The fact from the United Nations that in 2015, about 663 million people worldwide did not have
access to an improved drinking water source, does not resemble the reality wherein more than 1.8
billion people worldwide were consuming water which is unsafe for drinking. Nanofiltration, with
the ability to reject several trace organic compounds, heavy metals and viruses at a lower energy
demand than reverse osmosis, has found application for the production of high quality drinking
water in developed nations. This study briefly reviewed the efficacy of nanofiltration for drinking
water production considering various types of pollutants. Series of experiments were conducted
using a pilot-scale nanofiltration unit, to assess the potential for drinking water production, from
ground water, in a developing country like Ghana and to estimate the associated costs. The
economic feasibility of a micro-enterprise (relying on nanofiltration) was evaluated for tackling
the economic water scarcity in a rural area. The concept of micro-enterprise based on a pilot-scale
nanofiltration system was found to be suitable for producing adequate quantity of safe drinking
water (at a reasonable cost of less than €0.01 per litre) for a village in a developing country.
Offering safe and economic drinking water with a possibility for small margins and employment
opportunities aiming for poverty alleviation, its operation was found to be economical and
sustainable.