Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids and gases from water. The goal is to produce water fit for human consumption (drinking water), The methods used include physical processes such as filtration, sedimentation, and distillation; biological processes such as slow sand filters or biologically active carbon; chemical processes such as flocculation and chlorination and the use of electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light.
Advantages / Benefits
Effective in improving drinking water quality
Contribute to substantial health gains in populations using them
May create profitable local enterprises (manufacturing and distribution) that will contribute to the economic sustainability of the technology and benefit the local economy
After the water has been purified
Furthermore, these technologies do not require a lot of energy to maintain as the chemical process itself is simple
Disadvantages
Users may not get the education & training needed to ensure proper use of the filters
Some technologies may be too expensive for the poorest populations and need to be subsidized
These technologies cannot remove all the impurities such as pesticides
Furthremore, they require a lot of maintenance to perform well
Who involved
Governments, humanitarian organizations
NGO
community
Evidence of success
In 2008 UNICEF and the Water and Sanitation Program were given the Project Innovation Award Grand Prize by the International Water Association for providing Cambodia with ceramic water filters. These water purification devices, made and distributed by Cambodian nationals, resulted in a 50 percent drop in diarrheal illnesses since they were first employed back in 2002. Developed in a joint effort between WSP and UNICEF, the filters are made from fired clay, and the tiny pores of the ceramic material are small enough to remove virtually all bacteria and protozoa. The design utilizes gravity to facilitate the filtration process, resulting in a flow rate of 1-3 liters per hour (https://www.wsp.org/sites/wsp.org/files/publications/926200724252_eap_cambodia_filter.pdf)
Feasibility
At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by those suffering from illness brought on by limited access to safe drinking water, poor hygiene and sanitation
