Nearly one billion people live without access to clean drinking water. But if one South Africa research team’s work pans out, this may be a concern of the past.
Researchers are conducting a final round of tests on a new nanotech-based filter that can make nearly any water source safe for humans to drink. And best of all, these filters cost only pennies to produce, bringing access to clean drinking water to the poorest of the poor.
The teabag-like filters are filled with active carbon granules made from nanofibers treated with biocide, which will kill waterborne bacteria, rather than just filtering it out. Each filter can clean up to a liter of the most polluted water and make it drinkable.
The filters were designed by Eugen Cloete, the chair of Stellenbosch University’s Water Institute. Originally, the filters were designed for use on large-scale projects. However, researchers have since shifted their attention to the creation of smaller, easy-to-use filters that could be used in conjunction with something as simple as a plastic bottle. Small, portable filters are a far more efficient (and affordable) method of providing clean drinking water to rural and undeveloped areas than large-scale infrastructure projects.
The filter is currently undergoing testing by the South African Bureau of Standards. If all goes well, Cloete and his team hope to start production by the end of the year in conjunction with the UN and various NGOs who have shown interest in the project.
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