In 1984, Aftim Acra, Professor at the American University of Beirut (Lebanon), discovered that exposing water to the sunlight decreased the number of microorganisms (see publication). This became the starting point for the development of solar water disinfection.

In the 90’s, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), in collaboration with the Water and Environmental Sanitation Center (CASA) of the San Simón University in Cochabamba (Bolivia), implemented demonstration projects on the SODIS technology, with a view of evaluating the degree of acceptance by families.

It was concluded that there was an outstanding acceptance of SODIS technology in both rural and urban populations and a high demand for the technology from important institutions. This resulted in the creation of the  SODIS Foundation all over Latin America from October 2000. Thousands of families from Latin America and other regions have started using SODIS ever since, and the results are significant.

We are now in phase 2007-2010, the aim of which is to bring safe drinking water to a million Latin American people.