No one should die of prolonged thirst – that’s the vision of Lim Chong Tee, co-founder of WateROAM, a startup that designs portable water filtration systems for use in disaster relief operations or rural communities without access to clean water. Their novel systems have since benefitted more than 15,000 people, including communities in Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal and Myanmar. Chong Tee’s environmental engineering studies at NUS gave him the opportunity to acquire the relevant scientific knowledge, technical know-how and business skills to further his social mission. In August 2014, while pursuing his second year of studies at NUS Engineering, Chong Tee co-founded WateROAM with two friends – David Pong (NUS Business School, Class of 2014) and Vincent Loka (NUS Faculty of Engineering, Class of 2015) – after their invention clinched the top prize in the 2014 Singapore Humanitarian Water Filtration Design Competition. Since its inception, WateROAM has received many accolades, such as the 2015 Shell LiveWIRE Awards, and the Rising Hydropreneur Star Award at the 2014 Singapore International Water Week Hydro Pitch Day. Building on the success of WateROAM’s two signature products – ROAMfilter Lite and ROAMfilter Ultra - Chong Tee and his co-founders are working on ROAMfilter Plus – a new water filtration system capable of producing 200 to 300 litres of water per hour, making it suitable for a community of 100 to 150 people. The WateROAM team is also working with NGOs in Cambodia and the Philippines to explore water distribution and operation processes in rural developing areas. In his free time, Chong Tee also participate actively in volunteer work and social services as he believe education and ground up change will be the catalyst for poverty alleviation in Singapore.