Design of a flexible, shipping water treatment system for disaster relief

Domestic water supplies are one of the basic requirements for human life. Without water, life cannot be sustained beyond a few days and the lack of access to adequate water supplies leads to the spread of disease. Emergency situations, whether created by floods, hurricanes, earthquakes or other natural phenomena, always require urgent attention if It should alleviate the suffering of the affected population in the shortest possible time. The lack of sanitary conditions after the disaster often leads to extremely serious consequences for the population, and causes even more suffering than the disaster itself. Therefore, water and sanitation must be included among the priorities of local authorities. In some scenarios, bottled water may present the most logical choice, particularly in well-­‐developed countries where there is an abundant supply and a well-­developed transport infrastructure. However, the logistical challenges of getting bottled water to a disaster zone can be formidable. In addition, bottled water is very expensive, heavy, produces much packaging waste and it’s a short-term response. Water Purification Systems (WPS) that can be deployed using a smaller transportation and logistical effort are better suited to provide water to disaster victims over a short to medium period of time. This research project will present the design of a Water Purification System for disaster relief. The main goal of this container-­‐based system is to provide drinkable and clean water to the maximum number of people in emergency situations due to natural disasters