Problem:

Increasingly there is a shortage of fresh water to meet the needs of growing human population across our planet caused by rampant industrialization, wide spread pollution and unhindered commercialization of this once abundant, naturally clean resource.

Technology:

• Slingshot – a water purification unit developed by Deka Research (of Dean Kamen fame) uses a technology called vapor compression distillation.
• Slingshot can purify 250,000 liters of water per year – no matter how dirty, and make it potable for satisfying the needs of 300 people.
• Partnering with Coca Cola Company, developed a sustainable, entrepreneurial modular system called the EKOCenter integrated with Slingshot to distribute them around many developing locations around the world.

Stakeholders

• Disaster relief and emergency medical organizations like American Red Cross.
• Companies like Coca Cola, Nestle, Pepsico that use significant amount of fresh water to make their products for consumers around the world.
• Farmers
• Governments

Process

1. Partner with governments and NGO’s in developing countries to identify, support entrepreneurs to invest and manage EKOCenter type systems
2. Develop funding opportunities through organization sustainability commitments, government subsidies and micro-loans for entrepreneurs.
3. Recommend an internship program with a partnership between Columbia University and Coca Cola to enable interested students to install EKOCenters in various countries/locations of their choice.

Sources:

• http://www.coca-colacompany.com/ekocenter
• http://www.popsci.com/article/science/pure-genius-how-dean-kamens-invention-could-bring-clean-water-millions
• http://www.popsci.com
• http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/100th-ekocenter-opens