ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno
Nearly two-thirds of the world's population experiences severe water shortages for at least one month each year. UNICEF estimates that half of humanity will be living in regions affected by this crisis in 2025. In recognition of World Water Day (22 March 2025), we explore cutting-edge technologies that are revolutionising water management and quality, offering vital solutions to this global challenge.
A crucial filter for hurricanes and floods
The LifeStraw Max is a powerful water filtration device that purifies contaminated water in seconds. According to its creators, it removes nearly all viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, while also reducing sediment, industrial chemicals, and dissolved metals. This filter is crucial for areas lacking access to safe drinking water, or during emergencies like hurricanes and floods, when water supplies may become unsafe. It was even tested in 2022 during the Jackson, Mississippi water crisis, where over 150,000 people had to boil their water after the municipal system failed.
A device that pulls water from the air
"By next year, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population could be living under water stressed conditions," warns Genesis Systems. To help address this crisis, the company has developed devices that extract fresh water directly from the air using renewable energy like solar power or conventional electricity.
"It tasted better than the water from my hotel room tap," said a CNET journalist who sampled the water produced by one of these devices. Systems that capture water from atmospheric moisture could become a vital source of supply in the aftermath of natural disasters. In fact, they have already been deployed at a Florida children's hospital impacted by Hurricane Milton.
Genesis Systems device for extracting drinking water from the air. Credit: Genesis Systems
The sensor that monitors your water usage in real time
Droplet is an innovative ultrasonic sensor installed in household pipes to track water consumption in real time. It detects leaks, analyses usage patterns, and helps optimise water efficiency. Through a mobile app, Droplet provides detailed reports of daily, weekly, and monthly consumption, and also sends alerts for leaks or excessive use. One of its standout features is its ability to identify inefficiencies in household water use—for example, detecting if an old toilet is using more water than necessary. This information could help reduce water consumption and save money.
The technology that turns seawater into drinking water
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 97% of the world's water is found in the oceans and seas. That is why desalination plants have become a key technological solution to combat water scarcity. These facilities use reverse osmosis to remove salt from seawater, transforming it into high-quality drinking water. "Desalinated water has extraordinary quality and purity, as the membranes prevent any type of contaminant from entering it," explains Domingo Zarzo Martínez, president of the Spanish Association of Desalination and Reuse (AEDyR) and director of innovation and strategic projects at Sacyr Agua.
Desalination plants use a process to remove salt from seawater. Credit: Sacyr Concessions
The software that optimises water use for businesses
Waterplan is a software platform that helps companies manage water use more efficiently and sustainably. It combines public data on water sources—such as rivers and aquifers—with internal company consumption data to assess risks like droughts and water shortages in the regions where they operate. This allows businesses to understand how these challenges could impact their production.
Waterplan currently works with more than 30 clients, including Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Anheuser-Busch InBev, helping them visualise the effects of drought and overexploitation on their production. As co-founder José Galindo explains, "water is cheap and plentiful today, but it won't always be; there’s going to be a 30% gap in 2030 between supply and demand. We think that pressure will appear over the next 10 years."
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