The performance of the UNICEF sand-charcoal-sand upward flow filter was evaluated using a laboratory test filter of similar specifications. The UNICEF filter was developed for household use in rural areas of East Africa.
Title | A performance evaluation and modification of the UNICEF upward-flow water filter |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1993 |
Authors | Chaudhuri, M, Singh, VP |
Pagination | p. 29-31: 4 fig. |
Date Published | 1993-01-01 |
Keywords | alum, bacteriological quality, charcoal, efficiency, household appliances, laboratory testing, point-of-use treatment, sand, slow sand filtration, surface waters, turbidity removal, upflow filtration |
Abstract | The performance of the UNICEF sand-charcoal-sand upward flow filter was evaluated using a laboratory test filter of similar specifications. The UNICEF filter was developed for household use in rural areas of East Africa. Lower Ganga Canal water, with the following characteristics, was used: turbidity 12-28 NTU, heterotrophic plate count 100-500 CFU/ml and faecal coliforms 50-320 MPN/100 ml. Effluent characteristics were moderately good - turbidity 1.5-3.0 NTU, heterotrophic plate count 10-50 CFU/ml and faecal coliforms 10-20 MPN/100 ml - but were only achieved for a limited period after a long maturation time. Use of alum pretreatment did not show much promise. The addition of a dowmflow polishing filter of slow sand filter specifications did improve the performance of the UNICEF filter and gave the following results: turbidity 0.5-1.5 NTU, heterotrophic plate count 10-40 CFU/ml and faecal coliforms below 10 MPN/100 ml. |
Notes | Orig. publ. as: "Performance evaluation and operational modification of the UNICEF upward flow water filter" at the First Middle East Conference on Water Supply and Sanitation in Rural Areas, Cairo, Egypt, 23-25 February, 1992. - 6 ref. |
Custom 1 | 255.3 |