COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON THE POTENTIAL OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL FOR WATER PURIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST WATER FILTER

Access to clean and safe drinking water remains a critical challenge in many resource-limited communities. Conventional water treatment methods are often impractical due to high costs, energy requirements, and technical complexity. This study investigates the synergistic potential of three locally available natural materials banana stem fibres (Musa Spp.), wood ash, and okra seed mucilage (Abelmoschus esculentus) in a low-cost, multi-stage water filtration system. The research employed an experimental design involving material characterization, batch jar tests, and the development of a gravity-fed filter prototype. The filter's performance was evaluated using naturally contaminated water sources from the Shelleng Local Government Area, with parameters including turbidity, pH, heavy metals (Lead and Cadmium), and microbial contamination (E. coli) measured against World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Results demonstrated that the multi-stage system significantly improved water quality, reducing turbidity from 65-90 NTU to below 0.5 NTU, elevating pH to within acceptable ranges (7.5-8.0), and drastically reducing lead and cadmium concentrations to below WHO permissible limits. Microbial analysis showed a 93% reduction in E. coli counts. The study concludes that the integrated use of banana stem fibres, wood ash, and okra seed mucilage presents a viable, sustainable, and effective solution for decentralized water treatment. It is recommended that long-term field studies, standardization of material preparation, and community engagement initiatives be pursued to facilitate widespread adoption.