HOMA BAY, KENYA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Global Partners for Development (GPFD) and 374Water, a global cleantech and social impact company, have announced plans for the Homa Bay Blueprint, a bold and comprehensive clean water initiative for Africa's Great Lakes region. Both a live facility and a model for future replication, the project will feature cutting-edge wastewater treatment technology, an advanced data hub, and production of recycled resources. Located in Nam Lolwe (Lake Victoria), the continent's largest lake by area, Homa Bay has seen farming and community pollution erode the health of its 1.3 million inhabitants and devastate ecology. Local preparations for the project have been completed by collaborators at the University of Nairobi, Kenya's Ministry of Water and Environment, as well as Homa Bay government and community stakeholders.
Cutting-Edge Wastewater Treatment Technology
374Water's AirSCWO technology, described as "a pressure cooker on steroids," the AirSCWO process transforms any organic waste into minerals and clean water in seconds. It is the first and highly efficient technology to destroy hazardous PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals" associated with major health risks. Within three years, the Homa Bay Blueprint expects to improve the water quality of Lake Victoria by 20 percent.
Thus far, AirSCWO has been purchased by the Orange County Sanitation District in California and included in an environmental initiative by the Department of Defense. The Homa Bay Blueprint will be the technology's first application in a developing nation, strategically executed by GPFD, an NGO with over 30 years of experience working with East African communities to implement health, education, and clean water programs.
"Developing nations, particularly Africa, are frequently offered lo-fi, unsustainable sanitation solutions that we wouldn't use ourselves in the developed world. Instead, GPFD and 374Water are delivering extraordinarily advanced, long-lasting technology to solve the problems in Homa Bay and throughout the continent," said Daniel Casanova, the Executive Director of GPFD.
Advanced Data Hub
The Homa Bay Blueprint will include a data hub powered by local scientists and researchers to collect, consolidate, analyze, and distribute the region's most comprehensive information on lake water quality, empowering governments, community organizations, and locals to address pollution sources and monitor conditions for safer fishing, swimming, and water collection.
Recycled Resources and Building Economy
Through its water sanitation process, the AirSCWO system extracts minerals which the Homa Bay Blueprint will recycle and sell as fertilizer for farming. Heat expelled by the system will be used to dry seeds and fish on behalf of local businesses. Larger AirSCWO units planned for future projects also produce clean electricity. These renewable products represent profitable, new market opportunities for government and private industry.
To advance the local economy further, the Homa Bay Blueprint will be constructed by local workers using local materials and, long term, the facility will be led and run by trained local staff.
"The Homa Bay Blueprint, a partnership between GPFD, 374Water, and our local government is a genuine game-changer that will propel Homa Bay County onto the global stage," said H. E. Gladys Nyasuna Wanga, Governor of Homa Bay County. "Issues related to environmental pollution and sewer management have long been considered life hazards. I am thrilled by the innovation that will transform the sanitation sector into a significant economic opportunity, leading Homa Bay into a circular economy and ultimately increasing the county's income per capita. Homa Bay County warmly welcomes other stakeholders, nationally and internationally, to join us in setting a replicable precedent not only for Kenya but also across East Africa."
The Blueprint
While the Homa Bay Blueprint will be a working facility exhibiting dedication to the goals of the Paris Agreement, COP28, and the inaugural 2023 Africa Climate Summit, the project will also serve as a model to be reproduced and scaled along the shores of Nam Lolwe, in East Africa, and throughout the continent. The way for replication will be paved by information from the data hub and by the very architecture of the AirSCWO system, which runs inside a 40-foot shipping container. Compared to the complex construction required of other sanitation systems, AirSCWO is a plug and play design that is simple for local communities to initiate and maintain.
"Through the Homa Bay Blueprint, we're turning innovative technology into real-world solutions for climate and environmental challenges," said Dr. Marc Deshusses, co-founder of 374Water. "This partnership with Global Partners for Development exemplifies our commitment to sustainable development and pollution control. It's a model we hope to replicate across Africa, leading the way in environmental stewardship and community empowerment."
About Global Partners for Development
Global Partners for Development, based in Petaluma, California, is a 45-year-old NGO that works in close partnership with local communities across East Africa to develop and implement sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. With a commitment to environmental stewardship and social entrepreneurship, we believe in harnessing the power of innovation to create a more equitable and sustainable future. To learn more visit gpfd.org.
About 374Water
374Water Inc. (NASDAQ:SCWO), a cleantech company, is leading innovation in waste and wastewater treatment, deploying advanced technology to transform challenges into sustainable solutions for both public and private sectors. 374Water's AirSCWO technology spearheads a novel approach in waste treatment, epitomizing our dedication to technological excellence. As we navigate the pathway of a circular economy, our mission extends beyond mere solutions, aiming to redefine waste management standards. Follow us on LinkedIn.
For additional information, interviews, or to arrange a site visit, please contact:
Ria Pullin, Director of Marketing and Communications Global Partners for Development rpullin@gpfd.org (707) 588-0550
SOURCE: Global Partners for Development
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