The ceramic water filter produced here in the Dominican Republic is great appropriate technology that allows a family to access safe drinking water for years. We advise the users of the filters that if they take really good care of their filters they could use them for up to 5 years, but every once in a while we come across filters that have been in use for more than 3 times longer!
The ceramic water filter produced here in the Dominican Republic is great appropriate technology that allows a family to access safe drinking water for years. We advise the users of the filters that if they take really good care of their filters they could use them for up to 5 years, but every once in a while we come across filters that have been in use for more than 3 times longer!
Last month we received a call from Mr. Leonardo Samuel Valdez from Bonao, Monseñor Nouel Province, with a filter that we believe to be around 15 years old. Mr. Valdez is a teacher and pastor of the Church of Maimon and lives with his wife and 3 children. He can’t remember the exact year, but he thinks he received the filter around 15 to 16 years ago! Since he received the filter it has been his family’s main source of drinking water.
Mr. Valdez told us that all 3 of his children have consumed water from the filters since they were babies. Mr. Valdez tells us that what impresses him the most about the water is how well the filter has continued to maintain the same quality of water throughout all of these years. Every time he washes the filter he can visibly see the dirt and sediment inside the filter, which is why he feels confident that the filter is working.
Mr. Valdez expressed to us, “I cannot describe the money that I know the filter has saved me. Without it we would be purchasing at least two 5 gallon bottles a week.” He is also a fan of the filter because of the ease of use. “I just need to fill the bottle and let the filter do its job. My life and the lives of my family have really depended on this filter.”
Mr. Valdez reached out to WTW DR to replace his membrane after it was accidentally knocked over. “It took the strength of God for me not to cry when it broke”. The WTW DR team was happy to replace Mr. Valdez’s filter and also provide him with a new bucket to house his filter.
Mr. Valdez’s filter is one of 3 long-term use filters that we have encountered in the field over the last year. Mrs. Juanita from Jarabacoa is another example. We encountered her filter when the team returned to communities to engage in a longitudinal survey to explore long-term filter use. We expected to find filters with around 3-4 years of usage as there have been many distributions in this community. The filter we encountered was about 15 years old, based on the logo that was branded on the side from Agua Pure.
The WTW DR team exchanged the filter for a new one, and brought the filter back to the office for testing, where the filter tested as in perfect working condition. Finding these filters are testaments to the quality and utility of the ceramic filter in these communities. As the Dominican Republic continues to work towards improving access to potable water for all communities, WTW DR is happy to continue to provide an affordable and lasting solution.
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