Neeri Filters Ensure Safe Drinking Water In Flood-Hit Assam When floods disrupted water supply systems and left local sources contaminated in Assam’s Jorhat district, scientists from the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) in Nagpur devised a low-tech solution to provide safe drinking water. The institute deployed its Neeri-ZAR zero-energy water filtration system, a gravity-driven technology that operates without electricity and can be assembled locally within days. This innovation was introduced to address the urgent need for clean water in flood-affected areas where conventional infrastructure had been compromised. The Neeri-ZAR system, developed by CSIR-NEERI, uses gravity to drive the filtration process, eliminating the need for power. The household version of the filter consists of two 22-litre vessels and, when operated for about an hour daily, can meet the drinking and cooking water requirements of five to six people. This capacity is based on an estimated daily need of 6 to 10 litres per person for drinking and cooking. A larger community version, using two 100-litre vessels, can cater to the needs of approximately 10 households. The technology was demonstrated and distributed in Jonakimondal village of Jorhat district, where around five household units and five community-level units were provided to flood-affected residents. A key aspect of the deployment was the local assembly of the filters at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, using readily available materials within two days. This approach highlighted the system’s adaptability, enabling rapid deployment close to disaster-hit communities rather than relying on transporting pre-fabricated units from elsewhere. The initiative underscores the importance of decentralized, low-cost solutions in disaster response.#assam #jorhat #neeri #csirneeri #jonakimondal
