Water purification device seeks backing for July launch

When the Albuquerque-based water purification company MIOX Corp. started selling a pen-sized water purifier in 2004 for outdoors people, Jonathan Carnett immediately bought one.

An avid hiker, Carnett still uses the device to get drinking water from streams. But now, he’s looking at a next-generation purifier – a three-ounce, palm-sized, battery-charged gadget that can treat five times as much water and costs significantly less.

“You can even charge it with a USB cord, or with a built-in solar charger,” Carnett said.

MIOX won’t be selling the device, called H2gO (pronounced H-to-go). Rather, original MIOX inventor Rodney Herrington will market it through his Aqua Research LLC, which licensed the technology from MIOX.

That’s because, after selling 230,000 original units through retail outlets such as REI and L.L. Bean, MIOX ceased production of the consumer device to focus on commercial and industrial-scale water purifiers, said Herrington, who was chief technology officer at MIOX.

“I invented the original (handheld) purifier at MIOX, but after they ceased production, my family and I decided to invest in it to further develop and market it,” Herrington said. “I’ve pursued a totally new design for it.”

Herrington is pursuing two avenues of funding. The company presented last week at the Technology Ventures’ Deal Stream Summit. He wants $1 million to begin production and start marketing in July to retail chains, government contractors for emergency responders, and distributors in third-world countries where lack of potable water is a huge problem.

He’s also raising $50,000 on IndieGoGo.com, a crowd-funding website where people can pre-order the H2gO for $55, or about 30 percent less than the $80 retail price. The original MIOX device sold for $140. Crowd funding began in mid-March. As of April 3, Aqua Research had raised $11,000.

“It’s reward-based funding where people can either pre-buy the product, or pay for one to be donated in the Third World,” Herrington said.

The H2gO can treat up to 300 liters of water with one battery charge.