Bicycle filter water

A Japanese company is speeding up the production of bicycles capable of cleaning up dirty water, which are useful in remote or disaster-prone areas.

Cycloneclean water filter bike is on display at the exhibition
environmentally friendly technology in the city of Kawasaki, Japan.(Photo: AFP)

' If you can ride to a river, pond, pool or other water source, you only need the strength of your feet to create clean water with our bike ,' AFP quoted Yuichi Katsuura, chairman. Nippon Basic Company in Japan.

Cycloclean, the name of the bicycle manufactured by Nippon Basic, is equipped with a motor to pump water through a series of filters. Motor operates when bicycle chain turns. It can filter 5 liters of water every minute.

Another special point at Cycloclean is that the nail cannot pierce its tire . Pumps and hoses are placed in a box at the back. Three filter tubes are arranged around the rear wheels.

Nippon Basic has sold 200 Cycloclean cars since 2005 despite the price of each one up to USD 6,600. Katsuura said most customers are local governments in Japan. Some vehicles are sold to Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines.

Demand in Bangladesh has increased sharply over the past time, so the company cooperated with a bicycle manufacturer in the country last year. The purpose of a joint venture is to reduce the price of Cycloneclean cars. Its expected annual output is about 100-200 units.

Katsuura insists that water filtration bikes will provide jobs and income for millions of Bangladeshis, because many people in the country have difficulty accessing clean water. According to him, Cycloclean's pump can absorb water up to a depth of 5 m.

The Cycloclean model is on display at an environmentally friendly technology exhibition in the city of Kawasaki, near Tokyo. The exhibition ended yesterday.