Water Filter Query

rushie82

I had seen a documentary on BBC a while ago, something like 'healing power of saree'. It said that women in Bangladesh were using their saris to filter water and that using 7 or 8 layers of saree filteration resulted in a big decrease in water borne diseases such as cholera etc.
Here is the link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloth_filter
This might help you Priya. Of course it is not enough to comepletly clean ur water but better than nothing.

PRIYA

This is water that's directly pumped into the water system by the city council authorities from supply dams and reservoirs outside the city. It has NEVER been like this, never. Due to lack of funds, the local authorities are unable to buy chemicals to purify the water due to foreign currency restraints.

What I do find very odd, however, is that low rent paying suburbs have been receiving clean water now for nearly two weeks. Suburbs that are paying higher rates and taxes are the ones being prejudiced - not all, but some. I realize this is confusing, but it's even more confusing for us living here.

Thanks rushie82 - Yes, most sari fabric is very fine, and I hadn't even thought of using this. I'll try a few layers AND my sieve, and see what happens.

I can't thank everyone enough for all your helpful hints, suggestions and recommendations. You've been great. THANK YOU!!!

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Happiness is for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried. For only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. (Anon.)

Aishah

It is strange, Priya, as you say - but I thought of algae because occasionally there is a red one that sometimes builds up when river and sea water warms up. I've seen this once or twice off the NSW coast and also in some of the rivers. And if this is the case you could kill it with chlorine and that would also take the colour out. Chlorine evaporates so if you did this in the bath tub water first, then did all your filtering after, maybe you might just get colourless water. However, if it is fine silt, it would surely filter out with layers of material as suggested and not have a colour in the water after.

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"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

brownboy66

Grrrrr This problem seems to be resisting all attempts to be solved! (and of course for you its twice as frustrating because its first hand).

Sounds like the suggesting from rushie82 is the way to go. The only other thing I can reiterate is that water filtering takes many stages - such as:

a) a tank to let the heavy sediments settle,
b) a strainer/ gauze for the larger free floating particles,
c) finer guaze, cloth, paper filter for the finer particles,
d) chemicals/ UV/ boiling for the bacteria.

hope you managed to find something that works......

iwanttogoback

i think the biggest problem is just the almost complete unavailability of the items required for filtering. or, if they are available, they are so expensive that they are beyond the reach of almost all. conditions in priya's home land are almost beyond belief.

i think you are all wonderful for all this advice, hopefully together we can help even a little.

capt_mahajan

Looks like Priya needs a heavy duty filter at the first stage.

Any chance of getting a new meant-for-diesel reusable filter? Generators may be using it. Maybe fuelling stations too.

It needs cleaning from time to time. One problem may be that a little pressure may be required for optimal use, but a high tank and lower filter may do this.

brownboy66

hmmmm.....fuel filter....hadn't thought of that one. Great idea capt. As iwanttogoback has said though, may be a case of what is or isn't available.

When I built a sort of DIY filter, one of the things I quickly learnt is that you need to get rid of the heavy sediment first before it hits the finer filter - otherwise it gets overwhelmed pretty quickly and clogs up. Layers of cotton cloth was good simply because it was plentiful, and when it got clogged it was easy to wash.

capt_mahajan

Or, another good tactic would be to have as much of the sediment settle as possible... I know Priya could not get hold of Alum, but maybe give it another try.. and then siphon off the water from the top of the liquid in the tank/bathtub for further treatment.

I don't think she will get anywhere unless she gets rid of the heavy stuff first off.

brownboy66

Absolutely. Back home we had a 2000 litre holding tank that drew off a spring - but there was still a lot of heavy sediment. What I did was to draw water off the overflow (which was at the top of the tank) rather than the tank outlet (which was at the bottom). Also managed to slow down the water flow so that there was virtually no current in the tank (this helped with allowing the sediment to settle).

From the overflow it then went into the DIY filter - before going into the house tanks....

PRIYA

Very few fuelling stations are in operation, and they certainly aren't going to part with even a used filter. Everything is recycled if possible or sold at a huge profit so that suggestion is out too. Only the very wealthy have generators here and also access to fuel - the rest of us rely on 'coupons' from outside sources or are supplied with fuel by our employers. Spare parts for any type of 'gadget' car or generator, second hand or new, are hard to come by.

I'll try at other chemists for the alum on Friday, when we close early.

The good news is.................We were given water yesterday and it was CLEAN. It took a while for all the mud to disappear, but once the tap had been running for a while, cool, clear, clean water came. No dirty water to experiment with at the moment.

I can only try suggestions that don't use electricity.....that's another problem but let's not go there.

Aishah

Good news, Priya! You'll be hoarding it like gold! Many of our suggestions don't use electricity - I think only those expensive Aquaguard type depend on it.

brownboy66

Great news! You never realise how much of a luxury a regular water supply is until you have to do without it (either that or live in a country where it rains all time).

PRIYA

iwtgb has said it all, and I'll just reiterate my thanks again for everyone's help.

I sure am - more precious than gold!!!

capt_mahajan

Damn. We may have to close this thread then

More seriously, excellent news, Priya. Hope it stays that way.

PRIYA

Thanks Cap'n.......me too