Esteban Méndez

Mexican chemist who developed affordable water purification systems for rural communities

Dr. Esteban Méndez (1922-1970) invented the first portable water filtration system using locally available materials, drastically improving access to clean drinking water in Latin America. His Filtro de la Tierra device reduced cholera outbreaks by 80% in Mexican villages during the 1950s. Méndez' 1958 patent became the basis for WHO's Emergency Water Treatment Protocols.

His groundbreaking research <《Water as a Right》 argued for universal water access as a human right, influencing the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Méndez' legacy lives on through the Agua Vida Foundation, which has distributed over 5 million filters worldwide.