Life Straw: All You Can Drink For A Year!
by TreeHugger 
on 08.22.05
Even with the "massive" 1700 person cryptosporidium outbreak in New York State this past summer, the water quality problems of the developed world pale in comparison to the more than 1 billion people throughout the world without access to safe drinking water. A large percentage of these people suffer because their drinking supply is infected with bacteria, or microorganisms brought on by agricultural pollution and poor sanitation. But a much touted new device called the life straw seeks to give those billion a fresh look at water...
The Lifestraw is a little longer than a toilet paper tube, and about the same diameter(the model shown above is an earlier prototype). Inside the tube, a series of mechanical screens, carbon particles, and resin beads filter and kill most pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms common in water systems throughout the world. Using a patented material called PuroTech Disinfecting Resin, the filters are rated for 700 liters of water -- approximately one year's use for a single individual. They require no training to use (just suck) and minimal maintenance (parent company Vestergaard Frandsen recommends periodically blowing the straw clear of water to clean the filters)
But perhaps most exciting is the cost: Only 2 dollars US if sold individually (presumably, volume discounting could apply). Obviously, this is a large amount of a subsistence farmer's income, but the amount of wages earned during the time lost to illness is probably comparable. And it's still awfully cheap for drinking water -- My water bill was 5 dollars US for just last month, and these last a year.
We're excited to see developments like this which have such potential for improving life quality. At the same time, we recognise that this product needs a philanthropist or great business plan behind it to make sure it gets to the right people. Keep an eye on this one. It's going to be big. :: Lifestraw at Gizmag
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Are any charitable/development organizations purchasing these to distribute? Can I donate money to purchase these and send them to the people who need them? Two dollars may be a lot for a developing farmer but it isnt a lot for us in the developed world. Imagine if everyone shelled out two measly bucks to provide a person with clean drinking water for a whole year! Sounds good to me.
Wonder if this will eventually find its way into the backpacks of serious hiking and camping folks. Cheaper than many of the other filtering systems...
Hello
"Wonder if this will eventually find its way into the backpacks of serious hiking and camping folks."
I remember first seeing water filter straws in hiking catalogues about ten years ago. I do not rember how well they filtered the water, but I do know they were more than $2 a pop! A quick google will bring up a few options.
cheers!
It says in the FAQs that it can be used to drink saline water. Does that mean I can get one of these things and put it straight in the ocean?? $4/person/year (life expectancy of the straw is halfed) for deslinated water sounds pretty incredible.
This technology is promissing but would not filter out Giardia (beaver feaver) or cryptosporidium so it is not a complete solution for the back country...
saw about the life straw on CNN 12 / 28 / 05 read your comments page but there was no answer on the oct. / 05 about if one can get safe drinking water from the ocean if this is true then the coast guard should make it mamdatory for all boat owners I live on a small island in the florida keys we have to make our drinking water
You guys make a good case for emotional incarceration. Obviously you slept through rudimentary chemistry and biology. I suggest you look up Avogadro's number and the mole concept before you endanger anybody else's health with this bullshit.
Dr. Cecil Fox,
I’m very aware of “rudimentary chemistry and biology” and I was curious as to why you are so dismissive of this product?
I am a college student with an internship in social justice. For the past year I have been working with the community of Plaisance, Haiti to help the people that are dying from things like waterborne diseases. We have been providing these people with a product called the Gift of Water which costs us $25/unit and it costs the Haitian family the money to continue buying the clorine drops. I would like to be able to provide more clean water, but do not know enough about this product... Please let me know what I need to look at from both sides of this product for it to be distributed in Haiti. Thank you.
hallo i got a subjet in english about water, and i was thinkink about some of you guys can give me some think for the subjet. I really need it
you are very smart whoever discovered the life straw because now a lot of people arent dying because of the new discovery that just came out good job
This product has been hyped for a long time. I hope it is real but I no longer believe it is real.
The LifeStraw appears simple to manufacture and should be very inexpensive to produce based on the estimated retail/wholesale price $2 to $7.
IT SHOULD HAVE COME TO MARKET BY NOW. It must not be real.
Hi,
Rotary International are doing stuff in relation to this product, look at the RIBI website. I have one to view & see if its any good as I'm not sure about its micro-biological limitations.
according to the new york times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/science/10find.html?ref=science
"Only about 100,000 have been handed out, 70,000 to earthquake victims in Kashmir last year."
So it is a real product
Stephen
OK. HOW do i get them?? These would be ideal for emergency earthquake kits, road bike and hiking/backpacking trips etc.
Contact me ASAP!
Could you please tell me where the "LifeStraw" can be purchased. I think it is a terrific idea for travelers to other countries such as Mexico. We do extensive foreign traveling and would like to start using "LifeStraw" as part of our necessary items to take with us.
Thank you
Sincerely
Paul Renaud
Id liek to know where these strolls can be found. I think its very practical.
So can i buy one?
So, where can I find or make a purchase of the diagram to make this device out of a used toilet paper tube?
So, this looks very intriguing and exciting to me. However, I am unable to locate a link or further information that would reveal the steps neccessary to transform a used toilet paper roll into a water filter to drink the oceans..
Anyone who can shed light on this matter for me would be most helpful!
Thank You,
Dr. Jackson 'Jack' Misoheiden
Nepal
You can't actually make one out of of toilet paper roll-- It only says that it is similar is size to that toilet paper roll.
A few facts from an insider to the company.
LifeStraw(r) does not look like what you see on the picture (that was a very old model).
LifeStraw(r) filters up to 700 liters of water (WHO recommendation for an adult for one year), filters up to 99.9% of all bacteria, parasites, and virus. For personal use ONLY.
LifeStraw(r), will be retailed in Europe in 2008.
The price will not be of USD 2 (for retail)
Make your donations to the www.filtastraw.com (website of the Rotary Club in Wales)
Visit www.lifestraw.com
I need to get several thousand of these straws or the next best thing. So far we haven't been able to get any . I need to know where to get them and how much. Can you help. Then I need them shipped into Puerta Cabezas.
thanks
Lisa
Looks like these are not available retail yet, only "institutional" purchase - according to their web site. Just go to lifestraw.com under the FAQ.
You can also contact them about a large quantity purchase & distribution it says.
Obviously a great idea, but like so many great human ideas, it has not been thought out from start to finish. More importantly finish...What are you or these third world countries going to do about all of the toxic plastic waste that will evolve, rather quickly, from discarded life straws. Wouldn't it be a good idea to come up with a disposal plan to go with this product? Don Tampa, Florida
For more information on lifestraws and the contact information for them, you can go to ClayForEarth.org (an online symposium of sustainable solutions to poverty) and it is under the topic Water. While you're there, maybe you can post some solutions you have found!
Where can I purchase a straw so it can be sent to our school for demonstrations to support fundraisers? Our club Interact is the student version of Rotary International, but we cannot seem to be able to get our hands on a single straw though we have lots of money for the straw. Rotary has been supporting the Fresh Water Act for Africa for years...please advise!!!
I read about these two years ago, and last year tried to buy a case to send to Costa Rica after their earthquakes last year. I found the US distributor in Virginia, but was told that they are not available in the US and even if I wanted them for International use, I would have to find an NGO to do the paperwork.
Has this changed? I really want to buy a case for emergency kits for family and friends.... and beyond!
Anyhow, thrilled this fellow is getting the praise and thanks he deserves.