UBC’s Paul Onkundi Nyangaresi wins Mitacs Innovation Award for clean water breakthrough

UBC postdoctoral researcher Paul Onkundi Nyangaresi has earned a Mitacs Innovation Award in the Inclusive Innovator of the Year category. The honour recognizes achievements that promote social inclusion, incorporate diverse perspectives, and prioritize accessibility.

An environmental engineer and electronic science technologist, Nyangaresi is one of eight winners celebrated for creating a first-of-its-kind rainwater disinfection system. It was designed with UV LED technology to remove particles and a filtration system that uses sand to eliminate disease-causing microorganisms. This method offered a simple, low-cost, and effective solution to provide clean water — particularly in rural areas — considering that alternatives that rely on chlorine are costly and UV mercury lamps have high energy demands, short lifespans, and environmental risks.