The world needs more toilets, but Western solutions aren't the answer

Today, 35.8% of the world’s population still lacks access to any proper sanitation facilities.

That’s why in 2015, the world’s leaders agreed to strive for access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030 as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. That means more than three billion extra people will need access to a toilet.

But if we solve this problem with the flush toilets we’re used to in the West, we will have a whole new water access and sanitation problem on our hands. <...more...>

Graphene Sieve Turns Seawater into Drinking Water

A graphene membrane. Photo: The University of Manchester

Graphene-oxide membranes have attracted considerable attention as promising candidates for new filtration technologies. Now the much sought-after development of making membranes capable of sieving common salts has been achieved.

New research demonstrates the real-world potential (...more...)

Israeli Solar Desalination Process Cuts Energy Costs by 90%

Israeli ​startup ​TSD (Tethys ​Solar ​Desalination)​ plans to ​revolutionize ​the process ​with a low-cost,​ off-grid, ​scalable, and ​environmentally ​friendly module ​technology ​using only the ​power of the ​sun. 

The most ​common method ​of reverse ​osmosis using ​membranes is ​costly, energy-​intensive, high-​maintenance, ​and environmentally ​problematic. It ​is best suited ​to mega-scale ​plants built on ​large tracts of ​high-value land ​near the ocean ​and consumes ​enormous ​amounts of ​electricity ​generated from ​fossil fuels. ​Then, the ​treated water ​has to be piped ​great distances ​to farms, ​industries, and ​households. ​ (more)

Shrinking glaciers cause state-of-emergency drought in Bolivia

The government of Bolivia, a landlocked country in the heart of South America, has been forced to declare a state of emergency as it faces its worst drought for at least 25 years.

Much of the water supply to La Paz, the highest capital city in the world, and the neighbouring El Alto, Bolivia’s second largest city, comes from the glaciers in the surrounding Andean mountains.
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Researchers find "sweet" solution to kill E. coli in drinking water

Paper strips laced with sugar could be the sweetest solution so far, literally, to kill E. coli in contaminated water. York University researcher Sushanta Mitra says the "DipTreat" discovery will be key to developing a new generation of inexpensive and portable water treatment devices, with human health benefits in Canada and around the world.(more)

World Water Day - March 22

Water for Humans commends the vital link between water and forests recognized at this UN website for World Water Day.

New Sodium-Ion Desalination

Sodium-Ion ​Desalination: A ​New Method to ​Remove Salt ​from Water ​Using Battery ​Materials

The ​technology that ​charges ​batteries for ​electronic ​devices could ​provide fresh ​water from ​salty seas, ​says a new ​study by ​University of ​Illinois ​engineers. ​Electricity ​running through ​a salt water-​filled battery ​draws the salt ​ions out of the ​water. ​-more-

Today is World Toilet Day - UN Sanitation Update

Though the world met the MDG target for drinking-water, 768 million people do not use animproved source of drinking-water.

In developing regions, 87% of the population uses an improved source of drinking-water while 2.5 billion people, or almost one third of the population, do not use improved sanitation. Within the developing world (without counting India and China) in 2011,  870 million people have gained access to improved sanitation since 1990, but there is a 12% increase of population using unimproved facilities in this region for the same 21-year period. -more-

Humanity's Most Problematic Attempts to Get All the Water

Survival shows are running amok. The contestants are naked; they’re two out-of-shape guys in the woods; they’re stuck on an island. Despite differences in attire or setting, one thing remains constant: For every survivor, finding potable water is the first order of business.…  Read More

Book Review: "Rain" by Cynthia Barnett

There is something to be said for interpretations of the world from a singular point of view, such as the many recent popular histories of various commodities (Salt, Cod, Spice, etc.), food and drink (A History of the World in Six Glasses and more), and other perspectives. Some view them as reductionist, but I think these approaches allow the author to dive deep, (more)

Practising the human right for safe drinking water and sanitation for sustainability

Everybody deserves access to water and sanitation. Acknowledging safe drinking water and sanitation as human rights is crucial in making this a reality. But how to do that in practice? The handbook on human rights to water and sanitation provides guidance.

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GLOBAL: WEF Global Risks report places water crises at top of list of threats (19/01/15)

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks 2015 report has for the first time placed water crises at the top of the list of biggest global threats in terms of their potential impact.

Water crises have also been re-categorised as a societal rather than an environmental risk in this year’s report. Carl Ganter, from WEF’s global agenda council on water, pointed out that around a third of the world’s population now live in water-stressed areas.

Water crises beat the spread of infectious diseases, weapons of mass destruction and [more]

Water 4.0

Water 4.0:  The Past, Present, and Future of the World’sMost Vital Resource is a new (2014) book by David Sedlak.   In it he details “(t)he little-known story of the systems that bring us our drinking water, how they were developed, the problems they are facing, and how they will be reinvented in the near future.”  Water 1.0 is what he calls the gravity-powered aqueducts engineered and built by the ancient Romans.  “…(T)he addition of filtration and chlorine disinfection on the front end of water distribution systems…” he refers to as Water 2.0.  “…(T)he installation of biological wastewater treatment on the sewer end…” is Water 3.0.  And, solutions to the challenges we now face will bring Water 3.x – Water 4.0 to our communities.  These solutions may be centralized, decentralized or some combination of both.  Sedlak does a good job of recounting the history and explaining the options we have as we move forward.  For anyone interested in an overview of the past, present and future of urban water, this book is well worth reading.

World Water Day (3/22)

Today (March 22) is World Water Day, as designated by the UN, and this year’s theme is Water and Energy.  Here is a link to today’s publication of the UN's World Water Development Report 2014, Water and Energy. 

Today, November 19th, is World Toilet Day!!

World Toilet Day is a UN recognized event, observed annually on 19 November. This international day of action aims to break the taboo around toilets and draw attention to the global sanitation challenge.(more)

Seattle Rotary Clubs to visit Yuguelito Community in Mexico City

Rick and Stan met with representatives from the Rotary Club of the University District, Seattle and the Rotary Club of Ballard (Susan Sola, Marilee Fuller, Daniel Foe, Chistina Shimizu and Leslie Grace). They are leaving for Mexico City on August 19th to visit the Yuguelito community. This marginalized community in Mexico City is struggling to obtain adequate housing, water and sewage. The Seattle Rotarians will see, first hand, how the Yuguelito community and the Mexico City Rotarians furnished the community center (where children can safely study and play) that the Seattle clubs helped finance. They will also meet the community leaders and learn the details about their future plans. They want to leave with enough information to determine if they want to present proposals to their respective clubs about future projects for this community. Rick and Stan gave them their perspective of the community, its leaders and possibilities after their two visits to the community last month. This may be an excellent opportunity to introduce sustainable housing, rainwater harvesting and/or dry latrine projects to the community. The Rotary Club decisions may determine whether or not Water for Humans gets involved with this community.

The Future of Water: The Slingshot

Dean Kamen is possibly the world's greatest living inventor. Although he has been well-known among futurists for years, he rose to wider fame when he invented the Segway in 2001. His inventions also include the world's first wheelchair capable of climbing and descending stairs, and the world's first drug infusion pump which is used to provide diabetics with insulin on an as-needed basis. Kamen is remarkable because unlike most inventors, he does not work under the umbrella of a large corporation, university, or government agency. He is truly a DIY innovator....(more)