Abstract:
Systems and methods for versatile water purification. The methods may include floating a raft on a source of water to be purified. The raft may provide inlet for the water. The methods may include pumping the water and selectively pre-treating the pumped water by chemical injection prior to filtration. The methods may include passing the pumped water, sequentially, through a multi media filter to produce filtered water, into a plurality of reverse osmosis columns to produce osmosis water, and into a buffer tank. The methods may include injecting ozone into water pumped from the tank, and selectively returning the ozone-injected water to the tank via a first valve. Via a second valve, the ozone-injected water may be passed to a bottle washing station for washing and sterilization of receptacles to receive purified waters pumped from the tank. Methods may include Ultra Violet and chemical treatment of water prior to dispensing.

Description:
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
     Aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for water purification. More specifically, the disclosure relates to systems and methods for purifying water with widely varying characteristics. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional systems and methods for water purification and desalination are typically directed to processing water with known characteristics. For example, large desalination plants exist that are adapted to process raw water that of exact and known characteristics. However, if the raw water does not possess the required characteristics, then the efficiency of the desalination plants drops precipitously. Thus, conventional desalination plants are not adapted to process different forms of raw water. 
     It would be desirable to provide systems and methods for water purification that are versatile—i.e., that can purify various forms of raw water such as sea water, brackish water, water contaminated by sewage, and/or other water containing various forms of bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms, any organic compounds, or mineral compounds which may appear in raw water, such as sulfides, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, mineral oil-based compounds, metals, various chlorides, etc. 
     It would be further desirable to provide such a system that is substantially portable—i.e., that can be easily transported to an area in need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide systems and methods for water purification that are both versatile—i.e., that can purify various forms of raw water such as sea water, brackish water, water contaminated by sewage, and/or other water containing various forms of bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms, any organic compounds, or mineral compounds which may appear in raw water, such as sulfides, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, mineral oil-based compounds, metals, various chlorides, etc. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide such a system that is substantially portable—i.e., that can be easily transported to an area in need. 
     A method for purification of water according to the invention may include pumping, under computer control, water into a multi media filter. The filter may include a commonly available shell, multi media content (which may be chemicals readily available from any of a number of commonly known sources) and a backwash controller that operates in response to a pressure differential between the input and output, and which can reverse the water flow, as needed, in order to clean the filter. 
     In certain embodiments of the invention, the incoming water pumped from the “submersible pump” can be selectively injected with ozone, under computerized control, to form ozonated water in order to pre-treat water with known high bacteria content. 
     The method may also include filtering the water using the multi media filter to provide filtered water. The filtered water may then be pumped, under computer control, into a plurality of reverse osmosis columns. The columns may convert the filtered water into osmosis water having less particulate matter than the filtered water. The osmosis water may be passed to a buffer tank. 
     The method may also include pumping, under computer control, water from the buffer tank. The water pumped from the buffer tank may be selectively injected with ozone, under computer control, to form ozonated water. The ozonated water may be selectively passed, under computer control, back to the buffer tank via a first valve. The ozonated water may also be selectively passed, under computer control, from the ozone system to a bottle washing station via a second valve. 
     The water from the buffer tank may be passed to an ultra violet (“UV”) system for killing bacteria in the water received from the buffer tank. In addition, the UV may serve to eliminate excess ozone in the water. The water may also be mineralized prior to dispensing the water for drinking. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a general-purpose digital computing environment in which one or more aspects of the present invention may be implemented; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows an illustrative flow diagram of a method that may be implemented in the system shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows an illustrative flow diagram of another method that may be implemented in the system shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a top plan view of a raft according to the invention that may be used for drawing open water for water purification; and 
         FIG. 6  shows a side view of the raft according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
     As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art upon reading the following disclosure, various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, or a computer program product. Those aspects typically take the form of a hardware embodiments having a software embedded in the hardware with a TOUCH SCREEN serving as a user interface. Furthermore, such aspects may take the form of a computer program product stored by one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable program code, or instructions, embodied in or on the storage media. Any suitable computer readable mass storage media may be utilized. In addition, various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/or wireless transmission media (e.g., air and/or space). 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a computing device  101  (alternatively referred to herein as a “controller”) that may be used as part of a central computing system for an illustrative embodiment of the invention. The computerized controller  101  may have a processor  103  for controlling overall operation of the controller and its associated components, including RAM  105 , ROM  107 , input/output module  109 , and memory  115 . 
