The Peak Series membrane microfilter lasts up to 500 gallons (2,000 liters). This filter is designed to stop working (meaning water will no longer flow through) once it has reached the end of its lifetime.

LifeStraw Peak Series 8L Gravity Water Filter System is designed to fit across Peak Series products (not included). Read further for instructions on how to connect across products.

Connecting to the LifeStraw Peak Series 8L Safe Storage Bag
1. Set. Using the included instructions, make sure the gravity bag is assembled and filled with water.
2. Connect systems. After fising the included hose with quick connector, attach the quick connector of gravity bag to the fitting on the front panel of the safe storage bag. Make sure the other end of the hose is connected to the filter on the gravity bag.
3. Hang. Use the adjustable carry strap on the gravity bag to hang from a position higher than the storage bag, allowing water to flow from the gravity system and filter through to the safe storage bag.
4. Disconnect. Once the safe storage bag is filled, release from the system by detaching the gravity bag quick connector from its fitting on the safe storage bag. Use the pinch clip on the hose to shut off water flow if there's water remaining in the gravity bag.
5. Ready to Use. You now have safe water ready to drink as needed! Use the turn knob on the cap to open and close the valve, allowing water to flow out into your container.

Connecting to a Peak Series Collapsible Squeeze Water Filter System (650ml & 1L)
1. Disconnect. Unscrew the filter from the cap of the 8L gravity system.
2. Attach. Attach the filter to the LifeStraw Peak Series Collapsible Squeeze Water Filter System (650ml & 1L) by screwing the top into the inside of the top cap on the squeeze bottle.
3. Fill. With the cap still off, fill the squeeze bottle with water, closing the cap with connected filter when filled.
4. Sip or squeeze. Open the screw top cap. To sip, take 5 quick, strong pulls of water using the mouthpiece to get water flowing. To squeeze water out of the reservoir, simply apply pressure to the reservoir. Close the top cap when finished.
5. Backwash. When you are finished using, backwash your filter using the backwash syringe to remove excess water inside the filter. Close the cap.

Connecting to the LifeStraw Peak Series 3L Gravity System
1. Disconnect. Unscrew the filter from the cap of the 8L gravity bag.
2. Attach. Attach the filter to the LifeStraw Peak Series 3L Gravity Water Filter System by screwing the bottom onto the outside of the cap. To do so, make sure the plug cap is already removed from the gravity system.
3. Connect. Connect a hose to the end of the filter by attaching to the open end.
4. Ready to Use. Now that your filter and hose are connected, you can let water flow directly out of the filter using gravity. When finished, simply swap the hose out for a plug cap to close off the gravity system until later use.
5. Backwash. When you are finished using, backwash your filter using the backwash syringe to remove excess water inside the filter. Close the caps.

If your filter becomes clogged or you experience slow flow rate, we recommend backwashing the filter to remove excess debris from inside. 
 
Regularly backwash your filter after drinking to keep the filter clean and to prevent clogging. To do this, disconnect the membrane microfilter from the top cap by twisting counterclockwise. Then, screw the included backwash syringe onto the membrane microfilter. Plunge the open end of the filter into drinking water, and draw water up through the filter by pulling the syringe upward and away from the filter until it reaches the edge of the housing. Then push water back through the filter by pressing the syringe downward toward the filter until the water has fully been pushed through the other side. 

Follow these steps if you have already used your LifeStraw Peak Series filter and plan to store it for longer than 3 months. If you’re planning to store for a shorter timeframe, we still recommend disinfecting your system, but at a minimum ask to rinse all parts and leave out to dry before putting away (make sure to check out our long term storage instructions!).  

To disinfect, mix 1/4 teaspoon household bleach solution with 1-2 cups of water. Dip the filter into the bleach solution far enough so that the end is submerged in solution and use the backwash accessory (or blow into your filter if using your Peak Series personal water filter straw) to push and pull the solution from the filter several times. Rinse with tap water. For your squeeze bottles and gravity systems, we recommend cleaning all mouthpieces, caps, and parts for optimal disinfection. Don’t forget you can easily remove the mouthpiece on your squeeze bottles to get out the nitty gritty stuff and use the wide neck cap on the 8L gravity system to scrub the inside of the bag.

Follow these steps if you have already used your LifeStraw Peak Series filter and you plan to store for greater than 1 month without use. If storing for longer than 3 months, we recommend cleaning with a diluted bleach solution prior to storage for increased disinfection.

To disinfect, mix 1/4 teaspoon household bleach solution with 1-2 cups of water. Dip the filter into the bleach solution far enough so that the end is submerged in solution and use the backwash accessory (or blow into your filter if using your Peak Series personal water filter straw) to push and pull the solution from the filter several times. Rinse with tap water. For your squeeze bottles and gravity systems, we recommend cleaning all mouthpieces, caps, and parts for optimal disinfection. Don’t forget you can easily remove the mouthpiece on your squeeze bottles to get out the nitty gritty stuff and use the wide neck cap on the 8L gravity system to scrub the inside of the bag.

To store, mix 1 teaspoon of salt with 1-2 cups of water in a reusable container. Dip the filter into the saline solution and use the backwash accessory to push and pull water in and out of the filter. After a few rounds, put the filter into the reusable container filled with saline solution and seal tightly. Store in a clean, cool place. When ready to use again, use the backwash accessory with the filter (or backwash method with your straw filter) to push and pull tap water in and out of the filter, removing the salty water before resuming use. This will help prevent a salty taste.

Note: We recommend storing the bottle with a salt/saline solution because it helps to prevent any mold or algae from growing during long-term storage while also keeping the membrane microfilter wet which ensures a good flow rate when resuming use. When the membrane becomes completely dried out, it can be difficult to get the product flowing again.