400 Solar Powered Mobile Water Treatment Systems Deployed to Stop Cholera Outbreak
Solar Powered Water Treatment Systems Project - Iraq
In 2010 after the Iraq war, over 600,000 people lost access to safe drinking water and electric power. The people were left with two choices: disease-ridden river water or brackish well water. Applied Membranes was approached to design two systems: an ultrafiltration system with UV for the river water, and a reverse osmosis system for the well water. Both systems were required to treat flow rates of up to 5 m3/hr. The systems had to be entirely solar-powered and trailer-mounted so they could be deployed in remote villages without access to electricity.
A total of 400 systems, complete with controls and mounted on trailers, needed to be delivered in just 4 months! Time was of the essence. It seemed an impossible task, but AMI rose to the occasion and met the deadline. All 400 systems were delivered to villages across Iraq on time and began producing clean drinking water almost immediately. These AMI systems were literal life savers, preventing cholera and other diseases that were spreading due to the consumption of contaminated water.
System Configurations:
- River Water Systems: Prefilter stage, two stages of ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet disinfection pulling directly from the river.
- Well Water Systems: Reverse Osmosis membranes to treat the high salinity brackish water.
All systems are mounted on reinforced mobile trailers and are capable of being pulled by standard motor vehicles. The mobility of the systems allows them to be easily deployed in rural communities or large urban environments within a matter of hours.
Training & Sustainability:
In addition to providing the systems, AMI trained 20 technicians from these villages at our US facility, equipping them with the skills to operate and maintain the systems independently. This ensured the operators were self-sufficient and capable of handling any field issues effectively. This approach minimized downtime and empowered the team to sustain long-term system performance.
Project Impact:
Applied Membranes was the first company to design and build solar-powered water treatment systems. We are proud of this project which saved countless lives and prevented the spread of waterborne diseases through our innovative solutions, rapid response, and commitment to making a difference.
We are happy to report that the systems are continuing to supply safe drinking water.
This project gained local and national recognition upon completion. See this project in the news below:.
