AWWA WQTC65928

At many production locations worldwide, a low-cost ceramic membrane drinking water treatment system is produced called the ceramic silver-impregnated pot filter (CSF). The objective of this study was to gather performance data and characterize the filter material using high-tech methods from membrane technology. The performed research indicated that CSF efficiently removes total coliforms, sulfite reducing Clostridium spores and E.coli K12. It was shown that there is no need for the application of silver in CSF concerning Clostridium spores (surrogate for Cryptosporidium removal). However, the removal of E.coli K12 was slightly better by the CSF system with silver. MS2 bacteriophages were only partially removed from the water, with significantly better results for filters without an impregnation of colloidal silver. The effective pores in the filter material were measured to be around 40 µm, which is larger than most pathogens. Hence, high tortuosities in the filter material contributed to the efficient physical removal of indicator organisms. The main deficiency of CSF proved to be the low water production which was insufficient to provide drinking water for a family. Includes 9 references, table, figures.