Technology application of water treatment using banana peel in eliminating bacteria in raw water at sudiang, Makassar City

Shortage of drinking water is a big challenge faced by Sudiang Subdistrict particularly in Bakung area in Makassar City. Most of people are living in informal settlements in the area suffer from severe economic stress and poverty. Many of them have law levels of education, lack of good skills, lack of job opportunities and lack of access to clean water services. As a results, water born‐diseases such as stomach ache, typhoid, diarrhea, and skin diseases are common and many victims the areas because of poor or the lack of drinking water treatment. The main objective of using this bio-filter method is to assist people in Bakung areas without access to treated water to improve drinking water quality individually.

Experiments were run to improve design and operating conditions for removing turbidity by Banana peel filtration. This study describe the application media called Banana peel filter as supporting media for treating the drinking water source in Bakung areas urban area.

This experiments revealed that this program effectively reducing the number of bacteria. Regarding the thick of filter system, 75 cm thickness of Banana peel and carbon is the most effective filter that are able to raise the pH from 5.5 to 6–7.5. in addition, the turbidity in banana peel thickness of 65 cm reduce turbidity of 58 NTU become 45 NTU and banana peel with thickness of 75 cm reduce turbidity of 58 NTU to 25 NTU. Furthermore, odor that smelt prior to the treatment in filter system released after filtering due to the decreased of bacteria. Similarly after the treatment no more taste in the water found. Further, some respondents found that no Microbe exist in their water source after the treatment.

By using the banana peel filter as the main media in the water filter system with up low filter system was effective to reduce the number of bacteria, releasing the odor, taste and increase the pH of water.