Available water disinfection systems rely mainly on large-scale filtration and the combination of filtration (to remove solids) and subsequent application of chemical disinfectants. This has proven to produce water of acceptable quality. Important points for application in household systems are low complexity, few training requirements, and easy transportation and distribution as well as a sufficiently high acceptance by the user.

Written and endorsed by the European Federation of Food Science and Technology, this book compares several purification systems with pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology. PEF technology is a non-thermal method to decontaminate liquids. The biological responses of cells are an electric compression of the membrane by inducing a higher trans-membrane potential than normal by applying an external electric field. A rapid electrical breakdown and local conformational changes of cell membrane bilayer structures results in cell death.

There is a growing evidence base on targeting water quality improvements to maximize health benefits, and it is believed that 4% of the global disease burden could be prevented by improving the water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. Better tools and procedures to improve and protect drinking water quality at the community and urban level--for example, through water safety plans--include the availability of simple and inexpensive approaches to treat and safely store water at the household level.