LifeStraw Family 2.0

LifeStraw Family 2.0 achieves ultrafiltration via hollow fiber technology whereby water is gravity fed through narrow fibers. 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 towards the membrane cartridge. Ultra filtration takes place in the membrane cartridge – a pore size of 20 nanometre retains bacteria, viruses, parasites and fine dirt particles. Filtered water collects in the safe storage tank, which has a capacity of 5 liters and includes a tap to provide an outlet for purified water. The storage tank can be opened for cleaning. Backwashing of the membranes is done by pressing down on the cleaning lever. Dirty water flows to the small red tank. The dirty water should then be discarded.

Community health workers and the Del Agua Country Team provide technical support for Lifestraw® Family 2.0. Minimal training and assembly is required by the customer/user.

Vestergaard Frandsen provides local and international customer service through its 11 regional customer support offices across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

LifeStraw® Family 2.0 water filters up to 30,000 L of water , enough to supply a family of five with clean drinking water for three to five years.

LifeStraw® Family 2.0 uses LifeStraw® Family ultrafiltration technology, which:

• Satisfies 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
• Complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1987 Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers

Laboratory studies, certifications, published field studies and field reports from implementers can be found in the LifeStraw Evidence Dossier.

Users must be cautious with avoiding cross contamination of the clean water container and not consume water from backflush.