Aquatabs Flo

Product Description

Aquatabs Flo is an automatic water disinfection system that is developed and manufactured by Medentech. It works with the flow of the water, which is automatically operated and therefore does not need any power for operation. Aquatabs Flo is a commercially available product that is manufactured in Ireland. The system purifies 180,000 L of water by killing microorganisms, eliminating viruses and bacteria, preventing Legionella, and controlling biofilm.

Target SDGs

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

Market Suggested Retail Price

$296.00

Market Suggested Retail Price (Secondary Currency)

R 1,594.78

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Public Sector Agencies, NGOs

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

The product is primarily manufactured and sold by Medentech. Partner organizations include CDC, UNICEF, various small-scale NGOs and non-profits, retail distributors like Global Hydration (Canada), Aquatabs-USA (US), and Impact water (Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria)

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include MSR/Stanford Venturi Doser, PurAll Water Purification, Lotus Water Chlorine Dosing Device, and Zimba automatic chlorine dispenser.

Manufacturing/Building Method

Aquatab FLO is mass-produced in Ireland.

Intellectural Property Type

Select Type

User Provision Model

The user is likely to receive Aquatab Flo as a donation, or purchase it from local distributors or online in different e-markets such as Butyl Products Ltd Group, Business connect world, and Sustainable.co.za. Aquatab Flo can also be purchased individually or in bulk from Medentech, its distributors, and retailers.

Distributions to Date Status

Unknown

Active Chemical and concentration (%)

Active chemical: NaDCC also known as Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate or Troclosene Sodium

Concentration: 90%

Form

Tablet

Dosing method: Batch or flow-through

Flow-through

Dosing method: Automatic or manual

Automatic

Dosing quantity

2 mg/L

Contact time (min)

30 min

Target free disinfectant residual (mg/L)

Unknown

Bacteria reduction

Log 6

Virus reduction

Log 4

Protozoa reduction

Log 3

Heavy metals and/or arsenic reduction

Unknown

Treatment lifespan (days)

7 days if stored in sealed container

Maximum recommended influent turbidity level (NTU)

Unknown

Design Specifications

Aquatabs Flo is an automatic chemical disinfection unit mainly used in a community setting. It can be integrated into the reservoir at the point of entry and release a precise dose of chlorine automatically. The water flows past the cartridge of solid chlorine tablets which are slowly eroded by the flow of water, thus disinfecting the water. The chlorine disinfectant tablets inside the cartridge integrate into gravity-fed water treatment systems hence operating without the need of power. Residual chlorine keeps the water safe as it is stored and used. Furthermore, it purifies 180 m³ liters of water per cartridge. The design specifications include: Weight 0.11 kg Dimensions 10 × 30 × 4 cm

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Provided by the manufacturer.

Replacement Components

The cartridge containing sodium tablets.

Lifecycle

180,000 liters

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Designer specified performance targets include automation, no power use, durable, portable, and low-cost. It also aims to prevent treated water from getting contaminated by organisms such as Legionella and potentially fatal bacteria; VTEC – (Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli).

Vetted Performance Status

Aquatab Flo's website states that efficacy and acceptability studies have been conducted in several countries throughout the world. Moreover, the website also reports the product to be NSF Approved for 10 mg/L. Aquatabs Flo have been independently tested in field trials worldwide using a range of water types (pH, turbidity, hardness, pathogenic challenge) and have been found to reduce total and faecal coliform levels to zero or low risk.

Safety

Aquatab Flo is recommended to be used with clear water. Other than that no known safety hazards are related to this product.

Complementary Technical Systems

Chlorine testing kit to measure dissolved chlorine and check the residual chlorine of the water and storage tanks to store the disinfected water.

Academic Research and References

Pickering, A.J et al., 2019, Effect of in-line drinking water chlorination at the point of collection on child diarrhea in urban Bangladesh: a double-blind, cluster-randomized controlled trial, The Lancet Global Health, 7(9), pp.e1247-e1256.

Humphrey, J.H, 2019, Reducing the user burden in WASH interventions for low-income countries, The Lancet Global Health, 7(9), pp.e1158-e1159.

Rajasingham, A et al., 2019, Evaluation of an emergency bulk chlorination project targeting drinking water vendors in cholera-affected wards of Dar es Salaam and Morogoro, Tanzania, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 100(6), pp.1335-1341.

“Aquatabs.” n.d. Aquatabs.Com. https://www.aquatabs.com/home/company/

“CDC at Work: The Safe Water System.” 2022. Cdc.Gov. May 10, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/programs/cdc-at-work.html#

“Central African Republic Situation Reports.” n.d. Unicef.Org. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.unicef.org/appeals/car/situation-reports

“Global Hydration Water Treatment Systems Inc. Is Now Branch Point Inc.” n.d. Globalhydration.Com. https://globalhydration.com/

“Aquatabs.” n.d. Aquatabs.Com. https://www.aquatabs.com/

“Impact Water.” n.d. Impact Water. http://www.impactwater.co

“Goal 6.” n.d. Sdgs.Un.Org. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6

“Aquatabs.” n.d. Aquatabs.Com. https://www.aquatabs.com/index.php?id=791

“Aquatabs Flo Water Disinfection.” 2019. Butyl Products Ltd. September 9, 2019. https://www.butylproducts.co.uk/product/aquatabs-flo-water-disinfection/

Stanford University. 2019. “A Better Solution for Fighting Diarrhea.” Stanford News. August 8, 2019. https://news.stanford.edu/2019/08/08/better-solution-fighting-diarrhea/

Compliance with regulations

The product complies with all the certification Standards listed below: ISO 9001:201 ISO 13485: 2016 ISO 14001: 2015 OHSAS 18001:2007

Evaluation methods

The product is evaluated for pH, turbidity, hardness, pathogenic challenge by several consumers worldwide, and has proven to reduce total and fecal coliform levels (and other micro-organisms) to zero or low risk.

Other Information

Introductory Video on Aquatabs FLO