     I/O module  109  may include a touch screen, keypad, touch screen, and/or stylus through which a user of device  101  may provide input, and may also include one or more of a speaker for providing audio output and a video display device for providing textual, audiovisual and/or graphical output. Software may be stored within memory  115  and/or storage to provide instructions to processor  103  for enabling controller  101  to perform various functions. For example, memory  115  may store software used by controller  101 , such as an operating system  117 , application programs  119 , and an associated firmware  121 . Alternatively, some or all of controller  101  computer executable instructions may be embodied in hardware or firmware (not shown). As described in detail below, firmware  121  may provide centralized storage of system information. 
     Controller  101  may operate to communicate with other computers using a modem  127  such as a cellular modem or a satellite modem. 
     Additionally, application program  119  used by controller  101  according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention may include computer executable instructions for invoking user functionality related to communication. 
     Computing device  101  may also be a mobile terminal including various other components, such as a battery, speaker, and antennas (not shown). 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of a system according to the invention. Water is pumped into the system via a suitable submersible (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) which may receive its power and control from a main control board associated with a central controller. The submersible pump is preferably a low voltage pump that may be used to pump water from open water such as a river, lake, sea, ocean, swimming pool, etc. One such manufacturer of suitable submersible pumps is Grundfos, Inc., of Denmark. Such a pump may be implemented together with a raft or other suitable device, as is explained in more detail below in the portion of the specification corresponding to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     In the entirety of  FIG. 2 , water flow is indicated by arrow-headed flow lines. It should be noted that the black lines may indicate polyvinylchloride (“PVC”) piping, stainless steel piping or any other suitable piping that may be used to pass water from one location to another location. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, as long as a first presostat  202  (a presostat is a device that measures whether pressure is above or below a certain predetermined level) which may be located on the water line after inlet pump  206 , does not detect pressure at the inlet of the system above a predetermined low pressure threshold, inlet pump  206  and Reverse Osmosis (“RO”) high pressure pump  208  do not start working. Maintaining inlet pump  206  and RO high pressure pump  208  in an OFF state until presostat detects a pressure above a predetermined level may be referred to as priming inlet pump  206  and, subsequently, priming RO high pressure pump  208 . RO high pressure pump  208  may be implemented using a 3-phase, 60 Hz pump, or diesel powered high-pressure pump. One such RO high pressure pump is the CRN-25 pump manufactured by Grundfos, Inc. 
     Once water has been pumped into the system using the submersible pump, an optional Venturi device  204  may be placed in line with the water flow. One such Venturi device is the 684 device manufactured by Mazzei Injector Corp. which located in Bakersfield, Calif. Venturi device  204  may be used under certain conditions for introducing ozone (O 3 ) to clean the system, as will also be explained below in greater detail. 
     When the presostat determines that the pressure at the inlet of the system has reached the low pressure threshold, water may be introduced to the system through fixed pressure regulator (“FPR”)  210  at the inlet. From there, the water may be pumped to the portion of the system that is in line with inlet pump  206 . [Pump  206  can be any suitable pump; preferably pump  206  is a suitable self-primed, three-phase pump, 60 Hz pump]. Suitable delivery pumps are available from Grundfos, Inc. Preferably, water pressure is increased in the system continuously by pump  206  until a certain point when the water pressure ahead of pump  206  in the system achieves a level that exceeds the low pressure level of presostat  221 , which measures the pressure in front of RO pump  208 . 
     Chemical dosage pumps  214  (Anti Scalant, “AS”) and  216  (Chlorine, “CL”) may be controlled by computerized control in accordance with information provided by flow meter  218 . Preferably, the amount of dosage provided by AS pump  214  and CL pump  216 , respectively, are substantially continuously dependent, at least in part, on the amount of water flowing through flow meter  218 . One such suitable chemical pump is the solenoid driven metering pump manufactured by Tacmina Corp. which is located in Osaka, Japan. 
