Ex-military couple fights water insecurity by turning air into clean drinking water

An innovative Qld couple who witnessed water insecurity at its worst in overseas tours, has come up with an incredible solution for the nearly eight percent of Aussies facing the same problem.

Aqua Ubique, owned by veteran husband and wife Shannon and Dannii Lemanksi, took out the award for Biosphere Business of the Year at the Sunshine Coast Biosphere Community Awards.

An innovative Sunshine Coast couple is fighting water insecurity by turning the air around them into clean drinking water.

Shannon Lemanski, 34, and Danni Lemanski, 44, founded Aqua Ubique to help support the two million Australians who don’t have access to safe drinking water.

Both military veterans, Mr Lemanski said his army service inspired him to take action against water insecurity.

While stationed in Papua New Guinea, and later Townsville, in the 2010s, Mr Lemanski noticed a lot of drinking water going to waste.

Military contingents were stationed in areas without safe tap water, so they had to drink from plastic water bottles.

If that bottled water expired, it had to be thrown away rather than given to locals who would take them.

In 2022, Mr Lemanski was leaving the army and he “came across atmospheric water generation”.

“I knew it could be life-changing,” he said.

“Almost eight per cent of our population… don’t have water that’s safe to drink.”

“You’d be forgiven for thinking these are regional and remote communities… but the closest community is Cherbourg, which is less than three hours from [the Sunshine Coast].”

Aqua Ubique's MG10: Business Buddy is a cutting-edge water solution that harnesses innovation to provide sustainable water for a better future.

For almost two years, Aqua Ubique has been developing and installing water coolers that draw in air, condense the air’s humidity, and turn it into drinking water.

Run solely by the Lemanskis, the organisation is trying to install their machines everywhere they possibly can.

“The product that was launched to market replaces office water coolers,” Mr Lemanski said.

“What we’re doing now is called ‘drop for drop’, where, for every five office water coolers, we install and support one in a remote community like Cherbourg.”

The Lemanskis were recently honoured for their work, winning Biosphere Business of the Year at the Sunshine Coast Biosphere Community Awards.

“The recognition of the hard work is amazing,” Mrs Lemanski said.

“But it’s not as much about appreciation as it is just getting the message out.”

Originally published as Ex-military couple fights water insecurity by turning air into clean drinking water