We have started down an exciting new path with water filters. As you may already know, we met in Cambodia when Lukas was testing water and installing filters for church orphan homes.  Last summer (2015) we started to experiment with some new forms of filtration. Our goal is to use our knowledge and resorces to help bring clean and "living" water to those that do not have access to it. 

 

sand bacteria filter, Lukas Graf, Jenny Graf

There is a garden fishpond in the yard of our apartment building. We asked the owner if we could use the pond water with our test filtration systems. He was so excited about the project that he helped us build the sand filter.  In this final photo, you can see the sand filter (blue barrel) and a secondary filter working together.  By using two small electric pumps we were able to test three different types of filters. We could run water through the different test filters 24/7 to determine the flow rate and time to clogging when used with a poor water source. We determined that a membrane bacteria filter would work the best for Cambodia, but it was also the most expensive. We started to explore different ways that we could acquire these filters, and less than two weeks before we were scheduled to to fly to Cambodia, Pall Filters donated 30 bacteria filters towards the project!

 

In the two and a half weeks that we were in Cambodia we were able to instal nine water filtrations systems in nine different orphanages around the country. We worked closely with a local non government organization (NGO) called Foursquare Children of Promise (FCOP).  By working with the Cambodian staff, we were able to construct the housing for the Pall membrane filters and to pair them with a sand filter. The system was built with locally purchased materials and constructed in such a way that it is easy to maintain and extremely durable.  After our departure, three more systems were installed by the local staff for a total of twelve water filtration systems in twelve different orphanages! 

 

Lukas Graf, Jenny Graf

So what's next? 

FCOP has over 100 orphan homes around the country. We would like to continue to work with them in the future. Not every home needs a filtration system, but many of them do! Some of the children's homes need a specialised flirtation system that can remove arsenic from the groundwater. Some of the homes rely on rain water or river water and a well with a pump would be a huge blessing. We plan to make another trip to Cambodia in the future to continue with this project. We are also interested in other countries if the opportunity arrises.