December 18, 2023

Nathaniel Keoni De La Cruz

11th Grade

Fountain Valley High School

Water is a necessity for all living things, and direct access is a true blessing. Electrical engineering is the future of accessible clean water. Water purification systems that are electrically engineered allow people in modern society to receive water with very few contaminants. While most developed countries have direct access to clean water without risk of illness.  The United Nations has taken notice of the importance of providing clean water for all living things, especially in developing countries. Goal six of the United Nations' sustainable development goals is focused on exploring innovative ways to grant universal access to uncontaminated water and sanitation. There are many ways to purify water using electrical engineering including electrolysis water purification systems, and desalination processes which include reverse osmosis. Are these sustainable ways of purifying water?

Ada Henry Van Pelt was a woman scientist from 1838-1923, who created the first water purifier using electrolysis. The big question during the time of Van Pelt was how she would make purifying water using electrolysis a sustainable and cost-efficient method. This question applied to the idea that this purification system would be used in various ways and places. Van Pelt had to overcome many obstacles as one of the early female scientists. For example, she was questioned about the validity of her work when she patented a modified version of the steam engine used in a flywheel machine. She moved on to electrical engineering eventually patenting a version of an electrolysis system with the purpose of purifying water. A similar electrolysis system had already been created in 1770 by Joseph Priestly, an English chemist. However, in 1911, Van Pelt patented her version of a water purifier model, a smaller-scale option that was created to be used as a portable device in smaller areas or vehicles. Van Pelt's work opened up a whole new realm of electrical engineering to provide clean, safe, drinking water.

In the modern day, many electrical engineering-based techniques are used to purify water. One of which is commonly found in many homes across countries including the United States is known as Reverse Osmosis, a way of processing unfiltered water, removing contaminants like lead, and transforming it into drinkable water. Osmosis is the movement of solvent (water) from areas of low concentration of solute to high concentration. Reverse osmosis is, well, the opposite. Reverse Osmosis is a desalination process in which electric pumps use force to push unfiltered water through a permeable membrane. The drinkable water is called permeate, while the water that is still contaminated goes out through another tube. There are even sensors to help detect if the water is safe and, hence drinkable.

Many people take clean water for granted. The techniques used in electrical engineering have allowed people like Van Pelt to develop ways to provide drinkable water in homes across nations. Thanks to the science behind it all, the United Nations just might be able to accomplish their goal of providing drinkable water, universally!