In a global context where access to drinking water remains an urgent need, UNICEF data for 2024 shows a dramatic picture: every year there are approximately 7 million deathsof which at least 2 million children under 5 years oldfor diseases linked to contaminated water. In industrialized countries, water is a taken-for-granted commodity, but the situation is very different in many regions of the world, such as Ethiopiawhere only the 30% of the population can access safe water sources.
It is in this context that it emerges Filtralifea French innovation awarded with the gold medal at the Lépine 2024 competition. Created by Paul and Auguste Minot, father and son, this technology is capable of making up to 1300 liters of water per hourwithout the need for electricity or batteries. Here’s how this device could revolutionize water supply in regions without infrastructure.
Filtralife: an autonomous water filtration system
The idea behind Filtralife was born from the vision of Paul Minot, an engineer with a deep interest in low impact solutions. The device, developed with his son Auguste, looks like a medium-sized autonomous car equipped with a tank for untreated water. Once filled, water passes through different filtersincluding a very fine one that blocks bacteria, viruses, heavy metals and pesticides – while leaving the beneficial minerals for health intact.
Filtralife combines two advanced technologies, the nanofiltration and thereverse osmosisto offer water completely free of impurities, odorless and colorlesswithout the use of chemicals. Its effectiveness has been confirmed by Bernard Legubeprofessor emeritus of the University of Poitiers, who tested the system on the waters of the Marne river, obtaining excellent results. Among the pollutants eliminated, the glyphosatereduced to levels well below regulatory thresholds.
Filtralife’s potential goes beyond individual communities: it is suitable for use in collaboration with NGOs, governments and international businessesespecially in the most vulnerable areas. This device could become a lifeline even during natural disasterssuch as the recent floods in Spain, demonstrating that with targeted and accessible technologies a concrete response can be given to the challenges of access to drinking water.
