Investigating the efficiency of solar energy system for drinking water disinfection Original Research Article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of aluminum foils, lenses and mirrors in association with sunlight as sterilization media on the destruction of Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THBC) using raw drinking water samples obtained from local wells in northern Jordan. To achieve this aim, a solar water disinfection with a simple method that is to place the water samples to a direct contact with sunlight that will provide a practical, low-cost approach to the improvement of drinking water quality in developing countries with consistently sunny climates. Microbiological examinations were performed to determined the THBC, Total Coliform (TC) and to detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa according to the American standards for drinking water. Results show that, it is possible to achieve a complete decontamination of water samples without any danger of bacterial re-growth, if the disinfected water is properly stored for one week. The results show that on a conclusion the disinfection process was succeeded and could keep treated water for more than seven days without any further contamination. This implies that solar disinfection will be a promising way for improving water quality in developing countries with low cost and clean energy reliable resource.