National Energy Globe Award given to Water Missions International

Charleston, S.C.-based safe water nonprofit recognized for sustainable solar-powered safe water solution in Malawi.

Charleston, S.C. (June 6, 2013) – Yesterday, Water Missions International (WMI) was honored with the national Energy Globe Award for Malawi for a safe water project in the community of Chisanja. The Energy Globe Award is a prestigious environmental award given to projects that focus on energy efficiency, renewable energies and resource conservation, and the national award recognizes these project achievements in a particular country. Founded by Wolfgang Neumann, Austrian energy pioneer, the goal is to present successful sustainable projects to a broad audience, as many environmental issues already have feasible solutions.


Installed in 2011, WMI's customized safe water solution for Chisanja utilizes solar power to provide safe water that is free of microbiological contaminants for more than 1,200 community members.

The project features numerous innovative aspects, including:
• A hands free automated system made possible by solar panels directly wired to solar photovoltaic pumps, allowing the pumps to function whenever the sun shines. This negates the need for batteries, charge controllers, inverters and other similar items that require maintenance.
• SMS-automated remote data monitoring that enables real-time monitoring of water meters, facilitating prompt response in the event of problems or irregularities.
• A WMI proprietary erosion chlorination system to provide residual disinfection through a user-friendly, powerless and cost-effective platform.

Project sustainability is also achieved through the following features:
• Ongoing and cost-effective operation by community members, following thorough training by WMI staff.
• An environmental impact of zero emissions from system operation, made possible through solar energy.
• Minimal required maintenance with robust design and exclusive use of high quality technological components.

"In order to be truly effective - and sustainable - our safe water solutions must address the needs of the community through a process that has a low environmental impact," said George C. Greene III, PhD, PE, co-founder and CEO of Water Missions International. "This can only be achieved through the relationships we have formed with state-of-the-art solar and water equipment providers. Together we are able to equip communities around the world with sustainable access to safe, healthy drinking water through environmentally friendly technology."

SolarWorld AG, the leading European solar company, worked closely with Water Missions International to ensure that the proposed engineering solution for the project was optimized with the highest level of efficiency. While the national Energy Globe Award for Malawi was presented to Water Missions International, it would not have been possible without assistance from SolarWorld AG.

"We are delighted we could participate in Water Missions International's award-winning project in Chisanja, Malawi through their use of our solar panels in a significant manner," said Dr.-Ing. E.h. Frank Asbeck, CEO of SolarWorld AG. "The project shows the great benefit of locally produced solar energy for the improvement of living conditions, especially in regions without electric power supply. It is our vision to enable the provision of environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy in all parts of the world. SolarWorld congratulates Water Missions International for receiving the national Energy Globe Award for Malawi."

To learn more about the Energy Globe Award and Water Missions International's award-winning project in Malawi, please visit www.energyglobe.info.

About Water Missions International

Water Missions International is a nonprofit Christian engineering organization providing sustainable safe water and sanitation solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas. Using state-of-the-art technology and engineering expertise, the organization has provided access to safe water for more than 2.4 million people in 49 countries on five continents since 2001. Water Missions International implements customized solutions through a comprehensive community development model in its nine permanent country programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Notably, Charity Navigator has awarded Water Missions International their top rating six years in a row, a distinction shared by only three percent of the charities rated by the organization. To learn more about Water Missions International, visit www.watermissions.org.

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