Drinking water is precious, and unfortunately, many people around the world do not have access to pure water. Scientific research to improve life abroad the International Space Station (ISS) has led to countless developments in technology. Astronauts in space recycle sweat and even their urine for drinking water, with the help of incredibly filtration technology. Now the same method could be used on Earth, and researchers are optimist that it would solve the problem of clean drinking water shortage. Aquaporin, the company that designed NASA’s wastewater recovery system, aims to use its technology down on Earth. The company reportedly hopes its technology will improve access to drinking water worldwide.

Researchers around the world have been looking for ways to limit the wastewater flows and improve water hygiene, so that clean drinking water is accessible to everyone across the world. In India, a 23-year-old electrical engineering student, Madhu Vajrakarur build a wind turbine that generates both electricity and clean water for drinking in his village. The young innovator was lauded for his amazing development. But the issue of clean water scarcity remains unsolved in many places across countries.

In space, every drop of moisture, from humidity to urine has to be filtered and reused. Aquaporin claimed in reports that the same technology used to help astronauts drink clean water has the capability to clean other types of wastewater. In doing so, it could create entirely new drinkable water supplies in countries which are affected by water shortages. The technology works similar to the way our kidneys filter contaminants out of fluids. Wastewater flows through proteins called aquaporins that stop everything but the water from passing through. NASA Launches New $23 Million Space Toilet: From Being Women-Friendly to Efficiently Recycling Waste, Here’s How This Space Toilet Works. 

“It has an enormous potential. I think the Aquaporin system could lead the way in actually creating clean, affordable drinking water from wastewater in the future. I am really optimistic that we can meet the challenges of water scarcity in many parts of the world with technologies like this,” Dines Thornberg, innovation manager at BIOFOS was quoted saying in CNN report.

The report noted that, approximately two billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. Aquaporin’s system could help to remove pollution, contaminants, and even plastics from water supplies to make them drinkable.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2020 09:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).