The Flipflopi Toolkit
Recycling solutions for remote communities

Wastewater treatment

Our current washing system can clean up to 2 tonnes of plastic before the water needs to be replaced. When water levels drop and become too dirty, we choose between two options:

Option 1: Recycling the water

  • Sinking material is collected from the chambers.
  • Water is drained into a ground tank with a sieve to catch large particles.
  • Water is pumped to an upper tank, then flows down into a filtration tank.
  • The water passes through six filters:
    1. Big stones
    2. Charcoal
    3. Small stones
    4. Coarse stones
    5. Fine stones
  • The filtered water is returned to the chambers, along with some fresh water.

Option 2: Discharging the water

  • Sinking material is collected from the chambers.
  • Chlorine is added to disinfect the remaining water.
  • The water is released into a 30-foot soak pit, allowing it to filter naturally into the ground.
  • Mud from the bottom of the chamber is collected and left to dry in the sun.
  • Dried mud is then disposed of at the landfill.

By using water recycling when possible, we reduce waste and improve efficiency while keeping our washing system sustainable.

Washing line with dirty water

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