While those in the First World enjoy clean, potable tap water pumped directly into their homes, the same does not apply for many Third World communities in the world. We can send people to the moon, create artificial organs and develop supernatural human beings, but clean drinking water remains elusive to over a billion people, two million of which include children who die from an unclean water supply. Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Asian Tsunami demonstrated the technological and bureaucratic hurdles that prevent people from receiving aid in a timely and efficient manner. According to Oxfam, the crisis continues in the Congo (where villagers are fleeing war-torn areas without access to water) and in Peru, local communities fight gold mining interests to protect their land and water.

How can we reconcile these incidences during a time in which great technological and political progress seems so plausible? In response to events like Hurricane Katrina, engineer Michael Pritchard developed the Lifesaver Bottle, a Brita filter-like device that uses nanotechnology to purify and make drinkable the filthiest of water, including sewer sludge and pond water. In the above TED conference video, Pritchard demonstrates the need for a more responsible world community that prioritizes clean drinking water for all. With the Lifesaver Bottle, which can potentially help accomplish such a goal, death and suffering can become a 20th century anachronism.

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Via TED

http://www.lifesaversystems.com/