Twin Cities Nonprofit's Water Treatment Invention Receives Official Endorsement in Nicaragua

Managua, Nicaragua, September 1, 2015 (Newswire.com) - ​​The CTI Water Chlorinator, a device designed by a St. Paul, MN nonprofit for treating bacteria-contaminated drinking water, has received official certification from Nicaragua’s national Ministry of Health (MINSA). The CTI Water Chlorinator has been installed in 601 rural communities throughout Nicaragua and provides safe drinking water to more than 330,000 people. 

In July 2015, the CTI Water Chlorinator was declared “effective in removing bacteria of fecal origin” in a letter from Dr. Carlos Saez Torres, the director general of public health monitoring at MINSA. Fecal contamination in drinking water sources is a “serious problem” in Nicaragua, according to a 2010 World Health Organization study revealing that “90% of the municipalities of the country may be contaminated.”

"As a recognized and well-respected authority, MINSA's certification adds credibility to the CTI Water Chlorinator and our work in Nicaragua. This gives us greater opportunities to expand our reach, establish new partnerships, and provide more Nicaraguans with safe drinking water."

Wes Meier, Program Director

“As a recognized and well-respected authority, MINSA’s certification adds credibility to the CTI Water Chlorinator and our work in Nicaragua,” said Wes Meier, CTI’s Program Director, “This gives us greater opportunities to expand our reach, establish new partnerships, and provide more Nicaraguans with safe drinking water.”

The CTI Water Chlorinator was developed to treat rural drinking water sources in Nicaragua by Compatible Technology International (CTI), a St. Paul, MN-based nonprofit organization that designs and distributes food and water technologies in developing countries. The CTI Water Chlorinator can be built with PVC piping and fittings for less than US $100. The device does not require electricity to operate, and it utilizes low-cost chlorine tablets to treat a village’s water source for pennies per day. 

Since 2010, CTI has led a network of partners that train rural villages to install and maintain Water Chlorinators. Communities in need are identified by regional MINSA officials and distribution is aided by CTI’s NGO partner EOS International and dozens of organizations and government offices throughout the country.

The CTI Water Chlorinator eliminates 100% of bacterial contamination in village water sources and reduces the rate of Acute Diarrheal Disease by 60%, according to a 2015 study conducted by CTI and MINSA officials in Nicaragua.

According to the World Health Organization, unsafe water is the leading cause of disease and death in the world. “Lack of clean, safe water undermines social well-being and economic growth,” said CTI Executive Director, Alexandra Spieldoch. “By providing access to safe water, we eliminate a key barrier to good health in developing nations.”