Revolutionizing urban water treatment: GaBiF with ArtiRock for sustainable solutions

As urbanization and industrial activities continue to expand, water pollution in urban areas poses an increasing threat to environmental and human health, particularly in developing countries. Current water treatment methods often need more sustainability and are too costly for widespread implementation. Inspired by the urgent need for an accessible solution, our research focuses on developing ArtiRock, an artificial rock filter media, as part of the Gabion Filter (GaBiF) system. The innovation lies in repurposing industrial waste—specifically coal ash from Kapar Energy Ventures—as a primary component of ArtiRock. This approach not only provides an efficient filtration system but also reduces coal ash waste, contributing to circular economy goals. In our study, ArtiRock showed promising results in laboratory trials, effectively removing contaminants from open water sources such as lakes and rivers. Our tests demonstrated ArtiRock's ability to meet Malaysia's Water Quality Index (WQI) standards, with high contaminant removal rates under various environmental conditions. These findings contribute to environmental engineering by introducing a low-cost, sustainable filter media that addresses water treatment and waste management.