SafeWaterAfrica · Project

Autonomous Off-Grid Water Purification Unit Serving 300 People Per Installation in Rural Africa

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Imagine a village in rural Mozambique with no access to the power grid and only contaminated water nearby. This project built a standalone water treatment unit — think of it as a self-powered appliance — that removes chemical pollutants and kills bacteria without needing external electricity or chemical refills. The system was designed to be owned and run by the local community, not visiting engineers. European electrochemical water purification technology was adapted specifically for African conditions, with local production, operation, and maintenance built into the design from day one.

By the numbers

108 million

People in 15 sub-Saharan African countries with limited or no clean water access

300

People served per system unit

3,000

System units needed to reach projected market penetration

900,000

People potentially reached at full market penetration

Sub-Saharan African countries in the target market

CabECO treatment modules produced and integrated into prototype and demonstrators

Consortium partners across 5 countries

Enterprises and organisations in the project advisory board

The business problem

What needed solving

Over 108 million people across 15 sub-Saharan African countries lack reliable access to clean water — a gap that centralized water infrastructure cannot close in rural and peri-urban areas within any near-term timeframe. Companies, development organizations, and investors operating in this space lack a field-validated, self-sustaining treatment solution that can be deployed, owned, and maintained at community level without continuous external supply chains or specialist staff.

The solution

What was built

A working autonomous water treatment prototype installed at the CSIR test site in South Africa, plus two demonstrator systems integrated into real water supply infrastructure. Three CabECO electrochemical treatment modules were produced to power the purification process across the prototype and demonstrator installations, with an accompanying flow chart of system integration for deployment replication.

Audience

Who needs this

Water infrastructure companies tendering for rural water projects in southern AfricaMining and resource companies needing compliant water supply at remote operational sites in Mozambique or South AfricaDevelopment finance institutions and impact investors funding water access infrastructureRegional water authorities and municipalities in Mozambique or South Africa managing rural service deliveryNGOs and humanitarian organizations managing long-term off-grid water supply programs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Water Infrastructure & Utilities

any

Target: Water utility or infrastructure provider operating in Sub-Saharan Africa

If you are a water utility or infrastructure company delivering services to rural communities in southern Africa and struggling with decentralized coverage in off-grid areas — this project developed an autonomous treatment unit capable of serving 300 people per installation. With 3,000 units deployed, the technology has the potential to reach 900,000 people, giving you a modular, replicable rollout model backed by prototype testing at the CSIR national research site in South Africa.

Mining & Extractive Industries

enterprise

Target: Mining company with remote operational sites in Mozambique or South Africa

If you are a mining company operating remote sites in southern Africa where water supply is both a regulatory requirement and a daily operational challenge — this project developed a self-sustaining purification system that handles both chemical and microbial contamination without grid power or external chemical supply. The prototype was tested at the CSIR site and explicitly designed for operation by local, non-specialist staff, reducing your dependency on imported technicians and supply logistics.

Impact Investment & Development Finance

enterprise

Target: Development finance institution or impact investor funding water access infrastructure

If you are a development finance institution or impact investor looking for de-risked, field-tested water technology to back — this project produced working demonstrators integrated into real water supply infrastructure across southern Africa. The business model is built on local ownership, local production, and local operation, directly addressing the recurring failure point of externally-managed aid projects and enabling a revenue-generating water service at community level.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does it cost to produce and deploy one unit?

Based on available project data, specific unit costs are not disclosed in the project summary. The objective describes it as a 'low-cost solution' designed for rural developing-market communities, indicating cost was a core design constraint. Contact the Fraunhofer technology transfer office for production cost estimates and licensing terms.

Can this scale to serve larger populations or municipal supply volumes?

The current design targets 300 people per unit. The project's market scenario achieves scale through replication — 3,000 units reaching 900,000 people — rather than larger single installations. Serving municipal-scale populations would require multiple parallel units or engineering adaptation beyond the current prototype scope.

Who owns the IP and how can a company license it?

Based on available project data, IP ownership details are not specified in the project summary. Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, the project coordinator, is one of Europe's largest applied research organizations and routinely licenses technology to industry through a dedicated technology transfer process. They are the primary point of contact for licensing discussions.

What regulatory approvals or certifications does the technology hold?

Based on available project data, specific regulatory certifications are not listed in the project summary. The prototype was tested at the CSIR — South Africa's national research institute — which suggests structured conformance testing was carried out. Buyers should verify compliance with local water quality standards in their specific target markets.

How long does commissioning take, and who can operate it?

Based on available project data, exact installation timelines are not provided. The system was explicitly designed to be operated and maintained by local community staff without specialist external support, which implies a straightforward commissioning process. A flow chart of demonstrator systems integrated into water supply structure was produced as a project deliverable and may contain operational detail.

What technology powers the purification process?

The system uses CabECO modules — an electrochemical treatment technology — as its core purification component. Three CabECO modules were produced and integrated into the prototype platform and the two demonstrator systems. Based on available project data, the EuroSciVoc classification also references reverse osmosis as a related technology used in the project.

Is there ongoing technical support or commercial follow-through from the research team?

The project included explicit business development and capacity building as defined deliverables. With 5 industry partners in the consortium and 8 enterprises in an advisory board, there is an established commercial network around this technology. Based on available project data, post-project commercialization agreements are not detailed in the project summary.

Consortium

Who built it

The 11-partner consortium spans 5 countries including two African nations — Mozambique and South Africa — which is essential credibility for a technology targeting African deployment and not just another European solution exported without local context. Fraunhofer, Europe's largest applied research organization, leads the project, providing strong IP management and technology transfer capability. With 5 industry partners (45% industry ratio) and 4 SMEs in the consortium, commercial intent is built into the project structure rather than bolted on afterward. The CSIR — South Africa's national research institute — provides in-country testing infrastructure and direct access to regulatory and government water authority networks. An additional advisory board of 8 enterprises and organizations extends the commercial reach beyond the core consortium, making this one of the better-positioned water technology projects for African market entry.

CONDIAS GMBHparticipant · DE
COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCHparticipant · ZA
TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGYparticipant · ZA
UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA - LA MANCHAparticipant · ES
STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITYparticipant · ZA
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FERRARAparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung EV (Germany) — search Fraunhofer technology transfer office for water purification licensing contacts or use the project website contact form

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Contact SciTransfer for a one-page brief on licensing options and a direct introduction to the Fraunhofer project team

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