Fabrication, physico-mechanical properties and turbidity reduction of disk-shaped ceramic water filters made for peri-urban rivers

Disk-shaped ceramic water filters were fabricated using kaolin and bentonite clays. The pore former was sawdust with three different sizes: 150 µm, 250 µm and 350 µm. The plasticity index of the Saltpond kaolin and Abonko clay in the ratio of 1:1 showed medium plasticity index of 14.9. The volume of water filtered was observed to increase with increasing sawdust particle size for all disks. The volume of filtered water was observed to increase for consistent consecutive run of disk filters. The flow rate in the first hour for disks used for Ahwiam river was 73 ml/hr and that for Ashiyie river was 108.2 ml/hr. The results from turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) suggested that the ceramic water disk filters as a household technology showed great potential as a partial treatment for peri-urban communities.