Scientists at the University of Edinburgh are developing a new water treatment system designed to help Indian citizens, of whom 77 million are without clean drinking water by using the abundant solar energy of the sun. The aim is to remedy the water crisis in a country where sewage is untreated. The system works by filtering out visible waste, and using high energy particles generated in solar panels to destroy bacteria. The team hopes to be able to deploy the system throughout all parts of India.

Key Takeaways:

• According to researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, there is no systematic treatment of sewage in rural India.
• The system uses sunlight to generate high-energy particles inside solar-powered materials, which activate oxygen in the water to incinerate harmful pollutants and bacteria.
• “Working closely with our Indian partners, we aim to harness the sun’s energy to tackle a huge problem that affects many people around the world,” said Professor Neil Robertson.

“The system uses sunlight to generate high-energy particles inside solar-powered materials, which activate oxygen in the water to incinerate harmful pollutants and bacteria. The initiative will not only provide safer drinking water, but could also help reduce the spread of disease, researchers said.”

https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/solar-powered-system-to-provide-safe-drinking-water-in-india-4488067/