COMPACT BIOLOGIC FILTER SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL WATER SUPPLIES

FEASIBILITY OF SHALLOW DEPTH COMPACT SLOW SAND FILTER TO TREAT DRINKING WATER FOR SMALL AND HOME WATER SYSTEMS IS INVESTIGATED. SHALLOW SAND LAYERS SUPPORTED AND COVERED WITH SELECTED GEOFILTER CLOTH EXAMINED TO DETERMINE FEASIBILITY OF SUCH AN APPROACH. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. IDENTIFY SUITABLE GEOFILTER CLOTH MATERIALS FOR USE IN WATER FILTRATION WHICH WILL SUPPORT FILTER SAND AND SAND SURFACE BIOLOGIC GROWTH AND ALSO PROVIDE FOR QUICK CLEANING. 2. DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING SHALLOW WATER DEPTHS ABOVE AND BELOW THE SAND WITHOUT REDUCING TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS. 3. DETERMINE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM TO REMOVE TURBIDITY, BACTERIA AND GIARDIA CYSTS WITH SEVERAL COMBINATIONS OF SAND DEPTHS AND FILTRATION RATES. RESULTS ARE COMPARED WITH RECENT RESEARCH AND OTHER DATA FOR LARGE CONVENTIONAL SLOW SAND FILTERS. THE RESEARCH PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT DATA FOR SMALL SYSTEM AND HOME WATER TREATMENT IN THAT SUCH A FILTRATION APPROACH MEETS AN URGENT NEED FOR A SMALL, SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE, NONLABOR INTENSIVE METHOD OF WATER TREATMENT TO REMOVE BACTERIA, TURBIDITY AND PARTICULARLY GIARDIA CYSTS.