| |
| |
Water is Life - Brandix launches its first mobile desalination plant
Jerry Stritzke - President of MAST Industries, commissioned the first mobile Desalination unit launched under the partnership of Brandix/Water Resource Board Disaster Mitigation and Management Center at a simple ceremony held in Ambalangoda on the 8 th of June 2005. This mobile desalination unit with a capacity of 2,000 gal( US )/day purifies sea water to potable water quality through reverse osmosis. Designed for easy deployment during natural disasters causing drought or flood conditions, the output is sufficient to cover the drinking water requirement of approximately 1000 people.
 At Brandix, recognizing the interdependence of community vitality and business success , corporate social responsibility is a long-term and ongoing commitment primarily focused on increasing the availability of water and providing water to as many needy communities as possible. With both the incidence and severity of drought increasing in frequency and scale, the lack of water has become our greatest national crisis. Brandix is committed to reverse the figures through a concerted effort in providing water to as many needy communities as possible.
In the immediate aftermath of the Tsunami, Brandix joined forces with the Water Resources Board of Sri Lanka to establish the Brandix/WRB Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre to assist in providing relief to the people in the affected districts. Commencing as early as 28 December, Brandix/WRB Center deployed teams that carried out methodical cleaning of over 4500 wells as well as providing potable water in these areas. Initially steering resources for disaster mitigation, the Center is now involved in providing long term solutions in provision of drinking water, water conservation and water management.
From 2004, Brandix CSR team began the task of constructing desalination plants to be strategically located areas along the southern and western coastal belt. This process is two-fold: firstly, to convert sea water into fresh, drinkable water, and secondly, to distribute this to the local populace through the most efficient and effective mechanisms available. Some of these units will be mobile, transportable to areas in the country that are in urgent requirement of water.
 Reverse Osmosis and membrane filtration process which takes place in the desalination unit has been viewed as a futuristic, expensive and complex process for a long time. However, in the past fifteen years, this process has developed to a mature and reliable technique and very useful for drinking water purification. Reverse osmosis is the most economic process for desalination of brackish water and seawater.
This mobile desalination plant, manufactured in the United States , uses the highest quality components utilizing the latest technologies available in the industry today. The system is mobile, simple to operate, reliable and easy to maintain.
 Brandix initially set up a Reverse Osmosis unit in Hambantota over three years ago which was unfortunately displaced by the Tsunami. This is the second such unit to be introduced by Brandix and is the first mobile unit. Another unit is already in Sri Lanka is to be set up in the East coast. Further, having witnessed the nature and scale of this disaster and understood the requirements to provide the most efficient and effective solution, this program is accelerated to bring in more such units. |
|
