Using UV rays to purify water is a solution that Chilean regulations do not recognize and that was a topic addressed by Climatech.
During April, the first meeting of Climatech took place , a trade association that brings together companies that promote the use of clean technologies to reduce environmental impact, and on this occasion, along with the associates, other related companies were invited to participate.
Among the latter were the startups Arcom , specializing in modular architecture and construction, and Remote Waters , specializing in water purification, who took the opportunity to highlight a problem in Chilean regulations: the water sanitation regulations only recognize chlorine as an option for making water potable, leaving out other more efficient and less polluting technologies, such as UV rays or ozone.
UV light systems, or systems in combination with other methods to provide drinking water, comply with the regulations required by foreign public health organizations; among them those of the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency of the USA) and the WHO (World Health Organization), which recognize it as safe for human consumption, and it is also much simpler to install and use.
The US-based Water Quality Association considers UV light systems to be among the most effective methods for water purification . “This can provide a small-scale water purification solution for the most remote rural areas, which, due to their isolation, lack continuous access to drinking water,” says Natalia Sepúlveda, CEO of Arcom .
More than 1 million people without drinking water in Chile
According to the latest Casen survey (2017), 1,431,162 Chileans do not have basic sanitation services, such as drinking water and/or a bathroom in their homes and, contrary to what one might think, this lack is not only due to the availability of water resources, but also to problems in the area of management and access to sanitation infrastructure for the provision of this resource, mainly in rural areas.
“It’s not viable. The lower the density, the lower the return: transporting water is expensive and there aren’t enough customers to recoup that investment,” says Pablo Cassorla, CEO and founder of Remote Waters.
Aware of the problem, in 2021 the authorities passed Law 20.988, leaving open the possibility of incorporating new technologies into water purification. Despite this progress, chlorine treatment remains the method recognized by regulators for approving water production projects.
Pablo Cassorla, CEO of Remote Waters, states that “chlorine must be supplied within a precise range; exceeding the dose poses serious health risks to humans, making it difficult to handle. Furthermore, it is a corrosive chemical and potentially dangerous in high concentrations.”
He added that “ UV rays, on the other hand, are applied through a lamp that emits a beam of light that eliminates all bacteriological material and does not add chemicals to the water's composition, making it easier to use. Each lamp lasts 9,000 hours and requires fewer supplies, therefore, it is more economical. But, despite its advantages, it is still not recognized by the health authority.”
Remote Waters' technology consists of desalinating and purifying seawater or groundwater, using solar energy, until it is completely potable.
“In our experience providing infrastructure for small food producers in remote areas, we see that they are eager to start their own businesses and improve their conditions, but without access to water they cannot obtain health permits, much less formalize their operations,” adds Natalia, who incorporates alternative water production technologies in her CLINbox processing rooms.
Currently, both startups are working on the design of a self-contained modular processing room, which incorporates a sustainable sanitation system (potability and greywater treatment) supplied by Remote Waters technology.