The moisture that builds up in your air conditioner is normally unsafe to drink. FountAir LTD, a Hong Kong-based company, is committed to changing that.
It developed a device called AIR4WATER, which purifies AC condensation to make it drinkable. AETOSWire reported that the device was the second runner-up for the Innovative Projects Award.
The AIR4WATER produces up to 120 liters (about 32 gallons) of clean drinking water per day. It's currently used in six countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya, and is compatible with solar energy systems.
Developments like these are crucial for solving the growing global water crisis. According to a study published in Science, over 4 billion people across 135 low- and middle-income countries lack access to safe drinking water.
Moreover, countries with undrinkable tap water often turn to single-use plastic water bottles as an alternative. In fact, Indonesia was one of the largest consumers of bottled water in 2023, largely due to a lack of safe drinking water, per CNN. As plastic water bottles are rarely recycled and often end up in landfills, a safe alternative is major news.
There's also the heat to contend with. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, heat waves have been steadily increasing in length, intensity, and frequency since the 1960s. In times like these, people turn to air conditioning, which guzzles energy and pollutes the atmosphere. If the AIR4WATER becomes more widespread, however, it could help curb these environmental impacts, especially when combined with solar power.
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FountAir isn't the only organization making waves. Virginia Tech researchers, for example, have developed technology that harvests water from air, while other scientists have discovered natural methods of removing microplastics from water.
"The global water crisis stems from the excessive and irresponsible use of technology for comfort. To accelerate solutions, economic incentives must be aligned with technological innovation," FountAir founder and CEO Jannick Jacques Simeray told AETOSWire.
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