Design and Construction of a Portable UV Water Purification Device for Rural Communities in Niger State

Background: Waterborne diseases remain a major public health challenge in rural communities of North Central Nigeria, where access to treated pipe-borne water is limited. Ultraviolet-based water purification offers a chemical-free and effective pathogen inactivation method. Aim: This project designed and constructed a portable UV water purification device for rural deployment in Niger State. Methods: A 254nm UV-C lamp rated at 8 Watts was housed in a stainless-steel flow chamber with a capacity of 1.5 litres per minute. An Arduino-controlled timer regulated lamp operation and indicated service life. Power was supplied by a 12V solar-charged battery. Bacteriological water quality was tested before and after UV treatment using standard total coliform tests on ten water samples. Results: UV treatment reduced total coliform counts from a mean of 420 CFU/100mL to below the detection limit of 1 CFU/100mL in all ten samples, a 99.8% reduction rate. Device operation was stable across a 48-hour continuous test. Conclusion: The portable UV purification device effectively eliminates waterborne pathogens and is suitable for rural deployment in Niger State. Community-level adoption trials and solar charging integration studies are recommended. Keywords: UV water purification, portable device, rural communities, Niger State, waterborne disease.