Engineers Without Borders: Water Filtration Project in Devikulam

This project report details an Engineers Without Borders (EWB) initiative focused on providing a cost-effective water filtration solution for the village of Devikulam. The project addresses the issue of contaminated water, identifying bacterial contamination as a primary concern. The team employed a slow sand filtration system to purify water, improving the community's health. The report includes a team reflection, outlining the challenges and successes of the project, including material selection, design, and quality control. It also covers the project's background, objectives, scope, and limitations, alongside a problem analysis that identifies major issues such as water salinity and sanitation. The design choices, conceptual design, and potential environmental, social, and economic impacts are discussed. The report highlights the benefits of the chosen filtration technique, and provides details on the design of the slow sand filtration system and its operational mechanism, including the role of the 'Schmutzdecke' layer. Overall, the project aims to provide clean drinking water, improve living standards, and address the community's long-term expectations.

Water Filtration Base on EWB
Project

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The engineers without Border (EWB) basically allows engineers to apply skills in
developing an effective system for region. These students mainly provides solution of all those
problems which are faced by the community on a daily basis. This scenario in project will
describe development of water filtration technique for village in order to provide the best and
cost effective solutions. This study have provided the best way to purify water which helps
community in improving health status.

Team Reflection
Team is the group of people who contributes together in accomplishing a common
objective of the team. It consists of different skilled individuals who are able to develop an
effective idea for completion of the team based project. So this regards, EWB has created a team
of efficient and effective engineers. The main challenge faced by the group of EWB member is
the development of an effective water filtration technique. This team consists of 8 members in
which all the individual is assigned a single task such as selection of the material, design, quality
ets. But all the team members are finally aimed at accomplishing the common objective of the
group. Also, during whole project, one of the important thing occurred was the strong bond of
the team members. Meanwhile, all have improved the working skills and enjoyed the
assignment. Also looking forwards to work with all the team members again.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Background....................................................................................5
1.2 Project Objectives.............................................................................................................5
1.3 Project Scope....................................................................................................................5
1.4 Limitations........................................................................................................................6
PROBLEM ANALYSIS..................................................................................................................6
2.1 Major issues and Context.................................................................................................6
2.2 Contributing factors..........................................................................................................7
DESIGN CHOICES.........................................................................................................................7
3.1 Design...............................................................................................................................8
3.2 Analysis of Design...........................................................................................................8
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN...............................................................................................................8
DESIGN CONTEXT AND IMPACTS...........................................................................................8
5.1 Benefits.............................................................................................................................9
5.2 Challenges and Limitations............................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Background
This project is about unhygienic water supply to people of village named “Devikulam”.
According to survey of innovation team, water of area was observed with three main taps of
village, and it was discovered that there was a bacterial contamination within water tanks of area.
So this project is about isolation of ponds from ground water supply. Water supplied to villagers
from mainly three bores, among which two of these supplying 30000 litre storage tank.
According to the people of society, third bore contains high salinity in water which need to be
preserved. According to World water council 2010, water related disease is most common cause
of illness.
Water Filtration base on Engineers without border is challenged way for engineers in
order to address solutions to improve the living standards and quality of life of people in
Australia. EWB is an organization which is meant for resolving various water filtration problem
concerned with Drinking water, Waste water, basic infrastructure, sanitation energy etc.
In order to fulfil needs of villagers, this organisation consider various designing solutions
that will meet the demands of people. This report will help in discovering many types of
solutions of sand filtration within locality (Bekele, & et.al., 2018). Also, this study will provide
various reasons of selecting sand filtration technique. It will assist the systematic approach of
adopting sand filtration technique that allow villagers in consuming safe and healthy drinking
water.
1.2 Project Objectives
The main objective of this project is to remove the bacteria from water in order to provide
clean drinking water to the community. This project focuses on addressing the water filtration
needs of village so that healthy and disease free life can be provided to villagers. So, this project
aims to develop best water filter solution for community.
1.3 Project Scope
The main scope of the project is to deliver the efficient and effective technique of water
filtration within Devikulam village. Slow sand filtration technique is most effective and simple
technique to address the issue faced by community. Also, this technique has a major scope as this
filtration technique purify the water of the community. Water filtration technique posses wide

