Design and performance evaluation of a water filtration system using charcoal, activated carbon, moringa seeds and sand

Access to potable water remains a significant challenge, particularly in rural communities where inadequate water treatment contributes to the prevalence of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, skin abscesses, cellulitis, and other infections. This study aimed to design and evaluate low-cost and effective water filtration systems using sand, charcoal, activated carbon, and Moringa seeds as filter media. The performance of the developed filters was assessed based on flow rate and selected water quality parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and total dissolved solids (TDS). Four filtration systems were designed using locally available materials, with each filter incorporating one of the selected media. Experimental evaluation showed that the sand filter achieved the highest flow rate (4.08 mL/s), followed by the charcoal filter (2.45 mL/s), activated carbon filter (2.05 mL/s), and Moringa seed filter (0.75 mL/s). The Moringa seed filter demonstrated superior water quality performance, producing the lowest turbidity (5.39 NTU) and the lowest electrical conductivity, while the sand filter recorded the highest turbidity (22.48 NTU) and EC values (196–261 µS/cm). The findings indicate that although the sand filter provides the greatest filtration rate, the Moringa seed filter offers better contaminant removal and improved water quality. Overall, the developed filtration systems present cost-effective alternatives for household water treatment, with the Moringa seed filter showing the greatest potential for improving drinking water quality in resource-limited communities.