Nearly a quarter of the world's population is drinking water that is not safe due to infections that can cause deadly diseases. New smart devices will could quickly understand if water is safe to consume, researchers say.
The UN predicts that 1.2 billion people, or 14% of the world's population, will have difficulties supplying clean water by 2025. In all of East Africa, 19.5 million people have no safe drinking water supply.
The University of Ulster is to lead a project of € 6.7 million to locate low-cost technologies that can save lives. The SAFEWATER research program seeks to address a global challenge by looking at clean water solutions and developing smart devices that will quickly test whether water is safe for consumption.
This is a very important task which will play a crucial role in helping to address one of the biggest global issues facing the developing world today. Clean water saves lives, and while we know how to make water safe, costs can be too high, while almost half of the world's population lives at almost 2 euros a day. The project will have a real impact in practice, offering immediate benefits to the lives of people living in developing countries.