VING ROWPU provides water for troops in Haiti

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jessica Prestenbach | Sgt. Emile Proctor, a water treatment non-commissioned officer with the Virgin Islands National Guard’s Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU) Detachment, changes a water hose at the U.S. Army South New Horizons- Haiti 2010 Forward Operating Base on August 8. New Horizons, in partnership with the government of Haiti, is conducting medical, dental and engineering missions for the locals in Gonaives. New Horizons also provides valuable learning experiences in a real-world environment for our U.S. Forces.  

MANDRIN, HAITI

08.08.2010

Story by Spc. Jessica Prestenbach 

Louisiana National Guard

MANDRIN, Haiti -- Virgin Islands National Guard’s Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit Detachment is supporting New Horizons

“We produce 15,000 to 18,000 gallons of potable water per day,” says Staff Sgt. Annmarie JohnBaptiste, noncommissioned officer in charge of Virgin Islands National Guard’s ROWPU Detachment. “At the end of the day our goal is to maintain three day water supply which is about 55,000 gallons.”

“The ROWPU is capable of producing 3000 gallons of potable water per hour in an ideal environment,” says Sgt. Wanson Harris, a water treatment non-commissioned officer with 630th Tactical Water Distribution System. “Temperature and the water source will dictate the flow of water.”

“Right now, in this environment the ROWPU is producing 3000 gallons of potable water every 2 hours and 15 minutes,” says Sgt. Emile Proctor a water treatment non-commissioned officer with 610 Quartermaster Company.

“In other missions that I have been to such as Guatemala, they had a well with a 30 horsepower pump pumping water through 4 inch pipe,” says Proctor. “Now here in Haiti it’s more of a challenge. We are using a two inch pipe with a three horsepower pump.”

Three thousand gallons of raw water needs to be pumped from the well before it can begin the long and tedious purification process.

“Sometimes the water is not ready,” says Proctor. “We have to shut down the ROWPU and wait for water to reach back to capacity and start operations again.”

“The Task Force is using 16,000 to 18,000 gallons of water per day,” says JohnBaptiste.

“Our team is working long hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.,” says Proctor. “Sometimes we have to work until midnight or 2a.m. to keep with the demand.”

The team does an hourly test of the potable water. They check to make sure the Potential Hydrogen (PH), salt and, Iron level are safe. If the PH level is too high or low, bacteria can start growing in the water. The team also checks to make sure all of the filters and gauges are working properly.

“Water is a source of life and we have to treat it like a precious commodity,” says Proctor. “Don’t waste it but use it in a proper manner. It is very hard to get water purified especially in this environment.”

“With the last several weeks just seeing what the Soldiers do and the amount of time it takes to complete their daily mission, I really don’t have a choice but to gain a new found respect for them,” says Capt. Leon Cook, officer in charge of the Virgin Islands National Guard’s ROWPU Detachment. “Although they are doing a critical task providing support for the mission these guys tend to be mostly behind the scenes. I look at them as silent professionals where they do the needed work but are never seen in the forefront.”

• Date Taken: 08.08.2010
• Date Posted: 08.08.2010 20:01
• Story ID: 54163
• Location: MANDRIN, HT