Moerk Water Solutions was delighted to host a water technology demonstration for Federal Member for Curtin and former Foreign Affairs Minister, the Hon. Julie Bishop MP at City Beach, Western Australia on Thursday 15 November 2018.
Ms Bishop was welcomed by Moerk Water Solutions Director Martin Brezger and International Business Director Barbara Brezger to learn about Moerk Water’s seven years of dedication to bringing fresh water to remote communities, schools and hospitals with their simplified solar powered desalination technology.
“Our vision for Moerk Water Solution’s technology is to provide and bring simplified technology to the Pacific-Indo Region, to train the local people and to equip and strengthen the communities”Mrs Bregzer said.
International Student, Robert Iromelafo, led the demonstration of Moerk Water’s portable solar powered desalination unit, designed to transport as airplane luggage for emergency response and provided Ms Bishop with freshly desalinated water to taste.
Mr Iromelafo who is studying water quality and treatment, told Ms Bishop about the importance of bringing the technology and knowledge gained from doing his master degree thesis with Moerk Water back to his home country, the Solomon Islands.
“The ground water and aquifers are no longer safe to drink with salinity intrusion and without access to reliable energy, we need this stand-alone technology to treat it” Mr Iromelafo said.
“This simple unit is perfectly relevant to my country that’s why I have studied and bring it back to my country and improve and change the life of people who live in my country. From that they will increase their human resources because more children will end up in school and no longer have the struggle of water”.
Ms Bishop was impressed by Moerk Water Solution’s innovative technology and efforts to train and equip international students with the knowledge to bring the water provision technology back to their home countries.
“Clean water, clean drinking water and sanitation are necessities of life, water is a fundamental resource and the UN Sustainable Development Goal number 6 aims for access for ALL to water and sanitation, that’s how important it is in underpinning sustainable communities and the reduction of poverty” Ms Bishop said.
“When Barbara and Martin told me about this technology, I was very keen to see it and I can envisage how this system deployed throughout the Pacific, East Africa, the Indian Ocean will change lives.”
“It’s so important for our region to be sustainable but we need to use the latest technology and innovations and the creative thinking of people like Martin and now Robert who is doing his masters here to bring this to a reality.”
“I want to acknowledge the students here today from Solomon Islands, Germany, Indonesia Fiji, India, Iran, Nepal and representatives from Curtin and Murdoch Universities. This type of partnership will transform lives by giving people an opportunity for a livelihood and a better standard of living, so congratulations to the team.”
“I look forward to hearing about the success of the rolling out of the Moerk Water treatment solution and ensuring our region has access to clean water.”
Professor Martin Anda, Academic Chair of Environmental Engineering spoke on how the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), New Colombo Plan Grant, initiated by Ms Bishop has provided students with invaluable opportunities to travel to Indonesia and introduce this technology to remote communities. Prof. Anda brought along international Students from Fiji, India, Iran, Indonesia, Nepal who are all conducting research on water engineering and hold interest in Moerk Water’s technology.
Tom Wheeler, Surfrider Foundation Perth President, WA Water Awards student water prize winner and Murdoch student addressed Ms Bishop on a partnership with Surfrider Foundation Australia, Bottle for Botol and Moerk Water Solutions. The partnership recently applied for the DFAT Friendship Grant with a project that aims to reduce single-use plastic and install Moerk Water’s technology in Nusa Lembongan, Bali.
“By partnering with Moerk Water Solution we have come up with a solution of using these solar power desalination units and providing reusable water bottles to eliminate single use plastic at the source whilst providing a sustainable water supply to the community” Mr Wheeler said.
Moerk Water have provided a reliable drinking water source to over 15,000 people with a variety of solar-powered desalination units and have trained local people to operate and maintain the units.
Moerk Water plan to continue implementing the technology in remote communities and farmlands in Australia and the Indo-Pacific Region.
Moerk Water Solutions would like to thank Hon. Julie Bishop MP, speakers and guests from Curtin University, Murdoch University, and WA Australian Water Association for attending and taking part in this event.
