How to Install a Bio Sand Filter

Summary

This script offers a comprehensive guide to installing and maintaining a water filter system, emphasizing the importance of hygiene and education with UNICEF support. It details the components, installation steps, and the critical first 10 days for biological layer formation, which significantly reduces bacteria and viruses. The script also highlights the necessity of regular maintenance, including cleaning the dispensing tube and managing water flow to ensure optimal filtration performance.

Takeaways

• 📚 Start with education: Households should complete wash training, water sanitation, and hygiene education provided by UNICEF and other organizations.
• 🔍 Know the parts: Familiarize yourself with the water filter components, including the filter body, lid, diffuser plate, standpipe, and dispensing tube.
• 🧼 Clean each part: Ensure all parts of the water filter are thoroughly cleaned before assembly.
• 📍 Choose the right location: Work with the homeowner to select a suitable location for the filter, away from heat and potential disruptions.
• ⚖️ Ensure level installation: The filter must sit flat and level, using shimming or digging if necessary.
• 💧 Check for leaks: Before adding gravel and sand, fill the filter with water to check for leaks, especially in the standpipe.
• 🪨 Layer the gravel: Start by adding the green bag of undergravel, ensuring no air pockets and complete submersion in water.
• 🏜 Add separation and filtration sand: Follow with the yellow bag of separation gravel and red bags of filtration sand, maintaining the correct levels.
• 🔑 Monitor the final sand level: The top of the filtration sand should be two inches below the hash mark inside the filter bottle.
• 🚰 Fill and use the filter: After setting up, fill the filter to the top with water, apply the lid, and begin the initial water use and monitoring.
• 🛠 Maintenance is crucial: Regularly clean the dispensing tube and re-establish flow within the system to maintain optimal performance.

Q & A

What is the first step in the installation process of a water filter according to the script?

The first step is to educate each household receiving a filter, ensuring they complete wash training, water sanitation, and hygiene education available from UNICEF and core.

What are the main components of a water filter as listed in the script?

The main components are the filter body, filter lid, diffuser plate, standpipe, and dispensing tube. Additionally, there are bags of undergravel, separation gravel, and filtration sand labeled with different colors.

How should one prepare the parts before assembling the water filter?

Each part should be wiped clean to ensure there is no contamination before assembly.

What is the importance of choosing the right location for the water filter installation?

The location should be away from heat and disruption to prevent contamination and ensure the filter sits flat and level, which is crucial for proper filtration.

Why is it necessary to place the diffuser plate before pouring water into the filter?

The diffuser plate is placed before pouring water to keep the contents level and prevent air pockets, ensuring even distribution of the gravel and sand.

What is the correct method for adding the undergravel, separation gravel, and filtration sand to the filter?

The materials should be poured into water to keep them completely submerged and poured over your hand to disperse them more evenly.

How should the final level of sand be determined after adding all the materials?

The final level of sand should sit two inches below the hash mark inside the top of the filter bottle.

What is the initial flow rate of the water filter after installation, and how is it checked?

The initial flow rate should be between 700 mls to 1 liter per minute, and it is checked after the filter has been in use for a couple of days.

Why is it important to add a chlorine tablet to post-filtered water during the first 10 days of use?

During the first 10 days, a biological layer forms on top of the sand that stops over 98% of bacteria and viruses. Adding a chlorine tablet ensures any remaining contaminants are killed.

What are the two main maintenance steps necessary to keep the filter unit functioning properly?

The two main maintenance steps are cleaning the dispensing tube to prevent clogs and re-establishing flow within the system if the bilayer becomes too dense and slows the flow rate.

What should one avoid adding to the filter during the initial 10 days, and why?

One should avoid adding Clorox or chlorine directly to the filter because it can disrupt the formation of the biological layer that is essential for filtering out bacteria and viruses.