Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to use water filters to fight cholera, jaundice
AHMDABAD: For years more than 400 slum clusters of Ahmedabad have been plagued by problems of water contamination and diseases every summer. Periodic cases of jaundice and cholera have been often traced to mixing of sewage with drinking water. But now the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) health department is toying with the idea of making nanoparticle composite-based water filters being made available to the residents in these slum clusters.
"The AMC can't have a direct association with the companies which manufacture these products. But these companies which make these filters can be asked to provide them at concessional rates. The filters are affordable," claimed a senior AMC official.
The AMC's health department claims that occasional outbreaks of jaundice and cholera are worrisome and the filters are a sure short way of reducing the numbers. In the first phase of the campaign, women in each of these slum clusters can be introduced to the product. "We may have to see the response of the women to the product and then decide on how to get involved," added the official.
There are several companies which manufacture these filters as well as some leading institutes in the country have long studied how trace quantities of silver ions in these special filters are effective in killing a wide spectrum of bacteria and viruses. While a number of silver-based biocidal compositions have been synthesized, the filter candle in these nano filters have to be changed every year. It costs Rs 300 for every changeover. "These filters don't require power and are better than reverse osmosis filters that waste a lot of water," added the official.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Ahmedabad-Municipal-Corporation-to-use-water-filters-to-fight-cholera-jaundice/articleshow/20022029.cms
"The AMC can't have a direct association with the companies which manufacture these products. But these companies which make these filters can be asked to provide them at concessional rates. The filters are affordable," claimed a senior AMC official.
The AMC's health department claims that occasional outbreaks of jaundice and cholera are worrisome and the filters are a sure short way of reducing the numbers. In the first phase of the campaign, women in each of these slum clusters can be introduced to the product. "We may have to see the response of the women to the product and then decide on how to get involved," added the official.
There are several companies which manufacture these filters as well as some leading institutes in the country have long studied how trace quantities of silver ions in these special filters are effective in killing a wide spectrum of bacteria and viruses. While a number of silver-based biocidal compositions have been synthesized, the filter candle in these nano filters have to be changed every year. It costs Rs 300 for every changeover. "These filters don't require power and are better than reverse osmosis filters that waste a lot of water," added the official.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Ahmedabad-Municipal-Corporation-to-use-water-filters-to-fight-cholera-jaundice/articleshow/20022029.cms