Texas-based manufacturing company Global Water Group supplies a wide range of man-portable and mobile water purification systems for use in military operations and disaster relief operations. Global Water products include man-portable backpack-style water purification systems, mobile fresh water systems, trailer or platform-mounted base camp fresh water systems, desalination systems, and waste water recycling systems.
Global’s fresh water systems are referred to as their LS3 series for: Life Saving; Life Sustaining; and Life Supporting. All of the LS3 fresh water solutions are designed to provide quick and effective relief in areas with limited supplies of drinking water, such as war zones or disaster areas.
Global’s corporate philosophy rests with the basic elements for the purification of water. Whether processing fresh water, brackish or sea water, or even when processing wastewater, the output objective is to produce purified, potable water. There are only three basic areas that have to be cleaned to get good, pure water:
First, you need to remove parasites; second, you need to remove hazardous chemicals; and third, you need to kill bacteria and viruses.
Do those three and you’ve got the best water in the world. Global Water Group does all three:
- You’ve got to remove the parasites. Parasites include Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Removing parasites requires filtering down to one micron
- You’ve got to get rid of the hazardous chemicals; hazardous metals such as lead and mercury; insecticides, pesticides, radon, chlorine, etc. To reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals below W.H.O., U.S. or International EPA standards requires a formulation of media that absorbs and adsorbs those elements. Global Water Group uses a proprietary formula of multi-media that reduces or eliminates hazardous chemicals more thoroughly than any other process.
- You need to kill the bacteria and viruses. To kill bacteria and viruses municipal systems use chlorine. Chlorine, when used in water that is not “cleaned,” creates carcinogens. Global, on the other hand, uses Ultra-Violet. UV light will kill the bacteria and viruses and not create carcinogens
For as long as organized warfare has existed, military commanders have understood that strong supply lines and the ability to provide fuel and provisions to armies in the field are the most important factors for any fighting force. If a force is able to operate autonomously by providing itself with food and clean water, a great burden is lifted from the logistical supply line, allowing transportation assets to be freed up and reassigned to other needs.
Self sustainability also allows for a force’s continued operation in the event of a supply line being cut off or compromised, and is especially important for forces operating in conditions where logistical supplies are not readily available, such as Special Forces teams or long range reconnaissance patrols.
Man-portable water purification systems
The LS3 Survival Backpack series is comprised of rugged, easy to operate water purification units designed to be carried by a single person. They have been field-proven in combat and are ideal for long-range reconnaissance patrols, Special Forces or any other situations that require small teams to be self-sufficient in terms of water supply. The LS3 may be parachuted with the operator. The Backpack series come in two variants: the SP2-UV and the SP2-UV-S.
The SP2-UV unit is a battery-powered system which uses ultra-violet technology to kill over 99% of all bacteria present in water. SP2-UV incorporates a water totalizer which indicates the total number of gallons of processed water. The SP2-UV-S unit comes with a portable foldable solar panel to for battery recharging. Both models can also be manually operated via a foot pump and are capable of silent operation.
Mobile fresh water systems
The LS3 mobile field units can be totally self-contained with their own battery for operations. They may also be powered by external sources (eg. electricity mains, generators, hand or foot pumps, shore pressure, or gravity feed). Each can be purchased with solar panels or solar arrays to recharge the batteries. The units can also run off the battery of any vehicle which might be used to transport them, as well as the capability to run off of any other available electrical source or generator.
Fixed base versions are referred to as on-site treatment (OST) devices. OST systems provide only the basic water treatment units without mobility (however, these OST systems are platform mounted and can be carried on truck beds, trailers, etc.). They may or may not be self-contained with their own power sources.
Mobile and modular field trailer and base camp units
Global’s LS3 mobile and modular field trailer unit is a compact trailer mounted, self-powered, self-contained treating unit intended for military and emergency disaster relief operations. The purification system’s frame can be disconnected from the trailer for shipping, remounting or as a base camp configuration. The modular design can be fitted to accommodate any number of attached units. Each trailer or base camp unit can be handled by one person.
Mobile, modular desalination systems
Global’s Desal series replace all existing ROWPU type of systems. Global desalination systems have four modes of operation:
- The highest quality and taste for desalination utilizing RO and LS3 components
- When RO is not needed only use the LS3 component for easier operations, reduction of operating costs; and better quality
- For maintenance and other non-drinking requirements, yet potable quality output using only the RO component
- When extreme volume is required for refugees and other situations to use both components simultaneously
Global’s desalination systems (from brackish to seawater) provide:
- Mobility to make it easily transportable by land, air or sea
- Fixed Base on platforms for encampments, permanent facilities, municipal use or industry
- Self-contained power source or compatible to local power 110V-480V 60 Hz or 220V – 380V 50 Hz
- Submersible or suction feed pumps to meet all sourcing needs;
Modules for optimum efficiency to network up at any municipal size; and
Meets or exceeds US-EPA, U.S. ANSI, EU and W.H.O. potable water standards
Mobile, modular wastewater-recycling systems
For temporary encampments or permanent facilities, Global Wastewater’s modular, mobile and deployable, proprietary wastewater systems provide the only systems that at the end of the day there is no sludge; no odor; minimum maintenance; and effluent that is potable.