In conjunction with World Water Day, Kohler and Caltech are looking toward the next milestone of a more than two-year collaborative journey two-year collaborative journey in the development of a photovoltaic toilet as part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
This next stage of the project takes the team and its two toilet units from California to Delhi, India, for the Reinvent the Toilet Fair – a showcase of the projects funded through the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. The system includes a self-contained water purification and disinfection system that allows water to be reused and does not require wastewater disposal.
“Global sanitation is an issue that needs to be addressed, and we are proud to be a part of what the Gates Foundation is doing to increase awareness and inspire solutions,” said Rob Zimmerman, sustainability manager for Kohler Co. “Regardless of the technology developed, cultural acceptance of the solution is the key to its success. We put a lot of time and thought into how to best achieve that.”
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation started their Reinvent the Toilet Challenge in 2011 with the intent of funding projects to address health and sanitation issues in the developing world. The program was created to design toilets that capture and process human waste without piped water, sewer or electrical connections and transform waste into useful resources, such as energy and water, at an affordable price.
