Energy, Utilities & Water August 29, 2022 3:05:30 pm

Virridy, CU partners on water initiatives in Africa

By BizWest Staff

BOULDER — Virridy, a Boulder-based water-supply monitoring company that’s a trade name for SweetSense Inc., is partnering with the University of Colorado and nonprofit organization Millennium Water Alliance on an initiative to help secure access to drinking water for people living in parts of the world impacted by climate change.

“Under the partnership, the three organizations are combining water monitoring technologies with expertise in carbon finance and water supply services to break down the barriers to reliable water supplies,” the company said in a news release. “The partnership is already supporting millions of people’s water supplies in Ethiopia and Kenya, with plans to rapidly expand over the next 12 months.”

According to Virridy, communities in east Africa are often unable to afford upkeep on water pumps installed by international aid organizations.

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“The Mortenson Center in Global Engineering and Resilience at the University of Colorado Boulder, the Millennium Water Alliance, and Virridy have come together to eliminate this funding challenge and deliver consistent water supplies beginning in rural communities in Ethiopia and Kenya,” the release said. “The partnership combines the University of Colorado Boulder’s specialization in methods, tools, and evaluations to improve water services, Virridy’s technologies and climate finance business model, and MWA’s on-the-ground partnerships with water service providers and communities in Kenya and Ethiopia.”

In June, Virridy closed on a $5.5 million Series A fundraising round to accelerate the development of “satellite-connected sensors for managing water, energy, and agricultural resources,” the company said at the time.

“Partnering with organizations including the National Science Foundation, USAID, the World Bank, NASA, the Millennium Water Alliance, and Swarm Technologies, Virridy is monitoring the water supply of more than four million people to help maintain consistent supplies,” the release said. “In Kenya and Ethiopia, Virridy’s low-cost, satellite-linked sensors monitor water boreholes, enabling government agencies responsible for maintenance to effectively deploy resources to minimize borehole downtime to ensure communities have consistent access to well water for livestock and crops.”