This protocol establishes minimum requirements for health and sanitation characteristics of microbiological water purifiers. The requirements are based on the recommendations of the U.S. EPA''s Task Force Report, Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers. Microbiological water purifiers use chemical, mechanical, and/or physical technologies to filter and treat waters of unknown microbiological quality, but are presumed to be potable. This protocol addresses systems having a flow rate of 5 gpm or less and contains minimum requirements for materials, design and construction, and performance of these systems. The systems are not intended to convert wastewater or raw sewage into drinking water.

Replacement Components for a system may or may not reduce all reduction claims that system makes. Verify through literature what contaminant(s) each replacement component reduces. Note that replacement component(s) may be required for system to operate properly even though that same replacement component may not reduce contaminants for claims made under this standard.

Stand-alone components certified for materials safety and structural integrity (as applicable) requirements only may also have notes indicating that the component has been tested for the reduction of specific contaminants. Because components certified only for materials safety and structural requirements are incapable of functioning without the use of additional components or by being placed into a complete system, performance reduction claims listed as a note are for informational purposes, shall not be considered certified, and may not perform exactly as stated when placed into a system.