Prof Trevelyan develops new water distribution tech

ISLAMABAD: An Australian engineer Professor James Trevelyan, inventor of Close Comfort energy-saving air conditioners, has been awarded West Australian of the Year (Professions) for 2018.

The professor is married to a Pakistani intellectual Ms. Samina Yasmeen, daughter of late Begum Sarfraz Iqbal, had earlier achieved international distinction developing sheep shearing robots and landmine clearance methods, as well as for his teaching.

He speaks passionately to inspire engineers to help alleviate poverty. The hardworking, Professor Trevelyan has also developed new water distribution technology that could help in overcoming Pakistan’s acute difficulties providing safe drinking water to homes and work places. In his acceptance speech he explained how the real economic cost of safe water for billions of people in South Asia and elsewhere is Rs3,000 – 10,000 per kilolitre (220 gallons), compared with Rs300 in Australia. A vast number of people struggle to get enough to survive.

Professor James Trevelyan has said that safe drinking water has to be carried and treated because piped water is unsafe or unavailable. He maintained that piped water utilities are failing in Pakistan and throughout the developing world. Many are forced to drink contaminated water with catastrophic health and economic consequences.