The LifeStraw
The Vestergaard Frandsen Group has developed an amazing, yet simple device called LifeStraw®. It could be a huge help in the battle for safe drinking water. LifeStraw, as its name indicates, is a straw. But it is no ordinary straw. Its purpose is to turn surface water into drinking water. LifeStraw looks a little bit like a musical instrument - a fat, blue plastic recorder or flute (minus the finger holes). It is 9.8 inches (25 cm) long, 1.14 inches (29 mm) wide and is made of a high-impact polystyrene material.

Photo courtesy Vestegaard Frandsen, Inc.

The idea for LifeStraw came up while the company was working on another project to develop a filter to remove guinea worm larvae. "The question then came up that if we can filter out one parasite, why not all, why not also filter out all bacteria and viruses at the same time?" said LifeStraw inventor, Torben Vestergaard Frandsen. "The real spur for this," continued Vestergaard Frandsen, "was the realization that you can create the necessary force for the filtration with your personal sucking power."

While LifeStraw can filter out some parasites, its main goal is killing bacteria. According to lab studies, the mechanism can successfully filter bacteria like Salmonella, Staphylococcus Aureus and even E. Coli. Furthermore, these studies also indicate that the resulting water is actually better than municipal tap water from many developed countries. After getting such good results in lab tests, LifeStraw is now being tested in the field.

Photo courtesy Vestegaard Frandsen, Inc.

By making safe drinking water more available, LifeStraw will fight potentially deadly health issues such as Cholera, Dysentery and Typhoid. LifeStraw could also be a lifesaver in disaster relief. Fresh drinking water was a huge concern for victims of the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. LifeStraw could provide much needed water to victims of future disasters. And, as if this technology wasn't already cool enough -- it's actually affordable, too. For an estimated price of around $3 to $5, one LifeStraw can filter as much as 185 gallons of water. That's one person's required supply for an entire year!