Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
earnings and ultimately by vesting in full ownership of that center. This unique win-win
relationship is extrapolated further in subsequent sections.
In its efforts to provide puriied drinking water, WaterHealth is constantly looking for
advancement in puriication technologies, particularly when these advances result in
more effective treatment and lowering of upfront installation and ongoing operational
costs. Advancement in nanotechnology as applied to water treatment promises to achieve
those objectives. It will help to examine WaterHealth's business model and the economic
constraints and challenging conditions it operates under to help deine the framework for
suitability and adaptability of emerging nanotechnologies.
22.2 WaterHealth Solution
22.2.1 WaterHealth Centers
WaterHealth irmly believes that the solution to meeting the challenge of providing safe
potable water to communities is local. Transporting water from far-off places is expen-
sive as it involves building of infrastructure and consumes signiicant amount of energy.
Resources for building of infrastructure or energy are not readily available in developing
countries. To provide clean water at an affordable price, locally available water needs to
be processed and puriied using state-of-the-art technologies integrated in a cost-effective
way. Local water poses its own challenge with regard to contamination that may be pres-
ent, and puriication systems need to be designed to address the contaminant in a cost-
effective manner.
A WHC is a decentralized water treatment facility that includes a water treatment sys-
tem housed inside a contemporary-looking structure (see Figure 22.1). The decentralized
WHCs allow underserved communities rapid access to safe water at an affordable cost,
helping solve the global challenge of waterborne diseases one community at a time. The
structures are modular, consisting of steel frame and synthetic panels that can be trans-
ported on a lat bed truck with ease. The water puriication system comes preassembled
FIGURE 22.1
(See color insert.)
Rendering of a WHC with a cutout view showing equipment installation.
