In 2023, Zip Water partnered with SOURCE utilizing Zip Water’s tap solutions together with SOURCE HydroPanels to deliver clean, sustainable drinking water to remote and regional communities. By focusing on this impactful program, Zip is not only addressing water reliability challenges but also empowering communities in Australia with innovative, renewable technology that eliminates single-use plastics. This partnership allows Zip to bring our core values—sustainability, innovation, and purposeful hydration—to life, creating meaningful change where it’s needed most.
The Result:
In this project, Zip and SOURCE delivered a solution to support clean, safe drinking water in a remote location with limited water access, reducing reliance on single‑use plastic bottles. The collaboration began with the installation of 10 SOURCE HydroPanels and 2 Zip Water Chillers at Goodooga Central School, a small, remote school in New South Wales. Located just under 500 miles from Sydney, Australia and home to a tight-knit community of just 247 residents, the school now has access to a renewable supply of clean drinking water, addressing a critical need in a region often challenged by unreliable water infrastructure.
The SOURCE Hydropanel technology works by drawing water vapor from the air using rotating fans and a water-absorbing material. Sunlight then condenses the vapor into liquid water, which is mineralized with calcium and magnesium before flowing into the drinking system. At Goodooga Central School, the panels are producing 18,000 liters (roughly 4,755 gallons) of fresh, clean water each year, providing students and staff with a reliable, sustainable hydration source. This technology not only meets immediate needs but also has a significant long-term impact—eliminating the potential for over 500,000 single-use plastic bottles during the Hydropanels’ 15-year lifespan.
The project represents more than just access to clean water. It provides an opportunity for students to learn about sustainability, renewable energy, and the water cycle by engaging with the Hydropanel technology in their own schoolyard. This strategic partnership underscores our shared commitment to environmental responsibility and purposeful hydration, with a vision to support rural and remote communities in need. Following the success at Goodooga, Zip Water was able to expand this initiative with a project at Alcoota School in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Alcoota has faced longstanding challenges with its drinking water, particularly high calcium levels in the local supply. To help address this, the team installed 10 SOURCE HydroPanels, now providing safe drinking water to 30 students and more than 260 people across the wider community.
Learn more about the Alcoota project with the video below.
