MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 utilities platoon could one day hold the lives of everyone aboard the Station in their hands. Water management is their area of expertise, the substance most vital to human survival. That expertise was put to the test during a water purification exercise.
The exercise involved pulling mass quantities of water from Penny Lake and purifying it. The purpose was not only to test the equipment, but also the Marines operating it.
"We're here to get some training; some hands-on experience," said Lance Cpl. Daniel A. SantosJavier, hygiene equipment operator. "We need to maintain this equipment in preparation for the worst."
"We are tasked with providing water support to the station in the event of a major disaster," said 2nd Lt. Taylor Buff, utilities platoon commander. "Our Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units (ROWPUs) are capable of purifying salt water or even water that has been contaminated with nuclear biological chemical agents. My Marines would set up a water distribution point and would also be able to provide showers."
For the exercise, the water was pulled from the lake into three thousand-gallon holding tanks, said Lance Cpl. Matthew Travis, hygiene equipment operator. The water is put through the wringer, processing through at a continuous rate of about 12 gallons. All the air and dirt is pushed out, and the water is filtered through a series of pumps. The end result is clean water.
A total dissolved solids meter determines how clean the water is.
"The water we pump through the ROWPU is more purified than the bottled water you buy at the store," said Travis.
"Each ROWPU can produce about 600 gallons per hour and can run for 20 hours before stopping for a four-hour maintenance period," said Buff. "In the event of an emergency, we would have to produce about 75,000 gallons for people that reside aboard the air base."
"We've taken out individual units, but we've never taken all the units out here," said Travis. "We've learned a lot from this exercise. We know the little things we have to do to the ROWPUs to keep them in tip-top condition."
"In a real-life combat situation, we are more prepared," said SantosJavier. "We learn how to run it in school, but not how to maintain it."
The expertise of these Marines could mean the difference between life and death in many situations.
"Other than our responsibility to the Station, these Marines deploy several times a year to provide water support at numerous locations," said Buff. "In March, some of the Marines will deploy to Foal Eagle and provide potable water, showers, and laundry for nearly one thousand Marines. Training events, such as what we have done this week, provide an opportunity to exercise and improve their technical skills and proficiency."
The Hygiene equipment Marines take pride in their knowledge and expertise.
"When we're in the field, we're the man," quipped SantosJavier. "There's no mission without my water. We've got a lot of people to support."