Meet Nithya Tammana: The 11-year-old New Jersey inventor who built a sub-$38 moss filter that can remove up to 95% of lead from drinking water

Her invention, a low cost moss based filtration system priced at under $38, is designed to remove up to 95 percent of lead from water in testing. What if she could use this to make a filter that could trap toxic lead before it got into the glass? The moss acts as a site for lead to stick to, reducing the amount left in solution in the water. Her work is part of a burgeoning movement of young environmental innovators addressing problems in climate, pollution and public health through hands-on experimentation. Toxic lead in drinking water feels like an overwhelming mess, but Nithya’s project is a great reminder that meaningful solutions usually start with simple curiosity.

Source: Times of India September 12, 2026 19:20 UTC