Riga unveils Latvian-made mobile water filtration unit

Riga has unveiled a Latvian-made mobile water filtration unit that can provide safe drinking water within an hour if the city’s water supply becomes unavailable, LSM reported Wednesday.

The unit was demonstrated on Wednesday using water from the Riga Canal. After filtration, the water had lost its yellowish tint and had no noticeable smell; it looked and tasted like tap water, with a slight mineral note.

The equipment is housed in a blue shipping container and includes quartz sand and activated carbon filters, as well as systems for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, mineralisation and ultraviolet disinfection. It can draw water from freshwater sources such as the Daugava River, ponds and lakes.

Ivars Gaters, head of the water treatment and supply service at Riga Water, said the company was confident the unit could produce water that was safe for residents to drink in a crisis, regardless of the source. Laboratory tests showed it removes up to 99.2% of contaminants in the water.