Water Backpack

After our activity in class on Monday when we personally experienced carrying water using different methods, it was very apparent that certain technologies are more efficient or simply put less strain on the person moving the water. Considering the challenge of designing methods to transport water, the WaterWear pack does a good job of carrying the water in a hygienic way that also may be used on any kind of terrain. It was developed by a partnership between Grief and Impact Economics. This product is an adjustable backpack made of a light weight yet durable material that has a protected spout and is easily able to be cleaned. The benefits of this backpack is that it may be worn two ways, either on the back or balanced on the head. A potential downside to the backpack is that it does not eliminate the burden as much as placing the weight on the head.  This pack is preferable to the traditional method of using any available container and placing it on the head because it may be fastened shut, unlike pots that do not have lids. Also, this option is very hygienic due to the fact that it is easy to clean, and it has a protected spout that cannot get dirt in it during the time that it is being transported. Furthermore, the design allows the person carrying it to walk across any kind of terrain, which is a major down set of the Hipporoller, which also would accumulate more dirt because it is dragged across the ground. I imagine that the specially woven material the the backpack is made of is not cheap'however, I imagine that it is more cost effective than the melting process that the Hipporoller requires. If I had $10,000 to spend to address water issues, I would possibly combine the idea of a backpack and the strap that rests on the top of the head to ease the strain of the load. That way, the back and shoulders would not experience the typical brunt of heavy weight of a backpack, which is another downside to this technology.