A water filter, which uses a combination of locally available Moringa oleifera seeds as a natural coagulant with slow sand filtration, has been developed by a local NGO, Rural African Water Development Project (RAWDP). In May 2006, RAWDP received a US$ 190,000 (EUR 141,000) grant from the 2006 Development Marketplace competition to implement its “Mor-Sand Filters for Oil Producing Communities” project for communities in the Niger-delta area of Nigeria [1].

The project grant finances the production of 1000 “Mor-Sand” filters and the training of 70 youths on how to produce more water filters. So far, 100 water filters have been produced with an additional 300 water filters planned before the end of July 2007, according to Mr. Joachim Ezeji, Project Coordinator of RAWDP.

Ezeji believes that Moringa oleifera seeds are a good free alternative coagulant for alum, which is expensive and has to be imported. That explains why RAWDP plans to cultivate 2000 acres of Moringa plants in south-east Nigeria.

[1] World Bank - Development Marketplace - Mor-Sand Filters for Oil Producing Communities

Related news: Natural coagulants: simple method to extract protein from Moringa oleifera seeds, Source Weekly , 13 Jul 2005

Related publication: Ghebremichael, K. (2006). Natural resources for appropriate water treatment. Paper presented at 32nd WEDC International Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2006. PDF file

[This paper presents a study on the use of Moringa oleifera and pumice as low cost natural materials for improving water treatment systems].

Contact: Joachim Ezeji, Rural Africa Water Development Project (RAWDP), Imo State, Nigeria, joachimezeji@yahoo.com, ruralafrwadp@yahoo.com, http://www.ruralafrwadp.org

Source: Abimbola Akosile, This Day / allAfrica.com, 10 Apr 2007

Tags: water quality