The trying and chaotic conditions that prevailed during the 2010/2011 flood events tested the character and resolve of the community and emergency services.

None more so than the dedicated volunteers of the region’s SES teams who were recently given a valuable tool to assist their readiness in the event of another natural disaster.

Seeing a need to be able to provide drinkable water for elements of the community adversely affected by disaster events, local business John Gierke (from Gierke Pumps and Irrigation) has built a mobile water purification system.

He was able to do this through the generous donations of parts from a number of firms including IBC Water, Franklin Electric, ProMinent, Rapid Spray PureTec and Davey Water Products.

Toowoomba Regional Council’s SES Unit will operate and conduct the basic maintenance on the system.

The ability to produce drinkable water is a new role for the SES Toowoomba Regional Unit, and it is believed it is the only SES element in Australia with this current capability.

In a disaster, speed and mobility is the key and the system is currently on a large trailer provided by TRC that can be airlifted to remote locations if required - even those outside council’s area of responsibility.

SES volunteers from around the region recently commenced training on the equipment with the first course participants coming from Toowoomba, Clifton, Millmerran, and Goombungee. The training was provided by the man who knows the system best, John Gierke.

John explained to the group how the system utilises the process of reverse osmosis where water is demineralised using semipermeable membrane at high pressure.  It can produce 50,000 litres of drinkable water per day.

And while the system might look rather complex with all its pipes and filters, John put SES personnel at ease by showing that is actually quite straight forward to run and maintain.

The SES volunteers are looking forward to being able to deploy the equipment and provide members of the public with clean drinkable water during any future disaster event where water might be required.

Pic caption: (From left, back row) Clay Newman, Keith Hunter, John Gierke, John Harrison, Melinda Larsen, Brian Cook, Steve Goulding, Jarrad Beckman, Bob Watson, Alina Surawski, Glen Diplock, Jan Nicholson.

(Kneeling, from left) Wilma Burke, Steven Slocombe, Michael Wood, Robert Hall. 

ENDS

For further information about this release, please contact Darren Burton on 07 4688 6381 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it