Evaluation of the eTulip POU unit at a rural village in the Eastern Cape

In an effort to gain a better understanding of the factors leading to the successful uptake of point-of-use water treatment units, a twelve-month study was undertaken in a remote rural community in the Eastern Cape in South Africa by a research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Durban University of Technology. The eTulip ceramic siphon candle filter was distributed to 22 participating households. The filter was effective in providing 30-40 litres of filtered water per day of adequate water quality. 64% of the users used and maintained their filters on a daily basis. Participants liked the taste of the filtered water and reported decreased rates of diarrhoea, stomach pains and skin rashes in both children and adults.