It is important to keep the outlet tube clean. Sometimes the outside of the tube can get dirty. This may make the drinking water dirty again. This is one reason the water should be disinfected after being filtered.
Once a week, wipe the outside of the outlet tube.
Use a cloth with chlorine. Let the tube air-dry
If you do not have chlorine or bleach, use a wet soapy cloth
Then use a clean, wet cloth to rinse off the soap.
Use filtered water to clean the outlet tube .
The user should NEVER put chlorine inside the outlet pipe or into the top of the filter!
Swirl and Dump
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1. Take off the lid. Pour water into the filter until the water level is above the diffuser. Take out the diffuser. |
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2. Put your hand flat on the sand. Swirl the surface of the sand around in a circle a few times.
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3. Use a cup or small bucket to scoop out the dirty water from the top of the filter.
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4. Pour the dirty water down a drain or into the bushes. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 a few times
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5. Make the top of the sand flat and level.
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6. Wash the lid and diffuser in soapy water. Rinse with clear water.
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7. Put the diffuser back in the filter.
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8. Wash your hands with soap and water. This is important since the top of the sand is very dirty.
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9. Pour a bucket of water into the top of the filter. If the flow rate is still too slow, repeat the Swirl and Dump until the flow rate is faster.
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Safe water storage
Safe storage means keeping the water from getting contaminated again. If hands, dippers, cups, or anything else touch the water, it will become unsafe to drink again.
Open buckets are not safe storage since anything could fall into the bucket and contaminate the water.
How to clean a safe storage container
1. Wash your hands with soap.
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2. Wash the inside and outside of the container and its lid with soap and treated water. It can be boiled, filtered, SODIS or Chlorinated water.
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3. Empty the soapy water through the container's tap.
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4. Rinse the container and lid using treated water. It can be boiled, filtered, SODIS or Chlorinated water.
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6. Let the container and lid air-dry.
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7. Wipe the tap with a clean cloth and chlorine.
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8. Put chlorine tablets or drops into the container. Fill the container with treated water. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
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9. Empty the chlorinated water through the tap. You can drink this water or dump it down a drain. |
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Using your treated water
It is important to protect your treated water and keep it from getting dirty again.
It is best if the safe storage container has a tap. If there is no tap, pour the water out. You should be able to get the water out of the safe storage container without using a cup or dipper.
What NOT to do!
Cups and dippers can be dirty from sitting on the counter or table, or from people touching them with their hands. Dirt and pathogens from hands, a cup or dipper will go into the water. Then the water may make you sick when you drink it.
Use the filtered water as soon as possible .
Try to use it all within 1 day. This reduces the change of recontamination.
The first water poured through the filter in the morning will be the best quality
(because it has sat in the filter overnight).
Save this water for drinking. Use the water that you pour through the filter later in the day for other uses like cooking and washing.
Disinfect the filtered water.
You can disinfect it by using chlorine or boiling. Disinfection will kill any pathogens left in the water after filtration. Adding chlorine to your filtered water will also protect it against being contaminated again- the chlorine will kill any new pathogens that get into the water while it is being stored.
Download Handout #15 - English Educating the user to Clean the Filter
Follow-Up with the User
It is important to visit the users after they start using the filter. People forget the details about how to use and clean the filter, so you will need to remind them. This will be covered in our final Handout.
Finally the Follow Up
SOWING SEEDS OF SUCCESS - MORINGA CURRICULUM
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