On Saturday the 5th of January 2013, the Altos de Chavón art gallery will be celebrating the opening of a new art exhibit “Agua Conectando la Vida” (Waters Connecting Lives) with designs by Emilio Robba, Mayra Gonzalez and Lisa Ballentine.
The “Waters Connecting Lives” project is being brought to Casa de Campo by “FilterPure Inc., (called “AquaPure” locally), a non-profit foundation whose mission is to bring desperately needed pure drinking water to the people of developing nations, and currently working with communities in Haiti – by providing families with ceramic water filters.
Whilst the most basic ceramic water filters are presented in plastic buckets, whilst ceramics artists Emilio Robba, Mayra Gonzalez and Lisa Ballentine, as well as a group of students of the Altos de Chavón School of Art and Design have created a beautiful range of handcrafted water filters – the principal attractions of the exhibit “Agua Conectando la Vida” (Waters Connecting Lives) opening on January 5th.
These water filters, called “Jaguey” (the Taino word for sweet water container) will be on sale during the exhibit and for each one sold a standard design filter will be subsidized for a family affected by waterbourne illnesses in the town of Tamboril near Santiago in the Dominican Republic. The water filters, used by both Mayra and Lisa in their homes for their own personal consumption are available in the most basic design, but also in a variety of beautiful ceramic designs, which can be displayed in your Casa de Campo villa as not only a source of drinking water for you and your family, but also as an artwork to be admired.
“Waters Connecting Life” art exhibition and fundraiser
When: Saturday January 5th, from 6pm
Where: 2nd floor of the Altos de Chavón art gallery
Contact: (809) 523-8470
How do Filter Pure filters work? Are they really safe for your family?
The simple answer is that “dirty” water filters through the specially prepared ceramic pot and this filter process removes all the impurities leaving the water clean, pure and drinkable for you and your family.
The following is a more in-depth explanation of how the filter is created and how it works:
The technology of the water filter is simple, effective, and, sustainable. A round-bottom ceramic pot is made from a mixture of clay, a combustible material (sawdust or rice husks), and colloidal silver. The colloidal silver is a naturally occurring anti-bacterial which improves the bacteria removal rate for the filter. First, the clay and combustible are mixed with a measured amount of silver and water until a homogeneous mixture is formed.
The mixture is made into a filter and kiln fired, burning out the combustible material and leaving micro pores coated with the silver to clean the water. During the firing process, about ½ inch of charcoal is produced within the filter to improve taste and color. The filter, which is designed with a rim, is placed on a five gallon plastic storage bucket with a spigot at the bottom for dispensing.
A lid is placed on the filter to prevent contamination. When used, water is poured through the ceramic pot and filtered into the receptacle bucket. Safe drinking water is easily poured from the spigot by all members of the household.
The flow rate of the filter ranges from 20 to 30 liters per day depending upon how often the filter is refilled. Filters are cleaned by lightly scrubbing the surface when flow rate is reduced, and it is recommended that the filter is boiled every three months to insure optimum effectiveness. The effective useful life of the filter is at least 5 years.
