Fluoride1

Filter of the future: clean water and fluoride-free smiles, Kenya

Problem

Access to clean and safe drinking water is a significant issue in Kenya, particularly in rural areas. 32% of the household population relies on untreated water sources, such as rivers, ponds and shallow wells. These water sources are contaminated with bacteria, viruses and other pollutants. Consumption of contaminated water contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhea, especially among children. An estimated 3.4 million people die annually from waterborne diseases. It is the number 1 cause of death among children under the age of 5 in Kenya. 

In Kenya’s Rift Valley, source water is not only contaminated with bacteria, but also contains high levels of naturally occurring fluoride, often exceeding WHO guidelines by 2 to 10 times. As a result, the 12.8 million people living in the region are exposed to unsafe fluoride concentrations in their drinking water. This has led to widespread cases of both skeletal and dental fluorosis among the local population. 

Currently, there is no affordable household water treatment technology that effectively removes both bacteria and fluoride. As a result, many households are forced to purchase water at a high cost. Some resort to boiling water using wood, but this method is ineffective for removing fluoride, time-consuming, and contributes to pollution. Solving this issue would improve public health, reduce household expenses and time spent on water treatment, and lead to a significant decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. 

Solution

The Nazava Water Filter is the only WHO-tested water filter available in Kenya, offering highly effective removal of dirt and bacteria from water. Other filters are either uncertified by WHO or not commercially available. The proposed innovation is to enhance the Nazava filter with an anti-fluoride add-on, enabling it to also remove fluoride from drinking water.  

The anti-fluoride add-on to Nazava will be a game-changer because it: 

  • Provides a low-cost, market-based solution for delivering safe drinking water in regions with high levels of both bacteria and fluoride.
  • Expands Nazava’s reach into new areas.
  • Offers households durable, affordable access to clean drinking water. 

Additionally, by generating carbon credits, Nazava can reduce the cost of its filters, creating another layer of financial innovation to support widespread adoption. 

Impact

The expected result is a sustainable and scalable solution for addressing bacteria and fluoride contaminated water, particularly in Kenya’s Rift Valley region. Future impact includes: 

  • The Nazava Water Filter with anti-fluoride add-on will reduce both bacteria and fluoride contamination in water (SDG 6).
  • It will reduce the occurrence of bacteria and fluoride related health issues, such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dental and skeletal fluorosis (SDG 3).
  • Households can save around $100US per year on buying bottled water or on medical bills (SDG 1).
  • Women save 4 hours per week or more than 200 hours per year by replacing the need for boiling water (SDG 5).
  • The filter will provide an emission reduction of around 1 ton CO2 per filter per year and a reduction in deforestation (SDG 13 and SDG 15). 

For more info, please visit https://global.nazava.com/

Nakuru, Kenya

Team members

Timeframe

2024-2025

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