Rainfresh systems help fight Haitian cholera outbreak

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23 Sep Rainfresh systems help fight Haitian cholera outbreak

Posted at 18:49h in #RainfreshHelps by
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Four and a half years have passed since Haiti was struck by an enormous earthquake, which killed over 230,000 people and displaced thousands of people. Unable to access safe drinking water, over half a million earthquake survivors have fallen ill with cholera: a bacterial infection caused by ingesting unsanitary food and water.

Since 2010, one of our NGO partners, GlobalMedic, has brought thousands of Rainfresh gravity bacteria filters to Haiti. Using these systems, Haitian families reduce the risk of exposure to the vibrio cholerae, the bacteria responsible for the infection. Fresh, clean water also helps cholera patients replenish their fluids – an important factor in treating the disease.

 

SM4U Gravity Filter 2Removing harmful bacteria from drinking water worldwide

Our gravity water filtration technology is a popular tool used in disaster relief initiatives across the globe. With a lightweight and easily portable design, these filters can supply safe drinking water from virtually any water source, including lakes, ponds, rivers, wells and streams – all without the use of pumps, chemicals or electricity.

Using Rainfresh’s proprietary and mede-in-Canada ceramic filtration technology, these units trap harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and protozoan cysts , removing contaminants as small as 0.3 micron s.

Read more about this common disaster relief device used by millions of people every day.

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A cyst is a resting stage of a parasite that helps it tide over unfavourable environmental conditions. When the parasite reaches favourable conditions (such as the human intestine), the cyst wall breaks and the microbe causes illness. Commonly known cysts are Giardia Lamblia and Cryptosporidium. They are present in stagnant waters such as dug wells, lakes, ponds and other surface waters. Cysts cause illnesses such as Giardiasis (commonly called Beaver Fever), stomach cramps, fever, diarrhea, etc.

Cysts are resistant to chlorination, the most common disinfection method used by municipalities. As such, it is possible to have cyst contamination even in chlorinated (municipally treated) water supplies. Physical removal of cysts from water by filtration is the most effective way of preventing illnesses from cyst. Rainfresh Drinking Water system 1, 2 and 3 are tested and certified for reduction of cyst from water.

 

 

A micron , also called micrometer, is a unit of measurement.

1 micron = 1/1000 mm (1/25,000th of an inch) is denoted by the letter µ.

Average human hair is about 75 micron in diameter and coarse dirt is about 40 micron . In filter cartridges, a micron rating refers to the smallest particle size in micron s that the filter cartridge is capable of removing. For example, a 30 micron cartridge will remove particulates as small as 30 micron while a 5 micron filter cartridge will remove particulates as small as 5 micron . The lower the micron rating of the filter cartridge, the tighter the filter and the smaller the particle size it can remove.

For sediment filters, generally a “nominal” rating is used, meaning that a high percentage of particles of the rated size are removed. An “Absolute” rating means that >99.99% of the particles of the rated size are removed. Rainfresh ceramic cartridges have a 0.3 micron absolute rating, meaning that they remove > 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 micron .