Types of filter and selection criteria

In general a typical filter is a columner structure , circular or rectangular in shape , of 1.5*1.5

m.length and breadth and 1 meter height. It may be made up of Cement,brick and concrete or
PVC.The material must be rust free and corrosion free. The body of the filter is horizontally
divided into three equal chambers .All the chambers are separeted through suitable size rust
free wire meshes.The chambers are back filled with coarse sand of 1.5 to 2 mm size ,gravel of
3 -6 mm size and pebbles of 6 -20 mm size in the order of increasing grain size from top to
bottom.The filter media should be well rounded,well sorted and corrosion free and free of
mud and clay material. Here what we use is an inverted filter. A device is given on top left of
the filter to enter the rain water collected on roof top.The bottom of the filter is provided
with a outlet or exit pipe.Roof water enter into the filter from top and percolate down through
the sand layer and move further downward.

Here only the sand chamber acts as a filter media and almost all the suspended and solid
impurities present in the water gets filtered hereitself .The clean and clear water moves
downward and comes out from the outlet.This water is then collected into storage tanks or
recharged to the ground water reservoir through a suitable recharge structure. The gravel and
pebble chambers are just to prevent the downward movement of sand along with water.The
bottom of the filter is given a gentle slope in the direction of outlet opening so that even a
single drop of water should not remain inside the filter.On the right top of the filter
arrangement for over flow is made.In case of high intensity rainfall when the inflow in filter
is high a part of water may be diverted as overflow before it enters into filter.
Why to prefer sand layer as filter media

1. Sand is cheap and easily available natural material.

2. It is corrosion free if its origin is quartzitic.

3. It forms a highly permeable and porous media.

4. The sand layer acts as a ‘Slow Sand Filter’ improving water quality in different
ways:

• By mechanical Straining: Remove suspended particles, which are too

large to pass through pore spaces.

• Sedimentation: Finer suspended material gets deposited on surface of

sand grains.

• Adsorption: Suspended particles retained in the sticky gelatin coating

formed by deposited bacteria and organic matter on sand grains.

• Bio-Chemical Activity: By the action of microorganism organic matter

will be converted in to mineral constituents which ultimately gets
dissolved in water.

• Bacterial Activity: Raw water contains some Bacteria and Pathogens.

Most of them get filtered while passing through sand media through
mechanical straining, deposition and adsorption. Even if some of them
pass through the sand media, the sub-surface is an unhealthy place for
them and can’t survive longer.

Pvc portable type filter

This is a Portable type light weight filter and can be fixed on walls with the help of iron
clamps It is most suitable for small flats where the roof area is small and availability of open
space is limited.
 This filter is made
up of 6 to 8 “ dia 1 to 1.2 meter length PVC pipe.Both the ends of pipe is fitted with 6”/3” dia
reducers.The top reducer is connected with roof top rainwater drain outlet whereas the lower
reducer is fitted with recharge structure.The body of the filter is divided into three chambers
duly seperated with each other by Nylone or PVC meshes.On top of the filter there are two
gate valves ,one to regulate the inflow of rain water into the filter and another to divert the
excess rainwater or water of first two three showers before allowing into the filter..The top
most chamber of the filter is backfilled with medium to coarse sand ,followed by suitable
size gravel and at the bottom pebbles.The rainwater collected on roof top is allowed to enter
into the filter from top .The suspended particlels gets filtered here from the sand layer and the
clear water moves downward and passes through gravel and pebbles and comes out from the
bottom of the filter.this water may be stored in tanks or recharged to the ground water
reservoir.

This filter is not that effective as the cross sectional area is very less and it will get clogged
frequently.Secondly the rain water enters in the filter in the form of jet of water.In due course
of time this forms a ditch in the sand layer and gradually the sand particles start moving
downward through the gravel chamber and enters into the recharge structure and clog the
aquifer exposed in the recharge structure.
In some recharge structures the filter media is backfilled in the structure itself.In such cases
to maintain the effectiveness of the filter a desilting chmaber is constructed and the rain
water is passed through the desilting chamber before it enters into the filter- cum- recharge
structure.Thus most of the suspended particles gets settled in the desilting chamber.

