Improving Antibacterial Performance of Household Water Filters with a Silver-Embedded Ceramic Tablet

In 2020, one in four people did not have safely managed drinking water in their homes. Household water filters can reduce microbial load but are susceptible to recontamination. This study evaluated the bacterial reduction of several water filters with and without a silver-embedded ceramic tabletin both the laboratory and household settings. In laboratory tests, after 24 h, Kohler Clarity filters with halves split between upper and lower reservoirs removed 6.0 log E. coli, whereas filters alone removed 2.7 log E. coli. After 2 h, Rama Water carbon filters with halves split between reservoirs removed 3.3 log E. coli, whereas filters alone removed 1.7 log E. coli. After 2 h, ceramic pot filters with a in the lower reservoir removed 3.9 log total coliform bacteria (TCB), whereas filters alone removed 2.8 log TCB. In households, effluent TCB [colony-forming units] was between 0 and 12, 1 and 36, and 509 and 5,916 when the was in the lower reservoir, split between reservoirs, and not present in Kohler Clarity filters, respectively. Silver levels were μ the drinking water limit set by the USEPA. The addition of silver via a either wholly in the lower reservoir or split between upper and lower reservoirs of household water filters improved bacterial reduction in both laboratory and household settings.