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A Keynote Presentation

on
DM 06 - 880
Soumyadeep Mukherjee, M.Sc
Team Leader
World Bank Project
M.Tech (4th Semester),
Safety & Occupational Health Engg,
BESU, Shibpur

What is DM 06 880 ?

It is the code number of a World Bank funded project: Subterranean Arsenic


Removal-Experiment to Delivery

RKVM-IAS came out winner in the Global Development Marketplace Competition,


2006 with this project. It has 4 European Partners in this project viz. QUB, ISWAStuttgart, CML-The Netherlands & UMH-Spain.

Here, a hundred year old German technique for removal of iron & manganese from
groundwater has been applied for arsenic removal in West Bengal.

In 2004, a consortium of Indian & European Institutes experimented the effectiveness


of this technology in a TiPOT Project, funded by EU, at Kasimpore, West Bengal.

This technology is capable of reducing groundwater arsenic concentration from 0.29


mg/l to 0.01 mg/l within 6 weeks.

While filtration techniques provide instantaneous curative measure for a limited time
period, this technology provides long term curative as well as preventive measures.

Development Marketplace Winners Trophy

Basic Outline of the Project

Ground Water is pumped up by a submersible pump using electricity.

The ground water is then brought into active contact with the oxygen of air
by the help of showerheads. No chemical is used at all.

Then this oxygenated water is recharged back into the aquifer.

This treatment, when carried out for a few weeks, produce arsenic & iron
free drinking water as per WHO guideline.

Also, if this treatment is carried on for a few years, then it has the capacity
of treating the aquifer up to a considerable distance around the plant.

This treatment method is very simple & the O&M part can be performed by
the villagers alone. Only basic training is needed.

Advantages of this Technique

Provides a permanent solution to the arsenic problem in the long run,


provided the plant is run regularly.

The easiest technology around. No costly chemicals & complex tray


systems & delicate filters. Its all about pump set & showerheads.

The SUSTAINABLE way of treating arsenic contaminated water. This


process not only removes arsenic & iron from the water pumped out through
the system, but also treats the contaminated aquifer water.

Easy Operation & Maintenance Low cost, Simple.

Part time job generation.

More there is iron in water, more effective is the process. Luckily, in the
Bengal delta region, the iron concentration in the ground water is fairly high.

Advantages of this Technique

Very little amount of iron sediment is produced every month. So,


waste disposal is not a problem.

Unlimited supply of Arsenic free water can be obtained by running


the treatment cycle for more than once per day. (one cycle will
generate 4000lt drinking water & will recharge back 4000lt of
water to the aquifer)

Relevance of this Project in the present Scenario

Sustainability: This technique ensures sustained arsenic free water supply


to the community. It not only withdraws water, also it drains back some
oxygenated water in the aquifer thus improving the water quality.

Minimum maintenance cost signifies that these are not going to be another
costly showpiece at the side of the village roads.

Low cost will help the communities to run it for a significantly long period of
time even in the time of inflations & economic turbulence. (ie even when
alumina & chemicals can cost them a fortune)

Relevance of this Project in the present Scenario

The character of the soil has been changed by excessive withdrawal of


water & heavy usage of inorganic fertilizers & pesticides. This technology
tries to reverse this effect.

A few village boys/girls will get a part time job. The self-help groups can pay
them money on hour basis work. (One cycle takes around 2 hrs to complete
to produce 4000lt of safe water)

Our Activity during the Project Period

6 plants were installed at villages of Gobardanga, Basirhat, Nilgunj,


Chakdah & Ranaghat.

Each of the project sites were selected very carefully after doing extensive
socio-economic survey, WTP analysis & food safety research.

Each of these plants have started delivering water to the people within 2
months of their installation.

Continuous monitoring of water quality has been carried out by the research
assistants at the laboratory for the last one year to ensure the quality of the
delivered water.

The village operators & technicians have been involved in the maintenance
jobs so that they will be able to troubleshoot any mechanical problem in
future.

Photographs of the Plant

Chakdaha Plant
Gobardanga Plant

Photographs of the Plant

Basirhat Merudandi Plant


Basirhat Naihati Plant

Photographs of the Plant

Ranaghat Plant
Nilgunj Plant

The Showerheads

Our Productions
A Documentary Film with the Title:
Subterranean Arsenic Removal Delivering Drops of Life
A project website: www.insituarsenic.org

A number of Paper Publications from UMH, QUB & CML

Technology Transfer Letter

Cost of Construction, Operation & Maintenance

Functional
Steps

Construction

Item
Building, Plumbing,
Electrical equipments &
wiring

Cost (approx)
In Rs

Comment

Rs 1,50,000

This is a one-time
cost. (Funding
Agencies may
bear this cost)

Personnel (2hrs per day in


part time basis)

Rs 1000 per month

Electricity Bill

Rs 200 per month

Pipes leakage, Pumps,


Tank, Coloring of iron
parts, Electrical parts

Rs 100 per month

Operation

Maintenance

The recurring cost


is Rs 1300 per
month which
can be
collected if the
water is given
@ 10p per
litre.
(Alternatively,
every
household can
contribute a
fixed amount
of money per
month)

Limitations

High iron content in the groundwater and efficient aeration processes are pre-requisites for this
technology to work.

Electrical connection will produce most desirable condition because, in that case, submersible
pump can be used for pumping up ground water.

Earlier, this type of in-situ treatment technology was used in Bangladesh, but in that case, hand
pump was used. The aeration was insufficient & the experiment didnt yield expected result.

Regular operation is needed to maintain the oxidation zone of the aquifer in good condition.
Thats why this process is a long term one.

No instantaneous solution can be achieved from this technology. A minimum time of 45 days is
to be allowed initially to produce the desired result. After that, regular operation will produce
good quality water for the coming ten years or more.

Scope of Future Research

The best intermission recharging time & water quantity to be withdrawn in


Bengal delta region for highest level of oxidation.

The rate & extent of treatment of aquifer by this technique.

Whether this technology is applicable to saline soils of Sunderbans &


rugged hilly regions or not.

Best practices & amount of water drawn suitable for Bengal delta region for
maximum level of sustainability.

Future of this Project

To make it large, we have to involve Panchayats and Self-Help groups so


that maintenance & WTP will not be a problem.

If large no of this type of plants are being installed in rural areas, then the
aquifers will definitely revert back to their original quality within a few years.

NGOs which are highly accepted among the mass (even religious bodies) to
be involved in this work for larger acceptance & awareness generation.

The NGO approach model will be very much ideal for Bangladesh while a
mixed Panchayat-NGO-Institute model will be best for West Bengal.

Thank
You

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