Category:
Industrial
Guide:
Smith Macwan, Sadasiven Iyer
Duration:
12 wks (2024)
Matla-Neer
About.
Matla-Neer is a water filter designed for low-income households, where access to clean drinking water is often limited by affordability and infrastructure. Rooted in contextual research and local material understanding, the project offers a simple, low-cost solution that integrates into existing domestic routines — making safe water more accessible without disrupting the way people live.
Challenge.
Closely studying and observing the Awas Yojna settlements across Ahmedabad revealed a recurring challenge, families often struggle to access clean drinking water due to unreliable AMC pipelines and poorly maintained storage tanks. With no dependable source at home, many are forced to either purchase water from local vendors at ₹20 per day, adding financial pressure to already limited household budgets, or rely on makeshift solutions like boiling or cloth filtering, which barely purifies it. These insights pointed a systemic gap in basic utility access, revealing a need for a low-cost, dependable solution that fits seamlessly into existing routines without adding economic strain.
Output.
Matla-Neer is a gravity-fed filtration system designed to function without electricity or pressure, making it well-suited for low-resource environments. Impure water is poured into the top chamber and gradually passes through a natural filter media, before being collected in a ceramic storage container below.
The filter medias consists of rice husk ash (RHA) and bamboo charcoal designed for reuse and easy maintenance. Its accessibility allows users to self clean and reactivate the media every 4–5 months, extending its lifespan without the need for replacements. Simple to use, clean, and integrate into daily routines, Matla-Neer offers a sustainable, low-cost alternative to store-bought or improvised filtration solutions without disrupting existing habits.
