Friday, 12 August 2011
SCM 24 at home in the “Museo del Agua”
Our SCM 24 has been installed in the Museo del Agua in the Valley of Tehuacan, Puebla. Here are pictures from the fantastic day.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Passing by Evian
Being in the water business, we felt it would be fun to bring you some photos from one of the most famous "water cities" in the world, Evian in France.
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| A view over the lake towards Switzerland |
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| The following images are from the Evian museum in the city. |
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Our Mobile Water Treatment Solution in Video
Our mobile water treatment solution is sometimes to good to be true for some people, therefore we made a short video clip from our R&D facility which shows a Swiss Cleanwater Machine being moved around:
If you want to read more about our mobile water treatment solutions
If you want to read more about our mobile water treatment solutions
Monday, 23 May 2011
Donation to "Water Forever" Project in Mexico
Swiss Cleanwater Group has donated one of its' unique water treatment machines to Agua Para Siempre.
The donation has been established in cooperation with Raúl Hernández Garciadiego, Director of Grupo Alternativas, winner of the first edition of the national contest Iniciativa México for his project “Agua para Siempre".
Read the press release here:
Swiss Cleanwater Group Donates Water Treatment System to “Water Forever” Project
Visit Agua para Siempre
This video shows more about the Agua para Siempre Project
This video shows some of Raúl's achievements in Mexico
This video shows the winning project of Inicitiva Mexico
The donation has been established in cooperation with Raúl Hernández Garciadiego, Director of Grupo Alternativas, winner of the first edition of the national contest Iniciativa México for his project “Agua para Siempre".
Read the press release here:
Swiss Cleanwater Group Donates Water Treatment System to “Water Forever” Project
Visit Agua para Siempre
This video shows more about the Agua para Siempre Project
This video shows some of Raúl's achievements in Mexico
This video shows the winning project of Inicitiva Mexico
Thursday, 28 April 2011
5 challenges to getting water treatment to the people who need it the most
There are millions of people without access to clean drinking water, yet some of these people are even harder to reach due to a number of factors. There are 5 key challenges in getting water treatment technologies to the most remote communities, they are:
1. How to reach them?
2. Who pays?
3. Do the conditions permit water treatment?
4. How to attain effective distribution?
5. What happens after installation?
1. Reaching the people who need water the most
Even though communication and information sharing has been made easier by the Internet and the World Wide Web, it is still not accessible in many areas where more basic needs must be met. Matching the appropriate technology with the community that has water treatment needs is therefore a big challenge. On one hand it can be challenging for an organization to locate the remotest of locations, and on the other hand it is a challenge for the local communities to reach the organizations.
Solution: Many charitable organizations work at the local level and have the proper information channels established in order to address the issue.
2. Who pays for the systems?
Money is often a big hindrance in purchasing water treatment systems in what is considered poorer communities. In the short run, investments can be too heavy a burden on these communities, and therefore the technology never reaches the people who need it. This ironic situation places organizations in a sticky dilemma as their technology is able to solve one of the most pressing global matters, yet it is still a fact that production comes at a cost.
Solution: Micropayments, credits and funding. Water.org's water credits are a very good example of trying to overcome this obstacle.
3. Is it feasible to install a system in the local environment?
Water needs may be one thing, and whether or not there is sufficient electricity to power water treatment systems is another. Some systems require extreme amounts of electricity, however there are some solutions that can function at much lower levels of consumption. Another problem can be the terrain and conditions of the environment. Some systems require controlled environments if they are to achieve anywhere near their prescribed levels of water purity.
Solution: Solar powered water treatment systems are a solution which can be powerful enough to treat water for a whole community. The only obstacle is the local weather.
4. Effective Distribution
The water crisis is a global phenomenon, requiring efforts from a network that spans most of the globe if there is to be any chance of changing the grim trends. This global network needs to engage local enthusiasts that have the persistence in trying to connect buyers and sellers of water treatment. It is not as simple as going to a global charity organization and saying "Hey, we have this great machine. It will solve all water treatment needs. How many do you need in each country?". If only that was possible...
Solution: Networks of individuals that have the reach, persistence and engagement in local communities in order to establish appropriate distribution relationships between companies and purchasing bodies.
5. What happens after installation?
Unfortunately, many organizations install a machine and get out once the initial sale is completed. This leaves a community with a useless machine, that nobody knows how to operate. Then there is also maintenance of the machine. What relationship is established in order to ensure that the machine is a long term investment, rather than a one-off cost. Finally, who administers the distribution of water?
Solution: Providing a proper education with any water treatment system is a must, else it would be much like providing a first time computer user with a laptop and no instruction book, telling them to go to the internet and download a brochure. That would never end well. Maintenance needs to be planned, as some systems require more maintenance than others, while some locations may also require more often maintenance due to a high level of TDS. Lastly, a community that suddenly has direct access to clean water changes its usage patterns, and therefore usage needs to be administrated to make sure that spoiling activity does not occur.
1. How to reach them?
2. Who pays?
3. Do the conditions permit water treatment?
4. How to attain effective distribution?
5. What happens after installation?
1. Reaching the people who need water the most
Even though communication and information sharing has been made easier by the Internet and the World Wide Web, it is still not accessible in many areas where more basic needs must be met. Matching the appropriate technology with the community that has water treatment needs is therefore a big challenge. On one hand it can be challenging for an organization to locate the remotest of locations, and on the other hand it is a challenge for the local communities to reach the organizations.