scope in improving the living standard of people living in village as it deals with economical,
social and environmental aspects of villagers. This technique is best suited on this project. The
contaminated water of village will be purified by employing slow sand filtration (Brack, & et.al.,
2015). It allows people of locality to consume clean drinking water.
The main scope of this project is to improve health status of people living in backward
regions. This project will fulfil life long expectations of people.
1.4 Limitations
There are many limitations in terms of environmental issues, social issues or economic
issues. Addressing such issues is important as it can create bigger problems in future which
might become a problem of concern which causes various challenges in completion of the
project such as :Choosing the correct material for designing water filtration plant.
 Lack of material availability
 Cost of the project
 Lack of construction material
 Availability of proper tools in a village
 Transportation of the raw material within the village.
 Decomposition of the selected material
PROBLEM ANALYSIS
The main problem stated in this project is the bad quality of water in village which
depicts that there are significant problems with Devikulam's Water supply. Water tanks are
contaminated with bacteria and therefore water transparency is completely lost due to presence
of different particles in water. Various more problems are also been analysed such as health of
the villagers which is widely influenced by the consumption of contaminated water.
2.1 Major issues and Context
Major issues in contaxt are the affected health of the villagers. The major issues raised
from the community was the development of an effective water filtration system that will purify
the quality of the water. So this innovation has mainly focused towards sustainability issue of the
community by providing the effective filtration system within village (Griffin 2016). One of the
major issue is designing of water supply and storage system that ensures villagers in consuming
bacteria free water. Various major issues in context are:
 Salinity of water in village.

 Exploration of sanitation energy among villagers.
 Basic infrastructure of Devikulam
 waste water system
 information technology
 Education to villagers about the use of sanitised environment.
2.2 Contributing factors
Contributing factors are those viable solutions that addresses various above problems of
the project. Contributing factors consists of all such factors that have contributed towards the
accomplishment of this project. Implementation of the slow sand filtration unit within the project
helps in resolving the problem of dirty water. Sand filtration technique will do not allow bacteria
to enter into purifying water and also restricts bacteria causing the contamination of water supply
within the locality. While there are other issues in village which contributes towards health factor
of people due to the use of this dirty water for drinking purpose. So design to develop a Slow
Sand contaminated system will eliminate problem of bacteria within water.
Mechanism of Slow Sand Filtration System
As water passes from the top to bottom of the filter in such a way that it could not disturb
layer of sand within the tank (Hunter, & et.al., 2016). This layer contains a component named as
“Schmutzdecke” It means a naturally occurring gelatinous layer which is composed of living
biological matter. It is generally present in sand based water which decomposes all harmful
bacteria within water. As water passes from layer of sand then all suspended particles will be
stick to layer which is formed around sand particles. Hence, it allows filtered water to be passed
through pipes served to society through bores.
DESIGN CHOICES
In order to adopt effective choices of material while designing water filtration system,
various choices such as use of effective material for filtration tanks and drums. There are number
of options to consider in respond to final design of sand filter. Such options are large or small
units along with material required for filtration system. Also, safety considerations and
maintenance requirements were also considered in order to fulfil needs of community (Johnston,
& Nelson 2018). The material and conceptual research come up with the best possible solution of
designing the Slow sand filtration system.

Design of Slow sand filtration system consists of a big tank which includes the layer of
sand and gravels which protects the drinking water from bacteria. Also, this new design of the
system will be locked with a cap at the top which protects the sunlight to enter into the water.
3.1 Design
One of positive aspect of designing this slow sand filtration system is that it will develop
by using drums, filters and other equipments sand and concrete which is provided by the village.
Firstly, all equipments are gathered such as drums and sand particles, and all other
equipments. Once, all the required things are gathered then one of important thing is to educate
people of village about construction and use of water filters.
3.2 Analysis of Design
The filtration unit will be housed in a 65 litres of cylindrical drum which is made up of
the blow mould. So in order to maximise the chemical resistance, HM-HPDE raw material is
generally used. This drum thus compiled with FDA Regulation system. A removable cap is fitted
at the top of the drum along with the steel ring which locks the container. It restricts UV rays to
enter into the drum.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Initial design of the sand water filtration consists of media bed which is about 0.9m to
1.5m deep and this holds significantly more area than smaller individual household unit. This
media bed will be then supported by the layer of graded gravel which is 0.3 m to 0.6 m deep. In
order to create head pressure, the water level need to be several feet above the filtered media. A
storage tank is set up above the media bed. The filter effluent need to be collected in a drain type
system which is made up of perforated pipes or concrete blocks.
DESIGN CONTEXT AND IMPACTS
During the design process of developing an effective water filtration plant within the
village, people may have to suffer various consequences such as social, environmental and
economical that may impact on the villagers. The environmental impacts need to be identified
while designing for the new water filtration technique for people of Devikulam Village. So EWB
team have identified life cycle of designing a project (Pype, & et.al. 2016). Life cycle includes
various aspects such as material used in designing water filtration project and also measures to
dispose such materials. On the other hand, Economic impact is mainly based on funding of new
filtration system in order decrease cost for project. However, the team also analysed the social

