Water Usage and Availability in Bongo's Communities: Research Leading to the Development of an Indigenous Fluoride Filter

Over the course of a six-week period in both 2009 and 2010, an investigation into the collection and usage of water was undertaken in the Bongo District of Ghana. The outcome of this research was to provide data for the design of a defluoridation filter for the groundwater that could be used either in the household or at the borehole. This filter would use laterite as the filter medium and would prevent the development of dental fluorosis, which is common in the District. In 2009, the focus was on denser, more centrally located communities, while the research in 2010 focused on communities in which people live further from water sources. The localities studied were in Namoo, Kuyelingo, Bongo Central, and Kadare. After an analysis of data collected in 2009 and a preliminary review of data collected in 2010, it has been determined that the different localities have different requirements for a filter design. Denser communities, including parts of Namoo, Kuyelingo, and Bongo Central, would benefit most from a filter installed directly at the borehole. This filter would not process all the water fetched, since less than half the water collected is ingested. In more remote communities, such as parts of Kuyelingo near the Vea Dam and Kadare, a household filter would be ideal. In these communities, when people live far from the borehole, they seek other sources, including river water, wells, rainwater, and dam water. Many of these sources are unsafe to drink without proper treatment. Therefore, a household filter that can filter the fluoride from borehole water (when the household does indeed fetch from the pump) and can filter bacteria and viruses from the other water sources would be most appropriate. The results from the water survey provide an overview of the water collection rate throughout the day, distance the water is carried to the individual households, and breakdown of water usage within the household - in both dense and remote communities. Child with Dental Fluorosis in Bongo, Ghana