solar water pasteurizers provide safe drinking water for schools,
hospitals, and villages in tanzania
five solar water pasteurization systems were purchased and shipped to tanzania, east
africa in june, 1996 as part of a pilot project sponsored by colorado�s greeley redeye
rotary, three other colorado rotary clubs, lutheran world relief and two colorado lutheran
churches in an effort to bring safe drinking water to remote areas of that developing
nation.
three of the pasteurizers, developed by honolulu, hawaii-based safe water systems, went to
sites in or near arusha: selian lutheran hospital, maasai school for girls, and dareda
agricultural development center (for use as a demonstration and training model). the other
two were destined for the multi-village, 900-student okokola primary school; and huywya, a
program aiding 45,000 children orphaned by war and aids in bukoba. john grandinetti, safe
water systems president, traveled to tanzania to oversee the installations.
"it�s a very special gift as it allows us to assure our patients that they will not
get sick from drinking the water at the hospital," writes mark l. jacobson, m.d.,
administrator of the selian lutheran hospital, after installation of the solar water
pasteurizer. now we can offer water that is safe to drink. we are supplying all 115 beds
in the hospital with drinking water from the single unit."
according to grandinetti, unsafe drinking water is one of the leading health challenges in
the world today because 80% of all infectious diseases in developing countries are
transmitted through water. as a result, each year more than four million children die.
firewood for boiling contaminated water is often not available in these countries.
"when fuel is available," says grandinetti, "most villagers can't afford
the cost and continue to drink directly from polluted rivers and streams. this new solar
technology completely disinfects even sewage-laden water and produces safe, clean water
for less than one cent a gallon. it has helped to alleviate enormous suffering caused by
diseases transmitted through contaminated water."
the state-of-the-art pasteurizer operates on the same water-heating principle as a solar
cooker but disinfects large quantities of water-up to 750 liters a day. it channels
contaminated water through a standard solar water heating panel. the key to the system�s
effectiveness is a thermal control valve that keeps the water trapped in the panel until
it reaches 175� f / 79.4� c, a temperature hot enough to destroy any biological microbes
that can cause illness.
besides supplying safe drinking water to hundreds of people without the environmentally
damaging effects of burning wood or kerosene, the pasteurizers offer another advantage:
they can provide an economic opportunitya way for families in developing countries
to break out of the poverty cycle and earn an independent income by supplying low-cost
pasteurized water to their communities. such opportunities will eventually allow
communities to manage their own needs and reduce their dependence on outside sources.
for more information, contact safe water systems at 808-539-3937; e-mail: info@safewatersystems.com; web site:
http://safewatersystems.com.
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