Design and Fabrication of Mini-Household Water Treatment System

Year : 2026 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 02 | Page : 26 37
By

Habu Iyodo Mohammed,

Umar Adam Musa,

Ismail Al-Amin Emmah,

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water remains a serious challenge in many developing countries, including Nigeria, due to pollution, poor infrastructure, and ineffective water management. This study presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a mini household water treatment system that uses charcoal carbon derived from desert date wood. The project aims to provide a low-cost, gravity-driven, and sustainable water purification solution for rural and peri-urban households. The system consists of a two-layer metal frame supporting dual plastic tanks and a charcoal carbon filter housed in a 38.1 mm PVC pipe containing 380 g of media. It operates through gravitational flow, eliminating the need for electrical power. Laboratory tests assessed major parameters Calcium (Ca²⁺), Lead (Pb²⁺), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅), and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and results were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The results showed clear improvement in water quality: Calcium reduced from 2.41 mg/L to 1.50 mg/L, COD from 2.05 mg/L to 1.10 mg/L, BOD₅ from 3.10 mg/L to 1.13 mg/L, and TDS from 108.96 mg/L to 73.06 mg/L, while lead was undetectable. The system produced 165 litres per day, sufficient for a household of 6–8 people. The study concludes that the developed system is efficient, affordable, and sustainable for household water purification. It demonstrates the potential of using locally available materials and simple gravity-driven design to improve access to potable water in Nigerian communities.

Keywords: Household water treatment system, activated charcoal, desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca), gravity filtration, water quality improvement, point-of-use (POU) treatment, sustainable drinking water, rural communities, low-cost filtration, Nigeria

[This article belongs to Journal of Water Resource Engineering and Management ]

How to cite this article: Habu Iyodo Mohammed, Umar Adam Musa, Ismail Al-Amin Emmah. Design and Fabrication of Mini-Household Water Treatment System. Journal of Water Resource Engineering and Management. 2026; 13(02):26-37.
How to cite this URL: Habu Iyodo Mohammed, Umar Adam Musa, Ismail Al-Amin Emmah. Design and Fabrication of Mini-Household Water Treatment System. Journal of Water Resource Engineering and Management. 2026; 13(02):26-37. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jowrem/article=2026/view=253810

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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Issue 02
Received 19/06/2026
Accepted 07/07/2026
Published 09/07/2026
Publication Time 20 Days

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