Engineering researchers at a Nigerian university have developed a low-cost water purification device designed for rural communities without reliable access to clean water, using locally sourced materials to keep production costs down.

The device, which the team says can be manufactured for a fraction of the cost of imported filtration systems, removes common waterborne contaminants using a layered filtration process.

“Our goal was to design something that communities could maintain themselves without needing expensive replacement parts,” the lead researcher said.

Field trials are underway in two states, with the team seeking partnerships to scale production. Public health experts say such innovations could meaningfully reduce waterborne disease rates in underserved areas.