Design and Implementation of the Kanchan TM Arsenic Filter in the Nepal Terai The World Bank Brown

1. Design and Implementation of the KanchanTM Arsenic Filter in the Nepal Terai The World Bank Brown Bag Lunch October 19, 2004 Susan Murcott Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2. 20th century Western engineering design was comparatively simple • Technical Criteria • Economic/Financial Criteria (Cost-Benefit Analysis) Technical Financial

3. Environmental Awareness Added another Dimension • Technical • Economic/Financial Criteria (Cost-Benefit Analysis) • Environmental Technical Financial Environmental

4. “Sustainable development” has 2 widely accepted meanings: Balance: economic, social, environmental aspects • Equity…”meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” • Our Common Future, 1987

5. “Engineering design for sustainable development” framework Financial /Economic * Low cost * Supports local economies * Self-sustaining • Technical • Water quality evaluations • WHO Guidelines • National Standards • Flow rate • Use local materials • Social • Socially acceptable • Simple/user friendly • Convenient • Durable

6. The Design Process(text book version) • Information Gathering • Problem Definition • Idea Generation • Concept Evaluation • Lab Research, Experimentation & Analysis • Detail Design • Fabrication • Testing & Evaluation (Lab and Field)

7. Co-Designing/Co-evolving for Development (an iterative process) 1. Problem Awareness Co(m)-passion, and Partnership 10. Reiteration 9 Scale-up 8. Implementation 2. Problem Co-Definition Co-designing/ co-evolving equitable and sustainable development 3. Idea Co-Generation 7. Pilot studies 6. Refined Design (Field and lab testing, multiple sites, multiple countries) 4. Concept Co-Evaluation 5. Field Experience, Fabrication, Experiment, Lab Work, Analysis

8. 1. Problem Awareness, Co(m)-passion, Partnership

9. Problem AwarensssWhere is Nepal?

10. Where is Arsenic in Nepal? (NASC and ENPHO, 2004)

11. Field Project Sites Kathmandu Kapilvastu District Rupandehi District Nawalparasi District Parsa & Bara Districts Rautahat District

12. Passion Co(m)-passion

13. Partnership Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Support Programme (RWSSSP) Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO)

14. 2. Problem Co-Definition

15. Problem Co-Definition • Our proposal is to design a household drinking water treatment unit to remove arsenic and pathogens; • Technical Performance: Remove arsenic, bacteria and parasites to National Standards or WHO Guidelines; • Water Quantity: The flow rate should be > 10 L/hour; • Cost: The cost/unit should be < $30. Yearly replacement parts <$2, designed for use by individuals in rural areas and urban slums who earn <$2/day; • Manufacturing: To be produced by local people, using locally available materials, creating local jobs; • Socially acceptable: ease of use and maintainence by women

16. Problem Co-DefinitionArsenic Technology Database • Gather information for 50+ technologies: • Arsenic removal mechanisms (physical, chemical, etc) • Technical performance • Construction, operation and maintenance • Cost • Flow rate • Strengths, weakness, limitations http://web.mit.edu/murcott/www/arsenic

17. Idea Co-Generation8 Arsenic Removal Technologies • (1) 3 Kolshi (in Nepali = 3 Gagri with zero valent iron filings); • (2) Iron filings in jerry can; • (3) Coagulation/Filtration (2-Kolshi based on Chakraborti’s arsenic removal system); • (4) Iron oxide coated sand; • (5) Activated alumina metal oxide #1 (Apyron Inc.); • (6) Activated alumina metal oxide #2 (Aquatic Treatment Systems Inc.); • (7) Arsenic treatment plant; • (8) Arsenic Biosand Filter

18. Three-Kolshi (Gagri) System Raw water Iron filings Fine sand Filtered water

19. Jerry Can 1. Fill 10 L plastic jug with raw water. 2. Add iron filings • Wait 3 hours 4. Decant treated water

20. Coagulation/Filtration (2-Kolshi) Chemical packet Treated Water Raw Water Mixing & Settling Filtration

21. Iron Oxide Coated Sand (IOCS) Raw Water Sand and gravel Iron Oxide Coated Sand (IOCS) Treated Water

22. Sand Activated Alumina GAC Activated Alumina Metal Oxide #1 (Apyron Aqua-Bind Media) Raw Water Influent Effluent Treated Water

23. Activated Alumina Metal Oxide #2 (Aquatic Treatment Systems, Inc.) Raw Water Alumina Manganese Oxide (A/M) Treated Water

24. Arsenic Treatment Plants (ATPs) Aeration Chamber Sand Filter Storage Treated Water

25. KanchanTM Arsenic Filter (KAF)

26. Field Experience, Fabrication, Experiment, Lab Engagement with: • local people and partners, • local environment • the problem and solutions

27. Stages 5-8 in Arsenic Mitigation 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005+ • Field Experience, • Fabrication, • Experiment, • Lab Work , Analysis • Refined Design • Pilot Studies (Phase I) • Pilot Studies (Phase II) • Implementation

