New method to purify surface water
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid speaks at the “Launching of Technology Dissemination Programme” on water purification organised by Dhaka University Department of Biomedical Physics and Technology at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban auditorium yesterday.Photo: STAR
Surface water can easily be purified with inexpensive and readily available items like a few sheets of polythene, straw, sunlight and a bit of patience, a technology dissemination programme was told yesterday. Keeping the water in a round, flat-based bowl, surrounded with straw and covered with four layers of polythene, for three to four hours under the sun removes the harmful micro organisms, it was told. The novel water purification method was revealed at the “Launching of Technology Dissemination Programme” at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban auditorium of Dhaka University (DU). DU Department of Biomedical Physics and Technology organised the programme to share local technologies for water collection and purification. The device can be easily erected anywhere “even on a raft floating on floodwater”, said Dr Khondkar Siddique-e-Rabbani, the department's chairperson. “While surface water is contaminated with diarrhoea-causing germs, groundwater contains arsenic,” said Dr Rabbani. Arsenic remains a major problem for the country and therefore more focus should be given in purifying surface water, he said. After various researches, the department came up with the new purification method using local knowledge and technology, he added. One downside of the technique is that it has no alternative for polythene. Instead of banning polythene and enforcing stringent laws against its use, the government should initiate a massive awareness campaign to ensure its safe disposal, said Dr Rabbani. Chairing the programme, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said safe drinking water is becoming scarce with each passing year. The new water purification technique which employs everyday tools should be disseminated among the masses, he said. Kiichi Oyasu, officer-in-charge of Unesco Dhaka Office, said this knowledge should be shared with other countries, especially those in the South Asian region where the challenges are similar. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid was present as the chief guest while Secretary of Disaster Management and Relief Division M Aslam Alam and Prof M Firoz Ahmed of Dhaka University's civil engineering department spoke at the programme.
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