Portable water purification for emergency situations

A Ukrainian startup has created a technology for purifying and disinfecting water almost anywhere

Spotted: Unsafe water is responsible for an estimated 1.2 million deaths every year, causing diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. Now, a Ukraine-based startup, OptySun, has created a portable drinking water purifier that kills 99 per cent of bacteria under most conditions.

The solar-powered device can purify water of any quality, without the need for any chemicals. OptySun’s innovation, instead, relies on the combination of multiple technologies: ozone, ultraviolet, and a membrane filter. Leveraging all of these technologies at once reduces the energy consumption of the device while drastically improving its disinfecting capabilities.

The process is simple: fill the device with water, place it in the sun, and press ‘Start’. Half an hour later, nine litres of pure water will be ready to drink.

As the team is based in Kharkiv, a city near the front line of the war in Ukraine, the scientists understood first-hand the importance of providing access to safe drinking water. “Russian attacks have destroyed [Ukraine’s] infrastructure and there’s a lack of clean water for residents and the military. It takes time and money to distribute water using vehicles,” OptySun founder and CEO Bohdan Vorobiov explains.

Though currently providing a sustainable solution to the problems facing Ukraine, OptySun wants to make an impact across the world.

OptySun reflects a pressing global need for access to clean water. Springwise spotted a startup that uses nanomaterials to safely break down organic pollutants in wastewater, and a social enterprise that provides different water solutions depending on the community.

Written By: Anam Alam