Army using world's largest water purifier in Biloxi

ARNEWS ^ | Sep 16, 2005 | unattributed

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 16, 2005) – Army engineers are using new technology to generate more than 100,000 gallons of potable water per day for the hospital in Biloxi, Miss., and area residents affected by Hurricane Katrina.

An advanced Expeditionary Unit Water Purifier has been set up on the beach in Biloxi to provide water for the nearby Biloxi Regional Medical Center. After the hurricane hit, the hospital had been without water or relying on bottled drinking water for patients and staff.

The Expeditionary Unit Water Purifier is the world's largest transportable desalination system, officials said. The relief mission in Mississippi is the second deployment of the EUWP in a real-world disaster relief scenario.

Engineers from the U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center, known as TARDEC, began using the new water purifier earlier this week to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

The new Expeditionary Unit Water Purifier is capable of generating 100,000 gallons per day. In addition, two 600-gallon-per-hour Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units, known as ROWPU and one 1,500-gallon-per-hour Tactical Water Purification System have been deployed to the region.

Two sites in Waveland, Miss., are being set up to support local residents. The systems are being operated by engineers from TARDEC and U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation among others.

The Expeditionary Unit Water Purifier was designed to deliver potable water in humanitarian relief missions around the world as well as in forward locations on the battlefield. Development of this technology is a collaborative effort with input from other partners including: the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Navy and NASA as well as private academia.

“We are pleased this emerging technology will be put to use to help the local residents who have suffered from the effects of the most devastating hurricane in this country’s history,” said Dr. Richard E. McClelland, director of TARDEC. “Years of research, design and engineering have gone into the development of this technology so that it can be helpful in such a critical situation today.”

Previously, an EUWP unit was put in place at Port Clarence, Alaska, Coast Guard station, where it produced approximately 250,000 gallons of purified water in three days, after a storm surge flooded the area’s fresh water ponds.

(Editor's note: Information taken from a TARDEC news release.)

[Squantos]

The expedition grade is 750 to 1000$ depending on where ya shop. The cost is due it's high output. The smaller 200$ pocket filters will fill up a 2 qt nalgene jug in a few minutes of pumping. The big filter will fill up jerry jug 6 gallon size in minutes with very clean water fom almost any source. I've used em all over the world.

The little PUR06 desalinator is a killer as ya pump seawater like crazy for a pint of water in a few minutes. Better than nothing I suppose. PUR for some reason "refuses" to sell the "military" handle with their pumps that assist the user and makes getting sea water desalinated easier.....doom on em ! I got a couple while I was active duty from the company yet when I tried to buy two more they refused because I wasn't active duty anymore...retired .

One more reason to develop skills vs relying on tools or gadgets. The gadgets are in my home , vehicle and backpack. The skill I keep handy all the time......:o)

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[ChefKeith]

What they should have for emergencies like this is a portable membrane plant. They can treat larger quanities of water faster and cheaper.

Oddly enough as of 2003 (the latest info I have here) there are no fixed membrane plants in LA or MS and it will be a while before they get the Conventional Plants back online.

But in this case at least they are producing some H2O.

Approx 164,808 GPD.