06 May WWST Creates Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action in Marrakech, Morocco
CGI Middle East Africa 2015 Morocco
WorldWater & Solar Technologies (WWST) in Princeton is attending the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Middle East & Africa Meeting in Marrakech, Morocco. James S. Bryan, Managing Director of Global Business Development, on behalf of WWST, of Princeton, New Jersey, is in Marrakech to announce a Commitment to Action for Clean Water & Solar for Ebola Treatment in Sierra Leone. WWST is a developer and marketer of proprietary, advanced technology solar systems and applications, including standalone off-grid high-powered water pumping for irrigation and purification/desalination stations focused on disaster relief distribution and usage.
WWST is sending three of its solar-driven Mobile MaxPure™ water purification systems for use at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, to help in the battle to extinguish Ebola in the country.
“We are doing this because we understand that clean water is needed to sustain life, and we have the technology to deliver this basic need without contaminating the environment,” said Mr. Bryan. He continued that he is “very pleased to see business and government leaders from across the MEA region at the conference and we are looking forward to presenting our Commitment to Action on stage with Chelsea Clinton. This is an exciting time and portends a bright future for WorldWater and Solar,” said Mr. Bryan.
Quentin T. Kelly, Chairman and CEO, says “We are experiencing rapid growth internationally and our participation at CGI reflects our interest in bringing clean water to those who need it.”
Mr. Kelly added that “Mr. Bryan is coordinating operations with global government and business leaders at the conference in Marrakech. ” In addition to operations in the US and countries in Africa and the Middle East, WorldWater & Solar Technologies is also operating in Central America and the Caribbean.
Excerpts from CGI Commitment to Action
WWST Commitment to Action:
In 2015, WorldWater & Solar (WorldWater) committed to contribute three of its largest solar-powered “Mobile MaxPure™” water purification systems free of charge to the Ministry of Water Resources of the Government of Sierra Leone to help them in their efforts to completely eradicate Ebola in the country.
WorldWater and its partners, Chevron and the Honorable Minister of Water Resources, have worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and the National Ebola Response Center to identify the appropriate healthcare center(s) to receive the units and maximize their impact in the ongoing fight against Ebola and for the ongoing provision of care for other infectious diseases. The location identified is the 120 bed Connaught Hospital in Freetown. When the units are delivered by logistics partners LIFT and Airlift into Freetown, WorldWater staff will be on site to provide initial training, yet little technical skill or on-going maintenance is required except to sweep the panels occasionally. The illustrated operations manual has been successfully used by villagers across the world. The Ministry of Water Resources will provide ground transportation from the arrival port to the hospital. On site, the units automatically open their solar canopies with the touch of a button and within minutes begin delivering clean water from the most polluted, brackish sources of water, including wells, ponds, lakes,
streams, or rivers. The units also charge embedded batteries to provide power to run lights, computers, and other light electric equipment. There are lift points built on to the sturdy frames to airlift the units by helicopter, truck, or boat and all components are marine grade and sealed against the elements.
Background Sierra Leone:
As of April 2015, there have been over 12,000 suspected and confirmed Ebola cases in Sierra Leone – more than any other country. As with any outbreak response or simply the practice of basic hygiene, access to clean water is an absolute necessity. However, pumping and purifying water requires access to reliable power and Sierra Leone has among the worst electricity delivery systems in the world, which has contributed significantly to the severity of the current Ebola crisis. While interventions like water purification packets can be helpful at the household scale until more permanent infrastructure is developed, hospitals and clinics require high-volume solutions that can take months or years to implement. To help address this immense challenge today, WorldWater & Solar Technologies, Inc. has proprietary, standalone solar-driven purification systems that are also equipped with batteries to provide power to run lights, medical equipment, refrigeration, computers, and other electronic equipment. The units have been field- proven in the US Military Hospital in Fallujah, Iraq, and serving villages in Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur (Sudan), Haiti and other areas where energy and clean water infrastructure are lacking. These systems are credited with halting cholera epidemics in Darfur refugee camps and in Iraq. Moveable and seven-foot cube-sized, these reverse osmosis systems are capable of purifying and desalinating an average of 11,000-15,000 liters each day at a cost of a fraction of a penny per liter for up to 20 years. The Government of Sierra Leone has identified its main Ebola treatment center, Connaught Hospital, to be the recipient of the units. Located in one of the worst Ebola-affected areas, the hospital requires up to 100,000 liters of water per day and its grid and generator power are only 70% reliable, so the units are expected to be operated at full capacity at all times. Therefore, during their first two years of operation the three systems will pump and desalinate approximately 25 million liters of clean, safe drinking water at a less than $0.01 per liter, which otherwise can cost up to $1.00 per liter.
CGI/WWST Action:
After several months of discussions with representatives of the Government of Sierra Leone and fundraising and partnership building activities through CGI which resulted in a $200,000 grant from new partner Chevron, WorldWater is prepared to ship three units to Sierra Leone for use at its main Ebola treatment center. Logistics partners Airlink (CGI member), ALAN, and LIFT (who were met through CGI) estimate that the three units will be shipped from the WorldWater warehouse in Princeton, New Jersey to Freetown, Sierra Leone in mid- to late- May, 2015. If Airlink and LIFT are able to secure air transport, the units should arrive to Freetown around June 1st and be installed at the hospital by the Ministry of Water Resources by mid-June 2015. If air transport is not feasible, the units will be shipped via sea and arrive to Freetown around August 1st. One year’s worth of spare parts will be supplied with the shipment by WorldWate . Through upcoming years, the only items that should need replacing over time are the pump (2-3 years), the RO filters (every 3 years) and the batteries (every 5 years) and these are available in-country. The WorldWater systems should operate to supply purified, desalinated water (virtually eliminating bacteria, cysts, bilharzia, worms etc) for >10 years. WorldWater conducts business with various governments and private organizations around Africa so its engineers will be in the region in the years to come and are able to oversee the systems as needed. It plans to actively monitor the donated units through the Ministry of Water for a minimum of two years.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 190 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made nearly 3,200 Commitments to Action, which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.
In addition to the Annual Meeting, CGI convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States; and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. This year, CGI will also convene CGI Middle East & Africa, which will bring together leaders across sectors to take action on pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
About WorldWater & Solar Technologies, Inc. WorldWater & Solar Technologies, Inc., of Princeton NJ USA is an international Project Developer focusing on use of its proprietary, advanced solar and water engineering technology and products. Among its 5 patents, the Company’s electronic control devices enable it to drive pumps and motors up to 600 horse power for irrigation of hundreds of acres or to supply purified water from standalone, portable systems for drinking water for thousands of people daily – all from solar power alone.
