Inside the Navy
Marines To Introduce Water Purifying Technology To Other Services
By Chris Johnson
Inside the Navy
Vol. 19, No. 20
May 22, 2006
The Defense Department is poised to introduce individual water purification systems used by Marines to other services, according to Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace.
Pace mentioned the planned technology transfer when Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) questioned him on the matter during a Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing May 17. Domenici’s state is home to MIOX Corp., one the companies that developed the technology.
In congressional testimony, Pace confirmed that DOD will spread this technology to other services.
“It will be a joint effort, sir,” he said.
Pace said the Marine Corps briefed other services on the technology when he was chair of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council. Pace was chair of that council when he was vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2001 to 2005.
Cascade Designs, a Washington-based company that was also responsible for developing individual water purification systems, describes the technology as a modular, mission-specific, on-the-move water purification and hydration system designed to integrate with the Marine Corps’ Infantry Load Bearing Equipment.
"It will enable Marines to gather fresh water from any source, anywhere and purify it into safe drinking water,” the company said in a press release issued in February.
During the hearing, Domenici noted this technology has helped solve a critical problem for Marines.
“Water purification . . . has been a tremendous problem for the department, and right down to Marines who are trying to have clean water as they go through the filthiest war zones you can imagine,” he said.
Cascade Designs in Washington state and MIOX Corp. in New Mexico developed the technology together. Initial development funding was provided from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, according to the press release.
The Marine Corps first used the technology when 1,000 units were deployed to units in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, according to the press release.
Marine Corps Systems Command spokesman Capt. Jeff Landis said he was unaware of any plans to export the technology to other services.
“There has been no discussion of a transfer,” he said. “We continue to work with the Army on a number of projects, this happens to be one of them, but there hasn’t been any formal discussions.”
Landis said the Marine Corps and the Army had a “handshake” agreement on developing the technology when it was in its early phases. However, he said nothing formal has developed from the agreement.
Domenici has offered an amendment to the Senate version of the fiscal year 2007 defense authorization bill that would provide $4.5 million in funds for the water purification program. The extra funding would allow for the additional procurement of the system next year, according to the amendment. a