Space-Age Drinking Water System Tested

Defend America News ^ | Sgt. Dennis Gravelle

[SandRat]

Space-Age Drinking Water System Tested

The system, originally designed for NASA, may provide a short-term
solution to provide residents with clean drinking water.

By U.S. Army Sgt. Dennis Gravelle
138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

DAHUK, Iraq, May 2, 2006 — U.S. soldiers assigned to the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion in Dahuk, Iraq, have found an alternative way for residents to drink clean water in the village of Bendaway.

A creek running through a small village in northern Iraq is the only natural source of drinking water for the residents who live there.

“We are surrounded by agriculture here,” said John Anderson, who works for a nongovernment organization Concern for Kids.

“There are about 300 villages in northern Iraq that don’t have potable drinking water."

U.S. Army Capt. Steven Hayden

U.S. Army Capt. Steven Hayden, 401st Civil Affairs Battalion in Dahuk, Iraq, drinks clean water from a space water filter and purification system that is being tested for remote area of Iraq that have no potable drinking water. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Eric Shadowens

“There are chemicals that run into it, pesticides, fertilizers; everything is in this water.”

“This village lost 10 children in June 2003, from drinking sewer water out of the stream, because there was no other water,” Anderson said.

The nongovernment organization, in conjunction with the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion, is testing a space-age portable water filtering and purification system that was originally designed for NASA, and is modeled after the space shuttle water recycling system.

“We use the same technology, with a little different configuration,” Anderson said.

U.S. Army Capt. Steven Hayden, of the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion, said that the portable water system being tested costs just under $10,000 and believes it can be the short-term solution for the water problem.

“There are about 300 villages in northern Iraq that don’t have potable drinking water,” Hayden said.

“If you were able to put storage tanks in these villages, next to a creek,” Hayden said. “Someone could come out once a week and fill the tanks up; it would have a phenomenal impact.

[SandRat]

H₂0 SLURP!

[camas]

they need to set up one in the Seattle's schools

[lafroste]

They don't describe the technology or what was in the water to make it dangerous. My company is working on a similar gadget, cheap, portable water treatment plant for biologic control using ozone. We can beat the $10,000 price, but we haven't demonstrated it yet. Curious Freepers can look at my page to learn more.

Ideas always welcome :)

[CedarDave]

Check out this link:

Duke City Firm Is Developing Devices to Desalinate and Purify 'Produced Water'

(ABQ Journal is once again free but you have to wait 30 seconds and watch an ad before going to the article)

[DocRock]

"They don't describe the technology or what was in the water to make it dangerous."

My first thought, also.

I prefer the "Big Berky" portable, gravity feed water filter with technology proved since the early 1800's. I was curious as to what is "space-age portable water filtering and purification system that was originally designed for NASA, and is modeled after the space shuttle water recycling system".

[lafroste]

They are using distillation, a viable alternative if you happen to have some recoverable waste energy lying around. These guys raised $3.1 million for that? Wonders never cease. But water is a hot ticket, and we make the best small ozone generator on the planet.

[CedarDave]

Other articles:

http://www.abqjournal.com/biz/444019outlook03-23-06.htm

http://www.abqjournal.com/biz/outlook/444021outlook03-23-06.htm

http://www.abqjournal.com/biz/455039business04-29-06.htm

[CedarDave]

You've heard of these folks, no doubt. Don't know too much about it, but knew some of their employees back in the 90's.

Must have something or else military wouldn't have bought the systems.

http://www.miox.com

[Flightdeck]

From your page: "Perhaps some day I will be lucky enough to find a thread devoted to ozonating water so I can show off a bit."

Well, here you go!

[lafroste]

Yes, I've heard of them. Their "mixed oxidants" systems use ozone I believe. The salt to hypochlorite conversion cell is a nifty breakthrough to be sure. But hypochlorite is not nearly effective against spores and cysts as ozone, and our system requires only power and air. They at least need salt (not a big deal maybe, but it IS something). Besides, even if you are generating clorox on-site, it's still clorox. Yuck.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT