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BREAKTHROUGH! Former Dow Official's Water Purification Method in Wide Usage

Dr. Robert McDonald's Discovery Reaches 20 Countries Via Aqua Clara

April 16, 2013       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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Dr. Robert McDonald's water purification method is spreading across the Third World.
 
Kenyan child is dazzled by pure water system of Aqua Clara Institute of Michigan.

A Michigan initiative started by a retired Dow Chemical Company executive is providing water purification devices throughout the Third World and saving thousands of lives.

Dr. Robert McDonald spent a part of his Dow career in low income countries where he observed the need for clean water.

The Holland Sentinel reported: "Stationed in Geneva with his family, Bob's territory included the Middle East and Africa and led to travel throughout many countries in East Asia and Africa. During these travels, he observed a saddening number of children and adults who sickened and sometimes died from contaminated drinking water."

Hope College, which honored Dr. McDonald in 2008, states: "Having worked 25 years in many global locations with the Dow Chemical Company, Dr. Robert McDonald, a business man and engineer, concluded that an improved, family sized water remediation device could be developed -- one that generates clean disinfected water from highly polluted water.

"Further, this device could be inexpensive, utilize known technology, include no moving parts, require no electrical power, and be made of local materials, by the local people."

To achieve 'clean,' Dr. McDonald and his associates collaborated with Purdue University and Hope College scientists to develop an improved understanding of the basic chemistry and physics of bio-sand water purification, and then added unique disinfection chemistry based on 4,000 year-old technology.

The Aqua Clara Water Purifier (ACWP) is a single-family, point-of-use water purification system that can produce 40 liters of safe drinking water daily. It's assembled from locally available PVC pipe and HDPE plastic, and uses local sand and gravel as filler material.

The unit, which costs only $15 USD or less to construct and less than $1 per year to operate, lasts between 5-10 years with only minor maintenance. The filler material functions for much longer with only minor maintenance to the top few centimeters of sand and biological material.

The ACWP produces safe, affordable, clean drinking water that surpasses World Health Organization (WHO) standards using a reliable process that requires no electricity and involves no moving parts.

Local craftspeople make the purifier in using simple tools and local materials. ACI furthers the sustainability of its solution by helping local entrepreneurs manufacture, sell and service its purifiers to ensure continued production and service to the community in the long term.

ACI gives away its patented technology and partners with other non-profit organizations and churches to spread the technology as quickly and to as many people as possible.

"This then becomes a useful, initial tool in establishing the needed transformation. And finally, from this base, locally owned businesses can be formed to which this technology is transferred, thus establishing the basis for improvements and sustainability."

Observed Dr. Ted Loudon, professor emeritus at Michigan State University: "Historically, researchers in this field developed household style units, which were shipped in or where materials were shipped to the region, and then the systems were constructed in local shops."

In an effort to create sustainability, the Aqua Clara Foundation has secured donations to fund teachers' travel to educate citizens in Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Kenya, Sudan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Rwanda, and Haiti.

In just two years, 4,500 purifiers have been put into service in 20 countries, improving the lives of 24,000 children and adults. In Kenya alone, there are over 600 working purifiers in use. Bob spends 40 to 50 hours a week training teachers and locating philanthropic organizations to reach the world with this life saving technology.

Carla Hills, of MSU university outreach and engagement, describes the development of the technology in The Engaged Scholar, a MSU e-publication.

Concrete containers with bio-sand filters cost around $100 each, and some of that cost for transport. The heavy concrete was gradually replaced by plastic, making the units lighter, yet still durable.

In 2005, a Michigan-based non-profit organization called Aqua Clara International (ACI) was founded, with an international mission to "provide cheap, clean water for those who make less that $2 per day."

"Dr. McDonald dedicated his time and talents to creating a point of use water purification system that would be simple, require no power, with no moving parts and could be made with local materials and by local people all over the world," states the Aqua Clara website.

The Aqua Clara Water Purifier was extensively tested and developed by Dr. McDonald and a team of engineers at Zeeland Water Treatment Plant in Michigan, USA.

In 2007, a beta site was established in Eldoret, Kenya and it was confirmed that the output water produced water that was safe for drinking. Following the testing period, ACI secured a patent on the chemical processes utilized in our filters, enabling organizations employing any size filter body to install a filter with the appropriate composition of sand, gravel, and ACX, the added metallic biocide used in ACI filters.

Today, Aqua Clara is fully engaged in creation of local partnerships, developing sustainable, locally owned businesses that provide clean water and the associated services needed for their group's children and families. Our family sized water purifier fills the necessary requirements as a first step in supplying clean water and user sustainability.

Through study of well known disinfectant processes he decided to use metals to add to the disinfectant properties of bio-sand filters.

World Health statistics estimate that approximately 20 percent of the present global population consumes foul water, and the ingestion of contaminated water kills one child in five before the age of five. "We are so appreciative of the research work that Ted Loudon conducts at the Bio-economy Institute, because it means we are able to carry out our purpose with greater knowledge and impact," says Dr. McDonald.

When Dr. Loudon became involved in ACI in 2008, his research activities contributed to additional understanding of the bio-sand filter processes and removal of biological contaminants from water.

Together with Dr. McDonald he is working on processes to remove other environmental contaminates using low cost, simple methods. Another challenge was to customize the process by implementing specific training so that local residents can maintain a sustainable clean water system.

"The research involves developing methods that are simple and sustainable, with a long life. Pathogenic organism detection in water purification is still not perfect, but we are improving all the time. The key is to give people the tools that aide them in follow through with sampling and testing," says Loudon. "When these systems are built correctly, and used correctly, over 90 percent of the units can attain World Health Organization standards for acceptable clean water."

Dr. Loudon was granted laboratory space for Aqua Clara related work at MSU's Bio-economy in Holland, Michigan after the facility was donated by Pfizer, Inc., and reopened in spring 2009.

The facility allows for more controlled testing, such as determining how different physical configurations of bio-sand systems affect the purification process. He oversees Michigan State University and Hope College students in the lab, where he is able to blend his past research with new applications.

"It is a wonderful facility, with a tremendous amount of lab and bench space, and hoods, making it possible to expand the program with biologically-based products and testing," said Loudon.

"World Health statistics estimate that approximately 20 percent of the present global population consumes foul water, and the ingestion of contaminated water kills one child in five before the age of five. We are so appreciative of the research work that Ted Loudon conducts at the Bio-economy Institute, because it means we are able to carry out our purpose with greater knowledge and impact," says Dr. McDonald.

Aqua Clara International maintains that effective bio-sand filters can be constructed from a variety of materials in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing productive and effective water purifying solutions to local communities.

Dr. Loudon has begun performance evaluations to compare Aqua Clara International units with major alternative bio-sand filter systems. No such data base currently exists, and the research will provide useful data for future ACI projects. Personnel from the Centers for Disease Control are participating in the oversight of this work.

Once testing is completed at the lab in the MSU Bio-economy Institute, it is ready for beta sites in the field. Dr. Loudon helps deploy filters in areas such as Afghanistan, Laos, Thailand, and Kenya. Soon, he will add Ghana to the list.

To find out more about ACI or how you can get involved, visit www.aquaclara.org or contact Bob McDonald via email at rmcdonaldaci@gmail.com or via phone/mobile at (616) 392-8240. ###

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Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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