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The Water On Wheels Mobile Emergency Water Treatment System
Citation:
Goodrich, J., K. Daniels, M. Hogg, AND G. Sayles. The Water On Wheels Mobile Emergency Water Treatment System. IN: International Ultraviolet Association UN Sustainable Development Goals Task Force, International Ultraviolet Association, Bethesda, MD, 1, (2022).
Impact/Purpose:
To access, scroll down the page to the map below “Decentralized UV Disinfection Systems in Low Resource Contexts.” Hover over the pinpoint icons on the map to identify the WOW cart case study, then click on the pinpoint. The purpose of this article is to inform first responders and those in the UV water treatment technology field the capabilities and applications of the Water On Wheels Mobile Emergency Water Treatment System that incorporate UV-C LED technology. The WOW Cart's deployment to multiple locations following disasters is described as are challenges to the acceptance and use of this system. Technology developers, local water utilities, State, and Federal emergency response organizations could utilize this mobile emergency water treatment platform to supplement bottled water during the response and recovery phases following a natural or man-made incident.
Description:
Following a natural or manmade disaster, a community’s water treatment plant or distribution system may be rendered incapable of providing safe water to all or portions of their drinking water distribution system. The lack of safe drinking water can have serious effects on the public’s health. The Water On Wheels Mobile Emergency Water Treatment System (WOW Cart) is designed to provide treated water during such a response and recovery period. It is designed for deployment anywhere in the world and can provide potable water using sources ranging from raw water to compromised water from distribution systems. Recent deployments following tornadoes and floods in Kentucky are listed as are those in Ukraine. UV-C LED technology has been integrated into the WOW Cart state-of-the-art drinking water treatment train, essentially replicating a conventional water treatment system with the added benefit of UV disinfection. Unit processes include filtration, GAC adsorption, UV-C LED and gas chlorination. It consists of multiple UV-C LEDs with a nominal wavelength of 280nm and operates from a 24 VDC input. The UV disinfection capability provides an additional level of disinfection at a UV Dose of around 40mJ/cm2, which complements the chlorination step in its ability to inactivate microbial contaminants (such as cryptosporidium), that chlorine is unable to address. The UV-C LED technology fits perfectly into this concept with a small footprint and simply monitors flow rate to turn instantly on at full power with flowing water, thus limiting fouling potential and ensuring an extended lamp replacement interval.
