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09/15/05
Since Hurricane
Katrina hit more than two weeks ago, Biloxi
Regional Medical Center has been without clean, safe
drinking water.
Lori Derouen with Biloxi Regional said "For
a few days, we didn't have water at all. When we finally were
able to get water running in the building, it hasn't been potable.
We've been having to boil everything to cook food. We're using
bottled water, sanitizer to re-wash our hands. We have the
foam with alcohol in it for everybody to keep their hands real
clean".
Across Highway 90, the Mississippi Sound has plenty of water, but it's filled
with debris, salt and contaminants. To clean-up the filthy water, FEMA and MEMA called
up the "Army's Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering
Center", also known as TARDEC.
The group set up a state-of-the-art water purification system on the beach
in Biloxi, just west of the Hard Rock Casino, to
pump the dirty water out of the Sound and distribute it to the hospital.
Drew Downing is an engineer with TARDEC.
He said "We pump it into the system at 300 gallons a minute. The water
goes through a strainer where we remove large objects like sticks and what-not".
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Special
filters also remove dirt and salt. The chlorinated water is then
stored in what's called a bladder, until it's needed by the hospital.
Engineers say the system comes in handy during humanitarian missions
and other disasters.
Downing said "The whole system is self-contained. All
we need is diesel fuel to operate. So we can respond in a matter of days. It
takes us a couple of hours to set up and generate water".
Crews are in the process of setting up two smaller water treatment systems in
the city of Waveland. One location is at the corner of Highway
90 and Waveland Avenue. The other is at Buccaneer State Park. That
water will be available free to relief workers and to the public.
For now, Biloxi Regional is the first in South
Mississippi to try-out the technology. Derouen said "It
means so much to us just to have sanitized water coming into the hospital for
the safety of our employees and patients we're trying to take care of. It's been
a tremendous help to us".
The treatment system in Biloxi will continue to operate until
the hospital's water supply is fully restored. The two water purification units
in Waveland should be up and running in a few days.
By: Trang
Pham-Bui
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