Kouzin Dlo

Archimedes Project

Kouzin Dlo is a liquid disinfectant designed to treat drinking water.

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

Kouzin Dlo is a Haitian social enterprise funded by Jessica Laporte that distributes a locally manufactured chlorine product for treating drinking water across urban Haiti through a network of female micro-entrepreneurs.

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

Haiti

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

This product is being implemented by Kouzin Dlo through a network of female micro-entrepreneurs.

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

1 USD per 8 oz bottle and 2 USD per 16 oz bottle.

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

Primary competitors for this product include Klorfasil and Gadyen Dlo, Aquatabs, and Water guard.

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)

Urban household residents

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

The disinfectant agent of this product, sodium hypochlorite, is manufactured and bottled by La Perle S.A. in Port au Prince, Haiti. This product is also sold under the brand name of AquaJif.

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

Trademark

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

This product is distributed by a network of female micro-entrepreneurs in urban communities of Haiti.

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

As of 2020, around 57,000 bottles have been sold; treating almost around 1,000,000 gallons of water.

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

Active Chemical and concentration (%)

Active chemical and concentration (%) of the product (not the concentration of the treated water)

0.75% Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl)

Form

Form of the chemical disinfection

Liquid

Dosing method: Batch or flow-through

Does the water flow through a treatment system or does it remain in a container?

Batch

Dosing method: Automatic or manual

Is the dose of the chemical administered automatically or manually?

Manual

Dosing quantity

Manufacturer-specified dosing quantity

1 capful (6 mL) per 20 L (5 Gallon) bucket of water.

Contact time (min)

Manufacturer-specified time until water is potable, measured in minutes

Target free disinfectant residual (mg/L)

Remaining level of chemical concentration after manufacturer-specified contact time

Bacteria reduction

Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of bacteria

2 log

Virus reduction

Laboratory-evaluated log scale removal rate of viruses

2 log

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

Treatment lifespan (days)

How long can the treated water remain protected and safe to drink?

24 hours if not stored in a covered container

Maximum recommended influent turbidity level (NTU)

Manufacturer-specified maximum level of inlet turbidity (NTU)

Water should be low turbidity (<5 NTU) for best disinfection.

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

The Kouzin Dlo is a 240 or 500 mL bottle that contains a 0.75% Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution.

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

None

Technical support Technical support provided by

Technical support is provided by local women entrepreneurs or other Kouzin Dlo sales agents.

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

This product does not require any replacement components.

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

With 20 L/day of drinking water consumption and 6ml of product necessary to clean 20L/day, each 240 mL bottle can last for 40 (~1 month) days and each 500 mL bottle can last about 84 days(~ 3 months).

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

Manufacturers specify that this product is 90 times cheaper than other clean drinking water options available in communities through Haiti. The company also aims to recruit and train women micro-entrepreneurs to increase economic opportunities in low-income communities.

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

Hypochlorites have been widely used in disinfecting water supplies for nearly a century.

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

No third-party organizations, only testing performed by the manufacturer.

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

No known safety hazards are related to this product. However, water should be consumed (or re-treated) within 24 hours if not stored in a lidded container.

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

Safe storage container

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

Namoos, B., 2010, Water Disinfection by Sodium Hypochlorite Solution. MSc. dissertation, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia.

Sobsey, M.D et al., 2003, Chlorination and safe storage of household drinking water in developing countries to reduce waterborne disease, Water Science and Technology, 47(3), pp.221-228.

Harshfield, E et al., 2012, Evaluating the sustained health impact of household chlorination of drinking water in rural Haiti, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 87(5), 786-795.

Lantagne and Clasen, 2012, Use of Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Methods in Acute Emergency Response: Case Study Results from Nepal, Indonesia, Kenya, and Haiti, Environmental Science & Technology, 46(20):11352-60.

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

Unknown for this specific product. However, the Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality lists liquid NaOCl with concentrations between 0.5% and 1% as a point-of-use water treatment method.

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

Sodium Hypochlorite has been used widely for centuries to disinfect drinking water.

Other information

Video about Kouzin Dlo.

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