A Wits post-graduate student has designed a water purification system to produce reusable water.
A Wits University Masters student Kavisha Patel has designed a water purification system which may provide a possible solution to South Africa’s water shortage problem.
Patel’s system which combines wastewater treatment and membrane distillation makes the water reusable without the need for post-treatments of the wastewater.
“The membrane distillation bioreactor developed in this study has the potential to improve water quality, reduce sludge production, and greatly minimize the discharge of wastewater into rivers and streams”, Patel said.
According to the Rand Water website, the current water situation in South Africa is that “the scarce fresh water is decreasing in quality because of an increase in pollution and the destruction of river catchments.”
Patel said that there is no existing evidence on work done on the membrane distillation bioreactor in the country which is what led her to undertake the research.
Prof Kevin Harding co founder of the Industrial and Mining Water Research Unit, explains that Patel’s project “is seen as novel in the paper industry.”
Harding said, “her [Patel’s] work is relevant to all the paper industries in South Africa, and obviously water being an important aspect of life and health she is giving useful information to them”.
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FEATURED: Kavisha Patel, Wits masters of chemical engineering student has designed a water purification system. Photo: Provided.