Fluoride in Ethiopia
According to estimates of the Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources, more than 14 million people in Ethiopia rely on drinking water naturally contaminated by fluoride in the Rift Valley region. The main source of fluoride are the basaltic rocks in the Rift Valley, which have both elevated fluoride content and low soluble calcium concentrations. Over 40% of deep and shallow wells are contaminated and concentrations up to 26 mg/l are significantly higher than the international WHO guideline value of 1.5 mg/l. The mitigation of this health problem has been hampered mainly by the lack of a suitable, inexpensive removal method.
Together with scientists from Addis Ababa University and support from HEKS/OSHO, Eawag is aiming to test the performance of two different types of fluoride filters in rural Ethiopian communities. Implementation and testing of the bone char-based filter type has already begun, while field trials with the aluminium oxide filter will commence in 2011.
The project aims to combine technical and social research to find a solution to the mitigation of fluorosis.
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