Produce 5,000 liters of potable water, water purification equipment is distributed by the TNI to North Sumatra disaster victims
JAKARTA - The TNI together with the Indonesian Defense University has distributed water purification machines for use by disaster victims at the Batu Hula Village evacuation post, Batangtoru District, North Sumatra (North Sumatra).
In an official press release received in Jakarta, Sunday, December 28, it was explained that the machine works by turning dirty water into clean water that is fit for consumption.
The presence of the machine is expected to meet the clean water needs of the victims who live in the evacuation post.
Kadet of the Civil Engineering Study Program of FTTP Unhan, Sergeant Major Two Kadet Ronald Marcus Sihite, explained that this water purification system was designed to be easy to operate in the field. The technology used utilizes fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) as the main filtration tube.
"In the FRP system there are several layers of filter media, namely manganese ferrolit and manganese zeolite to reduce metal content and turbidity, activated carbon to absorb odors, colors, and organic pollutants, and silica to refine the results of filtration," explained Marcus, quoted by Antara.
He continued, the filtered water was then processed further using reverse osmosis (RO) technology to filter very small particles, including dissolved salts and micro-contaminants. This stage is equipped with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation which serves to kill bacteria, viruses, and harmful microorganisms so that the water is safe to consume.
The main advantage of this technology, continued Marcus, lies in cost efficiency and high production capacity.
The system is capable of producing more than 20,000 liters of clean water per day and 4,000-5,000 liters of potable water per day. He hopes that the tools produced by Unhan and TNI innovations can make it easier for victims to get clean water.
In the same press release, the Head of Batu Hula Village expressed his appreciation for the assistance provided by the Ministry of Defense and the TNI.
"Thank you for providing water purification machines. This tool is already functioning and the water can be drunk immediately. This is very useful for us refugees, as many as 1,700 people in our village," he said.