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Rural, Disadvantaged California Community Solves Century-old Water Quality Issue by Tapping the Sky

Rural, Disadvantaged California Community Solves Century-old Water Quality Issue by Tapping the Sky

40 percent of America’s 50,000 community water systems have had water quality violations, according to the EPA.

Tiny Allensworth one of more than 310 California Community Water systems with water quality violations, the vast majority of which serve rural, low-income communities of color

Community leaders adopt first-of-its-kind technology from SOURCE Global, PBC to create a safe, sustainable source of drinking water

March 31, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

ALLENSWORTH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–For over 100 years, the people of Allensworth, California, have been looking for safe, reliable sources of drinking water. Now, after decades of investigating and implementing various technologies, the community is evaluating an innovation that makes quality drinking water from resources in the sky.

Arsenic naturally occurs in the region’s groundwater and Allensworth is served by two groundwater wells that have contained arsenic levels up to 60 percent higher than state defined safety levels for drinking water. As a result, residents travel to the next county to buy water in single-use plastic bottles or jugs.

“In a place like this, which is a Severely Disadvantaged Community based on household income criteria established by the State of California, the health and economic consequences of poor drinking water quality are very real,” said long-time resident and community leader Kayode Kadara. “We simply don’t have the financial resources to build treatment plants or new infrastructure, and the town has worked for more than a century to find a cost-effective fix. This technology might very well be the answer.”

Allensworth is not alone.

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Hydropanel General Installation Requirements:

  • Roof mounted hydropanels must be at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from the edge of any structure.
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  • Adequate structural integrity of the roof is required. Do not install on a roof that is damaged or otherwise insufficient to hold the weight and wind loads of the hydropanel.
  •  
  • Consider whether there is space for a crane to set up and lift the hydropanels to their mounting location.
  • Ground locations should be firm, level, and evenly composed. The hydropanel can be placed on blocks, concrete, or mounted to lumber to provide a stable base to sit on.
  •  
  • Consider factors like soil composition, and how to manage erosion or plant growth over time.
  •  
  • Avoid installing the hydropanel where they may be wetted from irrigation sprinklers.
  •  
  • Ensure the hydropanel is raised above the specified flood plain.
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  • Hydropanel should be anchored to the ground or sufficiently ballasted to prevent movement or damage from high winds.

Hydropanel General Installation Requirements:

  • Sunny mounting location – The SOURCE Hydropanel works best in full sun. Unobstructed sunlight required at least 5 hours per day. Avoid placing under shading objects such as trees, buildings, etc.
  • 4 x 6 foot (1.2 x 1.8 meters) mounting area per Hydropanel.
  • Minimum clearance of 1ft (30cm) in front of and behind the panels to allow access for service.
  • Minimum 3 inches (8 cm) between hydropanels from side to side within an array.
  • SOURCE Hydropanels must be installed at least 15 feet (5 meters) away from windows and should be positioned considering hydropanel sound with respect to living spaces.
  • SOURCE Hydropanels must be level from side-to-side with a maximum deviation of 20mm.
  • Hydropanel must be South Facing (180°) for locations in the Northern Hemisphere, or North facing (0°) for locations in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • The installation surface must be level. For example, a flat roof, or level ground.

Roof Mount Requirements:

  • Roof mounted hydropanels must be at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from the edge of any structure.
  • Adequate structural integrity of the roof is required. Do not install on a roof that is damaged or otherwise insufficient to hold the weight and wind loads of the hydropanel.
  • Consider whether there is space for a crane to set up and lift the hydropanels to their mounting location.

Ground Mount Requirements:

  • Ground locations should be firm, level, and evenly composed. The hydropanel can be placed on blocks, concrete, or mounted to lumber to provide a stable base to sit on.
  • Consider factors like soil composition, and how to manage erosion or plant growth over time.
  • Avoid installing the hydropanel where they may be wetted from irrigation sprinklers.
  • Ensure the hydropanel is raised above the specified flood plain.
  • Hydropanel should be anchored to the ground or sufficiently ballasted to prevent movement or damage from high winds.

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The amount of water you consume will determine how many panels you’ll need and the size of tanks we recommend. Use our calculator below for our panel and tank recommendation.

Each panel produces on average 180 bottles per month (16.9 oz bottles). For a more accurate estimation based on your location use this tool.

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