Battling water scarcity with anti-evaporation liquid

The solution helps to preserve water across the agricultural, mining, and sanitation industries

Spotted: For over a decade, Chile has grappled with unprecedented drought, making it one of the most water-stressed countries globally and on track to run out of water by 2040. To address this critical issue, Chilean startup O2 has developed an innovative solution that combats water loss from evaporation in reservoirs.

Large areas of water will lose significant volumes of liquid to evaporation every year, and that’s amplified in hot climates like Chile’s. O2’s Amphipathic Monolayer focuses on blocking this process, as well as controlling the growth of algae. It involves a colourless and odourless liquid mix of polymers and alcohol that floats on the water’s surface without contaminating or mixing with it, reducing evaporation by 50-80 per cent and saving hundreds of gallons of water every month.

Users simply pour the mixture downwind at various points of the reservoir, and the product will evenly spread over the surface in minutes. This surface layer will gradually evaporate and needs to be reapplied monthly. There are other solutions out there to limit evaporation, like tarps and shade balls, but these are significantly more expensive than O2’s simple solution and also rely on large amounts of plastic.

After four years of development to ensure it does not harm local wildlife or crops, O2 launched its product in 2021. The company now serves 25 clients in Chile, primarily farms, vineyards, and mining companies.

Springwise has previously spotted other innovations aimed at better managing water, from an AI-driven irrigation system to a startup using data-driven solutions to improve water management.

Written By: Georgia King