Tó Éí Iiná: Water for our communities

The initial vision for this project was providing a temporary solution for communities that are impacted by mining and contamination of water sources. The project involved multiple partners from tribal communities (Navajo Nations) to students. These communities expressed concerns for their water sources. Past mining efforts and geologic conditions created challenging water insecurities and contamination issues that these communities continue to deal with today.

The Point of Use (POU) filter is a tangible solution that can help relieve some of the pressures of these water insecurities. The point of use filter is designed with the user in mind. The filter is a handheld unit that is meant to travel with the user to unregulated water sources located at times miles apart. In the spring, the availability of water is more widespread but as late fall approaches, the water becomes sparce. Therefore, a handheld unit is ideal. Due to mining and geology of the arid southwest, some water sources are impacted by increased levels of arsenic, uranium, vanadium and other elements of concern. The POU filter will filter the water collected at these unregulated water sources (windmill wells) and ensure safe drinking water for livestock, for agricultural and household purposes. However, it is currently advised that these water sources not be used for human consumption. your solution

In 2023, the team lead commissioned Montana State University through the senior capstone project to assist in the second-generation prototype of the POU filter. The team lead and five mechanical engineering students at Montana State University worked together on a yearlong project in design, development and production of the handheld unit. Students involved in the project explored multiple designs, potential challenges that may arise in the field, and materials to use. The second semester was to produce the second prototype. The POU unit has removable cartridges that allows for solid phase extraction materials to be changed and customized to site. For example, the same system could be use on the Navajo Nation, where the waters are high in As, U and V, and in Montana where the biggest challenge is nitrates and biological contaminates. 

In addition to the mechanical engineering students, the project also engaged two additional students enrolled in civil engineering to pursue undergraduate research. These students assisted the team lead in determining which commercially available materials to implement in the handheld unit and tested these solid phase extraction (SPE) resins for capacities, breakthrough and pH dependency. They also assisted in understanding and overcoming the flow challenges of the unit. All these conditions were and continue to be tested at bench scale. There are plans to begin in-field testing within the next year. 

For this proposal, it is proposed that a third-generation prototyped be developed that includes sensors that will make the POU filter user friendly. These sensors will assist in notifying the user that the SPE resins are reaching capacity. In addition, the filter may need a portable pump. It is proposed that this pump be solar powered. The current prototype implements gravity filtration but this may only work in specific locations where there is plenty of water in the water tanks. In late summer, the tanks may have lower volumes making it difficult the push the water through the POU unit.

There is much work to be done. We envision providing these POU water filters free of charge to community members in need. 

The current community that we have been working with are Diné communities in the Tółikan chapter in northeast Arizona. Our collaboration started in 2015, we the team lead wanted to determine the extent of heavy metal contamination and water quality in unregulated wells. Although the water contamination issue is wide spread across the Diné Nation. There have been numerous efforts attempting to identify and assist communities in addressing these water contamination issues. Therefore, this solution has the potential to be brought to multiple communities including those outside of the Diné Nation. The team lead has also collaborated with the Crow Nation in previous efforts. In those communities, there are different water quality issues that also need attention. The POU filter will benefit communities accessing unregulated water sources but it has the capability to modified and implemented in-line household systems like those in Crow communities. The design of the filter was to have the ability to easily change out the cartridge system, reusable and handheld.

The team lead is currently a new professor at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, NM. The team lead plans to continue working with and train students to modify and design the third-generation POU filter. The university is known as an engineering and STEM focused school, therefore there are plenty of resources the team has access to and can collaborate with in design challenges.

The team lead has been collaborating with Diné communities where the second-generation prototype will be tested to collect real-time data. The communities have been involved since the very beginning of the research project in 2015 when they expressed the need for research addressing potential water contamination due to past mining campaigns. They also expressed the need for more data on water quality and how potential water contamination will and could impact their livestock. The initial study completed in 2020. Recently, the community has approved for continued research on water and the potential implementation of a water desalinization unit and future handheld units.

The team lead is also a member of one of the communities, is a fluent speaker of the Diné language and has been an active member in community governance.

The current stage for the proposed solution is a mixture of the latter three options. The second-generation prototype will be tested in the field in the coming weeks. If the current design functions without issue, then we will go into growth and scale. If the current prototype requires more adjustments to the design, for example a solar powered pump, then the stage will be prototype development. 

I chose to apply for the SLOVE challenge simply because of funding. And I see the potential for this unit to assist community members in need for clean water for their daily household needs and their livestock. 

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World saw how important water was and more importantly they saw how Indigenous communities like the Diné Nation was impacted. Especially for those communities and households that did not have access to running water in their homes. The reality is that, as Americans, we choose to not SEE the disparities in our own country. The concept of having not running water in our homes is unfathomable. Yet, I grew up in a home without running water and electricity. And today there are still 15-30% of Diné households without these essential components of life. Currently, being in the market for a home of my own, it would never be possible to purchase a home without these essential elements of a home. So, the question really comes down to why is it okay for Diné families to not have access to clean water. 

While this handheld water filtration unit is not a permanent solution, it is a start to a solution. 

The team lead is a member of one of the communities, is a fluent speaker of the Diné language and has been an active member in community governance. She has been collaborating with these communities since 2015. And has collaborated with the community through discussions on how to address water contamination issues and educating on aspects of mitigation. Through community discussions, it was determined that a study on understanding the contaminant levels in unregulated water sources or water sources that livestock are accessing would better serve community members. 

The filter is a handheld unit that is meant to travel with the user to unregulated water sources. The POU unit has removable cartridges that allows for solid phase extraction materials to be changed and customized to site. 

The POU filter will benefit communities accessing unregulated water sources. These water sources have been tested for chemical constituents and have been determine to exceed Maximum Contaminant Limits for U and As. The POU filter has the capability to modified and implemented in-line household systems like those in Crow communities. The design of the filter was to have the ability to easily change out the cartridge system, reusable and handheld. 

The team would like to provide impacted communities with a tangible solution for their water concerns. The goal is to provide this technology free of charge to community members. Progress is measured through prototype development and testing.

Currently, the filter uses gravity filtration. However, the second generation has not been tested in the field. These studies will begin in Fall 2024. In addition, it proposed to develop a solar power pump.

The SPE materials are commercially available resins that are currently on the market and have been demonstrated to be effective for removing contaminants, i.e. Purolite resins, activated carbon.

Albuquerque/Socorro, New Mexico, USA

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At the moment, the team lead is the only one on the team. In the near future, one proposed graduate student. I do see the potential to seek some help from other department and potentially students from mechanical engineering programs. 

The first prototype was developed in 2019 and the second in 2023.

In the near future, the team lead will recruit a student to work on the project if funding is available. It is imagined that this student will come from a background that identifies closely with collaborating communities.

The team lead had only one goal. To provide these POU filters free of charge to communities impacted by water contamination. There is currently no business model. The product that we wish to provide is a handle unit.

There is currently no ambition to engage in a business. The goal to is to provide a working solution for communities in need. If this product fits in a proposal for a business endeavor then that will be discussed at a later time. The team is seeking funding for the research and development. Perhaps, there is a potential for mass production to meet worldwide needs but the team lead is not interested in that endeavor at this time.