Clean Water Design Challenge

Challenge: Access to clean water is a critical global issue, with communities across AB and Canada facing challenges such as water scarcity and contamination. In this challenge, create a solution to help purify water from a particular natural source (e.g., river, lake, rainwater) to meet drinking water standards and/or support agricultural or industrial needs. 

Brainstorm and illustrate your idea of an effective prototype or process to efficiently purify water for a specific community using principles from biology and technology to address water contamination. 

Work through the beginning stages of the Design Thinking Process to rapid ideate a solution: 

• Empathize: Which community is challenged with contaminated water? How has/is the community affected by it? Is it a new or long-standing challenge?  
• Define: What are the key issues? How is this challenge currently been addressed? How has it been addressed in the past?  
• Ideate: Brainstorm a solution for one of the key issues. What is a possible solution? How will it improve the issue? Or support existing solutions? Consider: what are the options for purifying the water, and which of these options are or are not feasible and practical 
• Share: Submit an illustration of your solution in a PDF  – e.g. diagrams, sketches or digital model – and highlight the key components