Solar Distillation of Impure Water from Four Different Water Sources under South-Western Nigeria Climate

Abstract. The inherent havoc caused by scarcity of potable water and transmission of water-borne diseases in some parts of Nigeria have created a public health concern. This study seeks to investigate water purification of four different water samples (namely: water from flowing river; freshly dug well or groundwater; rainwater from the rooftop; and heavily polluted dirty water) consumed by the people in the local community using solar desalination method. A single basin solar still was constructed and experimental studies were carried out to determine the influence of solar insolation and temperature variations on the yield of the distillate. The quality of the distillate was tested by measuring the total dissolved solid (TDS) and electrical conductivity. These were compared to World Health Organization (WHO) standard for drinkable water. These parameters were measured for each water sample before and after desalination to determine the efficiency of the solar still. Results showed a wide gap between the values of TDS and EC before and after desalination of the water samples. The values obtained were in accordance with the requirement of World Health Organization for quality drinkable water. The water becomes clear and less turbid after desalination.