The Lifesaver bottle is a portable water purification device. Designed by Michael Pritchard, the bottle filters out objects larger than 15 nanometres. The bottle has been used by people hit by disasters to create safe drinking water or while camping. It is also used by impoverished people around the world to make safe drinking water.
The bottle’s interchangeable filter can purify between 4,000 and 6,000 litres (1,050 to 1,585 gallons). It filters out objects bigger than 15 nanometres—including viruses, bacteria, and heavy metals. The carbon filter does not require chemicals. The process of filtering the water takes 20 seconds, allowing for 0.71 litres (1.5 pints) of water to be filtered. Once a filter has reached its limit, it will not allow contaminated water to be drunk. The Livesaver bottle has been used by soldiers for drinking water as well as cleaning wounds.
To filter the water, one puts contaminated water in the back of the bottle, then screws the lid on. The lid has a built in pump which is operated manually with a hand, the pumping action forces the contaminated water through the nano-filter and safe drinking water collects in another chamber in the bottle. The drinker then opens the top of the bottle from which safe drinking water comes out.
A much larger version of the Lifesaver bottle, called the Lifesaver Jerrycan, has the same filtering technology. The can allows for the filtration of 10,000 to 20,000 litres (2,650 to 5,300 gallons). One jerrycan filter can provide water for four people over a three-year span.