US Army to construct new water treatment facility in California

The US Army Corps of Engineers will construct a $100m water treatment system at Fort Irwin in the US state of California to replace the post’s existing system.

The post’s Department of Public Works director Lance Toyofuku was quoted by Desert Dispatch as saying that the new facility will supply about 5.3 millions of gallons of water a day to the 1,800 buildings on post, serving about 23,000 people.

A single water system using electrodialysis reversal technology will help the new facility to purify water.

US Army Corps of Engineers project manager Lt Col Joseph Seybold told the news site that electrodialysis reversal technology separates contaminants from clean water through an electrochemical process.

"The purpose of this project is to conserve as much as possible the area’s limited water resources," he said.

The three-year project will be constructed with the help of locals, and is expected to be in operation by December 2015.

The US Army Corps of Engineers environmental engineer Toni Ortiz said the post’s current facility operates on two water systems: one for drinking water and another for domestic use.

The existing water treatment system recovers only 40-60% of water purified for drinking.