BSF made at Thaicare in Doi Saket Thailand

Biosand Filter

There is an undeniable need for clean water throughout the developing world. (How it works slideshow Click here)

Every year there are over a  million deaths related to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, mainly through infectious diarrhea. bookmark

Over 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water and even more lack access to proper sanitation.

 

The Biosand Filter

The biosand filter is one of several household water treatment technology options.  Household water treatment is important to ensure an improved quality of water, because it allows for the water to be treated at the ‘point of use’.

The biosand filter works in the same way as traditional slow sand filters, which have been used for centuries.

The filter can be built anywhere in the world because it uses materials that are locally available. The filter itself is simply a concrete or plastic container, with layers of sand and gravel inside. The sand and gravel remove sediment, pathogens, and other impurities from the water.

The biosand filter is proven to almost entirely remove the disease-causing organisms found in water—pathogens. It removes  more than 99.9% of parasites and over 97% of E.coli bacteria (an indicator of fecal contamination). It also removes nearly all suspended sediments, and is capable of removing some organic and inorganic compounds.

The biosand filter allows for a sufficient amount of water to be treated for drinking,  cooking, and personal hygiene purposes

 

 
Text Box: The cost of a concrete biosand filter varies from country to country and ranges from US$12-30 depending on the material and labour costs. The largest variable costs include labour and transportation, and depend on local conditions and the distance from the production facility to the end users. There are no ongoing operating costs required to successfully operate the filter. Text Box: Cost Text Box: Using the Biosand Filter Remove the lid and pour water into the filter. Water will pass through the filter and will come out through the pipe. Collect the treated water from the pipe in a safe storage container. If the flow rate is too slow, then some simple maintenance is required. Ideally, the flow rate of the water should be 0.6 litres per minute when the inlet reservoir is full.