Each of these units filters up to 10,000 gallons a day.
Posted on 05/07/2008 8:08:16 PM PDT by AngieGal
Help for the survivors of Cyclone Nargis is on the way from Water Missions International (WMI).
WMI is preparing 44 water purification systems for immediate deployment to aid survivors of last Saturday's deadly cyclone in Myanmar. The 44 Living Water(TM) Treatment Systems (LWTS(TM)) have been requested from other organizations around the United States who are working to get relief to the people of Myanmar.
World Vision has requested 20 water systems, Operation Blessing has requested up to 12, and Samaritan's Purse has asked for 12 water systems to be ready for transport this Friday, May 9.
According to a media release from WMI, the first water systems to depart Water Missions International for this disaster effort will leave via the Samaritan's Purse transport truck on Friday morning. In addition to these initial 44 systems, Water Missions International is equipped to assemble another 19 water systems in case further requests are received. Each water system treats up to ten gallons of water per minute, approximately 10,000 gallons per day, and supports communities of up to 3,000 people.
Cyclone Nargis, a Category 3 storm, ripped though Myanmar on Saturday, May 3, affecting more than two million people. According to the latest reports, the death toll may top 100,000, and more than 70,000 people are still missing and feared dead. This is the worst disaster to strike Southeast Asia since the Tsunami in 2004. A state of emergency has been declared across five regions of Myanmar, and up to one million people are in desperate need of immediate, life-saving assistance. Clean, safe drinking water tops the list of urgent needs.
Donations are needed immediately to assist with disaster relief efforts.
"With a response of this magnitude, Water Missions International could incur costs nearing $1 million," explains Danya Jordan, WMI's VP of Development.
"To save lives we must act quickly, and to act quickly, we desperately need funding. We encourage everyone to act now. Every gift makes a difference," Jordan says.
For more information on how to help, please contact Danya Jordan at (843)769-7395 or donate online at www.watermissions.org .
Water Missions International (WMI) is a nonprofit, Christian engineering organization based in Charleston, SC. WMI's mission is to provide sustainable access to safe water and an opportunity to hear the "Living Water" message in developing countries and disaster areas. Assistance is provided regardless of age, sex, race, or faith. To date, WMI has deployed a total of 560 water systems in 35 countries worldwide and two U.S. states, making safe water available to more than one million people. Visit them at www.watermissions.org .
If you would like more information about Water Missions International, or to donate funds to disaster relief projects, please contact Danya Jordan at (843) 769-7395 x 210 or djordan@watermissions.org . Donations are also accepted online at www.watermissions.org . For volunteer opportunities, contact Kelly Lewis at (843)769-7395 x 207 or volunteers@watermissions.org .
Sounds like a commendable organization.
Why now? They didn’t have clean drinking water *before* the storm.
Water after a disaster is much worse than normal unclean water (that at least most people in developing countries boil before drinking).
From the Water Missions website:
“After a disaster, water is one of the most important concerns. Water supplies can be polluted by sewage, animal cadavers, industrial waste, and other contaminants. These factors, along with overcrowding in shelters and people’s reduced ability to maintain good personal hygiene, can cause outbreaks in diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.”
Perfect description of ordinary third-world drinking water.
I’ve been looking for something like this. I’ll send em some cash.
Thanks for posting.
http://www.terradaily.com/2007/080511125255.cmrzjklp.html
Red Cross says cyclone aid boat sinks in Myanmar
BANGKOK, May 11 (AFP) May 11, 2008
A boat carrying Red Cross aid supplies to survivors of Myanmar’s cyclone sank Sunday in the disaster zone after hitting a submerged tree trunk, but no one was injured, the organisation said.
“The crew steered to an island but the boat sank rapidly. All crew members, including four Myanmar Red Cross relief workers on board... managed to get to safety,” it said in a statement.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the sinking was a major blow for the recovery effort in the aftermath of the May 3 cyclone which has left some 60,000 dead or missing.
“Apart from the delay in getting aid to people we may now have to re-evaluate how we transport that aid,” said its disaster manager in Yangon, Michael Annear.
The boat, which was hired locally, was carrying 100 bags of rice, 5,000 litres of drinking water, 10,000 water purification tablets, jerry cans, stretchers, clothes, household goods, soap, rubber gloves and surgical masks.
It sank near the devastated Irrawaddy Delta town of Bogalay, one of the regions worst-hit by Cyclone Nargis.
“Local people in this remote area, the crew and Red Cross staff have managed to save some relief items and these will be transported by foot, bicycle and any other means to the nearest town to await onward shipment,” it said.
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