Arsenic in Groundwater
Meherpur District, Bangladesh
Infinite Water designed a process to remove high levels of arsenic in groundwater in a remote village in Bangladesh. The locals did not have access to drinking water that was within drinking water standards.
The pilot evaluation treating 8,000 Litres per day to meet WHO drinking water standards is the first step in providing clean drinking water to the people of Bangladesh on a larger scale.
The Meherpur district in the western region of Bangladesh has been plagued with problems stemming from the high levels of arsenic in the groundwater.
Exposure to arsenic in drinking water can cause cancer, skin lesions, cardiovascular diseases and impediments in cognitive development. Data from a national survey estimates an annual death toll of nearly 43,000 from arsenic poisoning.
Over the years the government has trialled multiple technologies to treat this water economically but has not been successful in finding a comprehensive solution.
The village is very remote so it was essential that the water treatment plant was easy to operate, robust and reliable. Secondly, the treated water was required to meet WHO drinking water guidelines (arsenic < 0.01mg/l) which are more stringent that the Bangladesh guidelines for arsenic (arsenic < 0.05mg/l).
In association with the Government's Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Infinite Water ran a 8,000 litre/day pilot evaluation to prove the efficacy of Hydroxon for arsenic removal.
The process successfully reduced arsenic concentrations from 0.2 mg/L to less than 0.004 mg/L bringing it in full compliance with WHO standards (0.01 mg/L) for drinking water.
Disinfection simultaneous to arsenic removal
Robust and easy to operate
Small plant footprint
Low energy consumption of only 0.1kWhr/m3
