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<aside> <img src="/icons/apple_blue.svg" alt="/icons/apple_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Describe your product OWSD Myanmar National Chapter and Sphere Eco-Friendly Agri Firm develop and prototype low-cost water purification systems that are easy for local communities to assemble and maintain.
A low-cost water purification system (or) RS filter (R: rice husk charcoal; S: sand) is a particular water purification system or filter. It is an adaptation of the traditional sand filter used for community water purification for almost 200 years. The RS filter is compact and suitable for intermediate use, making it most appropriate for a household of 5 people. Particularly the filter container can be made of concrete, however, it can also be made from molded plastic or can be installed with plastic buckets.
Many types of filters are designed over time for surface water purification. However, the cost and filtration effectiveness still need to be satisfactory and further improvement is necessary. Among the filters, low-cost and slow traditional sand filtration technology is promising and has attention to its ability to remove microbial contamination of water. It can remove most of the turbidity as well as most of the pathogens from contaminated water viz. all the protozoa and worms, 98% of bacteria, and more than 70% of viruses. Rice husk is an agricultural byproduct, an inexpensive and abundant material in rural areas of Myanmar such as the Ayeyarwady Delta. The rice husk charcoal could be utilized as the best adsorbent for removing various pollutants (dyes, phenols, pesticide residues, and heavy metals) from water and wastewater. The RS filter is a modification of a traditional sand filter with rice husk charcoal to get clear and healthy drinking water for rural people at an affordable price.
The locally available materials will be used for the filters and those are large and small gravels, sand, and rice husk charcoal. The average diameter of large gravel is 12 mm and those of small gravel is 6 mm. Coarse sand or stone sand (constructional use) is used for the major portion of the filtration system. Rice husks are carbonated and they become rich in fixed carbon, like activated charcoal that has the capacity to purity water. It is locally available and easy to produce. Before installation, the filter materials should be washed or rinsed in water and decant to remove organic material, salt, and any debris that can disturb the filtration system.
The RS filter can be made with 100% locally available materials and requires little maintenance over time. It is the most accessible, affordable, easy to use, maintain, and durable. The design is simple and it is necessary to start with a wood or metal mold. A mold can be used to create many RS filters. The required activities to make a mold and then the filters are very feasible, as well as simple carpenter and concrete work. The dimensions of an RS filter are described in the following diagram.
The filter container is made with concrete using a wood mold. An outlet pipe is installed before the filter materials are filled in the container. In the beginning, the lowest part is filled with larger gravels about 2 inches in layer. The larger gravels are called drainage gravel and it can help better drainage. Next, the small gravel known as separation gravel, is placed above the larger ones. The thickness of the layer of small gravel is also two inches. The layer of sand about 18 inches in thickness is laid on the layers of gravel and leveled the surface. At the top, rice husk charcoal is placed and pressed with a moderate force and made a layer of two inches. Â After installation of filter materials, put the water above the diffuser plate and collect the clear water from the outlet pipe.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/bullseye_green.svg" alt="/icons/bullseye_green.svg" width="40px" /> What you want to achieve by March 2025
To promote awareness of drinking water quality through training and demonstration in the vulnerable groups in the rural area
It will provide knowledge and skills on the importance of the availability of quality drinking water, water qualities related to current environmental issues, the reduction of health hazards from pathogenic microorganisms and heavy metal contamination, and the technologies used in different water purification systems.
To conduct a market fit analysis for our water purification system, RS filter, in technical and financial suitability for the target areas.
For this purpose, community mass meetings will be carried out during the awareness section in the target area at the beginning of the project period.
To establish a pilot low-cost water purification system, RS filter, with locally available products
The technology is based on a traditional sand filter and it was modified with the use of rice husk charcoal, the best adsorbent for the removal of various pollutants. It is effective in solving the problems encountered by the people in the Ayeyarwady Delta, where access to safe and affordable water is crucial.
Easily available agricultural byproduct, rice husk will be used as input for the water purification system. The implementation of the system by supporting households with technologies and required facilities is beneficial to the rural peoples and it can promote households to make their own water-purification system. The detailed technical procedures including production of commercial filter containers will be provided and demonstrated during the project term in the selected areas.
To develop a linkage with service providers who can produce our low-cost RS filters commercially for rural peoples
To save money for buying drinking water and to ensure the continuous provision of safe and clear water, the availability of RS filters becomes a priority. Although the water purification technology is very easy, the production of the filter by oneself is oblivious in the rural condition. Rural people often hard to start new technology and change their way of living by taking the risk for a period. Therefore, it is more important to seek service providers who are interested in the production of water purification systems commercially at affordable prices and living in or near rural areas. One of the chief goals of the project is to provide coaching and mentoring to the service providers as needed and to link to the rural people in the project area.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/bell-notification_pink.svg" alt="/icons/bell-notification_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Describe the kinds of help you need the most (funding, expertise, technology, access, etc).
Need 1
Funding: With funding from ABIC, awareness of communities on purified drinking water with low-cost filters will be increased. Market fit study and engagement with several suppliers will help ensure access to quality drinking water within the targeted community. To scale up this, more funding support will be needed.
Linkage with potential suppliers: We need support from UNDP to get linkage with potential suppliers.
Technology: Our proposed technology, Rice husk charcoal plus sand filter is very simple. However, if UNDP can provide technology support to be modernized and portable purification container design which can be easily accessed by the community. </aside>
<aside> <img src="/icons/brain_blue.svg" alt="/icons/brain_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Describe your target customers
<aside> <img src="/icons/emoji-disappointed_pink.svg" alt="/icons/emoji-disappointed_pink.svg" width="40px" /> What pain points are you trying to solve?