Vestergaard Frandsen Announces Launch of LifeStraw(R) Family

Vestergaard Frandsen, a European company developing and selling disease control textiles, has launched LifeStraw(R) Family, a new point-of-use product designed to provide safe drinking water for consumers in the developing world. It can provide, at an average, at least 10 liters of purified water an hour and more than 10,000 liters over the product’s lifecycle-enough to provide a typical family with 1.5 years worth of clean and safe water. The product has been extensively tested in the United States at the University of Arizona, and complies with US Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for microbiological purifiers, and removes at least 99.9999% of all bacteria, 99.99% of all viruses, and 99.9% of parasites.

LifeStraw(R) Family builds upon the success of LifeStraw(R) Personal, a portable water filtration device developed two years ago by Vestergaard Frandsen.

Read more: PRNewswire, 7 Feb 2008.

See also: IRIN, 4 Feb 2008

Practical manual for the construction of pit latrines

Dutch NGO, Foundation Connect International, has published a simple and practical manual for the construction of pit latrines with a focus on slab production. The manual has been tested by the Southern Highlands Participatory Organisation (SHIPO), Connect International’s partner organisation in Tanzania.

The manual can be downloaded here

Comments on the manual are welcome

Novel dual media combination for drinking water treatment

Novel dual media combination for drinking water treatment
A. Mikol, C.S.B. Fitzpatrick, M.J. Chipps, M.E.J. Steele and R.G.W. Bayley
Water Science and Technology: Water Supply Volume 7, Number 5-6, p. 131–139 ; 2007
doi:10.2166/ws.2007.148

ABSTRACT
A novel media combination comprising of two layers of commercially available expanded clay (EC) media was tested for use in existing roughing filters (RF). Results have indicated a potentially suitable alternative to anthracite/sand, a dual media combination of a fine grade of high density EC media and a coarse grade of low density EC media. This novel dual media consistently achieved longer run lengths, whilst producing filtrate of adequate quality for slow sand filter influent – even when challenged with algal laden water.

Screening and evaluation of natural coagulants for water treatment

Screening and evaluation of natural coagulants for water treatment
K.R. Gunaratna, B. Garcia, S. Andersson and G. Dalhammar
Water Science and Technology: Water Supply ; Vol. 7, No. 5-6, p. 19–25 ; 2007
doi:10.2166/ws.2007.147

ABSTRACT
In developing countries many people are forced to drink turbid water and as a consequence many children are dying related to water borne diseases. Hence there is a need for inexpensive and easy methods to purify drinking water. The objective of this research is to screen different plant seeds to find a primary natural coagulant able to reduce the turbidity of the drinking water. The protein from 21 different seeds was extracted with water and salt solution and coagulation properties in synthetic clay solution were studied. The crude extract of Moringa oleifera (MO) showed the same coagulation activity as that of alum. The protein from red bean, sugar maize and red maize were promising in having coagulation activity, compared with a known coagulant protein from MO. These seeds were selected and purified to homogeneity with fast flow Sepharose ion exchange chromatography and the properties of the purified proteins were characterized. The characteristics of these coagulant proteins are different from MO protein based on molecular weight and ionic determinations. The coagulant proteins were temperature tolerant and can withstand temperature of around 85 °C and maintain the coagulation activity. The seeds identified as a coagulant source could be used as an alternative to chemicals for drinking water clarification.

Ceramic silver-impregnated pot filters for household drinking water treatment in developing countries

Ceramic silver-impregnated pot filters for household drinking water treatment in developing countries: material characterization and performance study
D. van Halem, S.G.J. Heijman, A.I.A. Soppe, J.C. van Dijk and G.L. Amy
Water Science & Technology: Water Supply ; Vol 7, No 5-6, p. 9–17 ; 2007
doi:10.2166/ws.2007.142

ABSTRACT
The ceramic silver-impregnated pot filter (CSF) is a low-cost drinking water treatment system currently produced in many factories worldwide. The objective of this study is to gather performance data to provide a scientific basis for organisations to safely scale-up and implement the CSF technology. Filters from three production locations are included in this study: Cambodia, Ghana and Nicaragua. The microstructure of the filter material was studied using mercury intrusion porosimetry and bubble-point tests. Effective pores were measured with a mean of 40 mm, which is larger than many pathogenic microorganisms. The removal efficiency of these microorganisms was measured by using indicator organisms; total coliforms naturally present in canal water, sulphite reducing Clostridium spores, E.coli K12 and MS2 bacteriophages. The removal of these organisms was monitored during a long-term study of several months in the laboratory. Ceramic silver impregnated pot filters successfully removed total coliforms and sulphite reducing Clostridium Escherichia coli K12 were also removed, with log(10) reduction values consistently higher than 2. MS2 bacteriophages were only partially removed from the water, with significantly better results for filters without an impregnation of colloidal silver. During this study the main deficiency of the filter system proved to be the low water production; after 12 weeks of use all filter discharges were below 0.5 Lh-1, which is insufficient to provide drinking water for a family.

Zero-waste toilets developed by IIT Kanpur

Soon it will be possible to have flush toilets with minimal wastage of water. Led by Prof. Vinod Tare, researchers from the environmental engineering department of IIT Kanpur have developed a toilet that will reuse the water that goes into flushing rather than discharging it along with the excreta. This will be possible by not allowing water and solid waste to mix.

Indian Railways has approved the design and Unicef will be involved in pilot project involving community toilets.

A basic toilet should not cost more than Rs 5,000.

Source: Down to Earth, 22 Jan 2008 ; Express India, 1 Feb 2008

Optisense Receives innoWATOR government grant for developing an Early Warning system for E. coli in drinking water

Enschede – January 9, 2008 – Optisense, a provider of biosensor technology and Vitens, the largest Dutch Drinking water company, have received an innoWATOR grant from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs for developing an Early Warning system for E. coli and other indicators for fecal pathogens in drinking water. The core of the system will be an E. coli sensor with a disposable sensor surface in combination with a concentrator unit. The system aims to replace conventional laboratory testing which is time consuming (48-96 hours) and costly, as well as significantly decreasing the chance of consuming polluted water. It is seen as a breakthrough for water distribution systems in fast growing economies.

More info: Optisense, 9 Jan 2008