Global Water Labs

Worldwide, 200 million people are at risk of developing severe health effects by drinking groundwater with fluoride levels exceeding the World Health Organization’s maximum contaminant limit (WHO-MCL = 1.5 ppm F-). Although low fluoride levels can help reduce dental caries, exposure to higher levels causes mottled enamel and irreversible bone deformities (dental and skeletal fluorosis). Groundwater fluoride contamination is prevalent across arid regions of India, China, East African Rift Valley, Argentina, Middle East, and Mexico. Impoverished and resource-constrained communities lack access to safe drinking water because current defluoridation methods are not locally affordable, culturally acceptable, or easy to operate and maintain. In India alone, over 66 million children are at risk of becoming crippled because their only source of drinking water is contaminated with fluoride. Due to their stunted bone development, these children will be unable to walk, attend school, or complete daily tasks. Global Water Labs offers technical expertise to existing water providers (local NGOs, governments) seeking low-cost, community-scale defluoridation options. Our service helps water providers establish a supply chain and distribution network to process local bauxite, measure groundwater quality, and ensure fluoride concentrations in treated water remain below the target WHO-MCL (1.5 ppm F-).