Watergen, the Startup that makes water out of air

This Israeli startup uses the system air conditioners use to generate drinking water for communities who are lacking it.

An air conditioning machine works by pulling air, condensating it and then removing the air with a lower temperature; a few water drops are created in this process, same which remain in the machine due to the change in temperature, and these are just the drops that Watergen Startup uses to transform the air into water.

“Yes, our process is very similar to that of an air conditioner. It is the same concept, but that water is full of metal; we filter that water so it turns into drinking water, but it is the same concept,” explained Daniel Zloczower, Business Development Manager at Watergen.

From the headquarters of the startup in Tel Aviv, Israel Zloczower, explains that “the heat exchanger is the brain of technology” of this startup, which intends to generate water efficiently so that this process can be less expensive than a water tank, for example.

As for the external conditions, what makes Watergen work better are high temperatures and high humidity. Under these conditions, one of its industrial machines can generate up to 900 liters per day.

“That is the maximum level our machines can achieve,” he said.

In a medium range used inside offices, about 100 or 200 liters can be generated in mobile units; there are even smaller machines designed for home use.

Zloczower said that one of the uses of this development is that it can be mounted in mobile units and be distributed in marginalized or disaster areas. So far, it has been taken to places such as India and Vietnam.

“The founder has sought that all technology have a social approach and that we try to get access to water for everyone,” explained the manager.

Its low complexity combines with the fact that as maintenance only requires a filter change about every 6 months, it makes it a simple equipment to adjust, even if its current costs – in industrial units – is about $18,000 USD. The home version, which the company will launch by the end of 2019, costs will be between $ 1,300 and $1,500 USD.

The manager explained that the equipment is currently sold in Europe, Africa, the US, Asia, and especially in India and Vietnam; and in recent months it has entered the Latin American markets, including Mexico. One of the projects is to expand distribution through school and government networks to bring water to more people.

“In Latin America, we started distributing the technology in the recent months, and there are already two companies in Mexico. Having machines and schools with this system in Mexico is very important, other than populations not getting water at all,” he said.

It is estimated that by 2020, the water crisis will have countries such India with a total lack of water. Currently 2,100 million people have no safe access to drinking water, and 4,500 people in the world are lacking water in hygiene conditions, according to the UN. 

Source: expansion.mx