Solution: Many charitable organizations work at the local level and have the proper information channels established in order to address the issue.
2. Who pays for the systems?
Money is often a big hindrance in purchasing water treatment systems in what is considered poorer communities. In the short run, investments can be too heavy a burden on these communities, and therefore the technology never reaches the people who need it. This ironic situation places organizations in a sticky dilemma as their technology is able to solve one of the most pressing global matters, yet it is still a fact that production comes at a cost.
Solution: Micropayments, credits and funding. Water.org's water credits are a very good example of trying to overcome this obstacle.
3. Is it feasible to install a system in the local environment?
Water needs may be one thing, and whether or not there is sufficient electricity to power water treatment systems is another. Some systems require extreme amounts of electricity, however there are some solutions that can function at much lower levels of consumption. Another problem can be the terrain and conditions of the environment. Some systems require controlled environments if they are to achieve anywhere near their prescribed levels of water purity.
Solution: Solar powered water treatment systems are a solution which can be powerful enough to treat water for a whole community. The only obstacle is the local weather.
4. Effective Distribution
The water crisis is a global phenomenon, requiring efforts from a network that spans most of the globe if there is to be any chance of changing the grim trends. This global network needs to engage local enthusiasts that have the persistence in trying to connect buyers and sellers of water treatment. It is not as simple as going to a global charity organization and saying "Hey, we have this great machine. It will solve all water treatment needs. How many do you need in each country?". If only that was possible...
Solution: Networks of individuals that have the reach, persistence and engagement in local communities in order to establish appropriate distribution relationships between companies and purchasing bodies.
5. What happens after installation?
Unfortunately, many organizations install a machine and get out once the initial sale is completed. This leaves a community with a useless machine, that nobody knows how to operate. Then there is also maintenance of the machine. What relationship is established in order to ensure that the machine is a long term investment, rather than a one-off cost. Finally, who administers the distribution of water?
Solution: Providing a proper education with any water treatment system is a must, else it would be much like providing a first time computer user with a laptop and no instruction book, telling them to go to the internet and download a brochure. That would never end well. Maintenance needs to be planned, as some systems require more maintenance than others, while some locations may also require more often maintenance due to a high level of TDS. Lastly, a community that suddenly has direct access to clean water changes its usage patterns, and therefore usage needs to be administrated to make sure that spoiling activity does not occur.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
The Water Kiosk
It was a water kiosk where people could get access to clean drinking water. This brilliant concept was obviously working very well which could be seen by the many people coming for refills. So if such a system is installed in a developed city like Paris, imagine the potential benefit of such a set up in countries where clean drinking water is not as easy to come by.
The idea of water kiosks has been around for many years but what has stopped the spreading of them? Funding? Lack of Use?
At Swiss Cleanwater Group we are constantly trying to innovate, and apply our water treatment technology in applications where the most people will have a significant benefit. At the time of writing, we are awaiting the completion of a site in San Diego where one of our first water kiosks will be placed. Something we are looking forward to tremendously. We expect the system to be used for refilling of large gallon containers due to the low water quality in the surrounding area. Behind the scenes the water kiosk will be powered by a SCM60 which can produce 60.000 liters of clean drinking water per day.
1. It will provide easy access to clean drinking water.
2. It will reduce the need to buy bottled water.
3. The cost per liter will be much more affordable than going to the store to buy countless plastic bottles.
We expect to have our first of many water kiosks running, in cooperation with local heroes that aim to improve the quality of life for many people, in the near future. We will be showing the very aesthetically pleasant looking kiosk within a short time. Until then enjoy the pictures from Paris, and imagine what such a system could do outside a modernized capital.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Is drinking water in danger after the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima?
The recent nuclear accident caused by the earthquake in Japan has sent rippling aftershocks into drinking water.
The partial meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant has caused water contamination in the surrounding community. Parents in Japan have also been warned that infants should not be drinking water from the taps. The mixed message that has been conveyed as that children under the age of one should not be drinking tapwater, however people are beginning to question what would happen to their two and three year olds.
The disaster has already had its effects on the food chain, where milk found 20 miles from the plant has shown traces of contamination.
The United Kingdom is also sending emergency water supplies to the stricken areas where many supermarkets have empty shelves, previously filled with bottled water.
In Boston, Massachussets, traces of the dangerous compound radioiodine-131 has been found in rainwater which is said to be very low, and not dangerous, but it demonstrates how far the pollution has the ability to travel.
There are fortunately solutions to treat water for uranium, and other radioactive materials so that the contaminated drinking water can become clean drinking water once again. Read our about our treatment of contaminated drinking water.
The partial meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant has caused water contamination in the surrounding community. Parents in Japan have also been warned that infants should not be drinking water from the taps. The mixed message that has been conveyed as that children under the age of one should not be drinking tapwater, however people are beginning to question what would happen to their two and three year olds.
The disaster has already had its effects on the food chain, where milk found 20 miles from the plant has shown traces of contamination.
The United Kingdom is also sending emergency water supplies to the stricken areas where many supermarkets have empty shelves, previously filled with bottled water.
In Boston, Massachussets, traces of the dangerous compound radioiodine-131 has been found in rainwater which is said to be very low, and not dangerous, but it demonstrates how far the pollution has the ability to travel.
There are fortunately solutions to treat water for uranium, and other radioactive materials so that the contaminated drinking water can become clean drinking water once again. Read our about our treatment of contaminated drinking water.
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