     In certain embodiments of the invention, the control of AS pump  214  and CL pump  216  can be administered by the central computerized controller. In some embodiments of the invention, the amount of dosage provided by AS pump  214  and CL pump  216  is also dependent on the various characteristics of the raw water, including but not limited to the temperature of the water and the level of the impurities in the water, and/or the level of organic contaminants in the water and/or the level of TDS in the water (Total Dissolved Solids) and/or the level of hardness derived from various minerals. 
     The parameters used for implementing AS pump  214  and CL pump  216  are different. Furthermore, the implementation logic of AS pump  214  and CL pump  216  is preferably different. 
     In preferred embodiments of the invention, following the injection of the anti-scalant and the chlorine to the water, the water is then pushed through multi media filter  220 . Typically, such a multi media filter  220  resists the flow of the water. This resistance generates a pressure drop in the water. Accordingly, multi media  220  filter may increase the amount of time required to build sufficient pressure to overcome the low pressure threshold of third presostat  221  (which depends, as least in part, on the specifications of RO pump  208 ). In order to reduce the time required to build the pressure, the multi media filter  220  may be implemented as a single, preferably stratified filter, that includes various media layers. Alternatively, a multi media filter may be implemented as multi media filters  222 . In yet other alternative embodiments, multi media filter  220  may be implemented together with multi media filters  222 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     It should be noted that even if presostat  221  reaches the low pressure threshold, high pressure RO pump  208  should not be fully powered up before a predetermined delay from the previous shut down of the high pressure RO pump  208 . 
     If high pressure RO pump  208  attempts to power up three times (or another suitable number of attempts) in response to presostat  221  reaching and/or maintaining a pressure level equal to or above the low pressure threshold, then a central computerized controller, such as the system shown in  FIG. 1 , may send out an error message and reset the system at least in order to prevent hysteresis. 
     In some embodiments of the invention, reverse osmosis columns  224  can filter water with a level of dissolved solids reaching 45,000 TDS [Total Dissolved Solids in parts per million]. This level of dissolved solids is roughly the equivalent of the level of dissolved solids found in ocean water. Thus, in one embodiment of the invention high pressure RO pump  208  may generate an output stream of water from OS columns  224  containing substantially less minerals and contaminants than are found in the raw water. For the purposes of this application, the water that exits high pressure RO pump  208  (which may be referred to herein for the purposes of this application as “pre-osmosis water”) and is then introduced into the osmosis columns  224 . 
     The osmosis water is the product water that exits from the osmosis columns and is delivered into buffer tank  226 . The delivery to buffer tank  226  is preferably governed by the controller based on the position of the buoys (see below for a more detailed description of the buoys). Such a measure preferably protects the system from entering a state of hysteresis. 
     Buffer tank  226  may contain two buoys: one on the highest level float (“HLF”)  228  and one on the lowest level float (“LLF”)  230 . 
     Delivery pump  232  takes the water from buffer tank  226  and generates sufficient pressure to run the water through the post-treatment process and into the product end of the system. 
     In response to receiving an OFF signal from LLF  230 —i.e., an indication that the water level in buffer tank  226  is under a predetermined minimum level—the computerized controller preferably stops pump  232  from taking water out of the buffer tank and, preferably in parallel, cuts off power to UV polishing  236  and, in certain embodiments of the invention, allowing other conditions dictate control over ozone system  234 . 
     In response to HLF  228  being in the ON position—i.e., the water level is over the maximum—the computerized controller should stop pumps  206 ,  208  and the submersible pump (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) from bringing water into the buffer tank. In addition, HLF  228  can also generate a command that can close low pressure valve  209 . 
     Valve  209  can be a manual or electrical low-pressure valve controlled by a specific “high TDS” parameter received in the controller and a threshold determination of electro-conductivity in the water that exits the osmosis membrane above a predetermined value such as 300 micro Siemens. Valve  211  may also be utilized under the same parameters as valve  209 —i.e., a high TDS parameter and a threshold determination of electro-conductivity in the water that exits the osmosis membrane. In preferred embodiments of the invention, valve  211  is 180° out of phase with valve  209 —i.e., valve  209  is typically closed and valve  211  is typically open except when the above-described parameters are satisfied, then valve  209  should be open and valve  211  should be closed. 
     The water may be measured for electro-conductivity by suitable devices shown schematically at electro-conductivity sensors  238  and  240 , respectively. 
     In addition to the mineralization of the water, removal of impurities in the water may be performed by the system. Electro-conductivity of water samples may be used as an indicator of how salt-free or impurity-free the sample is; the purer the water, the lower the conductivity. At sensor  238 , the water may be measured to determine the electro-conductivity of the water going from RO pump  208  into buffer tank  226 . At sensor  240 , the flowing water may be measured to determine the conductivity of the water before the water is used to fill water bottles. 
     In certain embodiments of the invention, as long as the electro-conductivity of the water at sensor  238  is under 300 microsiemens, reverse osmosis may provide an output that is considered within predetermined parameters. Otherwise, the system may generate a warning that the water contains a higher than allowable level of electro-conductivity. The warning may be audio, video or some other computer-generated warning. In some cases, a closed loop may be employed to run the osmosis water exiting from the first three osmosis columns through a second stage osmosis using the other column, or in some other suitable combination of the columns, to ensure quality treatment even under adverse conditions. 
     Because a system according to the invention may be used to treat water of an indeterminate nature—i.e., that may vary between a TDS of about 500 to a TDS of about 40,000—the reverse osmosis process according to the invention may generate water with electro-conductivity of between about 0 and about 300 TDS. Such water is difficult to mineralize using standard methods. One method according to the invention for treating water of such an indeterminate nature may require the use of mineralization chambers  241  containing such minerals (which may include salts such as Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Copper Oxidant, Zinc) in a form that releases the desirable minerals into the water in inverse proportion to the level of the electro conductivity of the water. 
     When the water is measured at sensor  240  to be between, for example, about 300 Micro Siemens and about 500 Micro Siemens, the mineralization is considered to have been property implemented. Otherwise, the system may generate a warning that the water contains a lower than or higher than allowable level of electro-conductivity. The warning may be audio, video or some other computer-generated warning. A lower than allowable warning may indicate that the minerals in the mineralization chambers  241  may require replenishment. 
     It should be noted that the heretofore described system and process refers, for the most part, to the removal of inorganic contaminants. Nevertheless, it is also important to remove all types of contaminants such as bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and any organic compounds from the raw water. 
     Following delivery pump  232 , a portion of the water, or all the water, may be run through a loop. The loop may include ozone system  234  and an oxidation reduction potential (“ORP”) sensor  242 . The greater the presence of ozone in the water, the higher the level of the ORP that sensor  242  will detect. The loop may then be completed by returning the water to buffer tank  226  via valve  209 . Such a loop may allow the ozone in the water, and in the tank, to be increased, or decreased, to a predetermined level. 
     In certain embodiments of the invention, the level of ozone generation depends at least in part on two variables. The ozone generator receives an analog input signal—e.g., of between 4 and 20 milliampere—from the computerized controller. This signal may be dependent on other system variables. This signal may be provided by the computerized controller in response to numerous system requirements in light of the various purposes that the ozone is being used to achieve. 
     Another of the variables that affects the ozone generation is the water flow at the point of injection. The water flow through the system generates suction to cause air to flow through the ozone generation system based on a Venturi injection principle. 
     As noted above, the ozone system may add ozone (O 3 ) to the water. Ozone may be added to the water to achieve a number of different purposes. These purposes may include preparing the water to wash the bottles, treating (cleaning) the buffer tank against bacteria and/or other organic compounds, treating (cleaning) the system prior to (or concurrent with) a period of non-activity, or, in cases of high bacterial concentration of the raw water, providing a shock treatment to pre-treat the water prior to the multi-media filtration. Each of the purposes, or other suitable purposes, may require a unique, predefined, computerized controller-implemented, preferably feedback-controlled level of ozone concentration in the water. Since usage of high concentration of ozone may generate undesirable by-products, the invention may optionally include an electrochemical method such as specific electrolysis to increase the level of free single atom oxygen ions in the water. 
     Ozone concentration is typically measured in terms of reduction potential (“Redox”) or ORP (as stated above). In addition to being proportional to the amount of water flow, ozone injection may also be inversely proportional (though not necessarily linearly inversely proportional) to the water temperature, and/or contamination level. 
     Valve  244  preferably determines whether, or to what extent, water is directed back to buffer tank  244  and to what extent water is directed to valves  246  and  248  which are associated with bottle washing stations. It should be noted that at least some of the purposes may be achieved substantially simultaneously. Alternatively, a number of the purposes may be achieved partially simultaneously whereby one of the purposes may be achieved before the other purpose is achieved and/or may terminate before the completion of another of the other purposes. In yet another alternative, the purposes may be achieved independently of one another. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a manual valve (not shown) may be opened prior to the use of the ozone system for the purposes of cleansing the greater system prior to, or concurrent with, a period of non-activity. Such a valve preferably allows concentrated ozone gas to travel from ozone system  234  to Venturi device  204 . Venturi device  204  preferably allows the introduction of ozone to the water close to the system inlet from the submersible pump. This path may be implemented using additional piping or tubing as needed. 
     Valves  246  and  248  may preferably be used for bottle washing stations. Upon opening of one or both of valves  246  and  248 , suction pump  252  can be selectively activated. The suction may be used to remove the ozonated washing water and gases from the bottles. 
     When the valves are closed, the suction can be configured by the computerized controller to remain ON for an additional pre-determined amount of time. One purpose of maintaining the suction for a period of time following the closing of the valves is to add additional suction in order to purge the bottle of all the ozonated water. Also, the suction can further purge whatever ozone gas had been released into the air inside the bottle as well as the ozone within the bottle washing components. 
     Drinking water may be obtained from the product end of the system, which includes UV system  236 , mineralization chambers  241 , electro conductivity sensor  240 , and dispensing valves  254 - 262 . 
     UV system  236  may have a number of purposes. One purpose is to serve as a back-up system to ozone system  234  for the purpose of killing bacteria. Another purpose of UV system  236  may be for utilizing UV to energize the dissolved ozone in the water. The energizing of the ozone may cause most of the ozone to be broken down in order to reduce the level of dissolved ozone in the product water to a level which is approved for drinking by the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) or to some other predetermined specification. 
     Electro-conductivity sensor  240  preferably measures the electro-conductivity in the water after mineralization to ensure proper mineralization of the water prior to dispensing. An electro-conductivity level of the water that is outside a predetermined range may generate a computer-controlled warning and may stop the water dispensing. In certain embodiments of the invention, the warning, and, preferably, concurrent stopping of dispensing, at least may be manually overridden for the purpose of purging the system of the non-desirable water. 
     Fourth presostat  264  (which may be not in line with the water for dispensing) may generate a warning if the water is below a predetermined pressure threshold. Furthermore, in response to a signal from presostat  264  that the water is below a predetermined threshold, the central computing control may disable valves  254 - 262 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, maintaining substantially constant pressure, as measured by presostat  264 , may allow each of the dispensers to dispense water at a known, predetermined pressure. This further allows the dispensing valves associated with each of the dispensers to dispense water for a predetermined time, thereby allowing each of the valves to be configured for a specific bottle size. As such, one or more of the dispensers can be configured for a first bottle size and a second, or more, dispenser can be configured for a second bottle size. This can be accomplished by providing the dispensers with valves that may be opened for a predetermined amount of time following activation. 
       FIG. 3  shows a subroutine that may be implemented in a computerized controller according to the invention. Box  302  shows a condition under which the system receives a signal that water for washing bottles is required, and the ORP level is under a predetermined threshold. In such a condition, the system may preferably query, or otherwise identify, the level of ORP, as shown in query  304 . 