impact in which team need to consider the beliefs and values of the society which also meets the
expectations of the community.
5.1 Benefits
EWB Team has identified environmental impact during development of water filtration
design. In this respect, team has researched on material influences of project on the environment.
In order to design environment-friendly design of the Water filtration system in a locality, the
team has crucially selected the best material among plastic, ceramic or concrete.
Environmental
To minimise the impact of the environment, Decomposition of the plastic after its life
span has also been considered Various options are selected such as use of Polyethylene which
can be easily recycled. These polyethylene drums are not only environmental friendly but the
society is being paid after used drum will be sold. However, use of plastic for development of
project will provide long term durability of system. But at the same time, team need to minimise
future environmental impacts by identifying disposable solutions for filtration system
(Radcliffe,2015). So these plastic tanks need to be kept indoor in order to avoid the sunlight
entered in the houses. So it cannot leake and damage due to over heat of the sunlight.
Economical
According to economical concern, filtration system is designed for household
consumption so this system is needed to be developed for each family in a village. If it is
developed for each individual family then it may consumes huge cost which may not be
affordable of people in a village. However, cost can be minimised with the use of sand. This may
also provides job opportunities for local community so this contributes towards economic
development of village.
According to cost analysis of team, there is 10 litres of filtered water will be consumed
on the daily basis. In order to provide clean and healthy drinking water to villagers, initial
expenses and ongoing costs are generally negligible. Also, the future cost is estimated which will
be incurred in future due to damage of system.
Social aspects
It is very important to consider cultural and social beliefs of people so that they will
easily accept new water filtration system within their locality. As, village consists of two
communities Scheduled caste and most backward class, they generally come together at some

functions, so there need to be developed a local communal water filtration system. As this will
provide clean water to the entire community, it is believed that people will embrace this concept
and they will continue use it in the future.
5.2 Challenges and Limitations
During the completion of project, there were many challenges and limitations faced by
engineers which created problems in completion of project. Here all challenges and limitations
faced during project, are discussed below:
Challenges: Complete the project in specified low budget cost is one of the biggest challenge as
there were various issues that were needed to be sorted out like environmental issues, social
issues etc. and all such issues created problem in management of budget of project. Approval of
community and all stake holders for new filtration system was also one of the biggest challenge
faced by engineers of project (Brack, & et.al., 2015). Another challenge was available cheaper
options as most of the stakeholders wants to implement a cheaper option in implementation of
filtration system and this also created a challenge for engineers to implement new system within
specified time period.
Limitations: Like wise there are many limitations that also worked as a hindrance in completion
of project such as: Limitation for educating engineers as they needed to understand new filtration
system and implement ion methods. Various limitations are:
 Complex system
 High maintenance requirement
 Lack of material availability
 Power shortage
 Short life expectancy of system
Timely maintenance of filtration system is also one of the main limitation of project as
time to time maintenance requires high cost and much time and both are limited for this project.
CONCLUSION
From the above project, it has been analysed that impurities and bacteria within drinking
water causes illness to most of the people living in village. So this study has focussed towards
clean water supply and sanitation issues of community. This study has also helped in assisting
the readers about development of water filtration system within poor localities. Also, educating

Villagers about use of water filters and sanitised water helped them in improving living standard
of the people.
This report has helped in exploring different types of materials used in development of
water filtration system. And after all the above study slow sand filtration system was one of the
very strong option which has removed almost 99% of bacteria and other harmful contaminants
from drinking water. Also, ways of decomposing plastic material which was used in making tank
was also identified Throughout this project, different issues are discovered by EWB team
members in order to provide sanitised water filtration system to villagers.

REFERENCES
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