Work and Operations of the IWAO
After disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and tsunamis, the entire infrastructure of the affected areas is often destroyed. Water and the energy supplies collapse. IWAO has developed drinking water treatment processes for these scenarios which do not require access to the grid and can be run by the affected people.
The Drinking Water Vehicle
The drinking water vehicle is a small single-axle
tractor available as a prototype. It can transport a compact membrane filtration
system to the point of use. Its three-phase generator also provides electricity.
Using pre-filtering combined with a micro-filter unit, the vehicle can supply up
to 2,000 liters of drinking water per hour, even from heavily contaminated and untreated
water. A disinfection system ensures its longevity. Special foldable and transportable
tanks for water treatment and storage have also been developed.
The Emergency Rucksack
Following catastrophes the affected areas are often
no longer accessible for vehicles. In these situations, the >> emergency rucksack,
a lightweight, durable piece of equipment for water treatment, can be dropped off
from an airplane or a helicopter. Developed by IWAO, it weighs just 15 kilograms
and contains everything necessary for water supply in emergencies, without needing
electricity. It enables the production of about 10,000 liters of drinking water
from contaminated water. That is enough to supply 100 people for ten days, until,
for example, the public water supply works again.
In addition to the development of such devices IWAO also clarifies the logistical issues surrounding transport into the disaster areas as customs and transportation policies, for example, often complicate the operation.
Fighting cholera with chlorine tablets
In autumn of 2008 the world learned
of a massive cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe. The public water supply had collapsed;
people had to scoop water from puddles. Thousands contracted cholera and many were
killed by the disease. Together with the European Fountain Society in Karlsruhe,
IWAO decided to help on site. The two organizations bought chlorine tablets, made
them ready for transport and sent one million of them to Harare in December 2008
and once again in March 2009. The tablets were handed out in person to a hospital
and to an employee of a German aid organization for further distribution to the
hot spots of the infection. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) ten
million liters of water can be disinfected using one million chlorine tablets. This
is enough water for a one-month minimum drinking water supply of nearly 70,000 people.
newsflash
19.01.2010one million water purification tablets are on the way to haiti. they will there be distributed with the aid of monks. They have several orphanages, which have yet received no or little aid. Your donation saves lives.
We will ship the next as soon we collected enough donations. 2 cent = 1 tablet = 1 day water/person
Donation via Paypal available:
Donations account:
International Water Aid Organization (IWAO)
Sparkasse Heidelberg, sort code: 672 500 20
Account number: 9072020
IBAN: DE 06672500200009072020
Re: „Water aid Haiti“
19.10.2009
IWAO supports the work fo the springboard foundation with 10.000 Chlorine Tablets. The Tablets arrived in Manila and shall be handed over to the springboard foundation staff immediately.