WaterHealth’s award-winning technology, UV Waterworks™ (UVW), is based on a novel approach to the use of ultra-violet light for the inactivation of microbial pathogens.

What is the advantage of this technology over other methods of purification?

Our technology has many advantages over pre-existing technologies. First, UV treatment has the advantage that it is free of chemicals and potential carcinogenic and mutagenic disinfection by-products and environmental pollutants. Unlike conventional UV technology and other methods, UVW is designed to be highly energy efficient and work without the need for high pressure (can work under gravity), has superior throughput with high efficacy, and it is sustainable from maintenance and cost perspectives even in remote and challenging environments with little technical infrastructure. In contrast with boiling water, it is more easily adopted and is not associated with the environmental degradation that can result from cutting down trees to provide firewood for boiling water.

Is it true that, because UV light does not leave any antimicrobial residues in the water, microbial growth in the water can occur upon storage of the water?

Much like reverse osmosis, or boiling water, UV treatment does not leave a residual chemical in the water that will kill pathogens that are newly introduced after treatment. However, such reintroduction of pathogens in water provided through WaterHealth Centres and Water Stores is quite unlikely, owing to the narrow-mouthed storage containers in those facilities. Inadequate UV doses (delivered by some poorly designed UV treatment systems) can leave pathogens injured but not destroyed and, in those cases, some pathogens have been shown to recover from the injuries. However, UV Waterworks provides an overwhelmingly large UV dose three times the normal dose required to disinfect water. Therefore, even under the best nurturing conditions, and after repeated testing, we have been unable to revive any pathogens after they received the UV dose delivered through UV Waterworks.

Can UVW treat brackish water?

UVW can disinfect brackish water in most situations, but because it does not reduce the salt content of water, the treated water remains brackish, and is thus not palatable. WaterHealth is continually innovating, as well as evaluating, new technologies that will eventually enable us to reduce the salt content of brackish water in addition to disinfecting it.

Is WaterHealth able to address chemical contaminants?

WaterHealth can currently reduce chemical contaminants to a limited degree through the use of activated carbon filters that are integrated into our systems. However, as part of our commitment to providing innovative solutions, we are researching the viability and sustainability of several approaches for the removal of arsenic and fluoride from water supplies.

What does WaterHealth do to provide water when the source dries up in the summer months?

WaterHealth seeks perennial water sources for its community water systems. From time to time, however, we encounter situations in which a water source is inadequate during the dry season. WaterHealth will contract with water tankers or water vendors to truck water sources into our community water systems for treatment to ensure an uninterrupted supply of potable water to our customers. WHI is also exploring the adoption of rainwater harvesting in areas that are prone to drought.

How has the technology been validated?

UV Waterworks has been validated at independent laboratories in a number of countries. It was one of the first such devices to receive certification from the State of California as a Class A device, capable of disinfecting water that was not previously pre-treated through another disinfection step. It also has been validated by laboratories in India, Mexico, the Philippines, and South Africa.

What controls does the company have to ensure the quality of the water produced by the WaterHealth Centres?

In addition to scheduled preventive and repair maintenance, WaterHealth manages all quality audit functions. Water samples from every production lot are taken and stored for analysis, and water-quality tests are conducted at each WaterHealth Centre to ensure that our water meets or exceeds required standards for potable water.

Why does WaterHealth retain control of maintenance and operations of its facilities?

WaterHealth retains control of maintenance and operations to ensure quality. Local workers are hired from the communities we serve, and are trained to carry out routine maintenance and operations.

The WaterHealth Business Approach

What is a WaterHealth Centre?

Our community water system installations are called WaterHealth Centres. A WaterHealth Centre houses the community’s water-treatment plant, and is also designed to serve as a social gathering place for people in the village. Residents of the village collect water from the Centre; in some communities, local entrepreneurs earn a living by delivering water to some homes for additional fees.

What is the size of a WaterHealth Centre?

Because WHI's systems are based on modular design, they can be scaled to fit different needs. However, the company is currently deploying two versions of its community systems. The standard WaterHealth Centre has a footprint of approximately 20 ft. x 30 ft. (some 55 square meters), plus a landscaped area for social use. This standard system is designed ideally to provide 20 litres of potable water per person, per day, for a community of 3,000 people. However, it can serve a much larger population in cases where secondary sources of water can be used for purposes where potable water is not a health concern.

Does WaterHealth have municipal-scale systems for communities with populations of tens of thousands of people?

WaterHealth’s business focus is on decentralized systems that often prove more efficient and more sustainable than large municipal systems among rural communities. Thus, the company generally installs multiple systems to serve communities of more than 10,000. This results in facilities that are relatively closer to the homes of users.

In which countries does the company plan to operate within the next five years?

WaterHealth plans to develop its business on a worldwide basis. Our choices for near-term market entry will be influenced by the areas of greatest need, where our business approach and market conditions will allow rapid deployment of our systems to make a meaningful impact on waterborne diseases on a sustainable basis. Beyond our current initiatives in India, the Philippines, and West Africa, we are evaluating needs and opportunities in other parts of the world, including the U.S., Latin America, and several Asian countries.

Funding a WaterHealth Facility

How can rural people with low incomes afford to pay for water purification?

WaterHealth’s breakthrough technology and our innovative purchase-financing model bring the costs of producing high-quality, potable water within reach of households earning just two dollars per day.

Who provides the funds to install WaterHealth Centres?

The funds are provided by the community through its own resources, government leadership, or through private sponsors. To facilitate the purchase, WaterHealth provides an innovative financing program in most cases that meets qualification criteria, such as the size of the community, potential user interest, and willingness to pay. In such cases, the village leadership or other sponsors provide a down payment for the facility. A significant portion of the cost is then financed. The collection of user fees allows the repayment of financing costs over time, after which the facilities become income-generating assets for the community.

How long does WaterHealth finance an installation?

The term of the financing will vary depending on the size and scope of the project, as well as the particular needs and resources of a community. We have offered up to eight-year financing in India.

How can WaterHealth justify installation of world-class facilities and structures in village settings? Why not lower the price and not have those structures?

WaterHealth believes that the world’s underserved people deserve products and services that are better than “good enough.” The economically poor have the right to the same quality of water as more affluent communities. Through our innovations, we are able to offer world-class quality at costs previously thought to be unachievable.

Does WHI only make products for the poor?

While our market focus is on the world’s underserved, our technology and intellectual property are applicable to a broad range of customers such as emergency relief organizations, and those using portable systems. WaterHealth is currently commercializing a household system that will be applicable to homeowners or apartment dwellers in both developing and more affluent markets.