     If the ORP level is insufficient—i.e., the water is not sufficiently ozonated—for washing bottles, then box  306  shows opening valve  244  and disabling washing valves  246  and  248  (or maintaining the valves in a disabled state). Thus, the water in the system will loop back through buffer tank  226  followed by another injection of ozone by ozone system  234 . Such injection may preferably increase ozone generation in response to an increase by the computerized controller of the ozone generation signal, as shown in box  308 . 
     If the ORP level is sufficient for washing bottles, as shown in box  310 , valve  244  may be closed and washing valves  246  and  248  may be enabled. 
     It should be noted that the process in  FIG. 3  may also be used to provide highly ozonated water by diverting the water to dispense for use in treating chemical warfare victims who have become contaminated. Such water may preferably be dispensed to a special dispenser that allows direct access to the highly ozonated water. 
       FIG. 4  shows an illustrative flow diagram of another method that may be implemented in the system shown in  FIG. 2 . The subroutine illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be implemented in situations of known high biological contamination such as with open fresh water, or with knowledge of sewage breaking into drinking water or other similar situation, as shown in box  402 . 
     Box  404  shows checking ORP for a value that it typically relatively higher than the value checked for in query  304  of  FIG. 3 . If the ORP is insufficient—i.e., the ozone level of the water is insufficient to treat such known high levels contamination, then the same loop as described above with respect to boxes  306  and  308  is followed, as shown in boxes  406  and  408 . 
     However, the process followed if the ORP is sufficient in  FIG. 4  is different from the process followed if the ORP is sufficient in  FIG. 3 . First, the system shows querying whether the buffer tank is full, as shown in box  410 . If the buffer tank is full, then box  412  shows closing valve  244  and enabling washing stations. If the buffer tank is not full, then the step shown in box  410  is followed by opening valve  244 , in order to allow water to run into buffer tank, and disabling the washing stations. This loop is followed until the buffer tank is sufficiently full. 
       FIG. 5  shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a raft that may be used together with the system shown in  FIG. 2  to draw water from open water sources. Pontoons  502  are typically connected by a platform such as platform  504 . Light  506  may be installed at the top of pump column (which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 6 ). Output pipe  508  may typically carry the water to an on-shore system, such as the system shown in  FIG. 2 , for further processing, as described in more detail above. Refuse pipe  510  may preferably direct any refuse away from the water intake that was drawn in by the submersible pump (not shown in  FIG. 5 ) located on the raft, as shown in more detail in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a side view of a raft according to the invention. The raft may include pontoons  602 , a platform  610 , a double-walled intake pipe including a perforated exterior intake wall  604  and a solid interior intake wall  606 , a submersible pump  608 , refuse pipes  612 , output pipe  614 , marker  616 , light  618 , and anchor (or, alternatively, other fixation device)  620 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, light  618  may flash. Light  618  may also be powered by solar panels. The solar panels may be backed up by a battery. The flashing light may provide a visual indicator of the location of the raft. 
     The raft preferably operates as follows: in response to the pumping action of pump  608 , water is drawn into the double walled intake pipe at  605 . Thereafter, the water pushed by pump  608  up the pump column to point  607 . 
     A water centrifuge may be used to separate refuse from the water at  607 . The refuse is redirected away from water flow  607  through refuse pipes  612 . After flowing through refuse pipes  612 , the refuse is located between perforated exterior intake walls  604  and solid interior intake walls  606 . The refuse then is blocked from being taken up in water flow  605 . Accordingly, new water that is taken up in water flow  605  remains free of the refuse. 
     The invention may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. 
     Aspects of the invention have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments thereof. A person having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that numerous additional embodiments, modifications, and variations may exist that remain within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps illustrated in the figures may be performed in other than the recited order and that one or more steps illustrated may be optional. The methods and systems of the above-referenced embodiments may also include other additional elements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readable data structures. In this regard, other embodiments are disclosed herein as well that can be partially or wholly implemented on a computer-readable medium, for example, by storing computer-executable instructions or modules or by utilizing computer-readable data structures. 
     Thus, systems and methods for providing versatile water purification according to the invention have been provided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.