Natural Water Purification Research

Maintaining biodiversity by planting native trees.

Most of us are aware of the hazardous water conditions to which members of Flint, Michigan's community have been exposed. Countless numbers of people were exposed to elevated lead levels when it was thought to be politically expedient to switch water supplies, all in the interest of saving money. Now, hundreds of thousands of individuals are paying the price, especially children, who are most vulnerable to its brain-damaging effects.

In Tamil Nadu, India, the situation was different, but still involved exposure of residents to water-based contaminants. Parama Anandan is the Chief Functionary, the man who runs the FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (FRSD), also based in the same area. This group completed a survey of water sources for this rural area and found that contaminated water was an issue for more than 80 % of residents of the southern districts.



Several types of biological contaminants had found their homes in a variety of well water. According to Mr. Anandan, "The situation in [these] rural pockets needs our immediate attention. Natural plant extracts have been used for water purification for many centuries." Because FRSD has been involved in the preservation of biodiversity and sustainability within the area, they were in a position to find out more about traditional plant-based forms of water purification. Work was begun on the project in 2014.

That project, called Research On Traditional Water Purification Technologies, involved digging into sources for evidence of ancient wisdom and indigenous medical practices that were found in the Palm Leaf manuscripts. Mr. Anandan and FRSD was able to find more than fifty types of these natural water purification systems. They have been documenting how these systems are utilized and spreading that knowledge to the local residents who need it. All of this is done with indigenous plant species, without upsetting the ecosystem of this area, which is known for its biodiversity.

Mr. Anandan in the Western Ghat Mountains.

Besides being spread to residents of the area in its own publication, Traditional Water Purification Technologies, this important documented information was included in An Anthology Of Indigenous Knowledge, which was published in honor of the opening of the Center For Conservation of Indigenous Knowledge.

Students from University of Iowa with members of FRSD team.

Thanks for information from this article at Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/parama-anandan-revival-of-traditional-water-purification-technologies-to-combat-waterborne-diseases/; and the above link.

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