Lagos — Awater filter, which uses a local plant known as 'moringa oleifera', has been developed to help purify water for domestic use in several communities (both rural and urban) in the Niger-delta area of Nigeria.

Moringa oleifera, which grows widely in several parts of Nigeria, is known in Yoruba language as 'Ewe ile'; gawara in Fulani; baga-ruwar maka in Hausa; while the Ibos call it odudu oyibo.

The plant filter, which was developed by Rural African Water Develoment Project (RAWDP) a non-governmental organisation, has a removal efficiency of 99.5 percent for turbidity, 98 percent for suspended solids, 90 to 99 percent for bacteria of 1 to 4 log units, and 100 percent for water hardness, claims which are allegedly backed by a World Bank report.

In May 2006 RAWDP won the World Bank's Development market-place competition, with a grant to implement the 'Mor-Sand Filters for Oil Producing Communities' project - a natural and low technology process for purifying water that can be easily managed at the household level.

The project involves the production of sand water filters and use of natural coagulative properties in the powdered seeds of the Oleifera tree to purify water for use by poor household.

The filter has been designed and manufactured for use in local and urban communities in Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa State, and Ondo States. However, in October 2006, the project commenced in Izombe and Egbema communities in Imo and Rivers states respectively.

According to Mr. Joachim Ekeji, Project Coordinator of RAWDP, "the broad objectives of the 'Mor Sands Water filters' project is to assist households in oil producing communities to maximise the quality of their drinking water supply and free them from the burdens of ill health caused by human and industrial pollution; through manufacturing and promotion of the filter as a house-hold water treatment system".

"Expected results of this project include improved health among the most vulnerable in the community, increased employment among those who would manufacture, sell, transport, and maintain the filters, and an increase in overall productivity as people will be healthier", he said.

"The project grant finances the production of 1000 Mor Sands Water filters and the training of 70 youths drawn from the seven benefiting states in the Niger Delta on how to produce more water filters in response to future demands. So far, 100 water filters have been produced with an additional 300 water filters planned before the end of July. These filters have been publicly demonstrated to the local residents and are currently in use".

Since the project started in 2006, a total of 10 stakeholder consultations were held with various community groups such local Chiefs, women, youths and religious groups in Imo and Rivers States; 160 individuals (54 women and 106 men from the two states) participated in pilot Water filter training workshops, which also featured the production and test running of the water filters.

Also 20 fresh recruits have been trained on filter production and marketing; 10 local trainees selected by community leaders from these two communities have started to receive training as Water filter technicians; a filter manufacturing facility has been established in Imo and Rivers states, and a team comprising local volunteers, commercial distributors and partners formed.

Ekeji who believes that the filter technology developed by his organisation is key to achieving the water MGD in Nigeria said, "we have about 63 million Nigerians without access to clean water. Anybody drinking water needs a filter, even the water from the public water utility most times is not clean. Many people also drink borehole water, which is basically untreated water."

"But using a Mor Sands Water filter ensures that your water is doubly clean. The filter holds the key to providing Nigerians good, clean, quality water towards the achievement of the MDG target for water".

"If the Nigerian Government is seriously interested in achieving the Water MDG, then it should encourage the massive cultivation of Moringa trees by all households, and the empowerment of people to produce Mor Sands Water Filters which uses the Moringa seeds to purify unclean water", he advised.

To the coordinator, "people are getting water from unclean sources and are getting sick. 80% of the diseases we get are water borne, and this can be easily eradicated by producing clean drinking water at the point of consumption or what the World Health Organisation calls Point of Use water treatment".

Speaking on the advantages of using the filters, Ekeji said once installed, operation and maintenance of the filters costs zero. "The only thing you need is the Moringa tree whose seeds are needed to filter the un clean water. Every body should plant a Moringa tree in his compound, so that when it grows, its fruits can be used to filter unclean water. It does not cost anything to plant a Moringa tree, but when it grows, it seeds could be used to filter water to ensure its cleanliness".

He decried the present reliance on alum by public water utilities for water treatment. "Alum is a chemical, which costs a lot of money to import. But there is an alternative to Alum. Moringa tree can be planted anywhere, it grows wild, and has the benefit of stopping erosion. It has fibrous roots, and leaves an anti biotic effect on the soil. Its balks and roots also have medicinal properties".

Rural Africa Water Development Project also plans to cultivate 2000 acres of Moringa plants, which will benefit in the end 10 million households in South-east Nigeria.

For his efforts at initiating low cost technologies to resolve development problems, Joachim Ekeji last year received an award from the Tech Museum Awards group based in San Jose, California, USA, and the Rotaract Club of Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.