New Water Purifier Uses Solar Energy

An exciting new environmental device has been unveiled by an inventor in Sweden. The device – a water purifier that runs on solar power – is called Solvatten, and is the product of Petra Wadstrom, who has been developing it since 1998.

“My inspiration to work with Solvatten is the fact that people are living with dirty water around the world and children are suffering from bad water, which is easily preventable, but people are living with a lot of solar energy and not using it”, Ms Wadstrom explained.

Solvatten can accommodate as much as ten litres of water in two compartments. Placed at an angle at which it faces the sun, the whole purifying process takes three to four hours in direct sunlight, and up to six hours under cloudier skies.

Once sufficient solar power has been received, it indicates to users that its contents are ready for consumption, with a green face symbol meaning yes.

The hope now is that Solvatten can make a difference in some of the poorest areas on earth. Trials of it in Kenya have already taken place and, according to Wadstrom, proceeded very well, with positive comments emanating from those using it.

“It's very easy to understand the method, and it's user friendly so you don't need to have technological skills to understand how to use it”, Wadstrom explained.

Water Cleaning Measures

Another area where the device has put through its paces is Nepal – an area that sadly suffers many thousands of water disease-related deaths each year. In Nepal, Solvatten was tested by ENPHO (the Environment and Public Health Organisation), whose executive director Bhushan Tuludhar spoke of how it was just one of a variety of water cleaning measures being assessed there.

“Work is being done but at this current rate, central water treatment facilities that provide safe water to everybody are a distant dream”, he stated, adding:”...what we need are point-of-use water treatment facilities, point-of-use water treatment technologies that are suitable to local conditions.”

It is expected that each Solvatten unit will cost in the region of 35 dollars. It is also believed that one unit will last for up to six years.

According to information provided on Solvatten’s website, using the device once daily for 250 days a year can generate firewood savings of 2,500 kilograms per annum.

The environmental implications of substituting Solvatten for firewood include reduced soil erosion and less in the way of CO2 emissions.

Solvatten image provided by and copyright of Solvatten AB