Abstract

This report documents the Sawyer Life Cycle Study system that was designed to circulate water through each of 24 Sawyer PointONE® bucket filters to test the durability and longevity of the filter. Computerized control of the system pumped water continuously with periodic backflush and measurement of flow and pressure.

Over 62,000 gallons (230,000 liters) of WHO challenge water and tap water were run through each of the original filters, which represent about 30 years of a household bucket filter use1.Filters were tested before and at the end of the run and all filters exceeded EPA filter removal standards of a log-6 removal. The flow in the filters did slow down during the run, especially after high turbidity WHO challenge water was run through them.

A second run of new filters was performed with tap water to assess the decrease in flow rate.Different back flush and cleaning methodologies were performed. The filters displayed the same pattern of slow-down as in the first test, although not as severe as when the WHO challenge water was used.

The project system has been shut down but the hardware and software are saved and are available should more tests be desired.