Comments on: Solar Water Purification http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/ A design blog with a particular emphasis on green design, design for society, and environmental technologies, Vestal Design Blog also discusses web design, product design, graphic design, and architecture. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:42:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: gina http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-182721 gina Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:21:33 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-182721 stick water in clear plastic bottles and it purifies it. it won't get rid of heavy metals. if you had compost worms about, you could pour the water through the bedding for about 6 weeks, which would leach out the heavy metals, then purify the water in the clear plastic bottle - of course, you would need a way to reticulate the water, and a supply of worms, as well as a ubiquitous bottle. rather than spend $1000 on a machine which needs energy to purify (and the cow dung would be better put to food production via composting in the soil) buy a water capture unit - the technology can run on solar power and captures water in the air. with around 35% humidity about 24 L are produced per day, right down to 11% humidity producing 6 L per day. stick water in clear plastic bottles and it purifies it. it won’t get rid of heavy metals. if you had compost worms about, you could pour the water through the bedding for about 6 weeks, which would leach out the heavy metals, then purify the water in the clear plastic bottle – of course, you would need a way to reticulate the water, and a supply of worms, as well as a ubiquitous bottle.

rather than spend $1000 on a machine which needs energy to purify (and the cow dung would be better put to food production via composting in the soil) buy a water capture unit – the technology can run on solar power and captures water in the air. with around 35% humidity about 24 L are produced per day, right down to 11% humidity producing 6 L per day.

]]> By: Kevin Kern http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-174407 Kevin Kern Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:26:48 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-174407 I can't believe no one is seeing the value of tapping the huge amount of ocean water that is salty and will not be changed by some sun, or heat or UV. The oceans offer an unlimited supply of water that is too expensive to distill by simple heat. That is what is so wonderful about Kamen's water purification machine. I can’t believe no one is seeing the value of tapping the huge amount of ocean water that is salty and will not be changed by some sun, or heat or UV. The oceans offer an unlimited supply of water that is too expensive to distill by simple heat. That is what is so wonderful about Kamen’s water purification machine.

]]> By: Marie-Lynn http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-173095 Marie-Lynn Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:28:59 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-173095 Leaving water in the sun will not remove arsenic from it. The SlingShot (Dean Kamen's new Water Purification System) will remove heavy metals from the water. Distilled water "tastes" so good, I wish I had access to a device like that. BTW a SlingShot purifies 1000 liters of water a day (not an hour). Leaving water in the sun will not remove arsenic from it. The SlingShot (Dean Kamen’s new Water Purification System) will remove heavy metals from the water. Distilled water “tastes” so good, I wish I had access to a device like that.

BTW a SlingShot purifies 1000 liters of water a day (not an hour).

]]> By: Jeffrey Warren http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-148523 Jeffrey Warren Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:44:31 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-148523 Hi, Ian - Dead bugs are mostly not harmful... unless it's a poison bug or something. I wouldn't eat a wasp, for example, what if I pricked my tongue with its stinger? Not sure if that can happen. However non-bacterial contaminants are definitely important... a serious issue is heavy metals, but especially in urban waterways, drugs are an issue. Wasn't there some report of hermaphroditic, mutated fish being found in the Delaware river, due to something humans were putting in the water? Pharmaceuticals or something? The person to ask about this is <a href="http://www.environmentalhealthclinic.com" rel="nofollow">Natalie Jeremijenko</a>. Still, most rural water sources are only problematic because of bacteria. That's why so many filtration systems use a simple carbon filter or UV rays. Hi, Ian – Dead bugs are mostly not harmful… unless it’s a poison bug or something. I wouldn’t eat a wasp, for example, what if I pricked my tongue with its stinger? Not sure if that can happen.

However non-bacterial contaminants are definitely important… a serious issue is heavy metals, but especially in urban waterways, drugs are an issue. Wasn’t there some report of hermaphroditic, mutated fish being found in the Delaware river, due to something humans were putting in the water? Pharmaceuticals or something? The person to ask about this is Natalie Jeremijenko.

Still, most rural water sources are only problematic because of bacteria. That’s why so many filtration systems use a simple carbon filter or UV rays.

]]> By: Julia http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-147408 Julia Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:46:43 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-147408 Interested in this theory. Where can I find more information? Interested in this theory. Where can I find more information?