28. Refined Design Phase I Evaluation

29. Phase I Evaluation • Preliminary screening of technologies in database/ website. • Select 8 technologies to be field tested against following criteria: Technical Performance: Meet National (50 ug/L) or WHO guidelines (ug/L)) for arsenic and microbial removal. Flow rate > 10 L/hour Social: Customer satisfaction, specifically among women who are typically the managers of household water. Financial: Affordable to people earning $1/day

30. Technology Technical Social Cost Recommend for Phase II? Phase I Evaluation Summary 3-Kolshi Jerry Can Iron Coated Sand Alumina #1 Alumina #2 2-Kolshi Treatment Plants KAF

31. Pilot Studies Phase II Evaluation

32. Phase II Pilot Studies of 3 Technologies 3 Kolshi Coagulation/ filtration System(2-Kolshi) KanshanTM Arsenic Filter (KAF)

33. Phase II Evaluation Summary 3-Kolshi 2-Kolshi AKF Arsenic removal 95-99% 80-90% 90-95% Iron removal Not tested Not tested 93-99% Flow rate 3-5L/hr 1-5L/hr 10-30L/hr Materials availability Easy construction Simple O&M Long-term sustainability User acceptance Low initial cost Low running cost Overall Ranking 2nd 3rd Best = poor = moderate = good

34. KAF Pilot Study Results (n=16)

35. Stages 5-8 KanshanTM Arsenic Filter (AKF)

36. KanchanTM Arsenic Filter • Developed in Nepal and at MIT based on improvement of slow sand filter • Intended for arsenic and bacteria removal • Constructed with easily available local materials • Manufactured by trained local technicians • Adequate flow rate for a large family (15L/hr) • No chemical additives • No replacement parts except iron nails • Easy to operate and clean

37. Brick chips Iron Nails Water Fine Sand Coarse Sand Gravel KanshanTM Arsenic Filter Cross Section Diffuser Basin Lid Container Pipe

38. 2. Collect filtered water at the pipe outlet Filter Operation • Pour water into top basin. Water will pass through filter and flow up the pipe 3. If flow rate is insufficient, then cleaning is required

39. Filter Cleaning/ Maintenance Wash your hands with soap Remove diffuser basin Stir the uppermost ½ inch of sand with your fingers

40. Filter Cleaning/ Maintenance Remove turbid water with a cup. Replace the basin and add more water. Repeat this process three times total Discard the turbid water in a dug hole with some cow dung in it Now the filter can be used again

41. Further Work – Refined Design Concrete Round (2003) Plastic Hilltake (2003) Plastic Gem505 (2004) Concrete Square (2002)

42. Technical Performance • Currently more than 1000 filters are in operation. 2000 by Jan.05 • More than 500 were sold by NRCS, about 100 by Fund Board, about 450 by RWSSSP • Filters were sold starting from September 2002 until today • We have monitored 800+ filters between February to May 2004 on arsenic and iron removal • The average time between filter installation date and filter monitoring date is 93 days

43. 0 to 10 11 to 50 51 to 100 101 to 250 250 + KAF Blanket Monitoring Arsenic Removal (n=644) Influent Arsenic Concentration (ppb) Effluent Arsenic Concentration (ppb)

44. Unacceptable Acceptable Figure indicates number of filters KAF Blanket Monitoring Arsenic Removal (n=644)

45. Filter Performance: Arsenic (n=650)

46. 100 90 80 70 Raw Water 60 Treated Water Arsenic Concentration (ppb) 50 40 30 20 10 0 Jul-03 Jun-03 Oct-02 Oct-03 Nov-02 Jan-03 Nov-03 Jan-04 Apr-03 Apr-04 Mar-03 Mar-04 Aug-03 Feb-03 Feb-04 May-03 Dec-02 Sep-03 Dec-03 Time 1.5 Years Arsenic Monitoring on Filter A (Nim Narayan Chaudhary)

47. 300 Raw Water 250 Treated Water 200 Arsenic Concentration (ppb) 150 100 50 0 Jul-03 Jun-03 Oct-02 Oct-03 Nov-02 Jan-03 Nov-03 Jan-04 Apr-03 Apr-04 Mar-03 Mar-04 Aug-03 Feb-03 Feb-04 May-03 Dec-02 Sep-03 Dec-03 Time 1.5 Years Arsenic Monitoring on Filter B (Lila Bdr. Pun)

48. 1.5 Year Arsenic Monitoring on Filter C (Bhanu Primary School)

49. Insufficient flow Performance compromised Ideal flow

50. Gem505 ($US) Container and Lid $5.55 Basin $1.03 Piping System $1.82 Sand & Gravel $0.04 Iron Nails 5 kg $4.79 Transportation of sand & gravel $0.27 Transportation of container & piping $0.41 Labour $0.74 Documentation $0.34 Tools $0.74 Total Per Unit Cost $15.73 Filter Cost (Gem505) Note: No replacement parts needed except iron nails (nails can last at least 1.5 years) Assume exchange rate of US$1 = 73 Nepali Rupees