Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has developed and assembled a Hybrid Emergency Filtration Unit at the request of Muslim Hands to provide safe drinking water during humanitarian crises. The system was designed to deliver rapid, reliable water supply where conventional infrastructure is disrupted, ensuring access for affected communities.
The hybrid system produces approximately 30 litres per minute and can be operated manually or using solar power, making it suitable for off-grid and disaster-affected locations. The unit incorporates multiple disinfection barriers to guard against microbiological contaminants and support emergency response needs.
Multi-barrier treatment in the unit includes ultraviolet disinfection, chlorination and ozonation to provide layered protection and operational flexibility. These combined technologies enhance treatment resilience and allow adaptation to different water quality challenges encountered in the field.
Technical consultations to optimise design and operation were conducted by Dr. Basel Alkhder, Global Emergency Lead, and Dr. Mahmoud Shatat, Technical WASH Advisor/Specialist at Muslim Hands UK, in collaboration with Dr. Hifza Rasheed, Director General (Water Quality) at PCRWR. Discussions focused on design optimisation, operational efficiency and suitability for diverse field conditions to ensure the Hybrid Filtration unit performs effectively in emergencies.
Recognising PCRWR’s technical expertise and the unit’s operational potential, Muslim Hands has expressed intent for PCRWR to reproduce and scale up the Hybrid Filtration system for deployment in Africa, Afghanistan and Somalia, supporting vulnerable communities during emergency relief and early recovery phases.
