Imagine being surrounded by water, but you cannot drink it.
The Mediterranean Sea stretching to the horizon. YUCAR FotoGrafik. Unsplash.
This is the situation many individuals face on a day-to-day basis. According to a 2015 report from the World Economic Forum, water scarcity was listed as one of the largest global risks in terms of potential impact over the next decade, and additional studies reveal that demand is expected to outpace supply by 40% in 2030.
In nearly every corner of the world, there is a water crisis. As of now, 844 million people lack access to clean water, and 2 billion do not have proper sanitation practices. This can be devastating to communities, especially after the world combats COVID-19 ramifications. This issue has been happening on a global scale for decades, and no one can seem to find a solution. While many charities have made it their mission to provide clean water, one company plans on giving communities the power to provide it for themselves through portable desalination.
The Company
United Arab Emirates-based tech startup Hydro Wind Energy has crafted a device that it believes will greatly widen the world’s access to clean water. Its Quench Sea device is a portable desalinator so small it can be held with one hand. Originally, the device was designed with campers and sailors in mind so that they would be able to take longer trips without the worry of finding fresh water. The tech startup has refocused its vision and is now partnering with organizations like the Red Cross and World Vision International to provide the product to communities in need of clean water. It is manufacturing devices to donate, and individuals can also purchase the product for donation.
The Product
Quench Sea device. Quench Sea. Instagram.
The Quench Sea itself is very compact and transportable, weighing only 1.5 pounds. It works through a reverse osmosis process by removing the salt to create drinkable water, and the membrane only has to be replaced yearly. It also provides triple and ultrafiltration to ensure the removal of bacteria, viruses, parasites and microplastics. With these technologies, the Quench Sea device can produce over half a gallon of water per hour, and each osmosis membrane can produce up to 4,700 gallons. Desalination is usually not such an easy process, as the amount of energy used by a desalination plant to make drinkable water is significantly higher than any other water supply option currently available. Desalinated seawater can potentially cost up to $5.80 per 1,000 gallons of water. This makes the Quench Sea that much more valuable, as it tackles the energy consumption of desalination. It meets standards set by the World Health Organization, and should be available for purchase in early fall with preorders already available on Indiegogo.
The Impact
A parched and cracked section of the Earth. Paul Robert. Unsplash.
Currently, a child dies every two minutes from a water-related disease. The urgent need for clean water is a problem that Quench Sea could lessen the impact of, and it intends to. According to the company’s website, its vision is to alleviate the world’s water crisis by 2027 as it aims to provide 1 billion people with water access. In a quote obtained by TechRadar, Lee King, CEO of Hydro Wind Energy, said, “It is the world's only low-cost, low-tech, hydraulic and hand-held seawater desalination device specifically made for humanitarian purposes, sailors, offshore oil riggers and camp users. It can solve a very big challenge in humanitarian catastrophe or people who are living near the coast and don’t have access to clean water.” Essentially, this small and portable desalination device has the potential to lessen the strain on the world’s clean water supply.
Renee Richardson is currently an English student at The University of Georgia. She lives in Ellijay, Georgia, a small mountain town in the middle of Appalachia. A passionate writer, she is inspired often by her hikes along the Appalachian trail and her efforts to fight for equality across all spectrums. She hopes to further her passion as a writer into a flourishing career that positively impacts others.