Water resources are becoming scare, according to the World Water Council, with 1.1 billion people lacking access to safe drinking water. Water.org reports that 3.575 million people die each year from a water-related disease. These figures point to the urgent need for clean water around the globe.
One source of help comes in the form of the PackH20 backpack, manufactured in Turkey and made by Greif, in development with Impact Economics. Made of a flexible polyethylene with a replaceable PET inner liner that may be purchased separately, some 3,000 backpacks are being used in Haiti, 1,000 in Guatemala, and 500 in Kenya and Uganda. The 1/5-in.-thick packs replace simple jerrycans and buckets that may have previously been used for gasoline or chemicals.
PackH2O is tough and resistant to puncture from sharp objects that can be encountered during the handling, storage, and water transport of the backpack. PackH2O is designed to transport 5 gallons or 20 liters of water. Women and children in developing nations carry household water an average of 3.5 miles/day. The PackH2O backpack shifts the weight of the water to the shoulders, relieving the pressure on the head and spine.
