Development of a rainwater filter using zeolite, activated carbon, sand and gravel :

Abstract

Rainwater harvesting technology is increasingly being practiced in Uganda as a means of curbing the water scarcity challenge in the country. Busitema university-faculty of engineering and technology found in eastern Uganda provides accommodation to students inside the campus but biggest fraction of students resides in privately owned hostels outside the campus. One of these hostels named Mabonga hostel installed a rainwater harvesting system for her students but the challenge discovered is that the system lacks a filtration unit yet students would wish to use this water for potable purposes. This project therefore was focused on developing a rainwater filter using local materials like sand, gravel, pebbles, zeolite and activated carbon. This report is divided into five chapters. Chapter One: This chapter contains the project background of the study, the problem statement, the purpose of the study, justification of the study, the objectives of the project and finally the scope and the limitations of the project Chapter Two: This chapter reviews all the necessary literature relevant to Rooftop RWH system, it gives the different contaminants found in rainwater, the major materials used in rainwater filter developments, different rainwater treatment technologies available and water quality assessment. Chapter Three: This chapter describes all the methodologies which were followed during the development of the filter system following the objectives including; raw water quality assessment, designing the system components, constructing the different components and assembling them, evaluating the performance of the system prototype and consequently carrying out the financial analysis of the system. Chapter Four: This chapter gives the analysis and discussion of the results from chapter three as per the objectives. Chapter Five: This chapter entails the conclusion on the results from Chapter Four and the recommendations from the results.