During the African Lion 2023 exercises held in the Moroccan desert, the United States Army first used the water purification technology developed by an Estonian wastewater treatment robot developer Spacedrip, which allows wastewater to be reused as potable water in a closed cycle.
During the exercises, the US Army tested the company’s technology to ensure water supply at the training base, where water was reused for showers, taps and toilets.
“The technology is installed in mobile sea containers, where wastewater is treated into potable water. Showers and toilets are installed in the containers with the treatment system, which enables water to be reused all in one container,” Joonatan Oras, the CEO and founder of Spacedrip, said in a statement.
“The treatment process is controlled by software, sensors and automation. Automation guarantees clean water and eliminates the need for regular on-site process monitoring and management.”
Wastewater reuse makes it possible to ensure access to water during exercises or operations where defence forces personnel are located in a hostile environment – such as a desert, a mountain or a tundra, where water is not available and where it is expensive or dangerous to transport water.
The US Army continues to test the Estonian-developed technology to further evaluate the potential of water reuse systems to ensure water supply on a larger scale in the future.
