LifeStraw Family 1.0

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$74.94

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Vestergaard-Frandsen with partners such as The Carter Center, Malaria no More, Roll Back malaria, United Nations Foundation and World Vision. The LifeStraw Family 1.0 filter can also be purchased under the name "LifeStraw Family" from LifeStraw, Amazon, and other distributors.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Colempaques ceramic candle filter, LifeSaver Cube, VF 100 Village Bucket Filter, WateROAM ROAMfilter Plus, LifeWell Water Filter, ACI Household Filter, LifeSaver® Jerrycan 20000UF, WateROAM ROAMfilter Lite, AquaFilter Family, TATA Swach Cristella Plus Water Purifier, LifeStraw Family 2.0, and EAWAG System.

Regions

Worldwide

Manufacturing/Building Method

Mass produced.Interview with representative

Intellectural Property Type

Patent

User Provision Model

Users can get the product via distributors during community distribution roll outs in targeted areas. Interview with representative

Product is also available for purchase online from Amazon, Lifestraw, and Walmart.

Distributions to Date Status

In 2011, 877,500 LifeStraw Family 1.0 water filters were distributed in Kenya to provide sustainable access to safe drinking water for 4.5 million people. Other filters have been sold or distributed through partnering NGOs and retailers, as well as purchased directly from LifeStraw.

Design Specifications

The LifeStraw Family 1.0 filter is the same as all LifeStraw filters, which achieves ultrafiltration via hollow fiber technology whereby water is forced through narrow fibers under high pressure.
When untreated water is poured into the feed water bucket, the textile prefilter removes coarse particles larger than 80µm. Gravity pushes the water with particles finer than 80µm to flow down the plastic hose towards the purification cartridge. The purification cartridge, which contains a hollow-fiber membrane of 20nm porosity, stops all particles larger than 20nm and bacteria, protozoa, and other contaminants are trapped inside the hollow fibers and are flushed out by backwashing.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

For the pilot project in Kenya, LifeStraw Family units are monitored by trained community representatives employed by Vestergaard. LifeStraw users must be trained on the operation and maintenance of the units. Representatives conduct visits to homes to analyze and report on units that are not operating normally. Interview with representative

Customer support offices are available to help all LifeStraw filter users.

Replacement Components

For the pilot project in Kenya, replacement systems are available if community representatives determine that the unit is faulty. All units are tracked via QR codes by representatives. The LifeStraw Family 1.0 filter is designed not to need replacement components. Interview with representative

Lifecycle

Guaranteed up to 18,000 Liters (4,750 Gallons). According to Vestergaard, enough to supply clean drinking water for a family of five for up to 3 years.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Manufacturer specifies the following: removes minimum 99.9999% of bacteria (>Log 6 reduction), 99.99% of viruses (>Log 4 reduction) and 99.9% of protozoan cysts (>Log 3 reduction), removes turbidity, does not require electrical power, does not require batteries, does not require replacement parts, does not require running water, does not require piped-in water supply, has an easy-to-clean pre filter, has an easy-to-clean purification cartridge, and all raw materials are US Food and Drug Administration compliant or equivalent.

Vetted Performance Status

A number of laboratory studies and health impact and field studies have been carried out:A laboratory assessment of a gravity-fed ultrafiltration water treatment device designed for household use in low-income settings was funded by Vestergaard Fransen, and ran by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and University of Arizona. It is the independent laboratory that tested and produced these results via EPA Protocol and Guide Standard for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers. It is part of LifeStraw Family Evidence Dossier (available by request)LifeStraw® Family Quality Inspection is completed by Intertek in Vietnam."Assessment of the LifeStraw Family Unit using the World Health Organization Guidelines for "Evaluating Household Water Treatment Options: Health-based Targets and Performance Specifications", 2011. by the University of Arizona Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science. Authors: Jaime Naranjo, B. S. and Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D.Rotavirus Reduction by LifeStraw Family 1.0 Filters, 2013 by the University of Arizona Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science. Authors: Jaime Naranjo, B. S. and Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D.Confirmation of 20 nanometer pore size by Para Membranes Co. Ltd, Korea

Safety

Contamination of filtered water is possible with exposed/improper handling and storage.

Complementary Technical Systems

A container is needed to collect the filtered water.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

Complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1987 Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers , US Food and Drug Administration, and meets the criteria of the “Highly Protective” category for microbiological performance specifications as defined in WHO’s 2011 ‘"Evaluating Household Water Treatment Options: Health-based targets and microbiological performance options."

Evaluation methods

The product has been evaluated for microbiological and turbidity removal, proper function, and membrane pore size by third-party laboratories. Health impact and field studies have also been performed.

Other Information

LifeStraw Family 2.0 usage and maintenance video

LifeStraw Water Fund