PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WorldWater & Solar Technologies, Inc. (WWST), America’s longest continuing solar technology company, has joined forces with Los Padres Foundation and the University of Puerto Rico to provide continuous, clean water and power to some of those affected by the hurricanes this fall. A solar-driven Mobile MaxPure™ (MMP) Reverse Osmosis system will provide long-term benefits to the local people of Humacao while being used as a teaching instrument for the engineering students at the University campus there.
The MMP was acquired by Lillian and Edgar Rios of the Los Padres Foundation and granted to the University for an indeterminate period for use by the students and to provide drinking water for the public.
“Lillian and I along with the Los Padres Foundation are ecstatic with this opportunity to collaborate with both WWST and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) to bring clean drinking water to the people of Puerto Rico most impacted by these devastating hurricanes”, said Mr. Rios. “Moreover we are extremely pleased that this project will provide a learning opportunity in the solar engineering and water purification technology for the engineering students at the UPR”.
For more than 30 years, WWST has been providing solar and water solutions that save lives in countries around the world, according to Quentin T. Kelly, Chairman & CEO of WWST. The MMP Reverse Osmosis system, which can pump, desalinate and purify over 1 million gallons of water per year as well as provide reliable solar energy, was put in place on the Humacao campus near the eastern end of the island under the guidance of Interim Chancellor Enrique Suarez.
“This is ideal cooperation between the Rios family and Chancellor Suarez, providing clean water for the people but additionally giving hands-on training to students in solar engineering and water pumping and purification technology, “ Mr. Kelly said.
“The University of Puerto Rico at Humacao (UPRH) is extremely enthusiastic and ready to collaborate with Los Padres Foundation and World Water Solar Technologies (WWST) in this unprecedented project,” said Chancellor Suarez. “The students of Chemistry, Biology and Engineering will have the opportunity to help those people most affected by Hurricane Maria who still do not have drinking water services with the technology developed by WWST”.
David Hammes, WWST VP of Sales & Marketing, added, “WWST is considering opening operations in Puerto Rico to assemble and distribute solar-powered water purification and desalination systems throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. This would mean the creation of many jobs on the Island as well as providing water and power to the people”.
About WorldWater & Solar Technologies
Since 1984, WorldWater has provided viable solutions for solar electric power and water crises globally, including patented solar-powered systems that can provide electric power as well as pump hundreds of thousands of gallons per day from lakes, rivers and deep wells for irrigation and municipal water supply. The company also produces and installs standalone, portable water filtration technologies that convert sea water and up to 30,000 gallons of polluted fresh water into clean water per day for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
About the Los Padres Foundation
As part of the Puerto Rican Diaspora, Edgar Gonzalo Rios and Lillian Reyes Rios were born and raised in NYC. Their commitment to enhance the economic and social status of Puerto Rican/Latinos in the United States has never waivered. To this end, they founded the Los Padres Foundation, a non-profit organization, in 1995 with the mission of helping economically challenged Puerto Rican/Latino students residing in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas enjoy the same opportunities they had to pursue and complete their higher educational goals. Since the Rios’ began the foundation they have awarded over 700 grants and scholarships.
About the University of Puerto Rico Project
To carry out this project, the UPRH is developing a multidisciplinary internship program with the students so they can have practical experience during their professional development while they acquire an even greater life changing experience that is to help their fellow citizens when they need it.
This project also aims to become a self-sustainable university business with the purpose of generating institutional funds to help economically disadvantaged students and continue to collaborate with Los Padres Foundation in a gesture of reciprocity and gratitude for their humanitarian gesture with the students of the UPRH and the community in general of Puerto Rico.
