THE CRISIS — Silver Aqua

Contaminated Water Kills

Humanity is witnessing the greatest threat to it’s existence:
A rapidly shrinking supply of fresh, safe drinking water.

~2 billion people lack safe drinking water
3.5 million people die annually from waterborne disease
Mortality is highest in children under 5 years old

THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WATER CRISIS

Major drivers of this crisis are climate change (drought), population growth, infrastructure deficits, increasing agricultural demand (2/3 of global water use), and freshwater consumption, which has nearly tripled since WW2 (Source: DBS/Global ETF Strategy).

The WHO reports that > 2,195 children die daily from diarrhea and other contaminated water-related diseases, and annual deaths exceed 1.79 million worldwide. In addition to high mortality rates, millions of children and adults experience compromised health. Unsafe drinking water, contaminated with E. coli and coliform bacteria is believed to be the primary cause of diarrheal disease. By 2030, the number of people in need of safe drinking water will exceed 3.2 billion, according to Lux Research International.

The Silver Aqua ION was specifically designed and developed, and is now being produced, to address this problem.

WATER TREATMENT DEVICES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

People living in developing countries have few effective and affordable options for ensuring access to safe water, especially when they are displaced (about 40-50 million worldwide) from their homes. Some options include:

Chlorine tablets ($50 - $75 per year)
Not widely accepted, due to the unpleasant taste, and potential health hazards
LifeStraw (~ $18)
Lifespan is approximately 100 liters before clogging issues arise
Candle filters ($20 - $30)
Low flow rate and clogging problems
Anti-Diarrheal medications ($50 per year)
Used to only treat symptoms; can prolong bacterial lifetime in the gut; many cannot afford the price

Most water treatment products have limited lifespans due to the clogging of their micro-filters. The lifespan of the ION is tested at 500 cycles, at a fraction of the cost of competitive POU water treatment products.

*Laotian children walking to a river for drinking water.*

A desperate search for fresh water.
Photo credit: Amit Dave, Reuters

“WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE, AND NOT A DROP TO DRINK.”

~The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

An entire village forced from their homes by annual floods in Bihar, India.

Our Solution

The ION

A tiny, portable, pathogen deactivation device The ION — is capable of deactivating E. coli, coliform, and other waterborne pathogens. It is lightweight and easy to carry by adults or children. The ION is low cost and increases access to safe drinking water for millions of people living in stressed human conditions, including disaster relief, refugee camps, shanty towns, or anywhere poverty prevents access to clean water.