As recently as 2013, the United Nations reported that 783 million people across the planet do not have access to clean water and another 2.5 billion people have inadequate sanitation. With demand for food predicted to rise 50 percent by 2030, new and innovative solutions for cleaner water are needed more than ever.

One company actively researching solutions for cleaner water is the Austrian solar company, Pumpmakers. This company develops solar powered water pumps for use anywhere in the world via either the DIY Solar Pump or the larger scale PM Solar Pump System. This Solar Pump System has application beyond drinking water for families, enabling water access for agriculture, irrigation, livestock and fish farming.

The DIY pump is capable of pumping 18,000 liters of clean water per day, and the Solar Pump System delivers up to 50,000 liters per hour. Intentionally affordable and easy to use, these pump systems also require minimal maintenance.

The technology is utilized by countries such as Cameroon, where pumps supply the village of Ndoki with clean water for its 5,000 people.

Another, perhaps even more inventive solution for cleaner water comes in the form of the Waterseer pump, capable of cultivating water literally out of thin air.

The pump uses a wind turbine to draw air into the underground water chamber, where the change in temperature will cause condensation. The result is clean, safe water that uses a simple yet effective filtration system to keep foreign particles out of the water chamber.

The Waterseer pump is currently capable of producing 11 gallons of water each day and will continue to be optimized over time to increase clean water production for areas around the world.

UC Berkeley and the National Peace Corps Association have already teamed up with Waterseer to make an impact. Given that it is a non-profit group, 100 percent of all proceeds go to further developing the technology.

Access to clean water is a necessity for human life, so much so that in some water-scarce regions people are forced to give up six hours of their day to retrieve water that may be unsafe for consumption to survive. Continued research and support are instrumental in fighting the world’s water crisis and ensuring a better life for the entire planet.

– Aaron Walsh

Photo: Flickr