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Hundreds of elementary school students in remote parts of South Africa lack access to clean water and safe sanitation. Many rely on dangerous pit or chemical toilets, especially in areas where water is scarce.

Researchers at the University of South Florida are changing that.

Led by Dr. Daniel Yeh, university researchers developed the NEWgenerator, a solar-powered sanitation system that operates completely off-grid. Instead of wasting resources, this technology safely recovers water, nutrients, and energy from human wastewater.

NEWgenerator uses naturally occurring microbes to break down waste and capture what traditional systems discard. Clean water can be reused for irrigation or toilet flushing. Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus can be harvested as fertilizer. The system even produces methane gas, making the entire process net energy positive.

To help this research reach the people who needed it most, the University of South Florida’s Technology Transfer Office worked with inventors and partners to secure intellectual property protection and negotiate non-exclusive licenses. These agreements made it possible to deploy the technology globally in partnership with organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

With support from the Gates Foundation’s Reinvented Toilet program, NEWgenerators were installed in Durban, South Africa, providing sanitation facilities with toilets, sinks, and showers. The system recycles water for reuse and captures nutrients to support local community gardens, helping address both sanitation and food security.

Since entering production, the NEWgenerator has been redesigned to reduce costs and use locally sourced materials, making it adaptable for communities around the world. The technology has also gained recognition from organizations including the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which awarded the team a Patents for Humanity Award.

This is how university research becomes real-world impact, improving health, dignity, and quality of life for communities worldwide.

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