Cheap water filtration system powered by photovoltaic

With many La Mancalona villagers in Mexico, drinking water is a luxury, even more expensive than bottled water.

Simple water filtration system by solar energy

Now, thanks to a simple solar water purification system invented by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), La Mancalona villagers can purify themselves from groundwater and rainwater. . The system can filter around 1,000 liters of water a day, enough for a village of about 450 people.

"This is a completely new clean water supply model," said MIT Professor Steven Dubowsky, who launched the project in 2012.

Villagers from La Mancalona get water from the filter tank. (Photo: MIT)

At the same size as a small storage facility, the water filtration system consists of two solar panels that generate electricity for the operation of pumps. These pumps will push the water through a filter made from a variety of porous membranes to filter out dissolved solids and biological pollutants. This technology is called photovoltaic reverse osmosis ( PVRO ).

The research team at MIT has guided the villagers on how to operate and maintain the system, so that they can replace the ultraviolet light and the filter. They also have no trouble replacing batteries and other parts of the system.

This water filtration system also becomes a source of economic development for the community. Local people can now buy clean water at a very low cost for living. The profits from the water filtration business are partially used for system maintenance, partly for the benefit of the community.

"Villagers are also trying to develop a business plan focused on selling clean water to tourists visiting the Mayan ruins," said project leader Huda Elasaad.

This solar-powered technology is designed to be adapted to the local environment, and can be used in a variety of ways, such as electric filtration or nanofiltration. Prior to the project's success in La Mancalona, MIT scientists were looking to add more water filtration systems to other villages.