Super Sand a low cost way for purifying water.

[arunmrao]

Use of sand to purify water has been an old practice. But now a formulated sand with graphite coating,has been announced,to be more effective. surely,such techniques must be popularized among many of the under privileged communities.

'Super sand' to help clean up dirty drinking water

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13895077

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"It's better to die standing than live your whole life on the knees" by Peter Mayle in his book A Good Year

 

[zdas04]

"Activated Charcoal" is a common filter media. The "activation" step uses heat and pressure to increase the adsorption surface. The big problem with activated charcoal is that it is mechanically very weak and tends to fracture and break quite easily. Not a bad thing really until it turns to dust and leaves with the water.

The "super sand" addresses this mechanical strength issue by using a very tough silica substrate. It looks like a really good idea. My only concern is that once the adsorption sites are fully populated, it stops working. Will the people know that they have gone from "safe" to "at risk"? I'm not saying that the people are stupid, just that the change is gradual and you could easily pass from marginally safe to marginally hazardous without a change in taste.

I always wonder if the required preventative maintenance is really going to be done on these adsorption projects.

David

 

[MikeHalloran]

I wonder if sand + powdered charcoal, locally sourced and mixed on site, might work as well.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[arunmrao]

Mike,

This filtration technique is quite popular in rural India.

_____________________________________
"It's better to die standing than live your whole life on the knees" by Peter Mayle in his book A Good Year

 

[TheTick]

It would, but it wouldn't be a "newsworthy" new product.

 

[stevenal]

Do they know about this in Portland? thread1495-300885

 

[Ron]

Unless I'm missing something, any filter media needs...

a...backwashing
b...replacing

Sounds like a good idea and certainly plausible, but there is also another side that needs to be evaluated.