From mud to mission ready: Alabama National Guard unit turns murky water into liquid gold
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company and 1207th Quartermaster Detachment conducted water purification field operations during their annual training from May 24 to June 6 at Camp McCain, Mississippi.
Operations were spread out over the two-week period, which allowed the soldiers to set up and break down multiple water purification systems on site, providing hands-on training on systems that are used.
The Tactical Water Purification Systems (TWPS) used for training was transported via convoy to the training site on an M1120 MEMTT Load Handling System. The site was set up at Lake Hunt on Camp McCain, which provided a natural water source from which the TWPS could pull non-potable water into the system in order to purify it.
The process begins with a raw water intake system that consists of a large hose that is placed into the water source and weighted down with a small anchor. The next step is priming the water intake pump, where water must be poured into the pump until it’s full; then a hose is connected to it.
Soldiers with the 1208th Quartermaster Company begin setting up a Tactical Water Purification System during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Sgt. Kelton Grady and Sgt. Joseph Ford, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, move a water pump into the correct position during the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System during their annual training with the 1208th at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers with the 1208th Quartermaster Company and the 1207th Quartermaster Detachment work together to remove the panels that protect the Tactical Water Purification System during site setup at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company conduct initial inspections of a Tactical Water Purification System (TWPS) after unpacking and connecting all of the hoses and pumps. These inspections follow the PAW method, which means power, air, water. The first inspections test the generators that are part of the TWPS, as they are the power source for these systems. Next is testing the air, and lastly the water. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
A team that includes Private 1st Class Cassie Watson, Private 1st Class William Castellanos and Private 1st Class Jaiden Landers works to place the raw water intake hose into Lake Hunt at Camp McCain, Mississippi. This site provides a water source that they are using to test and train on a Tactical Water Purification System. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Hoses are staged in preparation for the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Brittany Chavis, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, inspects a water pump during the initial setup of a Tactical Water Purification System during her annual training with the 1208th at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company work together to pack up the hoses that are part of the Tactical Water Purification System they set up during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Private 1st Class Hunter Gunn, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, inspects part of the Tactical Water Purification System during site setup at Camp McCain, Mississippi. Each section of the equipment must be inspected and tested before performing the full water purification process. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Sgt. Faith Wamble and Spc. Allysia McDaniel, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, prepare to prime the raw water intake pump during setup of a Tactical Water Purification System at their annual training on Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Clinton Chisolm, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, provides an overview of the water purification process during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Sgt. Garrett Watkins, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, guides the raw water intake hose into the raw water bag as soldiers set up a Tactical Water Purification System during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company set up the first segment of the Tactical Water Purification System, which is the raw water strainer and pump, during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
A raw water storage bag, commonly referred to as an ‘onion bag,’ holds water during a water purification process. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company set up the first segment of the Tactical Water Purification System, which is the raw water strainer and pump, during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Allysia McDaniel pours water into the raw water intake pump in order to prime it during the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System, and Spc. Peter Osula stands by ready to attach the raw water intake hose to the pump during their annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Private 1st Class Hunter Gunn, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, explains aspects of a Tactical Water Purification System to Private 1st Class Lazabien Bishop and Spc. Jacob Hill during the setup of the TWPS on Lake Hunt at Camp McCain, Mississippi. The setup is part of their annual training. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Private 1st Class Hunter Gunn, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, gives an overview of the internal panel of a Tactical Water Purification System during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Sgt. Garrett Watkins, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, guides the raw water intake hose into the raw water bag as they set up a Tactical Water Purification System during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Peter Osula, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, works to attach the raw water intake hose to the pump after it was primed during the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Private 1st Class Daniela Simon and Spc. Clinton Chisholm, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, transport various hoses that are part of a Tactical Water Purification System as they work on setting it up on Lake Hunt at Camp McCain, Mississippi. They are conducting annual training with the 1208th Quartermaster Company. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Private 1st Class Lazabien Bishop and Spc. Peter Osula, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, work together to attach the raw water intake hose to the water pump after it was primed. This is part of the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System they are training on during their annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
The Tactical Water Purification System contains a filtration system that works to purify water. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Peter Osula, Spc. Jacob Hill, Private 1st Class Kathryn Cook, Spc. Durlin Hudson, Private 1st Class Jaiden Landers and Sgt. Faith Wamble work together to empty and fold a raw water bag during the breakdown and storage of a Tactical Water Purification System during their annual training with the 1208th Quartermaster Company at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company position the backwash discharge hose of the Tactical Water Purification System during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. This hose allows for the impure water to be discharged at a safe distance from the site. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Sgt. Taquana Raspberry, water treatment specialist, reviews the inspection checklist for a Tactical Water Purification System during the initial setup of a water purification site during annual training with the 1208th at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Hoses from a Tactical Water Purification System are staged prior to setting up for a training event. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Brittany Chavis and Private 1st Class Debrenski Whetstone, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, ensure that the raw water intake hose is in the correct position during the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System at Lake Hunt on Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Allysia McDaniel pours water into the raw water intake pump in order to prime it during the setup of a Tactical Water Purification System, and Spc. Peter Osula stands by ready to attach the raw water intake hose to the pump during their annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers with the 1208th Quartermaster Company work together to remove the panels that protect the Tactical Water Purification System during site setup at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Private 1st Class Debrenski Whetstone and Spc. Tyan Smith, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, work to secure the raw water intake hose to a stand as part of their initial setup for a Tactical Water Purification System during annual training. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Sgt. Jordan Danford and Private 1st Class Hunter Gunn, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, assist in the set up of the Tactical Water Purification System at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Soldiers of the 1208th Quartermaster Company position the backwash discharge hose of the Tactical Water Purification System during their annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. This hose allows for the impure water to be discharged at a safe distance from the site. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Tyan Smith, Spc. Peter Osula and Private 1st Class Debrenski Whetstone, water treatment specialists with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, inspect the raw water flow control, which feeds into the micro-filtration feed tank to ensure it will properly function once they begin the water purification process. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
Spc. Clinton Chisolm, water treatment specialist with the 1208th Quartermaster Company, monitors the drainage of a raw water storage bag, also known as an ‘onion bag,’ during the breakdown of a Tactical Water Purification System after conducting hands-on training on the setup and running of it during annual training at Camp McCain, Mississippi. (Sgt. 1st Class Katherine Dowd / 167th Theater Sustainment Command)
The pump then pulls the raw water into a tank that holds it prior to it running through the purification process. During the next stage, the raw water is pumped into the TWPS and runs through a series of filters. The type of filtration and chemicals used is dependent on the type of water source being used. This system has the capability to use various types of chemicals to clean water, whether it be salt water, lake water or water that may have had a chemical spill or other nuclear, biological or chemical hazard.
Once run through the system, the water is discharged into an appropriate water holding tank and is then distributed as the mission calls for.
“Water is the most valuable resource,” said Sgt. Omini Akpang, a water purification specialist. “I chose this job to learn about water purification because it’s such an important part of life.”
Water treatment specialists attend an 11-week advanced individual training to become qualified. During training they receive extensive training on water source identification, water testing, water treatment processes and water purification and distribution equipment. The combination of classroom learning and hands-on learning provides soldiers with skills required to complete exercises such as this one, as well as to provide water treatment support in real-world scenarios.