Water Purification at Mountain Home AFB Published Feb. 5, 2021 By Joshua L. Keesler 366 Civil Engineer Squadron MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- The Water and Fuels Systems Maintenance Team (WFSM) recently conducted training on the new Platoon Water Purification System (PWPS) at Mountain Home AFB. The PWPS increases the warfighting capabilities of Airmen by allowing units to occupy and operate in more remote areas, while providing essential potable water for contingency operations.The PWPS has the capability to purify up to 20 gallons per hour from typically non-potable water sources. The treatment is necessary to prevent various waterborne diseases, such as typhoid and dysentery. Desalination is possible with the PWPS which allows for production of 15 gallons per hour on seawater. The system comes equipped with enough hose to purify water anywhere within 100 feet of a water source.The purification system operates by feeding water through a two-stage filter (200 & 5 micron) system which then feeds through three reverse osmosis cartridges. The versatility of the PWPS is apparent through its multi-power capability of running on 120-240 VAC, 50 or 60 Hz, 24 VDC NATO or with BB-2590 batteries. This flexibility allows for more remote operations with options to power the unit from most military vehicles or for up to eight hours from battery power.After just a brief introduction to the unit, the WFSM team was able to produce purified water in about six minutes from the time they opened the storage boxes. This newly acquired ability will be tested in the coming months during multiple training exercises to better prepare for contingency operations designed to develop multi-capable Airmen.