From Medair
Sudan (Northern States) -- Medair runs an innovative pilot project that introduces bio-sand filters to a community in Southern Kordofan
Two months ago, Awad Abbas and his family began using a bio-sand filter for their household water supply, as part of a Medair pilot project in their home village of Ruseris, Southern Kordofan. In that short time, Awad has become very enthusiastic about the filters.
"Water from a bio-sand filter is not only clean and clear, but cool as well," said Awad, who was one of the ten volunteers trained by Medair to construct them.
In the Southern Kordofan region, at least 40 percent of the population fetch their water from unprotected water sources such as open wells and streams, (1) which often leads to cases of cholera and other waterborne sicknesses. In Ruseris, the rocky structure of the ground makes it very difficult to drill boreholes. During the rainy season, the people of Ruseris gather their drinking water straight from a khor (seasonal stream), rather than walk an hour to the nearest accessible hand-pump. However, drinking this untreated water can cause many health problems, which is why Medair chose to introduce bio-sand filters to the community.
What is a Bio-Sand Filter?
A bio-sand filter is a technological variant of the "slow sand filter," a process which was first used for municipal water purification in Great Britain in the early nineteenth century. However, those early slow sand filters were very large, while these new bio-sand filters can be built on a very small scale, the smallest being about the size of a rain barrel. They are also easy to maintain, and are specifically designed for intermittent use.
The simple system consists of a concrete cast tank filled with layers of different grain sizes of sand and gravel which act as filters. The water is poured in the top and comes out through a pipe at about two thirds the height of the filter. Eventually, a biological layer grows which eliminates the most risky pollutants in the water, considerably reducing diarrhoeal sicknesses. Even though it takes about four weeks to fully grow the biological layer needed for optimum purification, most villagers in Ruseris started drinking the filtered water from the first day, taking advantage of the immediate improvement in water clarity.
"The stream water is contaminated and dirty, but water from the filter is tamaam [good] and clean," said Awad. He and his family still go to the khor every day to get their water, but now they pour it through the filter before they drink it or store it.
Enthusiastic Response as Every Household Wants a Filter
Medair's initial assessment identified around 80 households in Ruseris, but since this was a pilot project for a new technology in this region, only 25 filters were planned. Medair trained 10 people in Ruseris to build the filters, and provided them with cement for construction. Villagers who wanted a filter contributed the filtration materials (sand and gravel), and asked individuals like Awad to cast the concrete for them.
Soon, the filters proved so popular that they were built for all 80 households, and as more returnees move into the area, they are eager to get their own filters as well. Awad has noticed improved health since using the filter, with reduced occurrence of diarrhoeal diseases.
"We are keen to test the water to back up the stories from enthusiastic villagers with hard data," said Harm Bouta, Medair's WatSan Manager. "Other agencies in Southern Kordofan are interested in the project but they, like Medair, will want to see technical results before starting similar interventions in other parts of the state."
In addition to reducing contaminants and turbidity in the water, a woman from Ruseris points out that the filtered water is also much cooler than the lukewarm river water, having passed through the concrete structure, out of the direct sunlight. "That's an added benefit even Medair had not been expecting," said Harm.
Improving the Quality of Life
"Bio-sand filters have the potential to improve the quality of water used for drinking, and thus reduce the incidence of diarrhoea significantly," said J=FCrgen Matheis, Medair's Water & Sanitation Sector Head. "The key is for the beneficiaries to gain a good basic understanding about their use and maintenance, which requires a dedicated effort regarding training and follow-up with the community."
Notes:
(1) Sudan Household Survey 2006
Medair is an international non-governmental organization (NGO), based in Switzerland. It has worked in Sudan since 1995, and in Southern Kordofan since 2003, where Medair currently supports access to primary health care, and safe water & sanitation in the Nuba Mountains area. These activities are carried out in collaboration with UNICEF and other UN agencies; the Humanitarian Aid Commission / Sudan Relief And Rehabilitation Commission; the State Water Corporation and the Ministry For Rural Water And Development. This project receives financial support from the governments of Sweden (SIDA) and Switzerland (SDC) and from the United Nations' Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF).
Elsewhere in Sudan, Medair provides access to primary health care, and water & sanitation for up to 200,000 conflict-affected persons in West Darfur, and works with war-displaced people in Khartoum. In Southern Sudan, Medair provides emergency medical and water assistance for outbreaks, large people movements, and nutritional emergencies in a number of locations across the region, as well as improving access to primary health care and safe water sources in Upper Nile.
Medair's life-saving activities are dependent upon private financial support. To contribute to this work, please visit www.medair.org (Sudan section.)
