Project H20: Water-Filtration Insert

Guatemala and Central America have significant underground volcanic activity due to geological processes that involve movement of magma and gaseous emissions. Due to the subduction of oceanic plates under this region, geothermal fluid reservoirs rise to the service, via soil or otherwise, contaminating drinking water sources. Among these contaminants are significant levels of arsenic. 

Most studies to this point have focused on microbial risks in rural drinking water. Ecofiltro, a Guatemalan social enterprise that manufactures and distributes affordable, eco-friendly ceramic water filters to rural and urban communities, rose to combat the e. coli bacteria. 

RTI International and Universidad del Valle de Guatemala collaborated on a study to improve understanding of local water quality; findings revealed naturally occurring arsenic to be present in one third (33.6%) of water samples taken from Guatemala City, the largest city in Latin America. 

Adverse health effects of arsenic poisoning can include skin cancer, cancers of the bladder and lungs, developmental effects, diabetes, pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, and arsenic-induced mortality. Studies have also found negative impacts to cognitive development, intelligence, and memory after prolonged arsenic exposure. Arsenic exposure during utero has also shown deficient immune systems and impaired growth, with the potential to lead to cancer, lung disease, heart attacks, and kidney failure. Worldwide, more than 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries, and 1.7 billion people use contaminated drinking water, leading to disease transmission, missed school, and heightened medical expenses. An estimated 140 million people drinking water with arsenic concentrations which exceed WHO guidelines.  

What is the device? What does it do? How is it solving the problem? 

The modular spigot insert, designed by Georgia Tech's capstone team "Ramblin Mech," targets arsenic removal to the existing Ecofiltro system. Ecofiltro’s ceramic pot and colloidal silver coating are already effective at removing E. coli and other microbial contaminants. However, the Ecofiltro does not remove inorganic contaminants like arsenic, leaving users protected from bacteria but still exposed to the chronic health effects of long-term arsenic consumption. The filter insert introduces a biochar adsorption stage at the point where water exits the spigot, allowing arsenic to be captured from solution under the same gravity-fed operation the Ecofiltro already uses. Because the biochar is made from local agricultural byproducts (watermelon rinds and banana peels), the design remains low-cost, repairable, and community-scalable, while improving overall drinking water safety without increasing user burden.