INTRODUCTION

    As inspired by the Indonesian tsunami of late 2004, and recently by the Myanmar cyclone, devices for purifying drinkable water are critically needed immediately in disaster areas before outside help arrives days or weeks later. Running counter to modern hi-tech ways of thinking, only ultra-low-tech devices can be constructable by survivors out of the available debris. We present an easily intuitive filtration system that makes use of shampoo, newspaper and baskets. Shampoo, containing cetrimide or one of the several polyquaterniums, kills bacteria within minutes and the newspaper supported in a basket filters out protozoans and other parasites from local surface waters. Other methods such as using fire to boil water is often difficult in sodden circumstances, and unlike very slow solar devices, this works nights, and on wet, cool or cloudy days.