Abstract
The semi-arid climatology of Burkina Faso (Western Africa) is prone to extreme seasonal variations, chaining long periods of drought with heavy rainfalls concentrated between to the months of May and October. Deficiencies in both water supply and quality, especially in rural areas, comprise the main cause of illness derived from intestinal parasites, with particularly high incidences in the infantile population.This study is based in the rural area of the northern district of Yako, an area where one of every three families does not have access to potable water. It is centered on the treatment of fresh water by using the seeds of the plant moringa oleifera (introduced to the country by traders centuries ago) as a natural coagulant for the elimination of turbidity and suspended particles in fresh surface waters. This treatment is followed by chemical disinfection with chlorine generated in situ via electrolysis using an autonomous electrical power supply. A sustainable water purification system is thus proposed which can substitute the use of chemical reagents with natural products by employing a process which is both energy efficient and easy to operate.
