- Zero Mass Water produces solar panels that pull water out of the air, filter it, and deliver it to your home faucet.
- The startup, which is backed by a $1 billion fund led by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, recently created a new sensor that allows you to monitor the quality of your water.
- The company sees its technology as a way to help solve the global water crisis, which has left more than 2 billion people without access to safe drinking water in their homes.
The global water crisis has wreaked havoc on communities around the world, from homes in Flint, Michigan, to megacities like Tokyo and São Paulo.
The United Nations estimated that 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water in their homes — a situation with severe health implications that can also limit economic prosperity.
Citizens with access to clean water have a better chance of escaping poverty, fending off disease, and pursuing an education.
As the crisis escalates, many billionaire investors and tech companies have jumped at the chance to get involved. In September, a $1 billion fund led by Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and other investors helped finance the efforts of Zero Mass Water, a startup making solar panels that pull clean drinking water from the air.
The panel arrays, known as Source, use sunlight to harvest water from air vapor. The harvested vapor is then sterilized and turned to liquid, which is stored in a reservoir that connects to your home faucet.