DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6265 3343, Fax: 02 62656946
MSPA 149/09
Wednesday, 06 May 2009
KARUMBA WATER PURIFICATION TASK COMPLETE
Australian Defence Force (ADF) aid to the North Queensland concluded today, three months after
the floods earlier in the year disrupted Karumba’s fresh water supply.
The deployment of ADF personnel and assets was in response to a Queensland Government
request, through Emergency Management Australia, for Defence to provide an emergency
drinking water supply to Karumba.
A team of six engineers from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment and two technicians from the 3rd
Combat Service Support Battalion operated the equipment and tested the water quality.
They processed up to 400,000 litres of clean water per day using the engineers’ Cross Plate
Clarifier 20 (CPC 20) trailer – mounted water treatment unit. This enabled over 24 mega litres of
purified water to be supplied to the community during the deployment.
Water Purity produced by the CPC 20 was tested by the operators every hour and by a
preventative medicine technician twice a day. The preventative medicine testing regime included
analysis of source water, treated water entering the mains, water in holding tanks and water
flowing from taps in town.
Several soldiers from the 3rd Brigade rotated through the Karumba task and for much of the three
month commitment, the detachment was commanded by soldiers of the rank of lance corporal,
giving junior leaders valuable command experience.
This deployment demonstrated the ADF’s ongoing commitment to support Australian
communities in times of need, adding to the already significant commitment being made to the
Victorian bushfire crisis at this time.
Commander of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Mark Evans, said the ADF excels in the
provision of short term, emergency assistance.
“The North Queensland mission again demonstrated the ADF’s high level of readiness to respond
to emergency situations.”
Commonwealth assistance to the state and territory Governments for emergencies is coordinated
by Emergency Management Australia. Any Defence support provided is provided as part of a
national response.
Media Note: Media wishing to cover the activity are requested to meet at RAAF Townsville
front entrance. Photo ID will be required for entry.
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664
Capt Al Green: 07 4771 7393 or 0419 262 267
NEWS 
