In 2019, Moerk Water staff travelled to Kerala, India to deliver training courses in solar powered desalination through the Carmel College of Engineering and Technology. Also on this trip, Moerk Water staff travelled to coastal communities in southern India to demonstrate the Moerk Water solar powered seawater desalination system. The portable seawater system produces 30 L/hr of drinking water from most feedwater sources and can be operated using flexible solar panels which are easily transported along with the machine in a handy carry case.
Moerk Water staff were joined on this trip by Murdoch University students who were funded through the New Colombo Plan (a DFAT funded scholarship program which improves knowledge exchange through flexible mobility grants).
In the 5 years since the outreach program’s end, the Murdoch University students who travelled around Southern India with Moerk Water have continued their careers in Engineering. Moerk Water recently caught up with two of these students: Ramon Skåne and Jarrad Allery.
Late last year at the Australian Water Association Award Night, Moerk Water founders Martin and Barbara Brezger caught up with Ramon for the first time since the trip to Southern India and some of the first words he said to them were “You both changed my life”.
Ramon went on to explain how the trip to India had impacted his life: “I saw, with my own eyes, that the work I was doing had real world applications and a direct impact in making the world a better place. Work was changed with what I am doing. From then on, I have been consistently inspired and motivated to continue similar work in creating meaningful engineering solutions to make the world a better place, especially in the environmental engineering, circular economy and sustainability spaces. The experience with Moerk Water changed my life and career for the better; it opened my eyes to so many issues that need to be solved and can be solved with the right amount of passion, hard work, technology and good communication between all parties involved in addressing the problem.”
“I am extremely thankful for being exposed to the opportunity to have worked with you along with your passion and the genuine love you both have for your craft and all that you are do in your work; it’s been an indelible source of inspiration for me. The 2019 India experience with Moerk was a massive turning point for my thinking for my career and changed my life and career for the better”
Another Murdoch University trainer, Jarrad, had this to say about the Moerk Water trip to South India: “During this time, my eyes were opened to the privileges that are offered in Australia, particularly in regard to potable water. Although there is an abundance of water in Southern India, it is sparsely clean or safe to drink. That trip has since steered my career choices in the way that I prefer my energy be spent toward objectives that can drive real, positive change through the implementation of sustainable solutions, similar to the objectives of Moerk Water.”
Moerk Water continues to run capacity building and training programs across the Asia-Pacific region as the only way to provide long term, sustainable water is through local training and empowerment. Click here to find out more about the South Indian training program
