Fighting Cholera via Water Extraction







Obtaining Clean Water From Plants

In order to obtain clean, non-infected water in places where it is usually hard, one can extract it from plants.

The best plants to extract water from are thos ethat have large leaves. Of such large-leaf plants, the Banana Plant is one of the best. In the case of Cholera it is especially useful as it grows well in Africa and Asia: both of which have experienced issues with Cholera outbreaks.

Of the two methods of water extraction, a hands-off one that keeps the plant alive is the best for this situation

In order to perform this method one needs the following:

  • A plastic bag
  • A tie (string, etc.) for the bag
  • Plant

To extract water from plants via this method one first places the bag over the leaves of a plant, and ties the top closed around the base of said leaves; keeping the tie higher up than the rest of the bag.

Overtime (a few hours) water will collect in the bottom of the bag, this process can be sped up if the plant is placed in sun or lamp light.

Alternatively one can cut off the leaves of a plant and squeeze them to obtain water.


*If water comes out milky it may be poisonous and should not be drunk. Please avoid trying to extract water from known poisonous plants.


Works Cited
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Cholera. (2023, March 27). HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/history-of-cholera
The story of Augustin, a cholera survivor. UNICEF. (2019, April 22). https://www.unicef.org/drcongo/en/stories/story-augustin-cholera-survivor