A Pall mobile water treatment system in operation.
PORT WASHINGTON, NY, Oct. 25, 2011 -- A mobile water treatment system from Pall Corporation (NYSE:PLL) has been deployed by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to drought-stricken Tuvalu, the Pacific island nation battling a crippling water shortage.
Part of an international crisis response, the Pall WTS30 microfiltration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) system is providing 40,000 liters of fresh water per day for the island's 10,500 residents. The system is owned and operated by the New Zealand military.
This is the second humanitarian deployment of Pall's mobile water technology by the New Zealand military this year. In March, the NZDF utilized a Pall system to provide water relief for victims of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake.
Earlier this month, Tuvalu officials declared a state of emergency in the midst of prolonged drought worsened by rising sea levels, which have contaminated fresh water tables. The Pall mobile system transforms salt water into drinking water and is operating from the wharf at Funafuti, the capital city. It has helped deliver 2,000 liters per day to the area hospital, 1,000 liters to each of the three schools, and the remainder is being pumped to public works distribution points. A Pall Advanced Separation Systems (PASS) technician is on the ground in Tuvalu to assist in full commissioning and operation of the system.
"Pall is gratified to supply a solution that meets an emergency humanitarian need in Tuvalu. Our mobile water systems are increasingly being called upon to meet the demand for solutions that can be deployed rapidly to provide a clean water source where none existed previously or where existing sources have been compromised," said Greg Collins, senior vice president, Pall Water and Energy. "Pall's microfiltration and reverse osmosis technologies are ideal for both emergency relief and long-term installations."
A recent article in Water & Wastewater International took an in depth look at the mobile water treatment market, which is expected to generate revenues of $895 million by 2016.
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