Ideas worth spreading

Meet the Water Canary

461,261 views | Sonaar Luthra • TEDGlobal 2011

After a crisis, how can we tell if water is safe to drink? Current tests are slow and complex, and the delay can be deadly, as in the cholera outbreak after Haiti's earthquake in 2010. TED Fellow Sonaar Luthra previews his design for a simple tool that quickly tests water for safety -- the Water Canary.

After a crisis, how can we tell if water is safe to drink? Current tests are slow and complex, and the delay can be deadly, as in the cholera outbreak after Haiti's earthquake in 2010. TED Fellow Sonaar Luthra previews his design for a simple tool that quickly tests water for safety -- the Water Canary.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Sonaar Luthra

Water risk forecaster

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TED Senior Fellow Sonaar Luthra is measuring climate-related water risk and implementing solutions for organizations and communities facing 21st-century water security challenges.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.