Low cost technology for treatment rural water supply

The research aimed at improvement of water quality in Mbeya region particularly Mbeya district by characterizing the water quality of Iwindi group water supply and Imeta water supply schemes. Thereafter to identify the low cost technology that will be employed to treat water from one of these schemes. Different treatment technologies were compared and assessed for their suitability. The slow sand filtration was found to be simple, economical and reliable treatment technology for the community in Mbeya district. Application of a constructed wetland as pretreatment of raw water prior slow sand filtration, for the purpose of removing nutrient such as nitrogen and phosphate as well as reducing the concentration of turbidity, which normally goes up during rain season was also assessed. The analysis was done in the laboratory to establish the general water quality of both schemes mentioned above. The efficiency of SSF was established by treating water through the pilot slow sand filter, which was made by the author. The results from laboratory shows that together with the ability to reduce the concentration of physical and chemical parameters to acceptable concentration, SSF has a high capacity to remove microorganisms ranging from 67% to 100% removal. The efficiency was increasing with time as biological layer was building up. Following the pilot slow sand filtration, the design of slow sand filter for Iwindi group water supply was done. The treatment capacity of the scheme is 421 m3 /h. The designed filter will require a total of 130,390 USD construction costs. In order to have the filling of the ownership it was recommended that community should manage the project. Also before SSF to be installed community should make sure that funds for operation and maintenance are secured.