Monitoring and evaluation of the ceramic hemispheric filter in Northern Ghanaian households

• Main Author: Cheng, Kristine M. (Kristine Marie)
• Other Authors: Susan Murcott.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2013
• Subjects: Civil and Environmental Engineering.
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/82808

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2013. === Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. === Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-103). === The village of Yipelgu in the Northern Region of Ghana was the recipient of a 1,000-ceramic hemispheric water filter distribution, which was supplied by Pure Home Water (PHW) and funded by UNICEF-Ghana. The distribution to female heads of households began in November 2012, and approximately 700 ceramic hemispheric filters were disseminated by January 2013 when this research was conducted. This large-scale distribution provided the first opportunity to monitor and evaluate the performance of PHW's ceramic hemispheric filter design, branded as the AfriClay filter, in the field rather than during the factory quality control operations. Monitoring and evaluation was based on surveys measuring Correct Use and water quality tests. Correct Use is the first component of the "3C's", which denote Correct, Consistent, and Continuous Use. A user practicing the "3C's" can realize the full benefits of this and other household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) products. The Correct Use survey was administered to a total of 85 beneficiary households in Yipelgu. Pertinent factors, such as filter assembly, treatment, safe storage, and maintenance, related to Correct Use were addressed in the survey. The variables included in the survey were hypothesized to inform the filter performance level. Stored untreated and filtered paired samples were also collected from each survey respondent's filter. IDEXX Quanti-Tray/2000® and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) bacteria MPN tests were conducted to measure the water quality parameters of total coliform/E. coli and H₂S bacteria respectively. Turbidity was also measured. Water quality tests served as an objective measure for HWTS adoption and Correct Use. The AfriClay filter exhibited a wide range of performance but generally achieved 99% total coliform (TC), 98% E. coli, and 80% turbidity reductions (geometrically averaged). In order to explain this observed performance variability, water quality and Correct Use survey data were analyzed. The variables of "fill frequency per day" and "duration of turbid water settling" were found to be statistically significant in possibly influencing the filter performance level from the observed data. === by Kristine M. Cheng. === M.Eng.