitch metal roofs and harvest into barrels the bigger the area the more water collected.
Just a thought

Wow! These are fantastic ideas.

In response specifically to Mary O’Donnell’s question: The question is in fact “What are the right problems?” We are looking to break down the big issues around water conservation and efficiency into smaller problems that can make a big difference if solved. Our view of the world is that some problems are too big. Simplify them and get people everywhere working on those and magic will happen.

And to Michael Jothi Rajan, we believe that many more dollars may be appled to these challenges if in fact they are well defined challenges with a focus toward real and measureable impact. This will help to “jump start” that effort.

August 18, 2009
Your Seeker is seeking simplistic solutions for complex problems.
Although developed countries may have microbe-free tap water, few have chemical-free tap water.
In the U.S., we have frogs sprouting extra legs. We have water polluted with endocrine disruptors, the sources of which are chemicals used in farming, industry, and consumer products such as birth-control pills, causing genital abnormalities in newborn boys. There is growing evidence that endocrine disruptors affect male and females alike, causing abnormalities in breast development, prostate cancer, obesity, thyroid problems, and cardiovascular problems.
What is the difference between water issues and water problems, as stated in your challenge?
The first step for developing countries is to pass and enforce environmental protection laws based on the failure of developed countries to prevent water pollution by chemicals. Otherwise, water purity problems in developing countries will be no different than those problems already evident in industrialized (developed) countries.
Origo

It seems you are asking for information about particular areas where there are water issues to be addressed. I don’t have any info on that but here is a treatment suggestion to consider in following the theme of the other responses.

Assuming bacteria are the main issue where the greatest effect would be realized, you could look at high intensity ultraviolet lights to sterilize the water. This approach is used by high volume water treatment plants as part of their water cleansing process. Perhaps something on a smaller scale and budget could be accomplished. I think the ongoing cost to produce a large volume of clean water would be low after the initial investment. A large amount of sediment or minerals in the water is a downside to this solution as it hinders the process so pre-filtration may also be needed. Distribution and storage would still need to be addressed. Some of the other ideas here may address those problems.

There are smaller home sized units available that may be able to service a several block area or multiple homes for under $300. These would also require a pre-filter to remove sediment for the unit to work effectively (if the water has lots of particulates).

Maybe, it will be useful to remember an experience of ancient civilisations. For example, in Bizantian capital Constantinopol (now Istambul) ancient engeneers build up giant underground reservoirs for water that accumulated during the rainy seasons. Obviously, the biological and chemical security must be provided applying modern achitvements of science and technology. For example, silver inclusions in construction blocks or ultraviolet light. By the way, this light presented in Africa in great excess. To convert it in an ultraviolet one can use also progressive technology.

I want to point to a simple but effective method developed by “Sodis” in Switzerland:

Acc. to their method for water disinfection you only need transparent and colourless PET bottles and the sun, shining on the bottles. After about 6 hours water is disinfected. This method is successfully used already in more than 20 developing countries.

For detailed info see
http://www.sodis.ch/methode/anwendung/index_EN

to Werner Zimmerman

Thank You for interesting reference site. I do something like this for water treatment at home filtering tap water and filling PET bottles. I noted that such filtrated water should be used during few days. In hot sommer time, after period of week or so, the water in bottles aquires a green shade. I guess it occures because of microalgae. My water is stored at a shaded place (near refrigerator), but, I think , placing it on a direct sun lighting shold lead to accelerating of microplankton growth.

[...] I found out about the InnoCentive “Water Problems Affecting People in Developing Countries” challenge, I couldn’t resist sharing these insights and experiences: I truly hope they can be [...]

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