Creating a Low-Cost Turbidity-Sensitive Solution for Solar Disinfection of Drinking Water

PotaVida, Inc. Global, 2014-15

Liaison(s): Dr. Charlie Matlack ’04
Advisor(s): Patrick Little, Susan Martonosi
Students(s): Ryan Seldon (TL-S), Cleo Stannard (TL-F), Sagar Batchu, Priya Donti

The PotaVida, Inc. Global Clinic team was tasked with designing a low-cost, point-of-use technical solution that determines the time required to perform solar disinfection on a volume of water as a function of turbidity and UV intensity. This solution can be used to unambiguously indicate whether the water is too turbid for disinfection and, if not, the length of time needed for disinfection. The team’s solution is globally informed through field testing in Uganda.