Installation of a Green Filter System in San Miguel de Sema in Colombia
Lake Fúquene in Colombia provides drinking water to 200,000 people who depend on safe and clean water. Massive water abstractions also from the tributaries and rainfall deficit lead to sinking water levels. Untreated wastewater from communities and agriculture as well as introduced water plants cause overload with nutrients. The oxygen content decreases resulting in fish kills and also water bird die-off.
Pilot Facility in San Miguel de Sema
The town of San Miguel de Sema has 4,000 inhabitants and is located in the region of Boyacá, north of Laguna de Fúquene. An already existing collecting tank is currently used to collect waste water. Around this collecting tank a primary sedimentation tank and a green filter are now being built. The sewage will flow through the green filter. Bacteria and microorganisms living in the roots of the water hyacinth as well as the roots themselves absorb nutrients and germs from the wastewater and integrate them into their metabolism. The system works without the use of chemicals and without pumps this means no electric power is necessary. From time to time the water hyacinths used for water purification have to be cut back. In August 2013, this pilot facility went into operation.
Further effective green filter systems with low investment and operational costs are to be built in South America; to realise this we need your support. Preparatory operations, such as water testing at new locations cost about 500 Euro. Costs for the construction of one green filter facility in South America amount to approximately 25,000 Euro. For continued monitoring of the water quality around 200 Euro per month are needed per installation.