Bill Gates Raises A Glass To (And Of) Water Made From Poop

http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2015/01/10/376182321/bill-gates-raises-a-glass-to-and-of-water-made-from-poop

The Gates foundation has helped fund a project to process sewage sludge into drinkable, fresh water. The machine boils the sludge in a large tube, then separates the water vapor from solid waste. The water vapor travels through a cleaning process involving a cyclone and various filtration systems, condensation happens, and then you have clean, drinkable water.

To make the machine even more impressive, it cooks the leftover dried dewage to create steam that will power the machine and any excess electricity is funneled back into the community.

This development from the Gates foundation has huge implications globally. One machine is thought to be able to serve 100,000 people. Considering that the UN estimates half the world population will face water scarcity by 2030, innovations such as this are essential. Currently, 783 million people live without clean water, 2.5 billion have no access to appropriate sanitation, and in low income countries some hospitals don't have running water at all.

Allie Grossmann