New Delhi, March 24, 2024: SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) has completed the construction of 10 Terra Filters in the Barack Valley ensuring safe drinking water supply for 1500 families. Invented and patented by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Terra Filters, are designed to provide up to 1000 litres of safe drinking water during crises.
SEEDS had initiated this construction when the region was hit by torrential rains in 2022. When floodwaters breached the Bethukandi embankment, most areas within the Cachar district were submerged and the entire Barak Valley got isolated from the remaining part of the State. SEEDS stepped in to help the community build back through its Project Ashraya India Flood Relief and completed the construction of 10 Terra Filters across four panchayats in Cachar district of Assam.
Speaking about their work, Dr Manu Gupta, Director of SEEDS, said “The North-Eastern part of India is an identified climate hot spot. The increased number of climate incidents and the intensity are clearly affecting lives and livelihoods. The SEEDS team has a decade long presence in the State and has strategically worked over the past two years to ensure that the building back of schools and primary health centres is powered to incorporate community resilience as well.”
The Terra Filter serves as a crucial resource, particularly in areas where water is contaminated with sediments, suspended particles, iron, and microorganisms that cause waterborne diseases. With the capability to treat turbidity up to 500 NTU and iron up to 15 ppm, it effectively removes nearly 99% of turbidity, 95-100% of microorganisms, and 90-95% of soluble iron, colour, and odour from raw water.
At the domestic level, filters are available in 20 & 30 liter capacities with filtration rates ranging from 1-4 LPH (litres per hour). For larger populations, community-level filters range from 1000 to 100,000 LPD (litres per day). Additionally, online pressure filters offer capacities from 60 to 10,000 LPH, ideal for continuous water supply requirements. Domestic filters, available through CIPET (Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology) and CSIR-IMMT (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology ), are priced at approximately Rs 450 and Rs 385, respectively, including VAT & Packing. The online Terra Filter unit is priced at Rs 1000 + VAT, while community-level construction of stand-alone purification plants, capable of producing 1000 litres/day, is priced at Rs 10,000.
Besides the construction of Terra Filters, SEEDS has also conducted specialized WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training for 200 ASHA workers from Jalalpur and Kalain Primary Health Centres, emphasizing the importance of safe drinking water, particularly in areas with high iron content.
