Grifaid Community Filter

The Safe Water Trust Ltd

Grifaid Community filters are portable membrane filters that can be used for schools, clinics, and in small communities.

Snapshot
Manufacturing & delivery
Performance & use
Research & standards
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Product description Brand name and product description

The Grifaid Community Filters are portable membrane filters that can clean biological contamination and solids to provide safe drinking water for communities. The Safe Water Trust Ltd is a UK based not-for-profit specializing in the design and manufacturing of synthetic membrane filters.

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Worldwide

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

Grifaid is partnered with multiple organizations including UK Aid, UNHCR, Handicap International, and Ashanti Development who have distributed Grifaid Community Filters worldwide. Another partner distributing organization is Aquabox.

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

345.79 USD (250 GBP)^{Converted on July 2021}

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

WateROAM filter Plus

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Target users include rural communities and refugee settlements.

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

The product is mass-produced in the UK.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Trademarked

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

NGOs and users can request orders for the Grifaid filters by sending the manufacturers a request form mentioning the details of the project for which it is required.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

2,000 ^{Interview with manufacturer}

Fields marked are sourced values that have been evaluated by the manufacturer or a third party, all others are design specifications.

Target use case

Is this filter designed for individual, household, or community use?

Community use

Manufacturer-specified flow rate (L/hr)

300 L/hr

Bacteria reduction

Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of bacteria

>7 log (E.coli)

Type of membrane filtration

Does the system use microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, or reverse osmosis?

Microfiltration

Virus reduction

Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of viruses

5 log (MS-2 bateriophage)

Protozoa reduction

Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of protozoa

Unknown

Heavy metals and/or arsenic reduction

Reduction levels of heavy metals and/or arsenic through this treatment system

Unknown

Maximum recommended influent turbidity level (NTU)

Manufacturer-specified maximum level of inlet turbidity (NTU)

Unknown

Effluent turbidity levels (NTU)

Range or value of outlet turbidity levels (NTU)

0-30 NTU

Material of construction

Description of materials of construction

Food grade plastic and PVC hallow fiber membrane. ^{Interview with manufacturer}

Safe water storage capacity (L)

Is there safe water storage integrated into this product?

None

Manufacturer-specified lifetime volume (L)

What is the total number of liters that is recommended can be filtered?

>1,000,000 L

Design specifications Component and Operation overview including power, portability, facility requirements, preventative maintenance and user training requirements

Grifaid Community Filter can retain dust, bacteria, viruses, cysts, and protozoa in the membrane filter equivalent to 0.01 microns. Sand and other coarse particles are screened by a washable pre-filter screen with 0.12 mm holes. Dirty water is periodically flushed out of the system. Untreated water is collected in a vessel or a bucket, the product is placed so that the foot strainer is immersed in the water and is then pumped to deliver safe drinking water. The dimensions of a packaged system are 250 x 250 x 280 mm and has a dry weight of 12 kg.

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

Not available

Technical support Technical support provided by

Grifaid provides online video tutorials and manuals for technical support.

Replacement components Availability of replacement components (in-country, by order,...)

Pump “O” ring seal

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

The product includes a 1-year warranty and has an expected lifespan of over 5 years.

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

The manufactures claim that the filter can last for at least 5 years and reduce bacterial and viral levels in water to comply with WHO safe water drinking standards.

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

The water from the filter has been tested for effective E. Coli removal by The University of Arizona. Other universities and national bodies have tested the filter as well. Grifaid filter has also been monitored in the Gambia periodically after their distribution in June 2013. The filter lasted for four years with no sign of coming to the end of the working life.

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

Newcastle University, University of Arizona, Kenya Water Institute, Ghana Standards Authority, The Gambia Dept. of Water Resources, Rwanda Bureau of Standards, and The Central Laboratory for Water Quality of South Sudan.

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

Proper safety instructions need to be followed while operating the filter.

Complementary technical systems Performance of this product is improved with another technology (eg. Cookstoves and Wind-blocking skirts)

A container filled with unfiltered water and a vessel to store treated clean water.

Academic research Academic research related to the product (e.g. published papers in peer-reviewed journals)

Naranjo, J., and Gerba, C., 2013, “Microbial Reduction Evaluation of the AQUAFILTER FAMILY Water Filtration System“, The University of Arizona, The Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science.

Sallis, P., 2010, “Laboratory evaluation of the performance of an Aquafilter Membrane Filtration Unit“, Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University.

Compliance with regulations Product certifications and standards referenced by designer/manufacturer

The Grifaid Community Filter meets the US-EPA water standards along with national standards from Rwanda, Ghana, Gambia and other countries.

Evaluation methods Evaluation methods/protocols/guidelines referenced by designer or manufacturer.

The Grifaid filters have been tested in laboratories for E. coli and MS-2 contamination.

Other information

Grifaid Water Filters have a news section to keep up-to-date on current developments of the products.

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Feedback from users, customers & distributors

Please let us know your experience in using this product through comments below.

Snapshot

Product description Brand name and product description

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

Worldwide

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

345.79 USD (250 GBP)^{Converted on July 2021}

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

WateROAM filter Plus

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Target users include rural communities and refugee settlements.

Manufacturing & delivery

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

The product is mass-produced in the UK.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Trademarked

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

NGOs and users can request orders for the Grifaid filters by sending the manufacturers a request form mentioning the details of the project for which it is required.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

2,000 ^{Interview with manufacturer}

Performance & use