Water offset projects
Our water offset initiatives which are currently under development are aimed at water recycling, water efficiency and alternative water supply solutions for schools, peri-urban and rural communities.
The Hippo - the water saver
Hippo the Water Saver is the simple, proven and low cost water saving device to help conserve water in toilet cisterns. Every time a toilet is flushed the Hippo saves approximately 3 litres of water. The hippo is easy to install.
Emvelo Skywater Initiative - alternative water supply
Everyday, large amounts of water evaporates into the atmosphere. This represents a tremendous and virtually untapped resource. Capturing the transpired water is what the Skywater 300T machine does. This means that water can be made available in those remote areas with high humidity levels where it may be difficult to sink boreholes and extract potable drinking water. The Skywater 300T can extract up to a 1000 litres per day of fresh pure water directly from the humidity in the air and can be placed virtually anywhere. The project seeks to deploy 100 Skywater Machines in 100 remote schools across Southern Africa that do not have access to good quality drinking water by 2012. Once deployed the project will generate 100,000 litres of water per day, if one considers that there are about a 1000 children in remote state schools, this initiative will provide clean drinking water to about a 100,000 children per day and the energy source powering the Skywater 300T will be solar.
The PlayPump
The Play Pump can provide easy access to clean drinking water, bring joy to children, and lead to improvements in health, education, gender equality, and economic development. The PlayPump systems are innovative, sustainable, patented water pumps powered by children at play. Installed near schools, the PlayPump system doubles as a water pump and a merry-go-round for children.
LifeStraw project
This portable water purifier can be carried around for easy access to safe and clean drinking water. In remote and isolated areas where borehole drilling is difficult or cost prohibitive, the LifeStraw® Personal is a life saving option. This water purification system makes it possible to drink from surface water sources that would not otherwise be safe. The straw kills and removes 99.999% of waterborne bacteria and 99% of waterborne viruses. It filters a minimum of 700 litres of water and requires no electrical power or spare parts.
Solar powered submersible pumps
Solar systems use the power of the sun to drive a submersible electric pump. Solar pumps are ideal for boreholes with a high yield and depending on the yield and number of solar panels, a system can provide as much 100,000 litres of water a day. The pumps we use - helical rotor pumps - are among the most efficient and simple pumps in the world with only one moving part. The system can pump water all day, provided there is sufficient sunshine, and excess water can be stored in an overhead tank. These pumps are low maintenance, require no manual operation, and use clean, renewable energy. They are well suited for all types of settings.
The Hippo - the water saver
Hippo the Water Saver is the simple, proven and low cost water saving device to help conserve water in toilet cisterns. Every time a toilet is flushed the Hippo saves approximately 3 litres of water. The hippo is easy to install.
Emvelo Skywater Initiative - alternative water supply
Everyday, large amounts of water evaporates into the atmosphere. This represents a tremendous and virtually untapped resource. Capturing the transpired water is what the Skywater 300T machine does. This means that water can be made available in those remote areas with high humidity levels where it may be difficult to sink boreholes and extract potable drinking water. The Skywater 300T can extract up to a 1000 litres per day of fresh pure water directly from the humidity in the air and can be placed virtually anywhere. The project seeks to deploy 100 Skywater Machines in 100 remote schools across Southern Africa that do not have access to good quality drinking water by 2012. Once deployed the project will generate 100,000 litres of water per day, if one considers that there are about a 1000 children in remote state schools, this initiative will provide clean drinking water to about a 100,000 children per day and the energy source powering the Skywater 300T will be solar.
The PlayPump
The Play Pump can provide easy access to clean drinking water, bring joy to children, and lead to improvements in health, education, gender equality, and economic development. The PlayPump systems are innovative, sustainable, patented water pumps powered by children at play. Installed near schools, the PlayPump system doubles as a water pump and a merry-go-round for children.
LifeStraw project
This portable water purifier can be carried around for easy access to safe and clean drinking water. In remote and isolated areas where borehole drilling is difficult or cost prohibitive, the LifeStraw® Personal is a life saving option. This water purification system makes it possible to drink from surface water sources that would not otherwise be safe. The straw kills and removes 99.999% of waterborne bacteria and 99% of waterborne viruses. It filters a minimum of 700 litres of water and requires no electrical power or spare parts.
Solar powered submersible pumps
Solar systems use the power of the sun to drive a submersible electric pump. Solar pumps are ideal for boreholes with a high yield and depending on the yield and number of solar panels, a system can provide as much 100,000 litres of water a day. The pumps we use - helical rotor pumps - are among the most efficient and simple pumps in the world with only one moving part. The system can pump water all day, provided there is sufficient sunshine, and excess water can be stored in an overhead tank. These pumps are low maintenance, require no manual operation, and use clean, renewable energy. They are well suited for all types of settings.
Water offset calculator
To demonstrate the concept's viability post WSSD, water neutral has developed the water neutral calculator; this is a science based individual water footprint calculator which quantifies the volumes of water used to produce goods by a traveller/tourist visiting Southern Africa on a daily basis whilst on holiday or business.
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