Let’s face the reality, there is a significant lack of quality water infrastructure, globally, to meet the growing demand on water and what is around is often broken thus forcing many to seek water from their nearest raw water source, such as rivers, dams, boreholes etc. The unfortunate part of this is that most of these water sources are contaminated making them unsafe for consumption/use. They are contaminated because the no/poor level of sanitation in these areas as well. Most of the contaminants from this no/poor sanitation leaches into the water sources and finds its way into households, making the kids and the rest of the household sick (See below picture). It is know that even “protected” boreholes are also prone to contamination that is even if the pump is working in the first place! There is also a known fact that there is a high possibility of recontamination along the journey from the borehole to the household. 

By distributing these filters to both rural and urban households, in particular, areas of high sanitation issues (i.e. high priority areas) and where a high percentage of the household’s main source of water is from unprotected ground and surface water supplies, will empower the households to maintain the integrity of their own water consumption, i.e. becoming “self-providers”, and thus have a “decentralising effect” on the supply of clean and safe water by government, local authorities and any other support entities. This also allows them to be proactive rather than reactive to disease incidence mitigation. 

The funding and distribution of these filters will also support any action-orientated corporate or other social responsibility programmes aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the environment and communities.

However, due to the interlinkage between all the SDG’s, the filters can be said to have a positive impact on all SDGs. The distribution of these filters will also underpin carbon offset initiatives. It must also be noted that one filter can provide benefit to at least 5 people which seems to be the average household size. If there are a cluster of a few families living in close proximity together, then a filter can be shared between them. The average family of five who cleans their water by boiling burns the equivalent of 13 to 50 trees, 290 litres of oil or 120 kilograms of natural gas. The average rural family emits approximately 2.5 tons of carbon emissions per annum. The only energy source required by the filters is gravity.

The distribution of these filters will also underpin the issuance of Water Betterment Certificates whereby entities use the Water Benefit Standard to make the most of their investments in water management and stewardship. They can either certify their own best- practice water management efforts (e.g. in their supply and value chains) or invest in certified project water benefits elsewhere that are generated through the annual project verification process of Water Benefit projects. 

They make ideal water filters for, inter alia, rapid response emergency relief.

By distributing these filters to households, in particular areas of poor sanitation and no or limited access to clean and safe water, they will, inter alia:

• Allow less money to be spent on medication and doctor/clinic visits…cost saving for individual, family and government/support entity.
• Create less absenteeism from school and work. Sickness doesn’t rob children of an education and the ability of parents to work. Greater economic benefit for the region.
• Create less deforestation and thus CO2 and other noxious gas emissions. The average family of five who cleans their water by boiling burns the equivalent of 13 to 50 trees, 290 litres of oil or 120 kilograms of natural gas. The average rural family emits approximately 2.5 tons of carbon emissions per annum. The only energy source required by the filters is gravity.
• Improve safety in the household as there is no need to burn fuels causing the inhalation of noxious gases or run the risks of causing a devastating fire.
• No more intake of noxious gases that are released when various fuels are used to heat the raw water so as to provide some form of purification. This intake is known to cause respiratory related illness. Not only is carbon dioxide a huge problem but other noxious gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which is 300 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and lasts 120 years or methane (CH4) which is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide and let’s not forget particulates.
• Improve water stewardship.
• Allow for the ability to irrigate crops with potable water.
• Provide sustainable living/livelihoods.
• Generate greater productivity on small scale farms as less time taken out by mother to attend to sick children.
• Prevent microbiological contamination of fresh produce during planting, growing, harvesting, storing and possible market sales.
• Instantaneously provide clean and safe water on demand.
• Can be used in areas of conflict where people are displaced and on the rapid move. Ideal for “on-the-go” situations!

Currently, there is a massive global campaign on good hygiene practices in the path of Covid. We need to take water filtration to the household level to be effective in, not only, stopping waterborne disease infection but also help stem the spread of Covid and other diseases. Household’s are able to practice good hygiene practices all of which is underpinned by access to clean and safe water. 

A question to the many “influencers” out there is, how are the millions that don’t have access to clean and safe water (i.e. they rely on untreated ground and surface water supplies) meant to practice good hygiene? Are they to be forgotten about, left behind? No! 

We need to take water filtration the household level to be effective in stopping waterborne disease infection and help stem the spread of Coivd by allowing the household to practice good hygiene practices. 

We can use Sydney 905 filters in helping, inter alia, curb the spread of Covid. Our filters can be attached to a supplied bucket and tap in what we call a “Rural Household Water Treatment System/Hand Washing Station” which is an effective hand washing station with a difference!

Hand washing stations and other water harvesting/storage tanks that are being promoted around the globe have one critically restricting/limiting factor and that is they all rely on a supply/input of clean and safe water in order to function properly. How often would a house receive a “top up” of clean water? More than likely never! Our filters allow for the fact that this is more often than not possible, so our setup allows for any (contaminated) input source of raw water to be used in the storage vessel and then to pass through the filter resulting in clean and safe water as an output. Now the household can use this filtered water to, inter alia, drink, bath, wash hands, wash clothes, irrigation and the washing of farmed produce and other food all of which supports good hygiene practices!