Evaluation of Household Drinking Water Treatment Systems for Removal of Pathogens

In collaboration with APTIM, under contract with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Unilever R&D, Mumbai, India, has evaluated the performance of four household point-of-use (POU) devices. Pureit Marvella UV, Marvella Sleek, Excella, and Marvella Slim RO water purifiers were evaluated for removal of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts (a protozoan cyst), Escherichia coli (as a surrogate for bacteria), and male specific 2 bacteriophage (as a surrogate for viruses). Performance was monitored throughout the life of the water treatment systems for compliance with the Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers of 3-log reduction of cyst, 6-log reduction of bacteria, and a 4-log reduction of virus and World Health Organization treatment guidelines for the performance of microbial treatment in household systems. This paper summarizes novel aspects of the Unilever household water systems and their microbial removal results.