Wellness Through WaterEmpowering People Globally

Biosand Filter: Lessons Learned in Lombok

Rachel Peletz, M.Eng International Technical Advisor, CAWST

Howard Singleton President, Rotary Club of Mataram, Lombok

Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST)

• Registered Canadian charity

• Professional service organization– Subsidized training – Technical consulting – Open educational materials– Client-service relationship

• Focus on safe drinking water and basic sanitation for the poor

• Completely independent

• Working in over 50 countries

Concrete Concrete ExteriorExterior

LidLid

TubingTubing

SandSandBedBed

UnderdrainUnderdrain GravelGravel

Separating Separating GravelGravel

DiffuserDiffuserPlatePlate

Biosand Filter: What is it Made Of?

How Does it Work?• Filter Mechanisms

– Physical straining through the sand– Biological activity in the biolayer at the top of the sand surface

• The biosand filter removes: – > 97% of E. coli (Duke, 2006; Stauber, 2006)– > 99% of protozoa and helminths (Palmateer, 1999)– 80-90% of viruses (Stauber, 2005)– 90-95% of iron (Ngai, 2007)– 85-95% of arsenic with a filter adaptation (Ngai, 2007)– Most suspended sediments

• Health impact studies estimate a 30-40% reduction in diarrhea among all age groups (Liang, 2007; Sobsey 2007)

How Does it Happen?1. Water is poured into

the top of the filter

Balifokus filter in Bali

How Does it Happen?2. The diffuser plate slows the

force of the waterDiffuserDiffuser

PlatePlate

Balifokus workshop in Bali

How Does it Happen?3. Water then travels slowly

into the biolayer at the top of the sand

BiolayerBiolayer

YKPR workshop in Lombok

4. Water continues to travel slowly through the sand

SandSandBedBed

How Does it Happen?

SNM Project in Madura

5. After passing through both layers of gravel, the water is flows up the outlet pipe

UnderdrainUnderdrain GravelGravel

Separating Separating GravelGravel

How Does it Happen?

Wycliffe Project in Irian Jaya

Balifokus, Rotary

CWSHP

Rotary, YKPRUNICEF

Sumbangsih Nuansa Madura

Dian Desa

Wycliffe

Yayasan Silih Asih

CUSO volunteer

Lifewater

Training/Site VisitOther clients

CAWST Clients in Indonesia

ROTARY CLUB OF MATARAM, LOMBOK CLEAN WATER and

SANITATION PROJECT

The Problems• Population 3+ million (443 Desas)

• Drinking water 60% wells, 14% road tanker, 17% springs and rivers 9% PDAM

• 54 % of Desas have no toilets

• Septic tanks only, but large amounts of human waste dumped in rivers and on land

• Toilets/septic tanks next to wells - 80 % of wells have pathogens (bacteria etc)

• Much diarrhea, pneumonia. Infant mortality in NTB is 5x higher than Bali (2002-2003 stats.)

Solutions!• Biosand filters to purify the water

• Build toilets, starting with schools • Hygiene and sanitation education in schools

Testing the water from a new filter

• First filters made in November 2004 and installed in Kebon Talo February 2005.

• Since then, over 750 filters have been installed. • 40 toilets in 8 toilet blocks have been installed with two more

blocks under construction.

Steps in Filter Installation• Carry out survey

– Test water. If ecoli and coliform levels too high…..continue– Health survey– Map the village, determine the location of houses and wells

• Determine whether to install one filter per house or one filter per well.

• Education of kampung with posters, with discussions and visits to other filter users

• Install filters

• Follow-up health survey and check maintenance.

RC Mataram, Lombok Clean Water and Sanitation Project -

Lessons Learned• Choose the village carefully -

Make sure that the Kepala Desun/Desa are going to work closely with you

• Plan every detail of delivery and installation

• Make sure that there is plenty of education and training

• Be prepared for follow-up visits to ensure that everything is working properly