Development and evaluation of improved household water filters in Cambodia

Abstract
Three novel candidate ceramic filter-based technologies were tested for microbial reductions using model drinking waters spiked with test microbes. Filters tested were commercially available mineral pot filters, ceramic siphon filters, and modified and unmodified ceramic pot filters. All filters were tested over extended periods for reduction of E. coli. Additional tests were conducted to evaluate reductions of MS2, spore-forming bacteria, and/or fluorescent microspheres as a surrogate for protozoa. Results indicate that all filters met a basic level of microbial reduction of approximately 99% (2 log10) for E. coli, consistent with previous work on ceramic filters. More work is needed to fully characterize and improve the candidate filters’ effectiveness against other classes of pathogens.