Solutions
We make sure you have enough water to ensure a successful harvest. And for much more.
Hand on Water is a plant manufacturer with its own technology.
In the global desalination market, state megaprojects and large private engineering firms dominate.
Governments operate centralised and energy intensive plants such as RO or thermal systems.
Private companies design and build these plants on behalf of public utilities. These projects are technically complex, expensive and difficult to maintain.
HOW does not belong to any of these groups. Our systems operate in a decentralised way and work with almost no grey energy and without highly specialised technology.
They can be operated locally and repaired with simple means. This allows HOW to reach regions where classical desalination is not used.
Our solutions are suitable for agriculture, communities and coastal regions and also work where no infrastructure exists.
We primarily develop and build decentralized water systems for agriculture. Our modules produce up to 10 m³ of freshwater per day, sufficient to irrigate 1 hectare of farmland. The system size can be adjusted at any time.
Our systems use proprietary PV-based evaporation technology and deliver the produced water directly to the plants. The process operates without membranes, without high pressure and without complex industrial thermal systems.
Seawater is distributed using simple pumping technology, locally heated and evaporated in a controlled way. This produces two usable products: freshwater for irrigation and salt, which is automatically separated and can be further processed if desired.
The systems consist of modular lines that can be combined as needed. This makes it easy to scale areas and performance; from small plots to extensive agricultural land.
Our solutions are aimed primarily at agricultural operations, since around 70 percent of global freshwater consumption goes to agriculture.
At the same time, our systems are suitable for communities and coastal regions, industrial applications (about 20 percent of global consumption), as well as urban areas and nature reserves.
Hand on Water thus covers all three central areas of water use: agriculture, urban supply and natural ecosystems.
Future use in inland regions is planned.
We train local personnel so that the entire operation can run without external specialists.
Cleaning, maintenance and simple repairs can be carried out using tools that are available everywhere.
The technical complexity of our systems is comparable to that of a simple automobile. Workshops and experienced mechanics exist almost everywhere, and our system is no more complicated than what they repair on a daily basis.
We adapt every training program to the needs of the local users.
The water from our evaporation systems is pure because it is produced through evaporation and condensation. Technically, it is distilled water.
This water is ideal for irrigation, as it immediately absorbs minerals again when it comes into contact with soil. A small proportion of seawater can also be blended to keep the water softer and optimal for plants.
When drinking water is required, a small portion of the produced freshwater is remineralized. Natural minerals are added so the water meets common drinking water standards.
The main hurdle for drinking water is less about technology and more about regulatory approvals. Our water is high quality and can easily be further processed into table water.
Our primary focus is the reliable production of freshwater.
Drinking water treatment is an additional step that we integrate on request and only once the first system is running reliably in the field.
We continuously improve our systems and share new insights and enhancements with our customers. Knowledge transfer is very important to us. Our systems are modular and can be expanded or adapted to new requirements at any time.
When seawater evaporates, salt remains as a natural byproduct. This salt can be further processed and turned into various products depending on local needs and possibilities. Salt is a versatile raw material and can be used, among other things, for construction applications. Structures made from compacted salt can lower ambient temperatures and act as a natural climate zone in hot regions.
We support our customers in identifying suitable applications and market-ready forms of salt utilization. Every region has different needs, and we share the knowledge we gain in working with this valuable byproduct.
AI-generated preview of a possible large-scale plant for several tens of thousands of litres of fresh water per day.
The future needs all desalination technologies!