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LifeStraw® Family - FAQ
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What is LifeStraw® Family?
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| LifeStraw® Family is a point-of-use instant microbiological purifier that allows people to create their own homemade drinking water. The product is designed to address the need of the more than 1.1 billion people who lack access to safe and clean drinking water, by allowing them to have a stable and reliable source of water for home consumption. |
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What is the need of this product? |
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There are 4 billion annual cases of diarrhoea each year. Therefore anyone at risk of waterborne disease can benefit from this product.
People in developing countries, children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are at greater risk of becoming sick or dying from waterborne disease. |
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How does it work? |
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| The process of filtration begins when dirty water is poured into the pre-filter bucket at the top of the product. Simple gravity forces the water through a tube and into the purification cartridge, which contains millions of tiny pores called capillary membranes that remove contaminants. Clean and safe water is then ready to flow from the attached tap. Dirt accumulated in the membranes can be released from the bottom of the device by pressing the squeeze bulb after use. |
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Is the product difficult to clean? |
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| LifeStraw® Family has been designed to be very user-friendly. The pre-filter bucket can be wiped clean with a simple soft cloth. The purification cartridge can be cleaned by closing the tap and squeezing the bulb attached to the side of the cartridge, forcing dirt and muddy water to leave through the bottom exit. |
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What contaminants does the product filter out? |
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| The product has been extensively tested in the United States at the University of Arizona, and complies with United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) guidelines for microbiological purifiers. The product removes at least 99.9999% of all bacteria, 99.99% of all viruses, and 99.9% of parasites. |
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What effect does LifeStraw® Family have on turbid water? |
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| LifeStraw® Family has been extensively tested with turbid water. The product removes all particles up to 20nm, making the water clear of any turbidity. |
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Does the product require batteries or electricity? |
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| LifeStraw® Family was designed to be most useful for people who live in challenging physical environments, and may lack access to batteries and electricity. The product works by simple gravity, and requires no spare parts or maintenance other than cleaning. |
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How long will the product last? |
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LifeStraw® Family will filter on average about 10 liters of water an hour and can filter more than 18,000 liters over the product's lifecycle. That is enough to provide a typical family up to 3 years worth of clean and safe water. |
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Is there any lifetime indicator in the product? |
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| LifeStraw® Family has an auto-clog mechanism. If the product does not deliver water despite the backwashing and pre-filter cleaning, it means that the life is over. |
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Who are the likely customers for the product? |
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| The customers for LifeStraw® Family will most likely be the same as those who purchase LifeStraw®, and are mainly foreign governmental aid agencies, international relief and development organizations, foundations, and charities. |
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How can I get one? |
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| As mentioned above, the product will not be sold in individual units. In order to focus our efforts on developing products for people who need them the most, Vestergaard Frandsen will concentrate on serving customers that can purchase large quantities of the product for the developing world. |
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How is the product different from other water filters? |
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| LifeStraw® Family's advanced filtration technology, simplicity of use, low cost, and long life without requiring any spares, makes it completely unique. |
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Why is this product especially important for HIV-infected people? |
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Drinking unsafe water can be lethal for HIV-infected people. Those carrying the HIV-virus have compromised immune systems and are at a much greater risk of acquiring infectious diseases, including waterborne illnesses.
Diarrhoea is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected children.
In a study among HIV-infected persons in Uganda, for example, the use of safe drinking water decreased diarrhoeal illness by 36%."
LifeStraw® Family can play an important role in improving the health of at risk populations |
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How is product different from LifeStraw®? |
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| While LifeStraw® is for individuals and for water consumption outside the home, LifeStraw® Family can be used by families for their drinking water requirement at home. Further, LifeStraw® Family has increased efficacy on viruses, removes parasites as well as turbidity for water. |
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