TREATMENT OF RAW WATER USING FORSSK FARINOSA SHRUB, A TRADITIONAL WATER CLARIFIER BY "TSEMEY BENA” PEOPLE

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Access to safe water supply should be as close to the home as possible, in order to faster the use of larger amount of water for hygienic practices and to avoid contamination during transportation. In areas where water sources are untreated or the water treatment plant is not reliable in all times, household treatment methods, which are familiar by the community, are very much important. One of such traditional water em used by "Tsemey Bena" people, in SNNPR, is the use of Forssk farinose shrub. But such traditional methods need to be studied about their efficiency of contaminant removal. The main aim of this study is to see the contaminant removal efficiency of Forssk farinosa shrub from raw water.

METHODS: Different Doses of Forssk farinosa was used to see the removal efficiency of turbidity, color and coliform organisms in the laboratory of school of environmental health. Its effect on pH was also studied. Sixty mg of the unbared root of farinosa was used after different doses are compared for the removal of contaminants. To identify the effective shrub part that is important in the removal of the study variables; the leaf, bared roof, and unbared roof was used. In addition, different stirring and settling times were also considered to know the best contaminant removal time.

RESULTS: The result showed that Forssk farinosa is 99% efficient in the removal of Turbidity. This shrub has no effect on the change of the pH of the water. Color and fecal coliform removed up to 99% after 150 minutes of settling time. In both study variables the recommended level by WHO was achieved at different settling times. Stirring time has an effect on the removal of contaminants when the time of stirring is increasing the removal efficiency is decreasing. Better turbidity removal is obtained at 2 minutes of stirring. Further detail study needs to be done to find the functional group that is relevant in the elimination of turbidity, color and coliform organisms, and to see the potential effect on Consumers.