Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd | A raw water storage bag, commonly referred to as an 'onion bag,' holds water during a...... read more read more
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company and 1207th Quartermaster Detachment conducted water purification field training during their annual training from May 24 to June 6 at Camp McCain, Mississippi. Operations were spread out over the two-week period, which allowed the Soldiers to set up and break down multiple water purification systems on site, providing hands-on training on systems that are used.
The Tactical Water Purification Systems (TWPS) utilized for training were transported via convoy to the training site on a M1120 MEMTT Load Handling System. The site was set up at Lake Hunt on Camp McCain, which provided a natural water source from which the TWPS could pull non-potable water into the system in order to purify it.
The process begins with a raw water intake system that consists of a large hose that is placed into the water source and weighted down with a small anchor. The next step is priming the water intake pump, where water must be poured into the pump until it’s full, then a hose is connected to it.
The pump then pulls the raw water into a raw water tank that holds the water prior to it running through the purification process. During the next stage, the raw water is pumped into the TWPS and runs through a series of filters. The type of filtration and chemical’s used is dependent upon the type of water source being utilized. This system has the capability to use various types of chemicals to clean water whether it be salt water, lake water, as well as water that may have had a chemical spill or other Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical (NBC) hazard.
Once run through the system, the water is discharged into an appropriate water holding tank and is then distributed as the mission calls for.
“Water is the most valuable resource,” said Sgt. Omini Akpang, a water purification specialist. “I chose this job to learn about water purification because it’s such an important part of life.”
Water treatment specialists attend an 11 week advanced individual training (AIT) to become qualified. During training they receive extensive training on water source identification, water testing, water treatment processes, and water purification and distribution equipment. The combination of classroom learning and hands-on learning provides Soldiers with skills required to complete exercises such as this one, as well as to provide water treatment support in real-world scenarios.
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2025 19:06 |
| Story ID: | 499905 |
| Location: | CAMP MCCAIN, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From Mud to Mission Ready: Alabama Guard Unit turns Murky Water Into Liquid Gold, by SFC Katherine Dowd, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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