Source - Technology Update



Household treatment: Nigerian NGO develops filter based on natural coagulants and slow sand filtration

22 May 07

A water filter, which uses a combination of locally available Moringa oleifera seeds as a natural coagulant with slow sand filtration, has been developed by a local NGO, Rural African Water Development Project (RAWDP). The NGO is using Development Marketplace grant to distribute 1000 filters to communities in the Niger-delta area of Nigeria.

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Filtration: “zero-valent" iron technology removes viruses from drinking water

05 Apr 07

Researchers from the University of Delaware, USA, have developed an inexpensive, nonchlorine-based technology that can remove both harmful microorganisms, including viruses, and disinfection byproducts, from drinking water. UD's patented technology incorporates highly reactive elemental or "zero-valent" iron (Fe) in the filtering process.

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Arsenic removal: SONO household water filter wins US$ 1 million award

06 Mar 07

Abul Hussam, an associate professor at George Mason University, USA has been awarded the Grainger Challenge Gold Award of US$ 1 million for his SONO filter, a household water treatment system for removing arsenic.

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Nanotechnology: study expands potential for using nanotubes in water treatment, desalination

06 Mar 07

Researchers have found a way, using low-voltage electricity, to control the flow of water through carbon nanotube membranes, which could inspire new desalination and water treatment technologies

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Household treatment: Italy set to restrict use of common POU/POE technologies

26 Jan 07

Newly proposed health regulations in Italy would severely limit, if not eliminate, a number of technologies common to the point-of-use/point-of-entry (POU/POE) industry, including carbon filters, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and hollow fiber. The water treatment industry is afraid it could set a precedent for other countries.

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Household treatment: PATH granted US$ 17 million to develop commercial market

11 Jan 07

Seattle, USA-based PATH has received a US$17 million grant from the Gates Foundation to identify low-cost consumer products that can treat and store water in the home and to develop a commercial market for those products. Expected to be launched first in India, the five-year PATH project will explore filtration and chemical treatment methods for household water purification in poor communities in Africa and Asia

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Solar disinfection: new research project incorporates nanotechnology

19 Dec 06

The EUR 1.9 million SODISWATER project aims to demonstrate that the solar disinfection of drinking water is an effective method of preventing water-borne diseases in developing countries, both at household level, and as emergency relief. One innovative aspect of the project will be to look at photocatalysis, using nanoparticles as catalysts, to speed up disinfection.

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Rope pumps: out-perform conventional handpumps on most counts in Ghana test

07 Dec 06

The rope-pump out-performed the conventional handpump on the majority of counts in a study in northern Ghana. There was also no significant difference in microbiological water quality.

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Monitoring: Water for People introduces GPS hardware and mobile GIS software to assess project results

10 Oct 06

NGO Water For People has launched a pilot monitoring and evaluation programme for its water and sanitation projects using GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers and GIS (Geographic Information System) software. The programme involves the collection of field data, the integration of photo records, the mapping of sites, a survey component, and posting the data on the Internet in real-time.

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Nanotechnology: relevance for water and sanitation in developing countries

18 Sep 06

The Meridian Institute has published a paper on the opportunities and risks of using nanotechnology to address water and sanitation problems in developing countries. Research on nanofiltration for rural water supply in South Africa, was one of few developing country applications that was identified. There are concerns about potential environmental and human health risks, cost effectiveness and sustainability.

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