"Lifestraw Family" water purification system. If it lives up to the specs listed on the webpage below, looks to be a great addition to a family disaster-pack. Now available in the USA. $89

http://eartheasy.com/lifestraw-family-1-0

I have a pair of the smaller personal model, $19. Never used them, still sealed in original packaging for emergencies. I should probably open one up and try it to make sure they work as advertised. The personal model does not do viruses though. But the family model does.

They do come highly recommended, but I have never used them either. I like the system that you linked to, nice for a small group of people and easy to use.

I have a Lifesaver Jerry Can Water filter in storage for home/family emergency.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8yxUU3qv5s

The Lifesaver can be very useful for filtering grey water/rain water storage collection systems. The shower attachment should be useful for also cleaning dishes as the last rinse before air drying.

Maybe i'm old fashion, but i still prefer the ceramic filters because you can clean them and even can get them to work again after clogging it with the most disgusting water/mud you can find. (sometimes you don't have a choice in water source).

The newer hollow fiber technology, can only be backwashed so i'm not convinced it can take such abuse.

I do have the smaller lifestraws and a MSR Miniworks EX for regular use and keep two ceramic Tulip gravity filters for emergency's:
http://safetysecurityandpreparedness.blogspot.nl/2013/06/tulip-water-filter.html

it would be nice if the filter manufacturers would standardize the virus/bacteria size rejection in the same units of measurement...microns and nanometers I understand... but with the log { } rejection rate.... log 9 of what size virus?...a 300 nm (.3 micron), or 20nm (.02 micron)

anyone with more expertise in the area, please help....

I'm not remotely a microbiologist or statistician, but I believe the log 9 you refer to means the filter removes all but 1 in 100 million viruses. It has no relation to size of virus. After this, I'm not competent to say anything. Per Clint Eastwood.

JPidkett... thanks.. I understand the log part... just wish they would standardize on what size hole they will fit through... especially the ceramic filters...

Les,

The problem is that the hole size does not control if you get sick or not. Living organisms are soft. Even if they are .2 mm across some of them will get through a .1mm filter. It also depends on the design of the filter. It will vary for different designs using the same filter material. A single layer 1mm filter (a screen, in essence) will pass more than a .2mm x 1cm thick ceramic filter. The answer is to determine how much is removed. If it is enough, you will probably not get sick. That is why the important number is rejection rate.

Respectfully,

Jerry

What Jerry said.

Jerry....Thanks for the reply