Dimension of the filter

There are certain factors which decides the size of the filter.As we are storing water on roof
top we can not afford to retain water on roof for a longer duration.The dimension of filter
plays here an important role.If the size of filter is appropriate the rate of filteration will be at
desired rate and there would not be any ponding of water at roof top.Following are the factors
which affects the dimension of the filter:

Area of catchment

Bigger the area of catchment bigger the size of the filter should be.On big roof area more
water will be collected and if the size of filter is not appropriate the rate of filteration will be
slow .In this case to avoid ponding of water on roof, we may have to divert a part of rain
water into storm water drains.

Intensity of rain fall

If the intensity of rainfall is very high huge quantity of rain water will be accumulated on the
roof top within very short time and if the filter size is not appropriate the water has to be kept
on roof for a longer duration and also it will overflow from the filter.While deciding the
dimension of the filter ‘maximum one hour rainfall’ of that area should be taken into
consideration.to avoid such situations.

Filteration capacity

If the filter media is not of good quality its porosity and permeability would not be as
desirable and the filteration rate will be slow .This would ultimately affect the dimension of
the filter.

Note: If the harvested water is passed through a number of desilting chambers/settling pits
the efficiency of filter would be maintained for a longer period.

Intake capacity of the aquifer

If the aquifer tapped in the recharge structure is potential and its transmissivity is high the
intake capacity of the recharge structure will be fast. In such cases if the filter is not of
appropriate size the ponding of water on roof will be for a longer time.
Calculations for deciding filter dimension

The dimension of the filter can be estimated using the Darcy law as follows:

Q = K A h/L A = QL/Kh

Where

Q = Rate of Inflow of Water

A = Cross Sectional Area of Filter

h = Head (Difference between roof top and top of

sand chamber)

K = Hydraulic Conductivity (of filter media)

L = Length of Filter Column (sand Column)

Sample calculation

Catchment area 100 m2

Average Daily Rainfall in Raipur 20mm/hr or 0.02m/hr

city
Volume of rainfall =Catchment X Rainfall

=100 m2 X 0.02 m/hr

=2 m3/hr

=2000 lt/hr

Volume of rainfall harvested @80% =1600 lt/hr ~ 0.5 lps

efficiency
=5 X 10-3 m3/sec
Q = 0.5 X 10-3 m3/sec
K = 45 m/day (hydraulic conductivity for coarse sand
H = 2 m (head difference)
L = 0.5 (thickness of sand layer)
Now using the equation A = QL/Kh
A = 0.24 m2
For a circular filter, diameter is 0.5 m and for a square filter the dimension
will be 0.5 m by 0.5 m.

Miaintenance of filter

In Roof top rainwater harvesting filter is used to make the entire process hygienic hence it is
important to take special care towards maintenance of filter. Secondly the water is harvested
on roof top and if the filter is not efficient it has to be retained on roof for a longer duration
which may lead to the several other problems. The following are the maintenance tips for the
filter.

1. To maintain longer efficiency of filter maintenance is must.

2. Upper layer of filter material should be cleaned /changed periodically.
3. All the chambers of the filter may be separated by PVC/rust free material screens so
as to avoid mixing of material and down ward flow of sand.
4. All the openings of the filter should be properly sealed so as to prevent seepages and
also entry of insects and reptiles into the filter.
5. Presence of desilting tank increases the efficiency and life of Filter as most of the
suspended particles gets settled here.
6. Provision of screen to retain debris on the roof itself. Presence of organic substance in
filter produces micros and pathogens.
7. During off season filter material may be removed, cleaned and dried up. Moisture in
filter produces Algae and Fungus.

Points to Ponder:

1. The roof should be kept clean by sweeping and flushing.

2. If the water is being used for drinking, it has to be chlorinated after each abstraction.
3. The rain water system must include installation of an overflow pipe which empties
into a non-flooding area.
4. All the openings in the filter should be screened /covered.
5. Filter should be accessible for cleaning.
6. The first rain should not be allowed to enter into the filter.
7. The filter should be cleaned periodically.