water

Image: Ashok Gadgil patent

Not only is Ashok Gadgil a truly brilliant inventor; he's also a delight. Before meeting him, I'd been aware of ultraviolet water treatments, and I'd heard that his UV Waterworks system had perfected the treatment and brought clean drinking water to thousands of people around the world. But that was where my knowledge stopped. I asked Dr. Gadgil if he would give me the "for dummies" version, and here's what I received:

At a conference a few years ago, a moderator asked Gadgil about the simplicity of his ideas, and his response was interesting. "I don't quite agree with calling them simple technologies. They are reliant on and use the best knowledge of science and engineering that we currently have." I think it might be the mark of a truly groundbreaking design that, as soon as you hear about, it's impossible to imagine a world before someone thought of it.

We have come to the last episode of SAFE AGUA CHILE, a project in partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, led by 12 students from the Art Center College of Design. The students traveled to Santiago, Chile and spent 12 days among the poorest families living in slums/campamentos.  Week by week we have witnessed how the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families.  Today, we want to give thanks to those who have been following us since our first episode, as well as to those of you who are just in time to follow step by step and drop to drop the exciting journey of a life changing project.

Week by week, and drop by drop, twelve students from the Art Center College of Design are working towards social change. In partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families living in campamentos/slums in Chile. In week 8 we joinned KC and Jackie and witnessed how they innovated on the creation of a low-cost kitchen workstation for washing dishes indoors and facilitating the re-use of water.  This week, join Ramon and Will and follow step by step how they innovate a strategy for sharing and inspiring social innovation by people in the campamentos.

Check out this sweet ride:

Image source: Gizmag

The Aquaduct Mobile Filtration Vehicle, developed by Adam Mack, Brian Mason, John Lai, Paul Silberschatz and Eleanor Morgan from California, USA, was the Grand Prize winner in the “Innovate or Die” Pedal-Powered Machine Contest this year.

"The competition sponsored by Google and bike maker Specialized, asked people to create Earth-cooling inventions based on the simple mechanics of the bicycle and attracted 102 entries from around the world."  

(view all entries on the contest's YouTube channel)

This little beauty filters water while transporting it back from the well or water source you collected it from.  And when you don't need to go anywhere, you can disconnect the clutch and pedal your way to cleaner water while the bike remains stationary. 

More beauty lies in the details:

Week by week, and drop by drop, twelve students from the Art Center College of Design are working towards social change. In partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families living in campamentos/slums in Chile. Last week we joined Stephanie and witnessed how she designed a community  laundry facility that aimed to offer convenience and fill the emotional needs of people living in campamentos.   This week, join KC and Jackie and follow step by step how they innovate on the creation of a low-cost kitchen workstation for washing dishes indoors and facilitating the re-use of water.

Convenience and Awareness

“I don’t like to do the dishes in front of the house because I don’t want people to see me.” –Maria.

Week by week, and drop to drop, twelve students from the Art Center College of Design are working towards social change. In partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families living in campamentos/slums in Chile.  Last week we witnessed Jesse and Narbeh's develop a low-cost but real world potential warm shower for people living without running water or consistent electricity.  This week, join Stephanie and follow step by step how she designs a community laundry facility that aims to offer convenience and fill the emotional needs of people living in campamentos.  

Week by week, and drop to drop, twelve students from the Art Center College of Design are working towards social change.  In partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families living in campamentos/slums in Chile.  Last week we witnessed how Nubia, Stella and Diane created a low-cost pressurized water system, adding convenience and safety to the families' daily tasks. This week, join Jesse and Narbeh and follow step by step how they develop a low-cost but real world potential warm shower for people living without running water or consistent electricity.

Week by week, and drop to drop, twelve students from the Art Center College of Design are working towards social change.  In partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families living in campamentos/slums, Chile. Last week, we witnessed how Erica and Elizabeth created health and sanitation solutions, in order to make the families' dream of having Potable Drinking Water a reality.   This week, join Nubia, Stella and Diane and follow step by step how they find ways to create a low-cost Pressurized Water System for  the families in campamentos.

Week by week, and drop to drop, twelve students from the Art Center College of Design are working towards social change.  In partnership with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, the students develop new tools for using, storing, and transporting water to improve the quality of life of impoverished families living in campamentos/slums, Chile. Last Week, we were transported to A Day in the Life of the poorest families in campamentos.  We learned the important role water plays and we also saw how families are being emotionally and physically affected by the lack of basic needs.  This week, follow, step by step, the exciting work of the students to find ways to make the families' dream of having Potable Drinking Water... a reality!

Farmers in India heavily rely on monsoon for agriculture and can grow only a single crop in a year. Outside the monsoon season, farmers are deprived of an income unless they irrigate the land from groundwater or find work in urban areas. Ground water is available just a few meters under ground in states like West Bengal. The challenge here is not in finding the water but in pumping and watering the crops. Poor farmers cannot afford to buy or rent water pumps and hence manually water the plants. Manually watering the plants is not only back breaking but also inefficient. Treadle Pumps are a boon in such conditions. A Treadle Pump is a human operated pump used to pump water from a depth of few meters and from lakes and rivers.

The cost of owning and maintaining a Treadle Pump is less than half of the cost for diesel pumps. International Development Enterprises India is a prominent nonprofit organization helping farmers to adopt Treadle Pumps (IDEI). IDEI has sold more than 750,000 Krishak Bandhu (farmer’s friend) Treadle Pumps till date and has positively affected more than 3 million people. IDEI also has other programs such as Affordable Drip Irrigation Technology Intervention (ADITI) Program to help farmers living in water scarce regions.

Photo taken from the Ashden Awards website