Ecosphere shows mobile water purification system to FEMA

Ecosphere Technologies, a provider of clean air and water technology solutions, has demonstrated its Mobile Water Purification System (MWPS) to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The MWPS was recently used on the banks of the Potomac River to convert river water into clean drinking water for decision-makers from FEMA.

Designed to meet water shortages faced by emergency response teams, Ecosphere’s MWPS provides up to 72,000 gallons of clean water per day for cooking, cleaning, bathing and drinking.

Capable of treating virtually any water source, the filtration system uses a multi-stage process capable of removing animal and human byproducts, industrial toxins, biological pathogens, salt and other pollutants, the company said in a statement.

The MWPS shown to FEMA was mounted on an Oshkosh truck chassis by Pierce Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of specialty trucks for the defense and emergency response industries.

Built-in monitoring systems and satellite communication capabilities deliver real-time information about the quality of the water flowing both in and out of the MWPS.

“In the days and weeks following Hurricane Katrina, Ecosphere's filtration technology provided safe water to thousands of people in Waveland, Mississippi,” said Joe Allbaugh, Former FEMA Director and President of Ecosphere Systems.

“The water filtration unit is an impressive collaboration between an innovative clean technology provider in Ecosphere, and Pierce’s own expertise in military-grade emergency response vehicle manufacturing. The result of the joint effort is a capable system that can provide critical disaster response capabilities when it’s needed most,” said Bill Hershman of Oshkosh Truck Corporation.

Ecosphere a similar emergency water treatment product that also generates power and provides wireless Internet access via satellite for emergency responders. See New all-in-one disaster relief system.

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