When disaster strikes aid agencies need to hit the ground running to provide the help and support that saves lives, including access to clean drinking water.

To do this as effectively as possible frontline workers and volunteers need the best specialist equipment at their disposal - including water filter systems.

The Aidex exhibition held last week plays an important role in bringing together aid agencies and manufacturers to share and exchange ideas and find out the latest developments.

A huge amount of research and testing goes into creating products that are not only efficient but lightweight and quick to assemble so that they can be easily transported into areas of need and put to use immediately.

One of the many emergency needs in times of crisis is clean drinking water - without this,  communities that have suffered a natural disaster, or refugees fleeing conflict, are put at risk of contracting an illness that can spread at speed through communities.

Emergency access to clean drinking water

British Berkefeld's Household filter kit - which provides clean drinking water - is one such product that was on display as part of Aidex. It can be transported in large numbers and offers a speedy solution to what could become a deadly problem: Cholera



Fitted with top performance ceramic filter candles, the kits can offer high-quality water filtration in an unstable environment.

Each candle is created with ceramic technology that reduces and filters bacteria and contaminants from untreated water to provide clean drinking water.

No plumbing or electricity is needed as the household filter kits work through the use of gravity. The ceramic candles have built-in anti-bacterial properties that inhibit the growth of further bacteria and take away the need for boiling water.

In areas with poor sanitation, particularly refugee camps and areas hit by natural disasters, cholera can spread quickly, hitting those who are already suffering hard.

Putting in place a water filtration system that gives affected communities access to clean drinking water is a cornerstone in stopping the spread of cholera.

British Berkefeld's ceramic water filtration candles filter the bacteria that cause diseases such as cholera, E-coli and salmonella.

The prevention of these diseases in communities already fighting for survival makes clean drinking water a high priority for aid agencies.

The Household filter kits offer a simple but permanent solution for clean drinking water, with the ceramic candles providing up to 99.99% filtration of bacteria, cysts and particles.

Fast, simple and efficient

Visitors to Aidex were able to get a clearer understanding of how the Household filter kits look, work and feel by visiting British Berkefeld's stand at the exhibition - all important when considering the suitability of aid solutions.

Exhibitions also allow aid representatives to get a firmer understanding of the technical qualities of the ceramic candles - with a number of different options available, it is important to know which water filter is best suited to a certain situation.

The Household filter kits can be fitted with Ultra Sterasyl® ceramic candles.

Ceramic water filtration systems have already helped to save the lives of thousands of people.

Emergency support systems are a sad reality of life, but the right equipment can make all the difference.


Daniel Berko