A Pipe Dream? The Efficacy of Point of Use Water Systems Policy dialogue

1. A Pipe Dream? The Efficacy of Point of Use Water Systems Policy dialogue

2. Technological solutions from a research perspective TG Barnard Water and Health Research Centre

3. HISTORY OF WHRC • Established in 2004 – Prof Paul Jagals • Since 2008 – Dr TG Barnard • Originally known as the “Water and Health Research Unit” • Now known as the “Water and Health Research Centre” • Change in direction needed to answer demands from SA water sector

4. RESEARCH FOCUS: OLD VERSUS NEW • Original research focus • Inter-disciplinary research approach to establish the HESET risk assessment toolkit for evaluating water related studies • HESET = Health, economical, social, environmental, technology • Adapted research focus • Inter-disciplinary research approach using current expertise available in Faculty of Health Science • Initial main focus on developing advanced technology for water, stool and food samples for the presence of bacterial pathogens

5. RESEARCH AIMS Research aims: Detection of bacterial pathogens (qualitative and quantitative) Public perceptions regarding water, water treatment or water technology Commercialization of projects Commercialization of projects topic of presentation: Personal experiences with the design and commercialization process My views and experiences – not necessarily the same for all

6. OUR APPROACH TO COMMERCIALIZATION • Call for multi-disciplinary research to answer needs of country • Including sociologists or anthropologists • Next step include Industrial designer • University of Venda and University of Johannesburg project • Funded by Water Research Commission • Potters-for-Peace Ceramic Water Filter

7. OUR APPROACH TO COMMERCIALIZATION

8. OUR APPROACH TO COMMERCIALIZATION • What did we learn? • We need to link science with industrial design • Appointed Industrial designer in the Centre • Working with designer not always easy! • Different backgrounds makes communication difficult

9. THE DESIGN PROCESS

10. PRODUCTS SO FAR

11. HOW DO WE PROJECT OUR DESIGN? • Patenting or licencing? • Do not patent whole design • Patent small parts of the design • Our approach is determined by each product • Do we want to produce this? • Do we licence and “rent” our idea to industry?

12. HOW DO WE APPROACH OUR PRODUCTS? • What we want and we can do not the same? • Be realistic in what can be done • Need for prototyping • What type of method used to produce the product • Rotor moulding, injection moulding, rapid growing etc. • Looking at cost vs. quality vs. output • What do the community want? • Is it practical to produce and use? • Would they really want to use it? • Would you use your product?

13. HOW DO WE FUND OUR PRODUCTS? • Look at hidden design costs? • Different moulds can influence your cost • Produce in SA or China? • Decide what you want to do then look for funds • Look at projected actual costs? • Can people afford to buy it? • Can we make it more affordable? • Jay Bhagwan design approach

14. OUR PROBLEMS? • We have the ideas and designs but we are not business men • When applying for funds: • Business plan/model • Market survey etc. • This makes commercialization difficult!

15. FINAL THOUGHTS? • Get a good team together • Design what the affluent would want to buy but the poor need to use • Have fun with your project!

16. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Collaborators • University of Venda – Prof Natasha Potgieter • ERWAT and Rand Water • Funders • University of Johannesburg • Water Research Commission • National Research Foundation • University of Johannesburg • Prof Andre Swart • Industrial designers: Robin Robertson and Martin Bolton • WHRC lab personal and students

17. We drink tap water…. Do you?