Drinking Water for Disaster Relief

March 24, 2011

	Sulis PPd
	Sokol1
	Sokol Alert
	Sandex MS
	Water pillow

This is what has motivated an Israeli company, WaterSheer, to produce products that can transform dirty water, even urine, into drinking water. Their first product was the Sulis Personal Purification Device, a small filter that can be attached to almost any water bottle, container, or tap. Now, they have expanded their product line to handle much larger needs, especially during natural disasters.

Following a major earthquake in Taiwan in 2009, WaterSheer products were in use. “In Taiwan, within 48 hours, our products were already in the field and purifying 16,000 liters (4,227 gallons) per day,” remarks company CEO and cofounder Yossie Sandak, a former Israel Air Force officer. They also came to the rescue in Myanmar after the 2008 cyclone and the earthquake in Haiti last year.

All of their products are designed to be inexpensive, readily available in mass quantities, small and lightweight, appropriate for both children and adults, maintenance-free, and not dependent on professional teams or electrical power.  Sokol1 is a portable tank available in sizes that hold 20, 50 or 100 liters (5, 13, or 26 gallons) of water and is reusable. Sokol Alert is a similar purification system but for one-time emergency use. Then there’s the Sandex MS, which is still under development. It is a multi-source emergency personal water purification system, designed for use in extreme situations of war, disaster, and remote travel capable of transforming even sea water and urine into drinkable water.

The aseptic “water pillow” system, which provides a solution for larger supplies of water with relatively easy mobilization, is so new that it’s not even posted on the company’s Web site yet. Each pillow holds up to 11,734 liters (3,100 gallons) of potable water and can be loaded onto flatbed trucks. When they arrive at distribution points, the units are emptied into smaller flexible thermoplastic “pillows” that can have taps attached for easy and immediate distribution.

The company received honor last year when they were the only company of its kind singled out to participate in the first Israel Homeland Security International Conference in Tel Aviv. Amazingly, up to 20% of the equipment sent to disaster areas has been donated, Sandak noted to Israel21c. For more information: 972-3-979-7972, www.watersheer.com

Source: By Charleeda Sprinkle, Assistant Editor, with contributions by Abigail Klein Leichman, www.israel21c.org