Scribd
Upload
79 views3 pages

How To Build A Bio Sand Filter

The document provides instructions for building a bio sand filter to remove pathogens from water and make it safe for drinking. The bio sand filter uses layers of gravel, sand, and a diffuser layer, with bacteria in the sand filtering the water as it drains through. It should be used daily and the water not consumed for the first 30 days as bacteria establish. Once built, it can provide clean drinking water by removing 95% of pathogens through natural bacterial filtration.

Uploaded by

Edwin L. Samson Jr.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
79 views3 pages

How To Build A Bio Sand Filter

The document provides instructions for building a bio sand filter to remove pathogens from water and make it safe for drinking. The bio sand filter uses layers of gravel, sand, and a diffuser layer, with bacteria in the sand filtering the water as it drains through. It should be used daily and the water not consumed for the first 30 days as bacteria establish. Once built, it can provide clean drinking water by removing 95% of pathogens through natural bacterial filtration.

Uploaded by

Edwin L. Samson Jr.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

How to Build a Bio Sand Filter

Why do you need clean drinking water?


We use water every day for drinking, cooking, washing hands, washing fruits and vegetables, bathing
and washing dishes. It is important that the water you put into your body is clean so you don’t get sick.
Even if water looks clear it can have bad bacteria and viruses that you can’t see which can make you
sick. These bad bacteria are called pathogens. If you drink or use water that has these pathogens you
may vomit or have diarrhea. The bio sand filter will remove most of the pathogens so that you don’t get
sick when drinking or using the water that comes out of the filter.

How does the bio sand filter work?


You put water into the top of the bio sand filter and as the water drains through the system the sand
and good bacteria living in the sand will take the pathogens out of the water. The pathogens get
trapped in the sand and the good bacteria kill the pathogens.

How to build a bio sand filter?


Materials

 Container made of plastic or concrete with a lid


 Diffuser
 Sand
 Small gravel
 Large gravel
 Drain pipe
 Clean water storage container
 Dirty water container

Dimensions of Bio Sand Filter

 Reservoir = 12 litres
 Depth of Reservoir = 17 cm (6.7 in)
 Depth of Filtration sand layer = 55cm (21.6 in)
 Depth of separating gravel = 5 cm (2in)
 Depth of Drainage gravel = 5cm (2in)
 Max flow rate = 0.4 litres/minute
Picking out sand

The sand size determines the flow rate of the water through the bio sand filter. If the flow rate is too
fast, the pathogens will not all be removed by the filter. If you have a flow rate faster than 400mL/min
try using smaller sand. Try to avoid sand that contains salt, silt or is made of limestone. Sand from
quarries is better than sand from the beach or river beds. Once you have your sand, wash it and test
that it is clean enough. To test the sand, put a little sand in a clear jar with some water and swirl it
around. Wait 4 seconds and then look at the jar. If the water is completely clear, the sand it too clean
and won’t have any good bacteria to eat the pathogens. If you can’t see the top of the sand, it is not
clean enough. Below is a chart with the recommended sand parameters to get the correct flow rate.

Construction of the Bio Sand Filter

1. Wash out our container with clean water. Do not use a container that held oil, or another toxic
substance.
2. Next attach a drain pipe to the bottom of the container as pictured below. Make sure the drain
pipe doesn’t sit on the ground, because pathogens could get inside it.
3. Pour large gravel into the container. This gravel will keep the sand and small gravel from getting
into the clean water and keep the filter draining properly.
4. Pour in small gravel. The gravel should be small enough to keep the sand out of the large gravel.
5. Pour in the sand. Flatten the top of the sand with your hand.
6. Add a diffuser which could be a strainer or piece of plastic that has holes in it. You could drill
holes in a bowl that will sit in the top of the container. There should be 5 cm between the top of
the sand and the diffuser.
7. Please the clean water storage container below the end of the drainage pipe.
8. Place the lid on the top of the bio sand filter

How to use the Bio Sand Filter?


Each day pour water into the bio sand filter. For the first 30 days do not drink the water until the good
bacteria are able to fully kill the pathogens. It is best to pour water into the filter 4 times per day at
each meal and before you go to bed. You must pour water into the filter every day. If you miss a day
check the sand to make sure it is not dry. If the sand dries out, you must start again by not drinking the
water for the first 30 days until the bacteria come back. After the 30 days you can use the water for
drinking, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, washing hands, and washing dishes. Keep the water
stored in a clean storage container with a lid. Do not use a clear container or it may grow algae.

The bio sand filter will kill 95% of the pathogens in the water, but it may not kill everything. To make
sure you kill everything you can place the clean water in clear 2 litre bottles and set them in the sun for
3 hours and then pour them into another clean container with a lid for storage. Instead of placing them
in the sun you can boil the water for 1 minute and then place in a clean container with a lid for storage.
Finally, if available you could add a chorine tablet into the water instead of the sun or boiling methods.

How to clean the Bio Sand Filter?


Once a week remove the diffuser and lid from the filter. Wash them with soap and clean water. Also
wash the end of the drain pipe with soap and clean water or a little chorine.

If the filter rate starts running slow, use the swirl and drain method to clean the sand.

Swirl & Drain

1. Pour water into the filter until the water reaches above the diffuser.
2. Remove the diffuser from the filter.
3. With your hand swirl the top layer of sand around 3 times.
4. Scoop out the water with a cup or bucket.
5. Replace the diffuser and continue using the filter as normal. If the rate does not improve, do it
again.

You might also like