Basic Water Recycling Filter Project

Ammon Felix

Idea:
Many rural communities in Catacocha struggle with water
shortages. One effect of this problem is many people do not want
to maintain home gardens because they are worried that they will
not have enough water for other household tasks such as washing
dishes and clothes, even drinking water. One solution to this
would be to recycle water that has already been used for other
tasks such as from washing clothes. If water from washing clothes
could be recycled effectively to be safely used in household
gardens the worries about not having sufficient water for the
gardens would be nearly eliminated.

How?
There are many different systems for filtering water but for
application in the Communities in Catacocha (Specifically
Opoluca) the most practical solution would be to focus specifically
on filtering water from Clothes. Water from showers, sinks, and
kitchens have many different components polluting the water
such as more toxic soaps from showers, or large amounts of
grease from kitchen waste, where as water from washing clothes
only has one item that needs to be filtered, The Detergent or
soap. A simple sand/carbon filter could be cheaply built focusing
on filtering out Detergent from soapy water. This water is NOT
safe for drinking but would be suitable for use in home gardens.

The filter would be constructed from these easy to find materials:

A strong 20 liter plastic bottle or bucket, a porous cloth, Sand,
Stones, and Charcoal. The filter focuses on filtering out Detergent
or soap, the way that this is accomplished is by filtering the water
through two different parts: the water moves slowly through the
sand filtering larger particles and then is filtered through the
charcoal which is mainly responsible for filtering out the
chemicals in this case the detergent.
How to build a Basic Sand/Carbon filter:

Materials:
-20 Liter Hard Plastic Blue Water Bottle
-Top for the bottle or bucket
-A Porous Cloth
-1 Sack sand
-Charcoal
-Small stones

Procedure:
1. Wash Sand
2. Dry sand
3. Prepare plastic bottle or bucket by making a large opening at
the top and a small hole at the bottom, no bigger than 6mm
4. Put one layer of medium sized rocks, enough to cover the
bottom of the filter
5. Put another layer of small rocks enough to cover the last
layer of rocks
6. Place a layer of sand
7. Place one piece of cloth
8. Prepare carbon by crushing it into small pieces
9. Place carbon on top of the cloth
10. Place another cloth on top of the carbon
11. Place another layer of sand.
12. Make a top for the bottle with evenly spread holes

Remember when building

Make sure there are no spaces on the sides of the filter, the
water will go through the spaces on the sides not the
filtration materials
When putting the cloth layers lightly press the cloth,
charcoal, and sand into the corners as you put them in so
there are no spaces in the filter
The Rock layer is just there to maintain the sand and carbon
in the filter, it should not be a thick layer.
The sand should be dry and loose when put in the filter, NOT
WET, if the sand is wet when you build the filter it wont work
correctly
 There should be at least 5cm of space at the top of the filter
just for water.
The top layer of sand should be flat when finished.

To Use the Filter:

1. You will need two buckets
2. Collect the water from washing clothes in one bucket
3. Slowly pour the soapy water into the top of the filter until it
is full.
4. Collect the filtered water from the bottom of the filter in the
second bucket for use in your garden.
5. Repeat this every morning and evening so the filter is always
in use.

Maintaining the filter:

1. When the filter has been used a lot you will need to clean it.
2. To do this remove the top and or stones
3. Pour in water almost to the top
4. Swirl the top of the sand gently with your hand
5. Use a cup to take out the dirty water
6. Make sure the sand is flat on top after

Other Important things:

When recycling water from washing clothes to be used into a
garden it is important not to use soaps that use ingredients
with Sodium or Boron. There are multiple brands of soap that
are easily available at the same cost as other brands (such
as Ales, and Blue Soap here in Ecuador).
When building the filter make sure there are no extra spaces
between the wall of the filter and the other materials or the
water will pass through the spaces instead of being filtered
The flow rate should be slow; when the filtration is slower it
is more effective, but not too slow.
The filter needs to be used daily or else it will not be as
effective, bacteria will grow, and may need to be remade.
In this filter the Carbon is what does most of the filtration for
the detergent, it is the most important part.
Stone Layer
 First Sand Layer

Cloth layer

Finished Filter

Carbon
Layer

Second Sand Layer