Universitas Andalas Students Develop Laundry Wastewater Filtration Technology to Support SDG 6 and SDG 12

A team of students from Universitas Andalas has developed a laundry wastewater filtration device using upflow anaerobic technology to help reduce water waste and environmental pollution from laundry businesses. This innovation is closely linked to SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production, as it promotes cleaner water management while encouraging more efficient and sustainable use of resources.

The innovation was created by the PKM-PI team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Universitas Andalas, consisting of Rezza Fiqrathul Putra, Muhammad Rizqi, Nurul Qolbi, Muhammad Fathurrahman, and Faizal Hakiki. The project received funding support from Belmawa through a science and technology proposal under the supervision of Dr. Eng. Dendi Adi Saputra. According to the team, the technology was designed as a practical solution for a laundry MSME in Kapalo Koto, Pauh District, Padang City, namely Halona Laundry, which had been facing high water consumption and wastewater disposal problems.

Before the technology was introduced, the laundry business reportedly used a large volume of water, which increased operational costs, while detergent wastewater discharged directly into drains created pollution and unpleasant odors for nearby residents. In response to these problems, the student team designed a filtration device that operates without electricity and applies upflow anaerobic technology to process detergent-containing wastewater into cleaner water that can be reused.

The system works by channeling laundry wastewater into an anaerobic tank, where sedimentation takes place. The water is then processed through two stages of filtration containing layers of ijuk fiber, sand, zeolite stones, activated charcoal, and carbon fiber. After passing through the filtration stages, the treated water is pumped into a special clean-water tank using a hydraulic ram pump, which does not require electrical power. The team explained that the resulting water can then be reused for laundry washing activities.

According to the reports, the filtered water was tested at the Water Laboratory of the Department of Environmental Engineering at Universitas Andalas. The results showed that the water was safe to reuse and also safe to discharge into the environment without causing water pollution. The student team also stated that, beyond addressing wastewater problems, the device can reduce water bills by up to 60 percent, offering both environmental and economic benefits for laundry businesses.

The owner of Halona Laundry, Alex, gave a positive response to the innovation, saying that the technology is environmentally friendly and does not require electricity in its operation. Meanwhile, Dr. Eng. Dendi Adi Saputra expressed hope that the device would truly help the partner business reduce operating costs, improve water-use efficiency, and overcome pollution caused by detergent wastewater. The team also noted that the technology still requires further refinement, including testing the durability and replacement cycle of the filters, and expressed hope that it could eventually be commercialized and adopted more widely by laundry businesses and the public.