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The Portable Aqua Unit for Lifesaving (abbrev. PAUL), also known as WaterBackpack, is a portable membrane water filtering unit developed at the University of Kassel for humanitarian aid. It allows a decentralised clean water supply in cases of disasters and emergency situations.

Requirements


The operation of the filter solely requires water, for example from wells, rivers or streams. Neither chemicals nor energy nor trained personnel are necessary. The complete usage is described in four pictograms to enable even illiterates to operate the device. This was proven by a test carried out with different Indian population groups.

Operation
The core piece of the device is a membrane filter unit. After being deployed at its destination, the device is filled with about 100 litres of water from surface waters. After one or two minutes, filtered water can be tapped from the permeate hose. During the filtering process, the device has to be refilled periodically.

Functionality and capacity
The water pressure given by the building height of 1.15 metres forces the water through the membrane filter with pore widths of 20 to 100 nm. Turbidity-causing suspended solids are removed completely, bacteria with an effectiveness of more than 99.999 % (test by Institut Fresenius, E. coli und Coliforms) and viruses with an effectiveness of more than 99.9 % (Test by the University of Bonn, Coliphages).

In opposite to reverse osmosis systems, a system basing on Ultrafiltration is not able to remove dissolved substances (like salts) or liquids (like mineral oils) due to its principle. Those substances are able to pass the membrane.

A single device is capable of supplying about 400 people with the necessary (according to Sphere-Standards ) water to survive (food and drinking), its daily load being about 1.200 litres of water.

Usage and distribution
The water filter is used in emergency and disaster situations. As a backpack, it can be brought to his destination by foot if necessary. The first application was in March 2010. Since September 2010, the distribution increased considerably. Therefore, in April 2012, about 700 Units were in use in over 30 countries.

Since the durability of the membrane is ten years, most help organizations leave the device in place after emergencies. A periodical maintenance every few months is recommended or needed, depending on the impurity of the raw water. To do this, the device is filled with water completely and then emptied via the tap on its bottom.

PAUL is used by many organisations for humanitarian aid and also by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Development
The WaterBackpack was developed at the department of sanitary and enviromental engineering (part of the faculty construction engineering) of the University of Kassel. The development was facilitated by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (German Environment Foundation). The current optimization project continues until the middle of 2013 as a research project.

Awards
The project “PAUL – Trinkbares Wasser bei Katastrophen” (“PAUL - Potable water in cases of disasters”) participated in the competition “365 Orte im Land der Ideen” (“365 Places in the country of ideas”) in 2011 and was awarded federal winner in the category Society.