The Challenge / Concern:
Water scarcity is a relevant threat to humanity. In spite of limited availability of fresh water, there are little efforts to recover spent water. Through blackwater deserves to be spent to dedicated water treatment plants, the greywater can be reused for similar purpose with the treatment at the source. Relatively compact and feasible technology is desired.
Brief (and non-confidential) Solution
Combination of filtration and adsorption reduces most of the impurities in grey water. Typical gravel and sand filtration reduces macroscopic and mineral impurities. We developed a three stage treatment system with gravel-sand filtration and adsorption. We derived an adsorbent from natural material offering adsorption efficiency similar to activated carbon. This material was found to reduce most of the impurities including surfactants, small molecules, metals and pathogens below WHO indicated levels in retention time of about 2 hours. Deployment of this adsorbent in the integrated treatment system offers performance till one year. The adsorbent should be regenerated or replaced after a year of operation. There is a simple methodology to regenerate the filters. Adsorbent being low cost, justifies the system to be deployed in household or community scales. The treated greywater can be reused or released to the water bodies.
Service / Project: Product Development