Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Queensland since Marcia in 2015 and was the costliest tropical cyclone in Australia since Yasi in 2011. Forming as a tropical low on 23 March, the low gradually intensified to a named tropical cyclone on 26 March. Cannonvale, in the Airlie Beach area, was amongst the hardest hit regions during Cyclone Debbie.
It was no surprise to Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment’s Proserpine Branch to hear Queensland Health had been advised they couldn’t be guaranteed potable water supply to their Whitsunday Community Health Centre in Cannonvale immediately after Cyclone Debbie.
Luckily, Dowdens Pumping and Water Treatment’s Head Office in Mackay had a portable Ultrafiltration Treatment System available, capable of supplying up to 70,000 litres of potable water per day. Queensland Health and the Whitsunday Community Health Centre in Cannonvale instructed Dowdens Pumping to install the unit immediately on a temporary ‘hire’ agreement in-case of the loss of mains water supply.
There were two water sources available at the time, the mains water supply or bore water from the Proserpine Hospital. Queensland Health instructed Dowdens to connect the UF Treatment system to the bore water supply to remain as self-sufficient as possible post-Cyclone Debbie.
Dowdens Pumping has previously completed numerous bore water filtration systems treating bore water with our PURION Brand of Iron Removal Filters, so this emergency UF Treatment System was quick and easy to install. PURION Iron Removal Filters pre-treat the bore water before running it through the Ultrafiltration System, which then doses the filtrate with liquid chlorine to disinfect further.
Once the water was treated, Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment transported numerous loads of the potable water from the Proserpine Hospital (where the UF System was installed) directly to the Whitsunday Community Health Centre in Cannonvale, where it was stored in a potable water grade storage tank. The treated water was then used to supply the medical centre. The entire supply/installation and commissioning were completed on Saturday 1st of April – only four days after Cyclone Debbie hit.
If you are ever in need of potable water during a storm or emergency, contact Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment. Dowdens only require access to a reasonable water source (bore, dam, creek) and power (generator or mains power). We can guarantee the same day potable water supply in any situation!
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Dowdens has four convenient locations throughout Queensland. We have branches in Mackay and Proserpine in the north, servicing the Sugar and Coal industries, a centrally located branch in Rockhampton, specialising in the Agricultural and Coal industries, and a branch in Brisbane, servicing multiple industries in the southeast of Queensland.
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