We are now accepting orders for our second production run of Tapps - the first batch was sold on Indiegogo, and as soon as we can ship those filters, we will get to work on Run #2.

As before, for each filter purchased we will donate one in a developing country.

Tapp is an extremely simple and user-friendly water filter that can be used with water bottles, bags, hoses, buckets and jugs, camel-back systems, etc. It is a great fit for outdoor trekking, globe-trotting, and emergency preparedness kits.

For every Tapp sold on Indiegogo, we will donate one to someone in a developing country. Help us fund production, and get safe water to vulnerable families!

Who do you know who would just love this device? Pre-order them a Tapp and one will be donated on their behalf as well.  

Who we are

Twothirds Water is a startup company built by engineers and entrepreneurs who are passionate about using good design and effective strategies to meet the needs of vulnerable people.

• Bradley is an engineer who has lived and/or worked in Ethiopia, Dominican Republic, Uganda, the Philippines, Haiti... Bradley has been studying water technologies and their implementation in developing countries for the past 7 years.
• Kevin is an artist and designer who has a 3D printer and a CNC mill in his living room. In his spare time he's polishing off a PhD in chemical engineering. Nuff said.
• Deanna is a PR / marketing guru and entrepreneurial spirit. She has an amazing ability to take Bradley and Kevin's wild ideas, and say "sure, we can make that happen." And she does.

But we can't do it without you! Please help us fund the tooling costs so we can manufacture Tapp at volume.

What we've made

Over the past few years we have conducted an iterative design process – building a water filter, interviewing dozens of potential users to learn how to improve it, and going back home to build a new one. The culmination, Tapp, is tremendously exciting. We have protected it with several patents, and formed Twothirds Water to take it to market.  

Even if you never encounter the extreme circumstances Tapp was designed for, its simplicity and versatility make it a fantastic filter for wherever you might find yourself, whether you’re an international traveller, a back-country hiker, or just want to be ready for emergencies.

How it works

Just pass water through the filter. It is really that simple.

Tapp connects to threaded containers or 1/4" hose. You can let the water flow through by gravity (siphon), or pressurize it any way you like (e.g. squeezing a bottle or bag). You can drink through it like a straw, or put it in-line with your Camelbak. Regardless, the water will come out clean and ready to drink!

Tapp's top segment can rotate to three positions:

• open - Water flows through
• closed - Water stops flowing
• clean - Depending on your sourcewater, the filter may eventually begin to clog, which slows the flow of water. No problem! In this position you can give the top segment of the filter a single pump up and down, and dirt is flushed away. We're proud of this invention - and we've patented it rigorously.

Technical information

Tapp uses a special membrane that was developed for kidney dialysis machines. Called a "hollow fiber microfilter," this membrane has tiny pores that are small enough to catch bacteria and parasites, while letting the water flow through. Of course it catches dirt particles too. The membrane does not remove dissolved chemicals (like salt), so the taste of the water does not change. Microfiltration is a well-established technology that has been tested thoroughly and repeatedly, and is used in many water treatment plants.

Effectiveness

• turbidity (dirt): over 99% reduction
• parasites: over 99.9% reduction
• bacteria: over 99.99% reduction

Hikers and campers familiar with Beaver Fever (giardiasis) and its effect on... lets say regularity, will be pleased to know that this is a large protozoan (a type of germ) that is particularly easy to filter out.

Lifetime

Tapp is designed to be used on a daily basis for a year. If you use your Tapp intermittently, as we trekkers and travellers do, we recommend you use it for up to 3 years.

Making it happen

We need your help! The money raised on Indiegogo will fund the manufacturing equipment so we can set up production of Tapp.

We have assembled a solid team with the skill-sets we need to bring Tapp to your door. We have already field-tested many rounds of prototypes from our Ultimaker 3D printer, and a fantastic design company is helping us to polish our engineering drawings for volume production.

Our focus on simple design really reduces the challenges of the production process. We know we'll encounter unforeseen challenges, but with our engineering team and Form3's experienced guidance we are confident we can work through whatever arises. We know it is achievable - it is a matter of putting in the hard work to make it happen.

We are setting up production near our home city of Vancouver so we can be close by to help sort through any challenges.

Questions?

Ask us in the "Comments" section, and we'll reply to you there.

Help us spread the word! Please cut and paste this link to our video to Twitter and Facebook, and email people who may be interested :) bit.ly/tappvideo