PATH field tests smart electrochlorination technology in Africa

The technology behind Cascade Designs, Inc’s (CDI) Smart-Electrochlorinator 200 (SE200) has existed for more than a decade, but its potential for community water purification in developing-country settings was only recently discovered. In 2008, with seed funding from the Laird Norton Family Foundation, PATH took prototypes of the first iteration of the smart electrochloriator to Kenya for field testing. The technology showed enough promise to warrant a redesign and second round of field trials throughout Africa and Asia, this time funded by the Lemelson Foundation. With field data in hand, the technology is another step closer to commercial introduction.

The technology

The SE200 is a small, community-scale electrochlorination system. It uses water, table salt, and electricity from a 12-volt battery, such as a car battery, to produce chlorine on demand, avoiding complicated storage, transportation, and shelf life issues associated with many water treatment options. From one battery charge, the SE200 can treat up to 40,000 liters of water, 200 liters at a time. The target wholesale cost of the device is US$100 with operational costs of US$0.05 per 1,000 liters, which is significantly more affordable than existing solutions and less than half the cost of liquid chlorine sold off the shelf. The technology’s smart circuitry consistently produces the same concentration of chlorine at the push of a button, simplifying dosing protocol as compared to bottled bleach which comes in various concentrations and has a shelf life of six months to one year. Fresh chlorine produced by the SE200 has been shown to be more effective at treating pathogenic contamination than bottled chlorine, and the resulting treated water has fewer stabilizing ingredients and byproducts that affect taste and odor.

Settings and use scenarios

Africa was selected for initial product testing because the continent has a relatively long history with chlorine-based treatment products and a reasonably high acceptance of its taste and odor. The need for water treatment is generally high, and there are very few affordable treatment options for small, rural communities. Municipal systems are out of reach for communities that lack access to capital investment resources and reliable maintenance programs. Treatment options may exist at the household level—but only when they are available and for those who can afford them.

Water selling businesses are expanding throughout the world, with most using sophisticated treatment technology costing tens of thousands of dollars and requiring a large customer base for sustainability. The low cost and simplicity of the SE200 could help serve smaller communities with viable business- or community-based service models.

After an initial field trial in Kenya, PATH and CDI refined the device and sought out partners working in a variety of settings to test the SE200. We were able to identify a number of organizations interested in helping us conduct field trials. In total, 12 different organizations field-tested the device in 10 different countries in a variety of use scenarios. In some scenarios, local water committees and schools used the device to treat water for the community. In others, entrepreneurs used the device to treat water and sell at neighborhood water kiosks. The device was also used to help sanitize containers for small businesses selling purified water. In one scenario, the Thai military tested the device for its potential in disaster and emergency response.

The device was tested in 10 different countries in a variety of use scenarios.

Feedback on the device

Data strongly confirmed the appropriateness of the technology and provided evidence to support its capabilities and durability in real-world conditions. The product is user friendly and easily operated by anyone after brief training. In addition, submerged indicator lights highlight the bubbling electrolysis process, and this feature has received strong positive reception from operators and customers. With additional funding, some small design revisions, improved labeling, and the development of updated training materials, the SE200 will be ready for low-rate commercial production.

Next steps

PATH has compiled results from an in-depth microbiological water quality analysis of the SE200 in field conditions. Results from this study in Kisumu, Kenya, which will be shared in our next newsletter, prove the efficacy of the device when used in a peri-urban community during the wet and dry seasons.

Although tested in a number of use scenarios, there is a lot to learn about the potential market and viable business- or community-based service models. PATH and CDI are now seeking funding to identify key target markets and prove viability in those settings. As these market viability studies progress, the SE200 will get closer to its debut in developing-world settings, potentially filling an unmet gap for small communities without prior access to safe drinking water.

Photo and illustration: PATH.