Vhembe Water Filter

Design and development of an improved low-cost ceramic water filter based on the existing Potpaz home water treatment device for use within rural households of the Vhembe region of South Africa.

This project aimed to develop the Potpaz ceramic water filter into an improved filter design
optimally suited to South African rural conditions, to provide potable water rather than
contaminated water to households. Communities that do not have access to in-house treated
water often end up with a contaminated water supply, as the water to be consumed is usually
sourced from communal water collection points and stored in containers. There is evidence that
the water consumed at point-of-use in rural areas is not always of a potable quality due to
possible contamination between collection and consumption. The existing Potpaz home water
treatment device has been scientifically proven to return contaminated water to a potable state.
A limited number have been imported to South Africa for use in a project that studied the effect
of household point-of-use treatment on the health of the consumer. It was not at all certain
whether the households would use these devices effectively because this filter was not part of
their everyday water system. Part of investigating whether or not they would effectively use this
filter was the inclusion of industrial design within the filter assessment section of a larger
research project conducted in the Vhembe region to understand the requirements of the user.
Industrial design concerns itself with the requirements of the user, as well as knowledge
regarding product design, development and manufacturing. Households that took part in the
point-of-use project used the Potpaz home water treatment device for more than two months
and were approached to provide feedback regarding its use. From the feedback, it became
evident that there were aspects of the Potpaz design that needed modification towards an
improved water filter more suited for its intended use in rural households. An Action Research influenced
methodology and User Centred Design approach informed the collection of original
data and feedback on areas of improvement. This, together with visits to local shops and
community potters, provided sufficient background to understand the needs and preferences of
the intended rural users regarding the use of the device. This informed the design process and
increased the chances of developing a readily accepted, more suitable product to the intended
users and the domestic environment in which they live. To achieve this, this project focused on
the following aspects regarding Potpaz filters: placement, use and design aspects of usability
and ergonomics. Development of the improved filter design culminated in rapid prototyping of a
scale model and the fabrication of a full-size working model allowing for physical interface to
evaluate the success of the design solution.