The Roatan Bilingual School (locally known as ESBIR) on Roatan Island off the coast of Honduras, is home to the first installation of SOURCE Hydropanels in the Central American country. Expected to produce approximately 50-60 liters of high-quality drinking water per day, the 10-hydropanel array came to fruition thanks to the efforts of 17-year-old Boise, Idaho resident William Jewell.
Jewell and his family visited Roatan after experiencing the isolation and emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there, he learned nearly all the drinking water on the island of Roatan is contaminated.
According to a 2019 National Survey of Demography and Health, only 50% of households in Honduras have access to quality water free of E. coli. Given this reality, residents rely heavily on single-use plastic bottles for drinking water. Jewell thought there had to be a better way.
After his trip, Jewell started researching potential solutions. His father, being familiar with SOURCE through a friend, suggested that Jewell do some research to see if hydropanels would be a good fit. Jewell discovered they’re an ideal option given Roatan’s tropical climate and the fact that hydropanels don’t need existing infrastructure to produce high-quality drinking water.
Requiring only sunlight and moisture that’s in the air we breathe, SOURCE Hydropanels use solar energy to power fans that draw in air and push it through water-absorbing material. This process passively turns water vapor into drinking water that’s mineralized for health and taste and kept clean in a storage tank until it’s needed.
“I’m fascinated by the technology, and I think it’s cool that hydropanels don’t need electricity to make water,” Jewell said. “This is the only planet we have, and I feel like it’s going to be up to my generation to make a difference.”
Jewell’s next order of business was finding an ideal location for the hydropanel installation. When he found ESBIR, he discovered administrators shared his vision for a more sustainable drinking water solution. The hydropanel installation has decreased the school’s reliance on bottled water and administrators are thrilled.
“Before the hydropanels were installed, we used to buy 5-gallon water bottles so students could fill their cups at dispensers. The other option was for students to buy bottled water from the cafeteria. Both options are expensive for the school and the kids,” said Maria del Carmen Enriquez, Administrator and Academic Coordinator. “Having fresh wáter available at all times is a great improvement for everyone at the school and will allow us to buy more school supplies with the money we used to spend on buying drinking water.”
In an effort to raise awareness about the water challenges on Roatan, Will is sharing details about the project here. “I hope this project is just the beginning,” Jewell said. There’s a lot of need on Roatan but this is a good first step.”
Photos of the project and a video of the installation, are available here.
About Roatan Bilingual School
Roatan Bilingual School (ESBIR) is a private educational institution founded in 1983 by Cheryl Warren de Galindo, Mireya Warren, Elsa Hernández and Leticia Monterroso. With 300 students in pre-school through 11th grade, ESBIR’S academic curriculum prepares students for college or university, instills a values philosophy, helps students learn and use modern technology responsibly, and encourages respect for other cultures while honoring their own cultural heritage.
About SOURCE Global, PBC
SOURCE Global PBC, A Public Benefit Corporation, exists to “perfect water for every person, every place.” The company’s SOURCE® Hydropanels create drinking water using sunlight and air as the only inputs, putting the power of safe, high-quality water production into the hands of every person in nearly every climate and corner of the world. The infrastructure-free nature of Hydropanels means that the company has been providing off-grid, renewable drinking water to communities, homes, corporate campuses, hotels, islands without infrastructure, remote work sites, and other applications, in more than 50 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, SOURCE is on Fast Company’s 2020 list of most innovative social good companies. SOURCE® is a registered trademark of SOURCE Global, PBC.
For more information about SOURCE Global visit, www.source.co.
Follow SOURCE across social media:
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sourcewater)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceglobal)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sourcewater/)
Twitter (https://twitter.com/sourcewaterco)
Contact:
Brett Heising
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
Release ID: 817078