Culture & Lifestyle / Human Waste Could Be The Key To India’s Water Shortage

Human Waste Could Be The Key To India’s Water Shortage

Culture & Lifestyle Jan 30, 2015

by Vikram Bettadapura

The Omniprocessor, A Machine That Converts Human Sewage Into Clean, Potable Water, May Be The Key To India's Water Problem.

Water crisis in India

Water makes up 70% of the world’s surface, yet only 2.5% of that water is fresh and 750 million people lack access to fresh water. India’s large population is a major factor behind the country's water use, especially its fast-growing cities that are straining government solutions. Plus, countries with a large agricultural sector — like India — need water to sustain production. This is especially true for products that use a lot of water, like grains and dairy cows. India is the largest producer of the latter. In rural areas, people often have to travel far to gain access to a well with clean water, which can be dangerous — especially for women, who are the primary water gatherers.

Sanitation in India

In India, 21% of diseases are water-related (80% in rural areas). More than 97 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and 800 million people don't have access to hygienic facilities like toilets. This is especially problematic in rural areas, as it adds another layer of danger for people at night who are vulnerable to violence and even snake bites. Introducing plumbing and safe water to homes is also a women’s issue in India, as women are especially vulnerable to attacks.

However, reducing open evacuation seems to require a widespread cultural shift. In India, 70% of villagers and 13% of urbanites defecate in the open. Even with access to toilets, people suggest a wide variety of reasons why they haven’t switched over.

The Omniprocessor

Solutions to the growing water and sanitation crisis across the world have been in the works for a long time. In fact, just last week, a TED Talk by Joe Madiath addressed the water crisis in India. He included a presentation on his project, which aims to bring 24-hour running water access to villagers. Madiath's talk boasted of the success of his project, correlating the introduction of accessible water with decreased disease and even increased school attendance — especially among women who are primary water gatherers.

Bill Gates has funded scholarships for visionaries who can “reinvent the toilet,” as he phrased the goal. Janicki Bioenergy, a Seattle-based based engineering firm, has taken this concept one step further and has reinvented water treatment facilities. Implementing Western-style sewage facilities in poor communities may not be feasible, and the firm's solution was to create the Omniprocessor.

Unlike facilities that heat up waste, the Omniprocessor uses steam engines instead of diesel. This means that, rather than using up energy, the system is entirely self-sustaining while meeting US emission standards. Plus, it can produce excess energy for redistribution into the community that it serves. And if that weren't enough, the Omniprocessor also separates the water from solid waste and produces clean, potable water that's entirely safe to drink without further treatment.

Janicki Bioenergy plans to debut its experiment in Senegal this year. Hopefully, the Omniprocessor will find success and the firm will expand its efforts to India, which sorely needs this technology.

^{_{Feature Image of Bill Gates and Janecki Bioenergy working on the Omniprocessor (a machine that converts human sewage into clean, potable water) courtesy of: twitter.com/billgates}}

Vikram Bettadapura

Author

When he’s not blogging, Vikram Bettadapura works at a busy vet clinic. Born in Bangalore, he grew up in Abu Dhabi and later moved to Ontario, where he earned a BSc from the University of Guelph. Currently based in Toronto, he's an avid reader, passionate about culture, social issues, and ...

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