Helioz aims to provide an affordable and efficient solar water disinfection tool for low-income households and humanitarian organizations around the globe. More than one third of the population in developing countries does not have access to any clean water supply. According to the UN, 80% of all illnesses/cases of death are caused by waterborne diseases. Nearly one in five child deaths – about 1.5 million each year – is due to diarrhea. It kills more young children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. Our organization has developed a sustainable point-of-use solution for the lack of safe drinking water to substantially change these facts for the better: reduce waterborne diseases, child/infant mortality and health care expenditures and equally increase social development.

Problema

Worldwide, over one billion people have no access to clean water; additional 1.5 billion have just limited access to safe drinking water. In Africa, Asia and South America, the water is often contaminated with coliform bacteria, legionella, salmonella and other pathogens which lead to diarrhea, polio, cholera and several other diseases. According to the UN, 80% of all diseases occurring in developing countries derive from insufficient or contaminated drinking water. Over 50% of all hospital beds in affected areas are occupied by patients who suffer from diseases caused by contamination. Disinfection methods are often too expensive or not available in rural or slum areas. To tackle these problems, Helioz R&D has developed an inexpensive and easy-to-use device, especially adapted for the Base of the Pyramid (BoP), called WADI. The use of this water disinfection tool is simple and does not need any further training. It is put on a water-filled PET bottle like a screw cap and indicates the microbial reduction in the water through solar disinfection - illustrated by a smiley face. The patented device WADITM is made of recyclable plastic, in line with a ―cradle to cradle design‖ which stands for eco-efficient production. With its built-in solar panel, WADI works energy self-sufficient and is maintenance-free for at least five years (guaranteed!).Our main target group are low-income households all around the world.

Solución

About WADI and how it works: WADI is a sustainable and cost-efficient point-of-use solution for the lack of safe drinking water to reduce waterborne diseases, child/infant mortality, and health care expenditures and equally increase social development. WADI is made of recyclable plastic, in line with cradle to cradle design which stands for eco-efficient production. With its built-in solar panel, WADI is energy-self-sufficient, affordable and needs neither spare part replacement nor maintenance for at least five years (guaranteed). The device can be used and shared by several persons and families since many bottles of water can be disinfected simultaneously. Internationally understandable pictograms on the device facilitate correct usage. WADI is not only meant to be a life-saving tool which satisfies basic human needs but also a lifestyle product which brings easy and inexpensive solar water disinfection to remote low-income households WADI facilitates the consumption of safe and clean water in an efficient and affordable way, it improves health and environment and contributes to the Millenium Development Goals and the human rights. How it works: Contaminated water is filled in a transparent PET-bottle, the WADI device is put on the bottle like a screw cap and both are exposed to the sun for some time, depending on the UV intensity. A progress bar indicates duration and as soon as the display shows a smiley face, the water is ready for drinking.

Ejemplo

One possible method suitable to secure daily drinking water supply, propagated by the ETH Zurich brand SODIS, is to benefit from UVA-irradiation by exposing water in PET-bottles to normal sunlight. Solar water disinfection is approved by the United Nations for being the simplest and cheapest water disinfection system and recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a viable method for household water treatment. WADI traces the progress of solar water disinfection and thus indicates the microbial reduction of contaminated water in a PET-bottle. WADI is going to significantly ease the usability of solar water disinfection, making the procedure calculable, observable and strengthening the acceptance of the SODIS method.

Mercado

WADI is located within the range of water purifiers which are facing rapid growth due to rising awareness for clean drinking water. Governmental awareness programmes, enterprise marketing, the rising purchasing power and a higher level of education account for greater awareness about clean drinking water and hence the demand for WADIs.