Effect of Varying Percentage Composition of Sawdust on Water Discharge and Water Purification of Ceramic Water Filters

Water borne diseases are common in some parts of Nigeria due to lack of potable water and some farmers in the rural areas depend on contaminated water from the ponds and streams for drinking water. Hence, the objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of varying percentage composition of sawdust on water discharge and water purification of ceramic water filters using appropriate standard techniques including collecting raw water and water samples from the ceramic filters before and after filtrations. The mixing percentage of sawdust to kaolinite-clay for the filters by weight were 20%-80%(C1), 30%-70%(C2), 40%-60%(C3) and 50%-50%(C4). Kaolinite-clay was ground and sieved through 0.18mm while Sawdust was sieved through 0.42 mm sieve. The kaolinite-clay and sawdust were thoroughly mixed, put in mould of desired shape, air-dried for 7 days and heated in a furnace at 900-950°C for 8 hours to make the clay and sawdust hard and become ceramic filter. The discharge of water through C1, C2, C3 and C4 were 36.67, 43.33, 86.67 and 478.33 ml/h, respectively. The filters reduced the turbidity, TDS and sulphate by 60.53-96.93%, 61.41-92.64% and 6.09-34.98%, respectively. C1, C2, C3 removed feacal coliform by 100% but C4 removed it by 60%.Mixing ratio of 20%-80%, 30%-70% and 40%-60% sawdust and kaolinite-clay is recommended for ceramic water filter.