Design and Treatability Studies of Low-Cost Bio Filter In Water Treatment

In India, the water shortage is one of the major issues coming from the rural areas area which necessitates water treatment options. To address these issues in rural areas there is need for conceptualizing a treatment scheme to reduce cost. Water is a fundamental source to our existence. As cities expand and population grows, the demand for water is rising. With increase in population, there will be an increase in stress on sanitation and wastewater disposal system. The benefits of well-organized water management scheme is that it offers a tool for coping with water scarcity and reduces the amount of pollution which may enter in the hydrological cycle. Untreated water contains microorganisms, chemical contaminants and physical contaminants. Our study focuses on treatment of water using naturally available materials and to reduce pollutants in laboratory scale with the help of designed biofilters. In our study, we use low cost biofilters which consists of a bed of random or modular media through effluent percolates, scrubber, sponges and bamboo charcoal. These are advantageous over the other bio-filter media as the surface will not clog up when used with a pre-filter which may happen as in the case of ceramic material with micropores. Sponges and scrubbers help removing floating matters (solid particles) present in water. The treated water can be used for domestic purposes such as washing of utensils and clothes, bathing, and flushing as well as agricultural purposes.