Saturday, August 01, 2009

Ceramic Water Purifier



Since 1998, Potters for Peace, a U.S. based nonprofit made up of potters, educators, technicians, supporters and volunteers has been helping train people to produce a low-tech, low-cost, colloidal silver-enhanced ceramic water purifier (CWP) worldwide. Field experience and clinical test results have shown the filter effectively eliminates approximately 99.88 percent of water-born disease agents. Education, health training and follow-up are key points to the successful introduction of the CWP into rural communities.

The CWP was developed by Dr. Fernando Mazariegos of the Central American Industrial Research Institute (ICAITI). Mazariegos’ goal was to make bacterially contaminated water drinkable for the poor by producing a low-cost filter which could be made at the community level. The device is a simple, pressed bucket made from a combination of local terra-cotta clay and sawdust or other combustible material such as rice husks. The ceramic water filter yielded positive results over other strategies like chlorine tablets, which occasionally led to health complications when they were misused. Also boiled water was often ineffective when it wasn’t boiled long enough to purify it.

Started in Nicaragua in 1986, Potters for Peace works primarily in Central America to promote socially responsible development and grass roots accompaniment among potters.

-- Jaimie Hwang

Read More about CWP Here.