CHAPTER IV, SECTION 3

SECTION 3
FRESH WATER DISTILLATION AND DISTRIBUTION
The fresh water requirenents were based
on forecasted peak populations with an estimated
daily per capita consumption of 49 gallons in
the permanent camps and 35 gallons in the
temporary camps. Experience gained with distillation units had indicated thar they serve satisfactorily as the source of frex<h water when provided in multiple units of liberal capacity to
permit

the fairly extensive maintainance

nec-

essary for this type of equipment. In determining the number and capacities of units required
at each camp, consideration was given to ��cown
time’ of 25°; for the units installed and to the
difference between rated capacities and actual

yields due to the fouling of tubes in use. As the
program developed, it became apparent in April
1953 that it would be necessary to provide
additional distillation units to meet the expected
fresh water demands. After evaluation of all the
factors available at that time, a decision was
reached to procure six 600 gph and four 200 gph

additional units. Though the origina! concept of

the number of camps and population estimates
changed -omewhat thereafter, the acqui-ition of
these additional units permitted the provision of
adequate plant capacities at all sites. The fallow-

ing tabulation indicates the iocation of all units

in February 1954, the month of peak population.

=

SITE
Elmer
Pred
re

NO.OF
UNITS
6

3
a
5

RATED OUTPUT COMPRESSOR
G. P.H.
PRIME MOVER
60

60U
zoo
00
€o0

Ursula
Yvonne

3
1**

200
600

Charlie
Fox
Nan

4
4
4

150
150
150

Tare

11

150

Elect.

Diesel
Pesce
lect.
Diesel

Thesel
Elect.
Gas

Gas
Gas
Gas

STATIONARY OR
PORTABLE

CAPACITY
PER DAY

Stationary

Portable
Portable
Stationary
Portable

134,400
rn
187,200

Portable
Stationary

14,400
9,200

Portable

39,600

Portable
Portable
Portable

14,400
14.400
14,400

* Used only for several days during emergency
landing of Bikini Personnel after Bravo event.
** Tn inactive status.

The distillation units with their related
equipment such. as boilers, pumps, and chlorinators. were housed at the teinporary camps in
simple inexpensive, expendable buildings. Figure
4-23 shows the installation at site Charlie.
Ground and elevated storage tanks were provided in quantities to provide storage of one day’s
supply of fresh water. The piping to the clevated
tanks was so arranged that these tanks rode the
distribution system and thereby provided the
necessarv head. Ashestos-cement pipe for distribution lines was used for reducing the corrosion problems since it was available at Jobsite. Shallow salt water wells conveniently located adjacent to the distillation plants were
the source of salt water. Figure 4-24 shows a
typical elevated tank at a temporary campsite.

Operating experience indicated that consumption could be held to low rates only with
careful water discipline by users and continued
surveillance of the distribution systems to detect and rectify leakage as early as possible.
Demands for fresh water were heavy for washing down planes, for decontamination purposes,
and photographic laboratories. Also, the distillation plants on LSTs did not operate satisfactorily when the vessels were beached and it
became

necessary

to

augment

the

supply

of

water to these vessels from the source at Elmer.
Records of daily production and consumption
records for all purposes were maintained and
reported monthly to the AEC. Consumption for
both Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls is shown in

the table at the bottom of page 4-32.

Page 4-31

Select target paragraph3