This is a presentation I gave at the Water For People annual luncheon at San Diego in 2009.

1. My Journey With
Water For People From
1996 to present
Soma Bhadra

2. Water, Water Everywhere

3. Is The Water Safe?

4. More than 100 Million
people affected
skin ulcers, tumors, cancer

5. USEPA limit – 10ppb
WHO limit – 50ppb
Average (red areas) –
70 times USEPA limit
High conc. – 500
times USEPA limit

6. Types of Arsenic
• Arsenite
– Reduced form (+3 Valence)
– More mobile in water
– More toxic
– More difficult to remove
– Removal enhanced by presence of iron oxides
• Arsenate
– Oxidized (+5) form
– More readily removable
– Removed by activated alumina
• Arsenic in West Bengal groundwater averages - 70%
Arsenate,30 % Arsenite

7. Development of AMAL Filter
• Designed by Civil
Engineering Department of
Bengal Engineering
College
• First filter constructed
in 1997
• Over 250 filters installed
Founder of
Program: the late
• Over 250,000 people benefit from filters
Amal K. Dutta
• Cost: About $1,200 per installation
• Each filter may serve about 200 families
(1,000 people)
• AA is locally available in West Bengal

8. Domestic
Unit

9. AMAL Arsenic Removal Unit
(Hand Pump-Attached)
Elbow
Overflow
S. S Plate Tee
SS Splash Plate
Reducer Elbow
Perforated
Union
SS Tank
GV Activat
Water Meter Activated
edAlum
Alumina
ina Stop
Elbow Tee Cock
Union GV Graded
Gravel BB
Union Outlet
VNRV Tee SS Plate with mesh
Slab
HNRV SS
………………………………………
From Plug ………………………………………
……………………………………… Brick
………………………………………
Hand ………………………………
ººººººººººººººººººººººº Khoa
ººººººººººººººººººººººº
Pump …………………………
ººººººººººººººººººººººº Sand
Provision ººººººººººººººººººººººº
9999999999999 G.L
Ground Level ººººººººººººººººººººººº
9999999999999
ººººººººººººººººººººººº Brick
for 9999999999999
ººººººººººººººººººººººº
Khoa
ººººººººººººººººººººººº
9
Backwash ºººººººº (Graded)
610 x 610
HNRV = Horizontal Non-Return Valve Sand Filter
VNRV = Vertical Non-Return Valve
GV = Gate Valve
SV = Stop Valve
All Dimensions are in mm
BB = Bib Cock 04M-0006.9

12. Village Level Arsenic Unit Institution
for Maintenance
• Development of maintenance procedure
– User identity card
– User fee
– Hire and train local people
Supported by BESU Staff
for maintenance
• Formation of users
association
– President
– Secretary
– Committee members
– Goal of 50% women
participation

13. Centralized Regeneration Facility
Regeneration costs paid through user
charges – Rs 10 – 15 pm
Crank to stir
drum and
agitate AA
during a
regeneration
New Regenerated Spent
Steps in a Regeneration
Independent, cooperatively 1. HCl Rinse – Removes iron
operated facility, central to 2. NaOH Rinse – Strips Arsenic
3. HCI Rinse – Neutralizing
villages with filters 4. Water Rinse

14. Sustainability of the AMAL project
• Regional workshops,
refresher courses
• Coordinated with health
and hygiene education
program

15. Instructions & Rules of Use
AMAL ARSENIC PURIFIER
Managed by
SWADHIN OIKYA
SENDANGA – BELTALA – 24
Parganas (North)
1. Purchase a card to buy arsenic-
free water.
2. Collect water every day, 6am to
10am and 4pm to 7pm.
3. Payment is due by the 5th of
every month.
4. Each card allows obtaining 25
liters of water per day.
5. Maximum of two containers of
water to be given.
6. Purchase more cards if you
need more water.
7. Clean your containers before
you bring them to the filter.
8. If you lose your card, you may
buy a new one for 5 rupees.
04M-0006.15

16. Monthly
monitoring of
arsenic levels
Typical Filter Placard - PUMLIYA
Water use by the filter
is metered
Treated Water Arsenic
Concentration
(0.02 mg/l)
Date of Last Sample Untreated Water Arsenic
(October 20, 2003) Concentration (0.1 mg/l)

17. Ownership and Responsibility
Despite being very poor, this Women play a major role in the
man has accepted paying operation and upkeep of most
what he can towards using filters.
the filter, and is an advocate They also are instrumental in
in the village for its use. convincing others to use the
filters.

18. THANK YOU