200 sand filters funded by the Foundation for Development Cooperation (SEZ)

In Bangladesh, groundwater is generally drunk untreated. This water has
a bad taste due to the very high iron content and is also frequently contaminated with toxic arsenic.
Even after decades of research, the processes leading to this contamination are still not fully understood. The Bangladeshi government is increasingly
relying on the deep aquifer (>150 m), and more and more private individuals are drilling such deep wells. This
water is very precious, as it was formed many thousands of years ago and the
aquifer is no longer being replenished. It is already clear that this water source will
no longer be usable in the near future, or only with significantly greater effort.

In collaboration with the University of Heidelberg and local technicians, we have therefore developed simple
sand filters that can remove iron and arsenic from shallow groundwater.
Some prototypes have now been in use long enough for us to feel confident about installing a further 200 filters
at schools and madrasas, at the request of the Bangladeshi Department for Public Health Engineering (DPHE). This project is funded by the Development Cooperation Foundation with 20,000€. We would like to express our gratitude for this funding and also to our members and supporters,
whose donations enable us to finance the required contribution.