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Climate change and population growth are already driving shortages across the world. WOTA, a Japanese start-up, wants to improve water security for everyone, everywhere. By improving circulation and reducing waste, it can ease global water stress.
Founded in 2014, WOTA’s unique water recycling system turns more than 98 percent of wastewater into fresh water. A fraction of the size of a typical water treatment plant, WOTA BOX is over 50 times more efficient and can be delivered at scale. Plus, installation requires no existing infrastructure.
The result means less wastewater pollution in lakes, rivers and other freshwater ecosystems, as well as reduced water scarcity in times of drought. The only invention of its kind, WOTA BOX could change the world.
It has already had an enormous impact. In Japan, between 2016 and 2020, more than 20,000 used the technology after floods, typhoons, and earthquakes cut off water supplies.
The company’s long term hope is to develop products that are lower cost than existing water infrastructure, so they can be reasonably implemented in any region, including developing countries. The WOTA team hopes to make its technology as common as power generators. If it succeeds, it could help save the world from a water stressed future.
In the time since becoming an Earthshot Prize Finalist, the team have enjoyed inbound requests from around the world, begun a new partnership with Antigua & Barbuda and are on track to launch pilot projects in multiple countries.
They are also in ongoing discussions with their home government in Japan about introducing WOTA to rural parts of the country, with some projects already underway this year.
Since becoming a Finalist, WOTA BOX have continued to grow, with Millions of people in Japan now using WOTA BOX + WOSH to wash their hands or take showers.
Global Alliance member Herbert Smith Freehills has provided legal support to WOTA to set up a memorandum of understanding with Antigua and Barbuda where they have set up a pilot project. Arup is also helping WOTA develop a deeper understanding of water issues globally.
WOTA is exploring opportunities to deploy its new water recycling system in the US, UK and Australia. It has secured funding in three municipalities in rural Japan to build its first test cases.
By the end of 2023 more than 2.9 million people in Japan had used WOTA BOX + WOSH to wash their hands or take showers.
Download our 2024 Impact Report and dive into the details of what our global community has achieved to date.
