A firm in Aberdeenshire is expecting to see its fresh-water generator go global in an effort to meet the growing problem of a shortage of clean water.
The Atlantic Water Company is in the process of getting its technology approved by the United Nations (UN) and global children’s health charity Unicef so the equipment will be eligible for its procurement processes.
The Newmachar-based firm said its AWG1500 Vacuum Vapour Compression water purifier is capable of producing up to 1,500 litres of clean water a day from sea, swamp, river or bore hole for just fractions of a penny per litre.
As many as 768million people – roughly one in 10 – in the world do not have access to safe water, according to estimates by the World Health Organisation and Unicef.
The specially designed unit uses no chemicals in its treatment of water, and is designed to work anywhere in the world. The energy needed to power the purifier is the same as that of an electric kettle.
This week, Scottish Water will take delivery of one of the first units for use in a remote area of the Highlands. Recently, the company’s technology was approved by the Department of Water Inspectorate (DWI) – allowing UK water utilities to utilise the technology in the delivery of water for human consumption.
Company director Peter McCann said: “Our company vision is to give access to pure water for everyone, everywhere. There are so many applications for our generator – from remote rural locations off the grid to offshore installations and areas that are struck by emergency situations and require fresh drinking water.”
The unit is the brainchild of the firm’s owner, former oil and gas boss Arthur Stewart.
He has been developing the technology, which distils water using a vacuum process, since 2004.
It can be operated and monitored remotely and can operate in temperatures between -10 C and 60C. The robust and flexible generator, which measures about 3ft by 3ft by 5ft high, can be trailer-mounted individually or in banks and powered by mains, generator or fuel cells.
The units are manufactured in Fife by Quality Precision Technology (QPT).
Mr McCann said: “In the near future we are looking to take the units to crisis-hit areas and ultimately save lives. It doesn’t use chemicals or filters and as a result of that it is low maintenance.
“For charities and aid agencies, the key benefit of this machine is they can rapidly deploy it. Within arrival on site, it will be producing clean water in two hours.”