Innovative water pump system utilizes human play to extract ground water

Drinking water shortage is one of the major problems faced by developing communities throughout the world. According to a UNESCO report, it is estimated that by 2030 the world will face a water deficit of 40% if nothing is done to stop climate change. In Africa, these numbers are even scarier. Currently, many women and girls walk for up to four hours a day fetching water. Still, about 36% of the total population has no access to sources of clean water and it is estimated that 18 million people get diseases from contaminated water.

An initiative to fight this reality is OasiSaw, an innovative system that uses the energy from a playground seesaw to extract potable groundwater. While in use, the seesaw powers a pump to extract water from underground reservoirs. At the same time, the pump is fitted with a carbon nanotube filter to remove viruses and bacteria from the water. The idea, designed by Jinhyuk Kim of Hanyang University (South Korea), produces clean, drinkable water while giving kids some play time.