]]> By: DaveZ http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-123714 DaveZ Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:43:02 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-123714 Fill an empty 2L water bottle and leave in the sun will accomplish the same thing virtually for free...but people don't seem to value something because it is free..."too good to be true". To make the maximum amount of profit from this situation, the entrapreneurs transfrom the "free" water bottles method into a "high-tech" solution and charge just under what the market will bear. Sadly this is what makes the world go around. Regards to all, DaveZ Fill an empty 2L water bottle and leave in the sun will accomplish the same thing virtually for free…but people don’t seem to value something because it is free…”too good to be true”.

To make the maximum amount of profit from this situation, the entrapreneurs transfrom the “free” water bottles method into a “high-tech” solution and charge just under what the market will bear.

Sadly this is what makes the world go around.

Regards to all,
DaveZ

]]> By: Ian Schwartz http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-840 Ian Schwartz Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:17:07 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-840 Just a thought, although I know I'm a couple months late. "Why is Dean Kamen spending so much time and money on a powered water purification system?" Because no amount of sunlight will filter out a dead bug floating on top of the bottle. This will only eliminate bacteria, but I would imagine there's a lot of other stuff in water systems that needs to be eliminated. Just a thought, although I know I’m a couple months late.

“Why is Dean Kamen spending so much time and money on a powered water purification system?”

Because no amount of sunlight will filter out a dead bug floating on top of the bottle. This will only eliminate bacteria, but I would imagine there’s a lot of other stuff in water systems that needs to be eliminated.

]]> By: Ancient Clown http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-738 Ancient Clown Thu, 30 Mar 2006 04:42:00 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-738 Hi: Just 'passing by' thought I'd leave a quick <a HREF="http://ancientclown.blogspot.com/2006/02/introduction_114049630675643709.html" rel="nofollow">Introduction</A> My site is designed for seekers of TRUTH, so I'd like to invite all to my round table of discussion. <a HREF="http://ancientclown.blogspot.com/2006/03/flutterby-campaign.html" rel="nofollow">The "FLUTTERBY" Campaign</A> <a HREF="http://ancientclown.blogspot.com/2006/03/one-we-did-itor-did-we.html" rel="nofollow">ONE: We Did It...or did we?</A> <a HREF="http://ancientclown.blogspot.com/2006/03/aaa-bible-ancient-version.html" rel="nofollow">A.A.A. BIBLE---Ancient Version</A> your humble servant, Ancient Clown Hi:
Just ‘passing by’ thought I’d leave a quick Introduction
My site is designed for seekers of TRUTH, so I’d like to invite all to my round table of discussion.
The “FLUTTERBY” Campaign
ONE: We Did It…or did we?
A.A.A. BIBLE—-Ancient Version
your humble servant,
Ancient Clown

]]> By: Jessica Pfund http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-737 Jessica Pfund Tue, 28 Mar 2006 02:58:00 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-737 I can't believe the price tag these systems come with: currently $100,000 with goals to make it $1-2,000 a piece. Since an average third world citizen's wage is no more than a few dollars a day (if that), this better be strong enough to handle the water supply of a whole village. I'm glad, however, that more people are finding this a worthy cause to take on. Unsanitary water is one of the leading causes of avoidable death in the world right now, particularly in children. Learn more: <a HREF="http://www.unicef.org/wes/index.html" rel="nofollow">UNICEF</A> <a HREF="http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/en/" rel="nofollow">World Health Organization</A> I can’t believe the price tag these systems come with: currently $100,000 with goals to make it $1-2,000 a piece.

Since an average third world citizen’s wage is no more than a few dollars a day (if that), this better be strong enough to handle the water supply of a whole village.

I’m glad, however, that more people are finding this a worthy cause to take on. Unsanitary water is one of the leading causes of avoidable death in the world right now, particularly in children.

Learn more:
UNICEF
World Health Organization

]]> By: Jeffrey Warren http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/solar-water-purification/comment-page-1/#comment-736 Jeffrey Warren Tue, 28 Mar 2006 01:17:00 +0000 http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/03/27/solar-water-purification.html#comment-736 It wasn't the temperature - it was the UV they're saying sterilizes the water - details in the article body. It wasn’t the temperature – it was the UV they’re saying sterilizes the water – details in the article body.

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