Access to potable water is one of the major development concerns of the government. With the aim to make local technology work for the people and to provide practical solutions to the current problems, the Department of Science and Technology-IX will grant 200 units of Ceramic Water Filter to poor families in Zamboanga Peninsula region. The target beneficiaries are selected indigenous people of Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay and Siayan, Zamboangadel Norte.
Initially, some 30 units of locally-developed water filter technology were distributed to the families of Buug Subanen Workers Association during their 1stanniversary celebration held last September 30 in Buug. DOST IX will give out the remaining units of water filter to other target families within this month.
The water purification system (WPS) is a simple technology that consists of a container and filtering medium, which is the ceramic pot filter (CPF). The ceramic filter is made up of red clay which is coated with nano-colloidal silver as the anti-microbial agent that replaces the chlorination process in traditional water filter systems. The ceramic pot typically sits or hangs on the top of a large plastic container, which is fitted with a tap at the bottom. A lid is placed on top of the filter to prevent contamination.The system is capable to purify tap water, deep well water, and raw water tainted with up to 3 % suspended particles or silt and convert these into safe drinking water. According to the Industrial Technology Development Institute(ITDI) of the DOST, the water filter has passed the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for drinking water in terms of microbiological and chemical analysis.
DOST-ITDI Ceramic Water Filter
Turn-over of DOST-ITDI Ceramic Water Filter to Buug Subanen Workers Association
DOST IX Regional Director Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano said that the grant of water filter to the said communities is one of the initiatives of the Department under the project entitled “Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST)”. Water and sanitation is just one component of CEST for the target communities in the region. The others are livelihood and economic enterprise development, health and nutrition, education and literacy, and disaster risk reduction and mitigation. (DOST IX PRESS RELEASE)
