ES sends mobile water treatment plants to Rio Grande do Sul to help rain victims | Holy Spirit

Understand how portable water treatment plants work

The Government of Espírito Santo sent this Monday (6) three mobile water treatment stations, which transform unsafe water into drinkable water, in Rio Grande do Sul. The state of Espírito Santo also helps with 26 soldiers from the Fire Department to assist in rescues and assistance after floods.

According to information released by the governor of Espírito Santo, Renato Casagrande (PSB), firefighters already on site have already saved 154 people and 27 animals as of Monday night (6).

In images released by the corporation, it is possible to see firefighters rescuing people trapped in buildings and also the action in completely flooded streets.

“The sending of troops from other states is being coordinated by the National Council of Military Fire Brigades of Brazil (Ligabom), so that resources arrive as needed. Espírito Santo is among the states with the largest number of military personnel supporting Rio Grande do Sul and we are ready to assist with whatever is necessary”, declared the general commander of CBMES, Colonel Alexandre Cerqueira.

Firefighters from Espírito Santo left Vitória and are working in various parts of the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Region and the two dogs, Fênix and Brisa, with their respective handlers, are working in Santa Cruz do Sul.

In addition, the military took all the necessary equipment to search and rescue victims of the rain, including vehicles, boats, drones and personal safety equipment, such as helmets and vests, in addition to the tent itself.

This planning aims to provide all the necessary support, without using resources from the local corporation, which is already in high demand.

The state has six mobile water treatment plants. The first equipment was purchased in 2020 and was only used for the first time during the storm that hit Mimoso do Sul, in the south of the state, in March this year.

Three continue to operate in Mimoso do Sul and another three were sent to Rio Grande do Sul.

The raw water is placed in the reservoir, undergoes treatment and comes out drinkable, ready for consumption. Each of the stations is capable of filtering 1,500 liters of water per hour.

Portable stations work by removing water from running water courses, such as rivers and streams, through collection systems and are capable of operating uninterruptedly for as long as necessary.

The water passes through filters equipped with a membrane with technology to filter bacteria, making the water completely suitable for human consumption. The only restriction is that the water to be filtered must be running, as stagnant water can be contaminated by the decomposition of organic matter.

A piping system takes water from the river to the reservoir. Images taken of the stations operating in Mimoso show the system working in water tanks and the water coming out clean after the process.

As soon as the current demands are concluded, CBMES will distribute the equipment throughout Espírito Santo. Stations will be allocated to CBMES units in Colatina, Linhares, Guaçuí and Marechal Floriano, so that they can be used quickly if necessary. The remaining two will be in Vitória.

The Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul updated the number of deaths to 90 due to the storms hitting the state. The bulletin released this Tuesday (7) also points out that there are another 4 deaths being investigated. The state records 132 missing and 361 injured.

There are 203.8 thousand people away from home. Of this total, 48.1 thousand are in shelters and 155.7 thousand are homeless (people staying with family or friends).

RS has 388 of its 497 municipalities with some report of problems related to the storm, with 1.3 million people affected. Furthermore, there are already 750,000 customers without water supply in the state and more than 300,000 points without power.

State highways record total and partial closures on 99 sections of 42 roads. On federal highways, the Federal Highway Police (PRF) reports 58 closures, 19 of which are partial.

The Brazilian Association of Airlines (Abear) reported that Salgado Filho Airport, in Porto Alegre, is closed indefinitely, with all operations suspended.

The forecast of rain from the middle of this week in areas already hit by storms puts the state on alert again.