Aging, underfunded infrastructure—whether privatized or mismanaged—limits water access through corrosion, leaks, and untreated sewage. Government cost-cutting disguised as efficiency results in poor maintenance and unsafe purification, further degrading supply quality.

As trust in municipal water declines, bottled water consumption surges—now over 390 liters per person annually—turning a basic need into a commodity and worsening plastic pollution. Even municipal systems introduce secondary pollutants like THMs and HAAs, posing health risks.

This cycle—of mediation, chemical dependence, and plastic waste—intensifies infrastructure decay and environmental harm.

Despite abundant natural sources, clean water remains commercialized and chemically filtered. Our project counters this by designing a localized purification system using natural materials—water plants, dried kelp, moringa seeds, ceramics—and UV-C light. Targeting urban and under-resourced areas, it promotes self-sufficient, low-waste filtration.

We reimagine water access as decentralized and community-driven—free from corporate control. This is not just a system, but a shift: water as a shared resource, not a product.