Water is the source of all life. Safe and clean water is essential not only to remain safe from disease but also to maintain good health. In some regions of Paraguay, people have no access to safe and readily available drinking water. With contaminants and salty water infiltrating the Guaraní Aquifer, one of the world’s largest reserves of drinking water, the water collected must be purified. To tackle this challenge, two students have invented a sustainable yet effective solution.

“Water is one of the most essential resources for everyone. People shouldn’t worry about drinking water,” said Diego. Jazmín added, “We focused on securing such vital part of life, and sought practical ways to provide drinking water, safe and free of chemicals or risks.”

Inventing a sustainable water purifier

Together, Diego and Jazmín created a portable water desalination device that purifies water with energy absorbed from solar panels. Named MBARETICS, the device would desalinate, purify, and carry the clean water. MBARETICS is built in a compact size, with a motor that enables water to pass through filters to remove impurities and turbidity. The water then passes to the mineralization filters, and to the test box to examine its suitability as drinking water.

“We named it MBARETICS, which is a Guaraní-inspired word,” said Diego. “Mbarete means ‘strong’. TICS is an acronym for information and communication technologies in Spanish.”

Easy access to clean water

With MBARETICS, people can access safe and clean drinking water at almost no cost. The most innovative aspect of the device is that it is portable and does not require electricity, which is especially important for families that live in rural areas. “Diego and I are extremely happy that our invention can help families, ensuring their health and well-being,” said Jazmín. To make sure that the technology becomes effective, the MBARETICS pair have worked jointly with local companies and the National University of Asuncion, from whom they were mentored to further advance their idea and put together the prototype.

“Working virtually during the pandemic was frustrating. But it all paid off, inventing an impactful solution for the community as well as being selected the winner for Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2020 in the region of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay,” said Diego.