Aqua Research’s Impact Award from the 2025 Technology Innovation Showcase

Aqua Research was honored to be named one of the 2025 Technology Innovation Showcase  Winners at UNC’s Water & Health Conference! Our recent deployment of 200 STREAM systems to Ghana — made possible by our relationships with PATH and the Ghana Ministry of Health — will soon be helping to reduce healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) across the country.

Many medical facilities in developing nations contend with chlorine shortages and poor quality chlorine. Facilities studied by PATH faced chlorine stockouts between 25 to 132 days per year — that’s up to one-third of the year with no access to disinfecting and sanitizing solutions. These shortages occur because of supply chain issues, forecasting challenges, and budget constraints.  Even when chlorine is available, it is often significantly degraded. Ten out of twelve sites studied in Ghana were using chlorine that was below the advertised concentration. Inconsistent chlorine concentrations make proper dilution impossible for cleaning staff.

Without access to high-quality disinfectant, infection rates can run rampant. The risk of healthcare-acquired infection is two to twenty times higher in low- and middle-income countries than in developed nations. HAIs cause 25% of hospital-treated sepsis, and one in four of those infected will die. Even if victims survive, they often suffer long-term health consequences. The cost of HAIs is massive — up to 2.9% of GDP in some countries. Research shows that consistent access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), coupled with proper infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, can reduce HAIs by 35% to 70%.

Making chlorine with STREAM disinfectant generators

PATH has studied the use of Aqua Research’s portable STREAM disinfectant generators for multiple years in Ghana, Uganda, and Ethiopia. The STREAM disinfectant generator uses common salt, water, and power to generate a 0.5% chlorine solution on demand, eliminating both supply chain issues and degradation associated with commercial chlorine. The STREAM systems use 110 or 220 VAC wall power or can run off of 12 VDC power, using solar panels or a car battery.

PATH’s research showed that the STREAM systems eliminated chlorine stockouts in medical facilities. The systems showed high reliability over the long term, with any needed repairs quickly accomplished by healthcare cleaning crews or field technicians. The STREAM systems generated chlorine at a steady concentration of 0.5% (± 500 mg/L), as required by the World Health Organization (WHO) for highly-contaminated medical settings. Once chlorine disinfectant became readily available with the STREAM system, over half of facilities began producing more chlorine than pre-pilot. In addition, health centers and district hospitals saved 64% to 83% in operating costs, even with a five-year capital cost amortization of the equipment. Dr. Hamidu Abdulai, Director of Pharmacy at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, states “Nurses, doctors, and cleaners have attested to the STREAM’s potency, effectiveness, and convenience.”

Maintaining the STREAM disinfectant generator

PATH estimates that if 50% of facilities in Ghana adopted the STREAM system, there would be an 11% reduction in infection, over a 13% reduction in mortality, and an 11% reduction in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure of the overall burden of disease on a population. The overall cost impact of these figures would result in annual savings of $2.3 million.

PATH’s studies were followed closely by the Ghana Ministry of Health, ultimately leading to national approval of the STREAM disinfectant generator. In mid 2025, the Ghana Ministry of Health issued a purchase requisition for a total of 400 STREAM disinfectant generators. Aqua Research has built and shipped the first 200 units, and the contractor is preparing to train recipients. After the first 200 units are installed, the second half of the order will be issued. Aqua Research is proud to contribute to the eradication of disease around the world via on-site generation of chlorine.

Unloading newly shipped STREAM disinfectant generators