THE LEACHING BEHAVIOR OF PERVIOUS MORTAR USED AS WATER FILTER IN RURAL AREAS

Abstract

Many people in rural areas use freshwater, including irrigation water for domestic purposes. The pervious mortar filter (PMF) is a modification of mortar and pervious concrete, designed as an alternative water filter to improve the natural water quality for domestic use. According to its physical characteristics (pore structure and geometry), pervious mortar can be a filter to reduce several types of pollutants in the water. On the other hand, based on its chemical characteristics, pervious mortar can be dissolved if passed by certain types of water for an extended period, called leaching. This study aims to determine the leachability of pervious mortar filters by identifying the influent and effluent concentration of calcium ion (Ca²⁺), hardness, pH, and total dissolved solids (TDS) in two types of water sources, i.e., pure water and irrigation water. This study analyzes the leachability of the filter by the filter column experiment method. The leaching is analyzed by the water's pH, TDS, calcium ion (Ca²⁺), and hardness concentration before and after the water is filtered by PMF. The filtered water for each specimen was 50 liters (L). 50 L of pure water showed increased pH, TDS values, Ca²⁺ concentration, and hardness in the effluent. The increase in pH, TDS, Ca²⁺, and hardness concentration in the effluent with irrigation water was less than the increase of the same parameter in PMF through pure water.