Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Factsheet: Source ...

Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage
Product Sheet: LifeStraw ® Family
Treatment Type
Product Name:
Manufacturers:
Product Description:
LifeStraw ® Family
Vestergaard-Frandsen
LifeStraw ® Family is a water filtration and disinfection system that
uses gravity to move water through it. The untreated water is
poured into a container at the top. Safe water comes out of the
blue tap at the bottom.
The inlet water is treated first by a pre-filter with a pore size of 80
m, located in the upper container. This pre-filter removes large
particles and sediment. Water then flows down the hose due to
gravity, and into the purification cartridge. Inside the purification
cartridge, the water is filtered again through a membrane with a
pore size of 0.02 m (20 nm). This ultrafiltration step removes
remaining pathogens and turbidity.
Each time the filter is used; the user
must open the red valve at the bottom
of the purification cartridge and let
water flow out for 5 to 30 seconds. This
empties the cartridge of air and allows
maximum treatment. Water from the
red outlet should not be drunk.
Availability:
Robustness:
Lifespan:
Must be purchased from Vestergaard
Frandsen (regional offices located in
parts of Africa and Asia) and imported.
Not available on single unit basis, large
quantities must be purchased.
Using Lifestraw Family
(Credit: Vestergaard-Frandsen)
Requires no electricity or spare parts.
There is a chlorine chamber at the
bottom of the upper container which adds a small amount of
active chlorine to the water for the purpose of protecting the
ultrafiltration membrane from fouling, extending the life of the
membrane. The pre-filter and purification cartridge require daily
cleaning to prevent clogging
18,000 litres (about 2.5 years at 20 litres/day)