Treatment of Polluted Water using Natural Rock Materials at the Household Level
1Gana A.J., 2Esayeas Alemayeu & 2Wondwossen Birke
1Department of Civil Engineering, Collage of Science and Engineering, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara
2School of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
Emails: phildebo123@gmail.com
Corresponding author: Gana A.J.
ABSTRACT
In rural and semi-urban communities of developing countries, including Ethiopia adequate water treatment procedures are almost non-existing mainly for economic reasons as well as settlement characteristics of the people hence a technology that does not demand much financial resource at household level is required the aim of this study was to test the filtering capacity of natural rock material obtained in the rift valley of Ethiopia. The rock material pumice was collected from metehara and awash=7 kilo areas the rift valley of Ethiopia and then designed in to rock vessel having 2cm ,4cm and 6cm side and bottom thickness, cylindrical and hemispherical shapes at the top and bottom respectively for the study purpose three experimental cycles ere under taken polluted water sample that had initial purpose .three experimental cycles were under taken .polluted water sample that had initial average concentration of 497 mpn per 100ml of faucal colophons , 93 .2 ftu of turbidity 83.3 tcu of color ,1.405 mg/l of fluoride,0.63 mg/l of iron ,0.028 mg/l of manganese of a ph of 6.74 at a temperature of 20.5 c were passed through the rock vessels. The finding shows that very good reductions of contaminants were achieved in which faucal coli forms became 96.4%, 97.6% and 98.3%. turbidity 96.7 and 96.9%, color 88%, 89.% and 92 .8%:temperature 5.9%,6.15% and 6.3% fluoride 22%, 38.6% and 67.5%: iron 79.4%, 89.3% and 88.9% manganese 67.%, 9.% 89.3% and 92 .9%:but the mean average for the hydrogen ion concentration (PH value) increased gradually to 6.53%. 8.2% and 6.7% in2cm, 4cm and 6cm rock filters respectively. The study has revealed that, as the filter run increased, the efficiency to eliminate the contaminants was positively significant (p>0.05). It was also observed that there is a declining trend in filtration rate as the frequency of the filter run increased. National rock filter has the capacity to filter impurities from contaminated water. It is a relatively simple technology for household water treatment. Further studies also need to be done on another removal mechanism (adsorption capacity of the rock), characterization of the rock and the application of this natural rock as a conventional water treatment media, which are not included in this study.
Keywords: Natural rock water filter vessels, Physiochemical, Microbial Impurities, filtering capacity, household level, polluted water.
