Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
important space between the age-old activated carbon taste product and the RO system
that we mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.
Looking forward from a systematic perspective, the revolution in POD devices will
eventually stimulate a rethinking of how entire water puriication and distribution sys-
tems are designed. From a reliability and cost perspective, the rapid growth in developing
(and developed) nations will demand a combination of central water distribution with
local POD puriication solutions in cities and primary reliance on POD solutions in rural
areas. We hope to be at the vanguard of this paradigm shift as a global leader of decentral-
ized water.
21.6 Conclusion
Entrenched business models and a focus on incremental technology instead of innova-
tion processes have limited innovation in the world's third largest industry: water. TWI
has embedded its unique innovation process into every aspect of its operations, result-
ing today in the utilization of its 3-D process (diagnose, develop, deploy) to propel true
innovation and a distributive system of clean water solutions. By the end of 2013, TWI will
have deployed >100,000 POD puriication devices in the central valley of Mexico alone
to improve taste and, importantly, remove pathogens and high levels of arsenic serving
more than a half million people to live a healthier life. TWI has developed higher-capacity
models of these gravity-fed and economically viable units, as well as having developed
versions for removing high levels of luoride.
This coming year, TWI will release a portable water puriication system that can be tuned
to the local water problem, ultimately addressing the gap in the marketplace between sim-
ple activated carbon taste ilters and more expensive RO systems. We contend that just as
the cell phone enabled billions to leapfrog the telecommunications equipment, disruptive
POD devices will enable billions to complement and leapfrog central treatment and bot-
tled water. We hope to serve millions of people over the next few years and to aggressively
promote the paradigm shift in water innovation.
Reference
C.K. Prahalad and Stuart L. Hart, “The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid,”
Strategy+Business
26,
2002.
