Innovative Water Purification Filter: A Game-Changer for Clean Water

Just like how we treat our planet, we all know that water will be a precious resource in the future. However, we don’t need to wait that long to realize that approximately 780 million people around the world still don’t have access to clean drinking water. To tackle this global issue, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, led by one of the creators, Jeremy Nussbaumer, have designed a filter that purifies water in less time, is simpler to use, and, most importantly, much more accessible than the expensive filters on the market today.

The 23-year-old student spent a year researching a membrane filter that he named DrinkPure. “What makes our filter different is that it can be used with any plastic bottle. It doesn’t require any additional equipment, like a pump or a reservoir, making it incredibly easy to use. You simply insert the filter into a bottle containing contaminated water, and you can drink directly from it,” says Nussbaumer.

This new filter has several unique features. It weighs only 100 grams, making it much lighter than most filters available on the market. Another advantage is that it’s less expensive and easier to manufacture compared to conventional filters. These two qualities make it ideal for development aid projects.

Despite its compact size, the filter goes through three stages of filtration. First, a pre-filter captures large particles like sand, sediments, and plant fragments. The second stage involves activated carbon powder, which primarily removes undesirable odors and chemical contaminants. The third and most important stage is a polymer membrane that eliminates bacteria.

Although the filter was initially designed to aid development in countries where access to clean water is scarce, where people face the dilemma of choosing between the risk of dehydration from not drinking water or the risk of illness from drinking contaminated water (the project recently completed a successful crowdfunding campaign to manufacture and distribute filters in Africa), this filter is also ideal for hikers who need to camp in areas without bottled or tap water.

This simple yet revolutionary solution not only addresses the clean water crisis but also offers a practical, affordable, and effective tool for anyone in need of access to purified water on the go.