DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 365/09
Friday, 23 October 2009
ARMY ENGINEERS COMPLETE WATER MISSION
Australian Army Engineers from Darwin’s 1st
Combat Engineer Regiment are preparing to
return home after producing clean water in Padang for the last two and a half weeks.
The
two Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units (ROWPU) converted sea water into
drinking water and produced over 1.3 million litres, or 180 truck loads of water to augment
the local water supply.
Padang’s water treatment facility is now back in operation and three deep wells that are also
part of the system have commenced operating 24 hours a day, with assistance from three
generators donated by AusAID.
Major Brent Maddock, Commander Engineer Reconnaissance Team, says the immediate
relief provided by the Army Engineers has been replaced with a more enduring solution.
“These generators enable the three deep wells to operate 24/7 which, at a minimum, will
provide three times the amount of water that the Army Water Purification Units have
produced,” Major Maddock said.
Commander of the Joint Task Force, Colonel Mark Brewer, says the Army Engineers had
done an outstanding job in assisting Indonesia
to avert
a potential water crisis in Padang
following the earthquake.
“The rapid deployment of the water purification units and their prompt establishment is a
good example of the broad emergency response capabilities of the ADF,” Colonel Brewer
said.
“The Army Engineers made an immediate and positive impact with water production,
enabling the Indonesian authorities to repair the damaged water treatment plant and water
pipes. Now that the deep wells are also in operation, the Army Engineers are no longer
required to augment the local water supply.”
With their mission complete, the Water Purification Units have now ceased operation and will
return to Australia within days.
The withdrawal of the water purification plants is being closely coordinated with AusAID and
the Padang Water Board.
Media Note:
Vision has been fed to all networks at Parliament House and imagery is available at:
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
