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How the LifeStraw is eradicating an ancient disease

Take a look at the technology behind the famous water filter that makes dirty water drinkable.

Stephen Beacham Senior Video Producer
I'm an award-winning Senior Video Producer and Host for CNET.com focusing on How-To videos, AI, and environmental technologies. I lead CNET's How-To video strategy for horizontal and vertical video formats on multiple platforms. I am responsible for managing and optimizing CNET's flagship YouTube channel by developing and implementing our publishing and subscriber growth strategies. I also serve as CNET's Live Events Producer and Live Streaming Engineer coordinating CNET's team coverage of big tech events since 2011. I come from an audio production background as a Music Producer, Audio Engineer, and Mixer and have worked with multi-platinum artists including Green Day, Smash Mouth, and Lenny Kravitz. Today, I continue to produce and mix records for artists and bands spanning a wide range of genres and have been building a list of credits sound designing and mixing short films.
Expertise How-To video, AI, Environmental Sustainability Credentials
  • Webby Award Winner for Best Environmental and Sustainability video (2023), 3-time Telly Award Winner (2019, 2020, 2022) 12 years experience producing videos, podcasts, and live events for CNET.
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Stephen Beacham
2 min read

If you've spent any time near a lake or other body of water, you may've seen a fellow traveler bent over the dirty H2O with a large straw, drinking away. Chances are they're using a LifeStraw, a high-tech water filtration device developed by humanitarian company Vestergaard. 

Watch this: The LifeStraw is close to eradicating an ancient disease

The LifeStraw uses technology to filter out water contaminants such as parasites, bacteria, viruses and lead, to make dirty water drinkable. Other than being a handy tool to have on a camping trip, the straw has gained worldwide attention as a result of Vestergaard's work with former US President Jimmy Carter's foundation, the Carter Center. The center's Guinea Worm Eradication Program takes aim at a parasitic infection caused when someone drinks water that contains water fleas infected with Guinea worm larvae.

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Since 1986, the program has used health education and water filtering to battle the disease and has successfully decreased the number of infections from 3.5 million down to 53 in 2019. If the effort achieves complete success, Guinea worm disease will be the first to be eradicated from the planet without the use of a vaccine.

Update from LifeStraw: LifeStraw has provided over 38 million Guinea worm filters to the Carter Center since 1994.  More recently, the company made the commitment to donate all future Guinea worm filters to the Center through the end of disease eradication.  In 2019, 520,000 Guinea worm filters were donated.

CNET news producer Stephen Beacham spoke with representatives from LifeStraw and the Carter Center to discuss the origins of the LifeStraw, the technology behind it and how it's helped in the battle to end Guinea worm disease. Watch the video above for all the details.

WARNING: Some viewers may find certain images in the video disturbing.

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Former US President Jimmy Carter comforting a girl who has a Guinea worm infection.

 The Carter Center

Watch the LifeStraw video on CNET's YouTube channel below.