SkyJuice Foundation Wins the 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Water Category

SkyJuice Foundation, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to revolutionising access to clean drinking water based in Sydney, Australia, has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Water category. This award recognises the foundation’s innovative approach to providing sustainable, decentralised safe water solutions to underserved communities around the globe.

The foundation’s flagship technology, the SkyHydrant, is a passive ultrafiltration system that delivers safe, affordable drinking water without the need for power or chemicals. Designed for deployment in even the most remote and challenging locations, the system can produce up to 15,000 litres of clean water per day from almost any non-saline source. With a proven track record of success in over 74 countries, SkyHydrant exemplifies the transformative potential of decentralised, low-cost solutions to address the global water crisis.

Dr. Lamya Fawwaz, Director of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, commended SkyJuice Foundation for its impact, stating: “SkyJuice Foundation’s innovative approach to providing safe drinking water has made a measurable difference in the lives of underserved communities. Their ability to deliver scalable, sustainable solutions aligns with the Prize’s mission to catalyse progress and improve livelihoods globally.”

Rhett Butler, Founder and Chairman of SkyJuice Foundation, expressed his gratitude for the recognition: “Lack of safe drinking water equates to entrenched poverty. Access to safe water is a basic human right and can be resolved. Winning the Zayed Sustainability Prize is a powerful validation of our work and will inspire us to expand our efforts to ensure no community is left behind in the journey to achieving SDG6.”

SkyJuice Foundation’s SkyHydrant technology has redefined water accessibility by breaking the “water equals poverty” paradigm. It is designed to handle poor-quality, high-turbidity, and pathogen-laden feedwaters, consistently producing potable water with negligible operational costs. Each unit, with a lifespan of over 10 years, costs less than 1 cent per 100 litres, making it an economically viable solution for low-income communities.

The US $1 million Prize fund will enable SkyJuice Foundation to scale its efforts through the deployment of SkyHydrant and SkyTower solutions in schools, hospitals, and vulnerable communities worldwide. The foundation also plans to implement urgent installations in displaced persons’ camps and marginalised regions, showcasing the potential of decentralised water solutions to address global humanitarian challenges.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize, a tribute to the visionary legacy of the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, stands as a beacon of hope and progress for sustainable development. This prestigious award honours and empowers those who are driving transformative change across the categories of Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools.

Each year, the Prize rewards organisations and high schools for their groundbreaking solutions, fostering innovation on global challenges. Over the past 17 years, through its 128 winners, the Prize has positively impacted 407 million lives worldwide. By recognising these innovators, the Zayed Sustainability Prize inspires countless others to amplify their efforts, creating a positive ripple effect.

About the Zayed Sustainability Prize

The Zayed Sustainability Prize is the UAE’s pioneering award for innovative solutions to global challenges. A tribute to the legacy and vision of the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Prize aims to drive sustainable development worldwide.

Each year, across the Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools categories, the Prize rewards organizations and high schools for their groundbreaking solutions to our planet’s most pressing needs.

Through its 117 winners over 17 years, the Prize has positively impacted more than 400 million lives globally, inspiring innovators to amplify their impact and chart a sustainable future for all.