For Kim Chow, a trip to Lima, Peru, proved to be a concerning one. Chow found that the people of the 30,000 Cerro Verde slum were storing water in 55-gallon drums on the street, making the town more susceptible to water-borne illnesses. She also discovered that water was 14 times more expensive than what households in other towns were paying for tap water.
Chow and her classmates at the Art Center College of Design wanted to find a cheap solution for the town’s needs; so, they developed the “Balde a Balde” (Bucket to Bucket). The portable faucet pumps water from the water drums through an adjustable nozzle, so residents can save water by alternating from light or heavy streams.
SEE ALSO: 5 Tech Breakthroughs Bringing Clean Water to the Developing World
The faucet is also a way to encourage kids who couldn’t previously reach the drums to consistently wash their hands before eating or after using the toilet.
Rubbermaid is teaming up with Chow to start production of the faucet, and hopes it will change the lives of the 780 million people worldwide currently without access to clean water.
Watch the video above to see the faucet in action.
What other tech gadgets and projects you know are helping improve people’s quality of life? Tell us in the comments below.
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