Due to the devastation in Central America caused by Hurricane Mitch, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux has decided to make immediately available emergency water treatment equipment and the technical expertise of its intervention team, Aquassistance, to the populations concerned.

A total of 7 water treatment mini-stations, including 2 Aquachoc systems have been dispatched to the population in need of clean water supply along with a team of 6 experts to enable rapid installation and training of users. The Aquachoc systems are aimed at supplying more sensitive equipment such as in hospitals. This system is a mobile unit providing drinking water using ultrafiltration.

The mini-stations work by a method of sand filtration producing 5 m3 of drinking water an hour per machine. In the present shortage situation the machines will enable daily distribution of drinking water ration for 170,000 people.

500,000 water purification tablets have also been sent to supply 50,000 people for approximately 15 days.