Innovation Makes Dirty Water Clean

We can end global hunger! And it starts with clean water.

The World Economic Forum has determined that access to clean water is the #1 threat to society. Much of the developing world grapples with lack of access to water that is safe for human consumption, an essential first step in leading a healthy and productive life.

The simple reality is that dirty water kills people.

In order to end global hunger, we have to address this issue. The most sustainable strategy for improving rural drinking water quality is to provide solutions for treating and safely storing water at the household level.

OHorizons works to develop simple solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, like global hunger and access to clean water. Using innovative, low-tech solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and implemented at the local level, we provide local communities with the tools and knowledge to solve their toughest problems, so they can survive and thrive. Our initial focus has been around access to clean water.

BioSand Filters (BSFs) are a household water solution that use sand, gravel, and natural biological processes to filter out contaminants in water, making it safe for drinking. They’ve been the global standard for making water safe for drinking since the 1990s. But even though they filter out contaminants in water, like cholera, typhoid, E coli, amoebic dysentery, and many additional pathogens that are harmful to humans, they weren’t being used everywhere.

It turns out the steel molds used to make them are expensive, heavy, and require special skills and tools to make. So, this means that often only one filter is built and placed in a centralized location to be shared by many.

We needed a new approach.

Our low-tech, high-thinking approach led us to an 8 ft by 4ft sheet of plywood which became the Wood Mold™. We preserved the sophistication and impact of steel but reduced all other factors that made it challenging to implement BSFs around the world. Our award-winning, patented Wood Mold is a low-tech, open-source tool that lets anyone, anywhere bring clean water into their home, eliminating the need for centralized access points to clean water.

We’ve introduced this new approach in locations around the world, including Bangladesh, Ecuador, Kenya, Senegal, Mali, and Puerto Rico. With the Wood Mold BioSand Filter’s introduction into homes, we have created a 1-to-1 opportunity for families to get their own clean water.

With the support of people around the world, we can begin to end global hunger and make water clean. It takes $10 to get started with one person... $50 if you want an entire family to taste the gift of clean water this holiday season. Ready to make a difference?

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