Solar has shown immense possibilities and there is much more than just generating electricity though it. Solar energy could be very useful in treating water for drinking purpose. Many developing and underdeveloped counties are using solar water treatment for feeding healthy and pure water to their citizens. Even developed countries, like USA are also emphasizing on the use of solar water treatment.

     Well, it is known to everyone that drinking impure water could cause diarrhea, typhus and other related problems. Drinking pure and clean water is very necessary for everyone and we should be concerned regarding it. It is very easy to build such device and it is very cost effective too. Even it can be done under do it yourself projects.

    Water treatment isn’t involved in any complex process. It simply follows the technique used in milk pasteurization. This technique is very simple and involved less number of human involvements. We all know that, in milk pasteurization, deadly and harmful microorganism can remain healthy till certain temperature and beyond that it could die. And if the temperature gets high, these microorganisms started dying and if it could not die, they get deactivated. Generally, Amoeba, bacteria and other tiny organism could be easily restricted through this simple method.

    Now, solar water purifier uses this same technique and involves series of steps in purifying the water. The homemade process of solar water treatment is done by taking water and keeping it in a plastic container, which is totally covered by some kind of black material which enhances the absorption process, in the sun. Within hour, you can get almost 97% purified water. During sunny days, water can be purified within three hours even.

    Solar water purifier can be processed more effectively, if we use PET plastic rather than using PVC plastic material for storing the non-purified water. PVC is not preferably for solar water treatment because it has bluish cast which blocks more UV rays and thus reduces its efficiency.

    Well, it is not only one method; there are methods also which could be very effective in solar water treatment. You can prepare solar water still or even could be brought from the market. The design of such water still is of in rectangular shape. The depth of it would be around few inches and it is covered with a glass panel and has a siphon hose. Glass is generally being used; use to block more amount of UV so that an efficient treatment could occur.

    The mechanism in such container is very simple though effective. As the sunlight penetrates the glass and heats the water, vaporized water gets, condense over the glass plate which relatively cooler than the bottom. The condensed water is drawn out from the still with the help of hose. This treated water is almost free from the microorganism but it consist minerals like chlorine. This process is almost similar to the process which is used worldwide in various desalination plants.

    Desalination plants use this technique in treating sea water. Sea water is saline and causes kidney damage, if consumed regularly. Solar rays can also kill various pathogens present in the water too. Solar water treatment is one of the best techniques for treating the water, which is cheap and best. It does not involve much manpower and the best thing of this technique is, it is pollution free.