Pentair providing clean-water systems in developing countries
Golden Valley-based Pentair is working with Coca-Cola on an initiative to deploy compact community centers that provide electricity, internet connections and drinking water in developing nations.
The systems are going to countries where clean water is in short supply and people are vulnerable to water-borne diseases.
Pentair filtration systems are providing water at some two dozen centers in Rwanda, South Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Vietnam and Paraguay. Pentair donates or sells the water purification technology and trains local entrepreneurs to run the operations.
The community sites are equipped with customized Pentair systems adapted to run on solar power.
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CEO Randall Hogan says a system deployed this month in Rwanda is saving people a lot of money while delivering hospital-quality water.
"A half-liter bottle (of water) costs them 38 cents," he said. "Our system sells them 20 liters of water for six cents."
That's more than a 99 percent cost reduction.
The Ekocenters are modified shipping containers or similar-sized structures housing what's described as a "downtown in a box."
"They have solar power to provide lights so kids can study after dark or even play soccer under the lights," Hogan said. "And (internet) connectivity is a huge benefit to these communities that don't have it. Imagine having young kids and having them not have the access that we have to the internet."
The centers sell some basic groceries and household products, along with Coca-Cola beverages. They offer other services, too, such as storing vaccines and charging cell phones.