Water filters designed for community to adopt for safe water

1. GEO WATER FILTERS
Water quality is an important aspect. The polluted water is one of the major causes of sikness, disease and death globally. The children and old
people suffer the most due to poor drinking water quality. It is difficult for people to understand the quality of water using their senses. The
dissolved solids, contaminants such as fluoride, aresenic, chromium, lead, etc. elements are also present. The microbial pollutants are also hard
to see. Improving the quality of water reduces chances of impact on the health of people. The three filters designed by Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy
are very low cost, can be easily produced, used and maintained by the local communities. GEO Water filter s 1, 2, and 3 are presented below.

2. GEO Water Filter 3 consists of Activated carbon and 5 micron poly filter. The material can also be conveniently placed in pet bottles / in
available readymade containers. The cost of each filter would range between Rs. 100 to Rs. 400 based on the type of container used and grade
of the activated carbon and poly micron filters used. This system should be placed on a higher platform for easy flow of treated water through
siphon action and gravity.

3. This is a simple traditional gravity water treatment system. It can be designed using three tin cans of 15 liters capacity. In the top can sand is
filled, middle can charcoal is filled and at the bottom can gravel, pieces of brick, filled. This filter treats water from various pollutants and easy to
operated. Especially it is useful during the disasters and areas with continuous water pollution. Each independent filter makes it convenient for
cleaning the fill material or for refilling the cans.

4. This is a low cost water filter. This has Terra Preta Nuggets or biochar earth balls made from clay and charcoal (charcoal
obtainable from use of biomass stoves. The maximum surface area created through use of biochar earth balls, sand and gravel
are helpful in reducing the pollutants. Also useful for reducing the fluoride and other harmful pollutants in drinking water.
The pet bottles are available in plenty (water bottles / cool drink bottles) and can be used for creating these filters.
Biochar earth balls

5. TESTING GEO WATER FILTER 3
In the Hamali Basthi, water samples were tested with and without usage of filter. The results are highly positive for various parameters and the
community has appreciated the results. The community is also willing to adopt these filters to reduce the contaminants in their regular piped
water supply by the government.
Nitrates are completely removed
H2S is completely removed
The color of water is clear
Turbiditiy is almost removed
pH is close to normal rather alkaline
Chlorine is partially removed
Alkalinity is reduced
Hardness is reduced
Before After
Slno Parameters Filtering Total Avg Filtering Total Avg
1 Turbidity 0 0 0 10 10 2.5 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Chorine 0.1 0 0 0.2 0.3 0.075 0 0 0 0.1 0.1 0.025
3 P.H 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 30.4 7.6 7.8 7.4 7.4 7.6 30.2 7.55
4 Fluoride 0.5 0.5 0 0.5 1.5 0.375 1 0 0.5 0 1.5 0.375
5 Nitrate 25 0 0 10 35 8.75 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Alkalinity 153 153 229.5 178.5 714 178.5 102 104 153 153 512 128
7 Hardness 213.3 213.3 142.2 213.3 782.1 195.525 189.6 142.2 94.8 189.6 616.2 154.05
8 Iron 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 H2s 1 0 1 0 2 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0