Home » Health & Wellness  » Environment and hygiene  » Clean water from human waste What Sulabh International Institute is up to these days- treating waste water generated from human excreta into clean water.

Dateline New Delhi

A new technology for treatment of water from human waste has been developed by researchers who hope that this would help tackle the water shortage problem in drought prone areas. The charcoal ultra violet water filter, developed by researchers at Sulabh International Institute of Technical Research and Training, treats waste water generated from human excreta based biogas plant.

The treated water is colourless, odourless and pathogen free. Its BoD (Biological Oxygen Demand) is less than 10 mg per litre which is quite safe for fish culture, irrigation and horticulture. "It can be used for cleaning floors and for the maintenance of the Sulabh complex, particularly in drought prone areas in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where water is being purchased to maintain the toilet complex," Dr PK Jha, vice chairman and technical advisor of the organisation said.

The water can be made potable with only a slight technological input, he said.

"In addition to nitrogen, potassium and phosphate, this water contains all plant micronutrients required for the growth of plants," Jha said adding the water has advantages of inorganic fertilizer in many ways as it improves soil texture and does not cause acidity or alkalinity and also improves the growth of microorganisms in the soil.

(Report by Press Trust of India)