• Orisa, a "smaller and more practical" water purifier, has been presented since Thursday at the Made in France show.

  • Initially designed for people affected by natural disasters or wars, the object is now of interest to the general public, worried about possible shortages.

He weighs 2 kg, measures 42 cm, and has big ambitions.

Orisa, a water purifier, is one of the objects presented at the Made in France show (from Thursday to Sunday at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris), to the delight of David Monnier.

At 53, this former humanitarian official never imagined that his invention would be so successful, abroad but also in France for a few months.

“This summer, with concerns about the drought, requests from individuals have multiplied, says the co-founder (with Anthony Cailleau) of the start-up Fonto de Vivo, located in Nantes.

People from all over called us, a few survivalists of course, but also a lot of "Mr. and Mrs. Everybody" who wanted to equip themselves in the event of a water cut.

We thought we would sell a few hundred, we sold a thousand [at a price of 250 euros]!

And it continues.

»

Five years ago, it was initially to help people who were victims of natural disasters or wars that Orisa was created.

After a mission in Haiti, affected by an earthquake, David Monnier is looking for an alternative to these "too big and imperfect" devices to allow true universal access to drinking water for families, even the most remote, in complete autonomy.

From there is born this "smaller and more practical" water purifier, which has the capacity to immediately treat fresh surface water, taken from a river or a well, thanks to a pumping system, ultrafiltration membrane and integrated backwash.

“Before having to change the membrane will take several years, during which we can produce 20,000 liters of drinking water.

Drinkable within the meaning of the WHO, which gave us the best rating in this area", specifies David Monnier, who confides that he himself drinks water from the Loire or the Sèvre without any problem, once it has passed through the machine. .



Having a purifier “can make sense”

If the object eliminates bacteria and viruses, but not (yet) salts or chemistry, some 15,000 purifiers have already been sent to the four corners of the world, via NGO clients including the main one, Doctors Without Borders.

And with this unexpected new private market, the six-employee start-up wants to see further, with the preparation of a second fundraiser.

"As we equip ourselves with a fire extinguisher, or snow chains for our car, people are starting to think that it might make sense to have a water purifier at home," observes David Monnier.

In case of shortages, as some villages in France have experienced, it is reassuring to say that you can go and help yourself in the river or the river near your home.

»

Fonto de Vivo, which has its machine parts manufactured in Vendée and Brittany, is now looking for an industrialist to work with.

For the moment only available online on its site, Orisa should soon be available on various marketplaces and why not, in a second phase, in stores.

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  • Planet

  • Nantes

  • Pays de la Loire

  • Drought

  • Made in France

  • Humanitarian aid